William Ellis (Secretary of State)
Encyclopedia
Sir William Ellis was an English Jacobite
, secretary of State to James II in exile.
, and was educated at Westminster School
. He was elected to a studentship at Christ Church, Oxford
, in 1665, and proceeded B.A. 19 June 1669. He lost his studentship for accepting the degree of M.A. per literas regias at Cambridge in 1671, without having first obtained his grace in his own college; and, despite the intercession of the Prince of Orange
, in whose train he had visited Cambridge, was never restored.
In 1676 he was appointed, along with his brother Welbore Ellis
, customer, comptroller and searcher for the Irish provinces of Leinster
and Munster
; and while holding this sinecure acquired considerable property in Ireland. He acted as secretary to Richard Talbot, 1st Earl of Tyrconnell, on the latter's appointment to the lord-lieutenancy of Ireland in 1686, and was knighted.
At the Glorious Revolution
he followed the fortunes of the house of Stuart
. Accompanying James II to Ireland he was placed on his privy council and appointed one of the assessors of Dublin in April 1690. He was attainted in 1691, and his older brother John Ellis
, to whom he owed money, gained possession of his Irish property. He later became secretary to James in his exile at St. Germain
, and on his death in 1701 acted as treasurer to his son, the Old Pretender.
Ellis died a Protestant at Rome in the autumn of 1732, aged between 65 and 90.
Jacobitism
Jacobitism was the political movement in Britain dedicated to the restoration of the Stuart kings to the thrones of England, Scotland, later the Kingdom of Great Britain, and the Kingdom of Ireland...
, secretary of State to James II in exile.
Life
Ellis was the second son of John EllisJohn Ellis (clergyman)
John Ellis was an English clergyman, known as the author of Vindiciæ Catholicæ.-Life:He was Fellow of St. Catharine Hall, Cambridge, university proctor, and chaplain to Archbishop George Abbot. At the outbreak of the First English Civil War he took sides with the parliament, and was appointed to...
, and was educated at Westminster School
Westminster School
The Royal College of St. Peter in Westminster, almost always known as Westminster School, is one of Britain's leading independent schools, with the highest Oxford and Cambridge acceptance rate of any secondary school or college in Britain...
. He was elected to a studentship at Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
, in 1665, and proceeded B.A. 19 June 1669. He lost his studentship for accepting the degree of M.A. per literas regias at Cambridge in 1671, without having first obtained his grace in his own college; and, despite the intercession of the Prince of Orange
Prince of Orange
Prince of Orange is a title of nobility, originally associated with the Principality of Orange, in what is now southern France. In French it is la Principauté d'Orange....
, in whose train he had visited Cambridge, was never restored.
In 1676 he was appointed, along with his brother Welbore Ellis
Welbore Ellis (bishop)
Welbore Ellis was an English bishop of Kildare, bishop of Meath and Irish privy councillor.-Life:He was the fourth son of the Rev. John Ellis , rector of Waddesdon, and author of Vindiciæ Catholicæ; and brother to John Ellis and William Ellis. He was educated at Westminster School and at Christ...
, customer, comptroller and searcher for the Irish provinces of Leinster
Leinster
Leinster is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the east of Ireland. It comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Mide, Osraige and Leinster. Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the historic fifths of Leinster and Mide gradually merged, mainly due to the impact of the Pale, which straddled...
and Munster
Munster
Munster is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the south of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial purposes...
; and while holding this sinecure acquired considerable property in Ireland. He acted as secretary to Richard Talbot, 1st Earl of Tyrconnell, on the latter's appointment to the lord-lieutenancy of Ireland in 1686, and was knighted.
At the Glorious Revolution
Glorious Revolution
The Glorious Revolution, also called the Revolution of 1688, is the overthrow of King James II of England by a union of English Parliamentarians with the Dutch stadtholder William III of Orange-Nassau...
he followed the fortunes of the house of Stuart
House of Stuart
The House of Stuart is a European royal house. Founded by Robert II of Scotland, the Stewarts first became monarchs of the Kingdom of Scotland during the late 14th century, and subsequently held the position of the Kings of Great Britain and Ireland...
. Accompanying James II to Ireland he was placed on his privy council and appointed one of the assessors of Dublin in April 1690. He was attainted in 1691, and his older brother John Ellis
John Ellis (official)
-Life:Born in or about 1643, he was the eldest son of John Ellis, author of Vindiciæ Catholicæ, by his wife Susannah, daughter of William Welbore of Cambridge. He received his education at Westminster School, and was elected student of Christ Church, Oxford, in 1664. At college he met Humphrey...
, to whom he owed money, gained possession of his Irish property. He later became secretary to James in his exile at St. Germain
Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye
The Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye is a royal palace in the commune of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, in the département of Yvelines, about 19 km west of Paris, France. Today, it houses the Musée d'Archéologie Nationale ....
, and on his death in 1701 acted as treasurer to his son, the Old Pretender.
Ellis died a Protestant at Rome in the autumn of 1732, aged between 65 and 90.