John Ellis (clergyman died 1665)
Encyclopedia
John Ellis was a Welsh
Anglican clergyman and religious writer.
, Merionethshire
. He was educated at Hart Hall, Oxford (matriculation
1617, B.A.
1622, M.A. 1625, B.D.
(1632); he also received a D.D.
from the University of St Andrews
in 1634). He was ordained deacon in 1621 and priest in 1622. He was a Fellow of Jesus College, Oxford
from 1628 to 1631, when he married.
In 1629, he was made rector
of Wheatfield, Oxfordshire
, holding the position for about seventeen years. In about 1646, he added the positions of rector of Chinnor
, Oxfordshire and rector of Dolgellau
, Merionethshire
. He had an income of over £200 per year in 1648, from his positions as rector of Dolgellau and of Towyn
and from the prebend of Y Faenol, Caernarvonshire. He was described as "the best paid minister in Wales". In 1657, he argued in correspondence that a national college should be established in Wales. He made his will on 4 December 1665 and died within the week. He left money for a schoolmaster to be employed in Dolgellau, which led to the foundation of Dolgellau Grammar School. He was succeeded as rector of Dolgellau by Thomas Ellis
, referred to as his kinsman.
, dedicating his work to Thomas Tipping of Wheatfield. Clavis fidei (1642), on the Apostles' Creed
, was dedicated to John Lisle
, and later translated into English. After the Restoration, in September 1660, Ellis published Defensio fidei on the Thirty-nine Articles
, which was reprinted several times in London and in Amsterdam
.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
Anglican clergyman and religious writer.
Life
Ellis was bortn at Gwylan, MaentwrogMaentwrog
Maentwrog is a village and community in the Welsh county of Gwynedd, lying in the Vale of Ffestiniog, within the Snowdonia National Park. The River Dwyryd runs alongside the village...
, Merionethshire
Merionethshire
Merionethshire is one of thirteen historic counties of Wales, a vice county and a former administrative county.The administrative county of Merioneth, created under the Local Government Act 1888, was abolished under the Local Government Act 1972 on April 1, 1974...
. He was educated at Hart Hall, Oxford (matriculation
Matriculation
Matriculation, in the broadest sense, means to be registered or added to a list, from the Latin matricula – little list. In Scottish heraldry, for instance, a matriculation is a registration of armorial bearings...
1617, B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
1622, M.A. 1625, B.D.
Bachelor of Divinity
In Western universities, a Bachelor of Divinity is usually an undergraduate academic degree awarded for a course taken in the study of divinity or related disciplines, such as theology or, rarely, religious studies....
(1632); he also received a D.D.
Doctor of Divinity
Doctor of Divinity is an advanced academic degree in divinity. Historically, it identified one who had been licensed by a university to teach Christian theology or related religious subjects....
from the University of St Andrews
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews, informally referred to as "St Andrews", is the oldest university in Scotland and the third oldest in the English-speaking world after Oxford and Cambridge. The university is situated in the town of St Andrews, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. It was founded between...
in 1634). He was ordained deacon in 1621 and priest in 1622. He was a Fellow of Jesus College, Oxford
Jesus College, Oxford
Jesus College is one of the colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is in the centre of the city, on a site between Turl Street, Ship Street, Cornmarket Street and Market Street...
from 1628 to 1631, when he married.
In 1629, he was made rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
of Wheatfield, Oxfordshire
Wheatfield, Oxfordshire
Wheatfield is a civil parish and deserted medieval village about south of Thame in Oxfordshire.All that remains today is the crenellated Church of England parish church of Saint Andrew, former rectory and the old stables. Wheatfield Park was the home of the Tipping family from the 16th century...
, holding the position for about seventeen years. In about 1646, he added the positions of rector of Chinnor
Chinnor
Chinnor is a village and civil parish in South Oxfordshire about southeast of Thame. The village is a Spring line settlement on the Icknield Way below the Chiltern escarpment...
, Oxfordshire and rector of Dolgellau
Dolgellau
Dolgellau is a market town in Gwynedd, north-west Wales, lying on the River Wnion, a tributary of the River Mawddach. It was the county town of the former county of Merionethshire .-History and economy:...
, Merionethshire
Merionethshire
Merionethshire is one of thirteen historic counties of Wales, a vice county and a former administrative county.The administrative county of Merioneth, created under the Local Government Act 1888, was abolished under the Local Government Act 1972 on April 1, 1974...
. He had an income of over £200 per year in 1648, from his positions as rector of Dolgellau and of Towyn
Towyn
Towyn , is a seaside resort in the County Borough of Conwy, Wales.It is located between Rhyl, in Denbighshire, and Abergele in Conwy. According to the 2001 Census, together with neighbouring Kinmel Bay , it had a population 7,864, of which 10.7% could speak Welsh...
and from the prebend of Y Faenol, Caernarvonshire. He was described as "the best paid minister in Wales". In 1657, he argued in correspondence that a national college should be established in Wales. He made his will on 4 December 1665 and died within the week. He left money for a schoolmaster to be employed in Dolgellau, which led to the foundation of Dolgellau Grammar School. He was succeeded as rector of Dolgellau by Thomas Ellis
Thomas Ellis (clergyman died 1673)
-Life:Ellis was born at Ystumllyn, near Criccieth, Caernarvonshire. He matriculated at Jesus College, Oxford in 1640, graduating with a B.A. degree in 1644, and taking his M.A. degree in 1646...
, referred to as his kinsman.
Works
In 1641, Ellis published Bellum in idumaeos, a commentary on the Book of ObadiahBook of Obadiah
The canonical Book of Obadiah is an oracle concerning the divine judgment of Edom and the restoration of Israel. The text consists of a single chapter, divided into 21 verses, making it the shortest book in the Hebrew Bible....
, dedicating his work to Thomas Tipping of Wheatfield. Clavis fidei (1642), on the Apostles' Creed
Apostles' Creed
The Apostles' Creed , sometimes titled Symbol of the Apostles, is an early statement of Christian belief, a creed or "symbol"...
, was dedicated to John Lisle
John Lisle
Sir John Lisle was an English lawyer and politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1640 and 1659. He supported the Parliamentarian cause in the English Civil War and was one of the Regicides of King Charles I of England...
, and later translated into English. After the Restoration, in September 1660, Ellis published Defensio fidei on the Thirty-nine Articles
Thirty-Nine Articles
The Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion are the historically defining statements of doctrines of the Anglican church with respect to the controversies of the English Reformation. First established in 1563, the articles served to define the doctrine of the nascent Church of England as it related to...
, which was reprinted several times in London and in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
.