Ashmole, Elias
From Astro-Databank
| Name |
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| born on | 5 June 1617 at 03:28 (= 03:28 AM ) | ||
| Place | Litchfield, England, 51n18, 1w20 | ||
| Timezone | LMT m1w20 (is local mean time) | ||
| Data source |
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| Astrology data |   14°23'   04°58 Asc. 06°58'
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Biography
British historian of the Order of the Garter, alchemist, royalist officer, herald and genealogist, numismatist, epigraphist, connoisseur and collector of antiquities, advocate of the new emphasis on experiment yet a firm believer in magic, astrology and alchemy. Ashmole is famous for his great work, "History of the Order and Institution of the Garter." His learning was immense and he was a founder-member of the Royal Society; Oxford made him a Doctor of Medicine.
He was a born collector and also a social climber who made use of his friends, marrying well three times. He left his books to Oxford University at his death on 5/18/1692, London, and the Ashmolean Museum was the first public museum in Britain, and long remained the center of scientific studies at Oxford.
Ashmole became a freemason in October 1646 and a month later was introduced to William Lilly, who became a lifelong dear friend. Ashmole worked along with Lilly on many horary examples left to history, and many of the questions of the former dealt with such mundane matters as property, rents and money. With his second marriage at 32, to 20-year-older Lady Manwaring in November 1649, he gained a foundation of riches that enabled him "to purchase books, rarities and other things."
It is known that Ashmole was initiated into alchemy by William Backhouse, a then living master whom he called "Father Backhouse." Amongst many other achievements, Ashmole compiled a book of alchemical manuscripts, published in 1652, which is still well respected and in print almost 350 years later. Ashmole wrote in his diary on 5/13/1653 that his adopted alchemical father, William Backhouse, "lying sick in Fleetestreete over against St. Duncan's Church, and not knowing whether he should live or die, about eleven o'clock, told me in Syllables the true matter of the Philosophers stone which he bequeathed to me as a legacy."
"Theatrum Chemicum Britannicum," a collection of alchemical manuscripts first published in 1652, is valued primarily because it is accepted that its compiler, Elias Ashmole, was initiated into the living tradition and with the help of his master, William Backhouse, collected together some of the more likely genuine manuscripts available at that time to create this volume. Unfortunately, the truth of the matter is that today, despite the many 'experts', both academic and enthusiastic amateur, there is nobody alive with any genuine knowledge able to make this determination and sift out the dross. It contains a selection of ancient texts, in poetical format, from the pens of English alchemists specially selected and adjudged as genuine by Ashmole and his mentor, William Backhouse. However, the archaic language is now virtually impenetrable to all but the most ardent scholar.
Relationships
- friend relationship with Lilly, William (born 11 May 1602)
- mentor relationship with Backhouse, William (born 28 January 1592 (greg.))
Events
- Death, Cause unspecified 18 May 1692 (Age 74)
Source Notes
Astrology Quarterly Sept 1960 from his diary (5/26/1617 OS) (3:26 LAT/ 3:28 LMT)
Categories
- Vocation : Occult Fields : Astrologer (Pro)
- Vocation : Writers : Textbook/ Non-fiction (Order of the Garter)
- Lifestyle : Financial : Gain - Money Through Marriage (Three useful marriages)
- Traits : Personality : Opportunist (Social climber)
- Notable : Book Collection : Occult/ Misc. Collection
- Vocation : Writers : Astrology (Texts)
- Family : Relationship : Number of Marriages (Three)
- Notable : Famous : Historic figure
- Lifestyle : Social Life : Collector
- Lifestyle : Social Life : Friends (Important friends)
