ASHLEY, Robert, a traveller and translator, was born in Wiltshire in 1565. After studying at Oxford, he entered the Middle Temple, but latterly forsook his profession, to indulge his taste for travel, and spent several years in wandering through France, Holland, and Spain. His works are translations from the Italian, French, and Spanish. Died in 1641.—J. S., G.
ASHMOLE, Elias, an eminent antiquarian, and founder of the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, son of Simon Ashmole (of the city of Litchfield, in Staffordshire), saddler, and Anne Boyers, was born at Litchfield on the 23rd of May, 1617. At an early age he was taught grammar and music, and placed in the choir of the cathedral. At the age of sixteen he was removed to London, and taken into the family of James Paget, one of the barons of the Exchequer, who had married his mother's sister. Under Paget's direction, he commenced the study of the law. In the year 1638 he married, and in the same year was admitted a solicitor in Chancery. In the year 1641, he was sworn an attorney of the Common Pleas. At the close of that year, his wife died. Ashmole was a royalist, and in 1645 became one of the gentlemen of the ordnance in the garrison of Oxford. At the same time he entered Brazenose college, and applied himself to natural philosophy, anatomy, and astrology. In 1646 he became a freemason. The king's affairs becoming desperate, Ashmole withdrew for a while to Cheshire, and on his return to London, fell in with Moore, Lilly, and Booker, then reputed to be the greatest astrologers in England. Ashmole was elected steward of this fraternity, which succeeded in bringing to its annual meetings some of the most distinguished men in England. In 1647 he went into Berkshire, and resided for a while at Inglefield, adding botany to his studies. The "Wife of Bath" herself does not appear to have been more experienced in matrimonial life, than the wealthy widow, whose charms now won the heart of "our free and accepted mason." Her father was Sir William Forster. Her first husband was Sir Edward Bradford, Bart.; her next, a Mr. Hamlyn; her third. Sir Thomas Mainwaring, Knight; and her fourth and last was our hero, Elias, whom she married in 1649. It is not surprising that Ashmole was not allowed to possess himself quietly of the widow and her lands. A son by her first husband sought to murder him. Some dangers followed in the shape of a chancery suit with innumerable parties, representing various interests. When these were a little lulled, Ashmole found that the lands which he thought he had made his own were sequestrated, he being a royalist. His astrology and freemasonry now stood him in stead, for Lilly had great influence with the prevailing party, and succeeded in getting the sequestration removed. He now settled in London, and kept open house for all the astrologers of the day, having found, as Anthony Wood says, "the true elixir in his wife's lands and jointures." In 1650 he translated and printed a treatise on the "Philosopher's Stone," by Dr. Dee. On the title-page he styles himself James Hasolle, an anagram of his real name. In 1652 he learned Hebrew, in order to read some books on the occult sciences. In the same year he published his "Theatrum Chemicum Britannicum," a collection of old English treatises in rhyme on the philosopher's stone, and the art of transmuting metals. This book introduced him to Selden. In 1658 he published "The Way to Bliss," a tract on the Hermetical philosophy, which, however, he now seemed on the point of abandoning, and in the same year he began collecting materials for his "History of the Order of the Garter." About this time he also made a catalogue of the coins given to Oxford by Archbishop Laud. The Tredescants, father and son, had for a considerable time been curators of the botanic gardens at Lambeth, and had collected many curiosities which were given to Ashmole by John Tredescant and wife. On the Restoration, Ashmole was made Windsor herald, and obtained with this a number of important and lucrative offices. In 1660 he was called to the bar, and became fellow of the Royal Society. On the 1st of April, 1668, Ashmole's second wife died, and on the 3rd of November he was married to his third, Elizabeth, daughter of Sir William Dugdale. In 1669, the university of Oxford gave him the degree of M.D. On Sir Edmund Walker's death in 1677, he was offered the office of Garter King at arras, which he declined in favour of Dugdale. In 1679, an accidental fire which broke out near his chambers in the Middle Temple, destroyed a large collection of ancient and modern coins, and other matters of antiquarian interest, which it had been the object of his life to collect. His manuscripts were luckily at Lambeth. In 1682 he gave to Oxford all the curiosities he had received from the Tredescants, with great additions of his own. In 1686, on Dugdale's death, he again refused the office of Garter. In 1692 he died. A minute account of his life, drawn up by himself in the form of a diary, supplies the chief materials for his biography.—J. A., D.
ASHMORE, John, an English poet of the beginning of the seventeenth century, author of a volume printed in 1621, containing "Certain Selected Odes of Horace Englished," and other translations, appears to have lived in Yorkshire.
ASHMUN, Jehudi, the agent in Liberia of the American Colonization Society, was born at Champlain, New York, in 1794. He was educated for the ministry, and for a short period held the appointment of professor in the theological seminary of Bangor, Maine. In June, 1822, after an unsuccessful attempt to found a journal in the interest of the Colonization Society, he was commissioned to conduct a band of negro settlers to Liberia, and accordingly set sail for Cape Montserado, which he reached on the 8th August. The greatest difficulties in the way of the settlement had been overcome by the talents and energy of Ashmun, when his health gave way, and he was obliged to return to America. He died a fortnight after his arrival at Newhaven, 10th August, 1828.—J. S., G.
ASHRAF, Shah, second sovereign of Persia, of the Affghan dynasty, succeeded his cousin Meer Mahmud Shah in 1725, and reigned till 1730, when he was slain by Nadir-Kuli.
ASHTON, Charles, born 1665, chaplain to Bishop Patrick, canon of Ely, and master of Jesus college, Cambridge, was a distinguished scholar of his day. He contributed many tracts to the "Bibliotheca Literaria," and published, under the initials R. W., an edition of Hierocles. After his death in 1752, his edition of Justin Martyr was published by Mr. Kneller, a fellow of his college.
ASHTON or ASTON, Hugh, an organist in the time of Henry the Eighth. A Te Deum for five voices, of his composition, is preserved in the music school at Oxford. Other of his works may be found in the British Museum, Harl. MS. 75-78; and Append, to Royal MSS., 58. He was the author of the earliest "hornpype" that has descended to our times. (See Stafford Smith's Musica Antiqua, where it is printed.)—E. F. R.
ASHTON, Sir Thomas, an alchemist of the reign of Henry VI., who was exempted, by royal patent, from the penalties attached to the prosecution of the occult sciences.
ASHTON, Thomas, born 1631, and fellow of Brazenose college, Oxford. In consequence of a dispute with the head of his college, he was forced to resign his fellowship. In 1656 Cromwell appointed him chaplain to the forces in Jersey, but he quarrelled with Colonel Mason the governor, against whom he levelled two tracts, called "Blood-thirsty Cyrus unsatisfied with blood," and "Satan in Samuel's Mantle." The date of his death is unknown. Wood calls him a "forward and conceited scholar."—J. B., O.
ASHTON, Thomas, born 1716, and fellow of King's college, Cambridge, 1733. In 1752 he became rector of St. Botolph, Bishopgate, and, in 1762, preacher of Lincoln's Inn. He resigned this after two years. He died in 1775.
ASHTON, William, an Irish dramatic writer, who lived in the 18th century. He wrote "The Battle of Aughrim," which was dedicated to Lord Cartaret, then lord-lieutenant of Ireland.
ASHURST, Henry, the son of a Lancashire squire, realised a large fortune in London, and during the times of the Protectorate, and those of Charles II., was distinguished by his extensive charities. Died in 1680.
ASHWARBY, John, a learned professor of theology at Oxford, born at Lincoln, and flourished about 1380, was a great defender of Wycliffe's opinions.
ASHWELL, George, fellow of Wadham college, Oxford, was born in 1612, and in 1658 became rector of Hanwell, near Banbury. His chief works are:—1. "Fides Apostolica," a dissertation on the Apostles' Creed; 2. "Gestus Eucharisticus;" 3. "De Socino," &c. He died at Hanwell, 1693.
ASHWELL, Thomas, a cathedral musician, who lived in the reigns of Henry VIII., Edward VI., and Queen Mary. Some of his compositions are preserved in the music school at Oxford, and in the British Museum. He was a writer of considerable eminence in his day, although now forgotten.—E. F. R.
ASHWORTH, Caleb, D.D., an English dissenting minister, was born in Lancashire in 1722. Having received an education for the ministry at the Northampton academy, over which Dr.
