354 Memnir?, p. 13. Oxon. vol. ii col. A S H M O L E. " of the Girter," to the king, who received It very graciouf- ly ; and, as a mark of his approbation, granted him a privy leal for four hundred pounds, out of the curtom of paper [D]. On the 26th of January, 1679, a fire broke out in the Mid- dle Temple, in the next chamber to Mr. Afhmole's, by which he lolra noble library, with a collection of ninethou- fand coins, ancient and modern, and a vaft repofitory of feals, charters, and other antiquities and curiofities ; but'his manu- fcripts and his mod valuable gold medals were luckily at his houfe at South Lambeth. In 1683, the univerfity of Ox- ford having finifhed a magnificent repofitory near the Theatre, Mr. Afhmole fent thither his curious collection of rarities [E j j and this benefaction was confiuerably augmented by the ad- dition of his mantifcripts and library ac his death, which happened at South Lambeth May 1 8, 1692. [F]. He was interred in the church of Great-Lambeth, in Suirey, on the 26th of May, 1692, and a black marble ftone laid over his grave, with the following Latin infcriptkn : fn] This wot k was printed :n folio, at London, 1673. He was <cmpli- mented for this performance by his royal higlinefs the duke of York, who, though then at fea againft the Dutch, fent for his book by the ear] <{ Peter- borough. (See Alhmole's Diary, p. 46, 47.) The rtft of the knights com- panions of (he mull noble order received him and his book with grew civility and rHpeft. N'or was it lefs efleemed abroad : it wjs repiitiicd by the pope in the library ot the Vatican. King CViriftiern >( Denmark lent him, in 1674, b y Th mas Henfimv, efq. the king's rtf.c'c-nt at Copenhagen, a r-o'd crKiin and me da!, which, with the kind's leave, on certain hiy.h tti'ivals, lie wore. Fri-dcric William eledtor of Brandenburg fent him the like prc- fcnt, and o/dcrcd his book to be tranf- lated intu Hi-h Dutch. Aihen. Oxon. Vol. ii. cd. ;->Jy. [K] The- principal part of this cul- leftion was made by the famous John Tradi fcants, t;uLpr and fun, and given to Mr. Afhmole by the latter. See Afii- [r] Over the entrance to the M u - fr-Mitin^ the ftreet, is the lul- wing SCHOLA N A TVRALIS HISTORIC, OFFICINA CHVMICA, That is, Aihmole's Mufeum, The Natural Hiftory School, The Chemical Laboratory. Over the door of Mr. Afhmole's Li- brary, at the top of the flairs, is the following infcripticn in letters of gold i Lii ri impreffi et m.inufcriptt e donis clarifT. virorum D. Elise Afhmole et Martini Lifter: quibus non pau- cos addidit vir indutfrius nee infime de re antiquaria prumeritus D. Joannes Aubrey, de Eafton-Pierce, ?pud Wilunienfes, arm. et Soc, Reg. foclus. Thus in Englifh, The printed and manufcript books btiiowed by thole mod famous men Elias Aftimole and Martin Lifter; to which not a few were
- >dded by that indaftrious and excel-
lent antiquary John Aubrey, of Eafton- Fierce, in Wihftiue, efa, r. R.ii, Hie
