# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Ellys, Richard

​ELLYS, Sir RICHARD (1688?–1742), theological writer, was eldest son of Sir William Ellys of Wyham and grandson of the first baronet, Sir Thomas (created 1660). His mother was Isabella, daughter of Richard Hampdon. chancellor of the exchequer, and granddaughter of John Hampden. Ellys, who was born about 1688, was educated abroad, probably in Holland. His tutor regarded him as the equal in Greek scholarship of almost any professor, and he was also acquainted with Hebrew. Throughout his life he corresponded with continental scholars, by whom he was much esteemed (see Gronovius's dedication to Ellys of his edition of Ælian's 'Varia Historia,' and the Wetsteins' edition of Suicer's 'Thesaurus,' to which he had contributed the use of a manuscript of Suicer in his possession). He was especially intimate with Maittaire, who, in his 'Senilis,' addressed several pieces of Latin verse to him. His learning took the direction of biblical criticism and bore fruit in his 'Fortuita Sacra; quibus subucitur Commentarius de Cymhelie' (Rotterdam, 1727), the first part of which consists of a critical commentary in Latin on doubtful passages in the Greek Testament, and the second of a curious treatise on cymbals, also in Latin. In 1727 Ellys was elected for the third and last time member of parliament for Boston, Lincolnshire, having been previously returned at a bye-election in 1719 and in 1722, and in the same year he succeeded his father (d. 6 Oct.) in the title and his estate of Nocton, Lincolnshire. (It is stated in Collins's Baronetage, vol. iii. pt. i. p, 89, apparently on the authority of Ellys himself, that he twice represented Grantham in parliament, but it does not so appear from the official 'Returns,' though Sir William Ellys represented that borough from 1715 to 1724.) Ellys now devoted himself to antiquarian research and amassed at Nocton a fine library. On 24 June 1742 an account of this library and some curiosities lately added thereto formed the day's transactions of the Gentlemen's Society at Spalding, of which Ellys had been elected a member on 12 March 1729. Ellys held strong religious opinions. He hnd been an Arminian, but was a decided Calvinist in 1730, and when living in London (Bolton Street. Piccadilly) he was a member of Calamy's congregation. and after Calamy's death of Bradbury's. He steadfastly befriended Thomas Boston [q. v.], whose treatise on Hebrew accents, 'Tractatus Stigmato-logicus,' was dedicated to him. He maintained his family's traditional hospitality. His father had kept open house at Nocton for all comers, and every day twelve dishes were prepared whether or no any guests came to partake of them. Ellys allowed 800l. per annum to a steward for the maintenance of the same custom. Ellys was twice married: first to Elizabeth, daughter and coheiress of Sir Edwin Hussey, bart.; and, secondly, to Susan, daughter and co-heiress of Thomas Gould, who outlived him, and, re-marrying with Sir Francis Dashwood, died Lady Despencer on 19 Jan. 1769. By neither wife, however, did he have issue, and the disposition of his property excited much interest. Sir Charles Hanbury Williams, in his satire, 'Peter and my Lord ​Quidam,' says that the chief competitors for his inheritance were 'Horace,' that is Horatio Walpole, who wrote a Latin ode in Ellys's honour and gave him his portrait, and Hampden, that is Richard Hampden, who had married Ellys's sister. On the death of Ellys (21 Feb. 1742) it was found that his estates were entailed on his second wife, and after her death or marriage on the families of Hobart and Trevor, in to whose possession they ultimately passed. His cousin, William Strode of Barnington, Somersetshire, was heir-at-law and contested the will in the court of chancery, but without effect. Ellys's splendid library was removed from Nocton to Blickling, Norfolk, then a seat of the Hobarts and now the property of the Marquis of Lothian.
[Notes and Queries, 3rd ser. vi. 183 (contributed by Professor J. E. B. Mayor), x. 128, 156; Gent. Mag. 1812, pt. ii. p. 447, 1813, pt. i. p. 29; Bogue and Bennet's Hist. of Dissenters, iv. 6; Collins's Baronetage, as above; Burke's Extinct Baronetage, p. 181; Chalmers's Biog. Dict. sub voc.; Memoirs of Life of Thomas Boston, by himself, pp. 46, 487 (the appendix contains several letters passing between Ellys and Boston); Nichols's Lit. Anecd. vi. 13, 138.]
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