John Ellis

John Ellis (1698–1791) was an English scrivener and literary figure.

Life He was the son of James and Susannah Ellis, born in the parish of St. Clement Danes, London, 22 March 1698. His father was unreliable, though a good swordsman; his mother, Susannah Philpot, was a strict dissenter. He was first sent to a day-school in Dogwell Court, Whitefriars, with a brother and two sisters, and later moved to another, not much superior, in Wine Office Court, Fleet Street. Here he learned the rudiments of grammar, and is said while at school to have translated a Latin poem of Payne Fisher entitled 'Marston Moore, sive de obsidione prœlioque Eboracensi carmen lib. 6,' 1660, which was published in 1750.

Ellis began his business career as clerk or apprentice to John Taverner, a scrivener in Threadneedle Street. He improved his knowledge of Latin by listening to the assistance which his master gave in his school-exercises to his son, who was a pupil at Merchant Taylors' School. He also contributed short pieces to Robert Dodsley's Collection of Poems by several hands, 6 vols., 1763, which were printed with his name in the last volume of the work. One of these, The Cheat's Apology, was set to music as a song by Joseph Vernon at Vauxhall Gardens, with much success. A short allegorical poem, Tartana, or the Plaidie, was printed in 1782 in the European Magazine. A number of his verses, composed at various times for John Boydell, Thomas Bowles, and other printers, were also printed.

With many unpublished poems, Ellis left behind him versions of Æsop and Cato, and of portions of Ovid's Metamorphoses. According to an unpublished poem addressed to Ellis by Moses Mendez, printed by "W. C." in Notes and Queries (4th ser. vii. 5), he used to attend at the Cock tavern in Threadneedle Street every Friday evening at eight o'clock to enjoy the society of his literary friends.