Elias Ashmole
Elias Ashmole was a British alchemist, astrologer and freemason, who played a role in the founding of Royal Society of the Stuarts with Robert Moray, Robert Boyle (modern chemistry). It had its origins in the Invisible College, Gresham College of Thomas Gresham (City of London, Royal Exchange), the circle of Samuel Hartlib and Oxford Philosophical Club of John Wilkins. It served as intermediary between the Rosicrucianism of John Dee and modern freemasonry and gave rise to the first Scientific Revolution (ideals of the Enlightenment). |
He worked for Charles II Stuart (rosicrucian Order of the Garter, Holy Grail bloodline of the Scottish Rite). He published a book on the history of the Order of the Garter.
With George Wharton, William Lilly and John Booker, he attended the Society of Astrologers at Gresham College.
He was influenced by Galen and Paracelsus. In 1650 he published Fasciculus Chemicus, a translation of an alchemical work of John Dee's son Artur Dee. Arthur Dee was the physician of Michael I Romanov of Russia and based his work on Petrus Bonus, Ramon Lull and Michael Maier.
In 1652 he published Theatrum Chemicum Britannicum, a compilation of British alchemical poems of Thomas Norton, George Ripley, Geoffrey Chaucer (Canterbury Tales), John Dee, Edward Kelley and his mentor William Blackhouse.
He studied medicine at the University of Oxford. His donations to the university created the Ashmolean Museum, Britain's first public museum.
born 5/23/1617.
died 5/18/1692.
back