(Eliza), a great antiquary and herald, founder Ashmole, founder of the Ashmolean museum at Oxford, was born at Litchfield in Staffordshire, 1617. In the early part of his life, he practised in the law; and in the civil war had a captain's commission under the king, and was also comptroller of the ordnance. He married the lady Mainwaring in 1649, and settled at London; where his house was frequented by all the learned and ingenious men of the time. Mr Ashmole was a diligent and curious collector of manuscripts. In the year 1650, he published a treatise written by Dr Arthur Dee, relating to the philosopher's stone; together with another tract on the same subject, by an unknown author. About the same time, he was busy in preparing for the press a complete collection of the works of such English chemists as had till then remained in manuscript. This undertaking cost him great labour and expense; and at length the work appeared, towards the close of the year 1652. He proposed at first to have carried it on to several volumes; but he afterwards dropped this design, and seemed to take a different turn in his studies. He now applied himself to the study of antiquity and records; he was at great pains to trace the Roman road, which in Antoninus's Itinerary is called Beaumanoir, from Weedon to Litchfield, of which he gave Mr Dugdale an account in a letter. In 1658, he began to collect materials for his history of the order of the garter, which he lived to finish, and thereby did no less honour to the order than to himself. In September following, he made a journey to Oxford, where he set about giving a full and particular description of the coins presented to the public library by archbishop Laud.

Upon the restoration of king Charles II. Mr. Ashmole was introduced to his majesty, who received him very graciously; and on the 18th of June 1660, bestowed on him the place of Windfor herald. A few days after, he appointed him to give a description of his medals, which were accordingly delivered into his possession, and king Henry VIII's closet was assigned for his use. On the 15th of February, Mr Ashmole was admitted a fellow of the royal society; and, on the 9th of February following, the king appointed him secretary of Surinam, in the West Indies. On the 19th of July 1669, the university of Oxford, in consideration of the many favours they had received from Mr Ashmole, created him doctor of physic by diploma, which was presented to him by Dr Yates, principal of Brazen Nose college. On the 8th of May 1672, he presented his "Institution, laws, and ceremonies of the most noble order of the garter," to the king; who received it very graciously, and, as a mark of his approbation, granted him a privy seal for £400 out of the custom of paper. On the 26th January 1679, a fire broke out in the Middle Temple, in the next chamber to Mr Ashmole's, by which he lost a noble library, with a collection of 9000 coins, ancient and modern, and a vast repository of seals, charters, and other antiquities and curiosities; but his manuscripts and his most valuable gold medals were luckily at his house at Lambeth. In 1683, the university of Oxford having finished a magnificent repository near the theatre, Mr Ashmole sent thither his curious collection of rarities; which benefaction was considerably augmented by the addition of his manuscripts and library at his death, which happened at Lambeth, the 18th of May, in the 76th year of his age. He was interred in the church of Great-Lambeth, in Surry, on the 26th of May 1692, and a black marble stone laid over his grave, with a Latin inscription.

Besides the works which we have mentioned, Mr Ashmole left several which were published since his death, and some which remain still in manuscript.