 Ely was hooted as a traitor in the streets of Douay, and the members of his community and of the English college were subjected to frequent domiciliary visits; which satisfied the municipal authorities but not the populace.In consequence William Allen found it necessary to move the college from Douay to Rheims in 1578.After studying divinity at Rheims Ely accompanied Allen to Rome in August 1579, when the dissensions had occurred in the English college there, but he returned with him to Rheims in the following spring.