Memoir Of Elias Ashmole.

removed . On the 16 th November , 1649 , the widower Ashmole became the fourth husband of Lady Mainwaring , and the happy pair , though their happiness does not seem to have been enduring , at least on the part of the lady , went to reside in London , where their house very quickly became the resort of the learned and the curious , ancl where , in spite of the many lawsuits

in which through his second marriage he became involved with others , and of his own domestic jars , he seems to have continued his literary and pseudophilosophical pursuits . Hitherto we have seen him only as the diligent student , and , notwithstanding the civil broils of the period , the successful architect of a respectable fortune . But in 1650 he modestly launched his frail bark as an author , under the fei

gned name of "James Hasolle "—his own name anagrammatisedthe work to which he affixed this pseudonym being a treatise , by Dr . Arthur Dee , on the Philosopher ' s Stone , and a tract , by an unknown author , on the same subject . The title and full description are given as follow : — " Fasciculus Chymieus , or Chymical Collections , expressing the Ingress , Progress , and Egress of the Secret Hermetick Science , out of the Choicest and most Famous Authors . Whereunto is added the Arcanum , or Grand Secret of

Hermetic Philosophy . Both made English by James Hasolle , Esq . Qui est Mercurius Anglicus . London , 1650 . 12 mo . " The encouragement therein derived led him to enter on a more ambitious work , the complete design of which , competent judges who knew him well ancl the mass of valuable information he had collated , would appear to have again ancl again expressed regret he did not . carry out . This work made its appearance towards the end of the year 1652 and is thus entitled .- " Theatrum Ghymicim Britammicumcontaining

, , several Practical Pieces of our fa / moits English Philosophers , who have viritten the Hermetique Mysteries in tlteir own Ancient Language . Faithfully collected into one Volume , with Annotations thereon , by Elias Ashmole , Esq ,. Qui est Mercuroi philus Anglicus . London , 1652 . 4 to . " The collection includes Thomas Norton ' s " Ordinal of Alchemie , " George Ripley ' s "Compound of Alchemie , " " Puter Sapientiae" "Hermes's Bird" written originallin LatinbRaymond Lall

, , y , y y , and done into English by-Abbot Cremer , of Westminster , etc ., etc ., etc . This greatly increased his reputation , ancl the year following induced the great Selden to take notice of him , a notice which culminated in a friendship determined only by the death of the latter . He also made the acquaintance of Oughfcred , the mathematician , and Dr . Wharton , a physician of character and distinction .

We have before hinted that the life he led with his second wife was not one of unalloyed happiness , and that not only did he find himself involved in several lawsuits with others , but that home differences broke out , which the lady sought to put an end to by obtaining a judicial separation . The case was heard in the High Court of Chancery , on the 8 th October , 1657 , " when Sergeant Maynard observed to the Court , that there were eight hundred sheets of

depositions on my wife's part , and not one word proved against me , of nsinoher ill , nor ever giving her a bad or provoking word . " In consequence , her cause was adjudged to be frivolous , and was dismissed , while she , herself , was restored to the care of her amiable ancl forbearing husband Whether or not these matrimonial jars had the effect of disturbing the serenity of his researches for the Philosopher ' s Stone is not recorded in any

history of Ashmole which it has been my privilege to read . Certain it is , however , that about this time he directed his attention rather in the direction of antiquarian pursuits , and such pursuits brought Ashmole into close and frequent contact with Mr ., afterwards Sir William , Dugdale , whom he attended and very materially assisted during Iris survey of the Fens . The same year he traced the Roman road from Weedon—called in "Antonine ' sItinerary " " Bennavenna " —on Watling-street to Lichfield , the result of his labours being communicated to Mr . Dngdale in a letter dated 20 th April . On 11 th November