Elias Ashmole and his Library: (by
Stephen B. Cox)
Elias Ashmole (1617-1692) was one of those creative lights of English scholasticism and
esoterica that seemed to flourish in the latter half of the 17th.and early years of the 18th.century in England. He was a
Masonic contemporary of such luminaries as Sir Christopher Wren and Sir Isaac Newton in the period following the restoration
of the British monarchy in 1660 with King Charles II. This was also the time of the instigation of the Royal Society, the
rapid advance of science and humanism, and the first public manifestation of official English Freemasonry. He was initiated
into Freemasonry in 1646 .
With the Restoration of the Monarchy in 1660 Ashmole's fortunes really looked up. He thereafter
existed as a Government Official, Aristrocrat, Court Official. He was appointed by the king as: Comptroller and Auditor of
the Excise and continued with the Excise; Windsor Herald; Secretary and Clerk of the Courts of Surinam (duties and recompense
unknown); Comptroller and Auditor of the Excise for the city of London and Comptroller of the
entire Excise in October of the same year;
Of benefit to what became his great antiquarian and library interests he also was given the right
to peruse, to collect, and to transcribe any documents he might wish to use in his work.
He wrote a wellknow history of the Order of the Garter (The Institutions, Laws, and Ceremonies
of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, 1672) and dedicated it to Charles II, and gave the first presentation copy, richly
bound, to the King. Charles granted him a pension of 400 pounds from the customs on paper (this was considerable fortune in
those days: perhaps in excess of £60,000 a year today). In the presentation copies to six foreign princes who were members
of the order, Ashmole inserted specially printed dedications to them. From these came gifts of a gold chain and medal (the
King of Denmark) and a similar gift from the Elector of Brandenberg. The other rulers also acknowledged the gift.
Ashmole became something of a patron himself for example to George Wharton, a fellow royalist
and astrologer, who dedicated a book to him in 1652. In 1656 Nathaniel and Thomas Hodges dedicated a translation of Maier's
Themis aurea to Ashmole. Also a book on astrology in 1657 was dedicate to him, and in 1655 one on plants. And in fact
there were quite a few more dedications throught the rest of his life. In 1682 or 83 he bequeathed the Tradescant collection,
which he had received, together with his own collection to Oxford - the initial source of the Ashmolean Museum.
Over the years he developed a strong interest in and knowledge of astrology and alchemy, as well
as botany. In alchemy he published Fasciculus chemicus (1650), Theatrum chemicum britannicum (1652), and The
Way to Bliss (1658).
He was an eminent antiquarian and elected a Fellow of the Royal Society. And was a friend of
the eminent astrologers of the time: Moore, Lilly and Booker. Ashmole was also given university honours.
With his sufficient income from Royal patronage and placement in Courtly and Establishment circles,
he also became primarily an antiquarian. He published quite a number of books in that field. Over the years he gathered together
quite a collection of works concerning his various interests, based on the collection by John Tradescent (which had been given
to him) and considerably enlarged to the point of being suitbale for a public institution. Thus it was that Ashmole was the
founder in 1677 of the first public museum to be established in England, which still bears his name today: the Ashmolean Museum
at Oxford. The building itself was designed by another Freemason: the great architect and fellow of tht Royal Society Sir
Christopher Wren (builder of St.Paul's Cathedral London). With the opening of its doors on 24 May 1683, the Ashmolean Museum
provided a setting in which the private collection emerged into the public domain. Even the use of the term `Museum' was a
novelty in English: a few years later the New World of Words (1706) defined it as `a Study, or Library; also a College, or
Publick Place for the Resort of Learned Men', with a specific entry for `Ashmole's Museum', described as `a neat Building
in the City of Oxford'.
Ashmole was an avid collector of arcane manuscripts, ranging from science and alchemy, to mysticism.
Some of what he collected is now to be found in the Asmolean Museum in Oxford. Just how large his private library was and
what became of it is not known- but his interest in science, natural history, alchemy, astrology, geometry, and rosicrucians
is well known and in the English tradition of similar collectors before him like Sir Francis Bacon and Robert Fludd.
Masonic Lectures from TEL
Our Librarian and Founder has undertaken etensive reserartch on Freeamsony and
was for many years 91991-2005) a Freemason. The results of his past and ongoing research are a number of articles, books and
lectures on aspects of the history and symbolism of Freemasonry.
Among the lectures which are available to organisations, Masonic lodges, colleges,
groups and societies are the following:
The Mystery of the Apron.
Elias Ashmole.
The Solar Passage in the Masonic Temple.
Squares, Levels and Perpendiculars.
The Symbolism of Five in the Temple.
Pyramid and Mason.
Lectures last between 25 and 50 minutes. All material is excluisively and uniquely researched by Stephen
Co to provide an enriching eperience of insights into spirituality, ethics and history.
The European Library: Freemasonry Section
Our Library contains many items on and related to Freeemasonry. These are catalogued under the following subjects:
Library Department B=MASONIC:
B1:
B1a=Templars;
B1b1=Freemasonry general; B1b2=Biography; B1b3= Holy Royal Arch. B1b4=Scottish;
B1b5=Mark; B1b6=Ars Quatuor Coronatorum; B1b7=OccultGroups. B1b8-Symbolism/
Glifs; B1b9=Myths; B1b10-History; B1b11=Geometry;
B1b12= Philsophy;
B1b13= Ritual;
B1c: new dept. being built: Quasi-Masonic & organisations in the past that have used/borrowed/ absorbed aspects
of Masonic ceremonial, symbolism etc in their own work.
B2:
B2a=Alchemy; B2b=Hermetic; B2c=Rosicrucian;
B3:
B3a=Pythagorean; B3b=Platonic etc;
B4:
B4a= Marsilio Ficino/Renaissance/Medici etc; B4b=Souls/Archetypes; B4c=Initiation/symbols.
This department of the Library is (like many others) in constant expansion. Overall The European Library is expanding by
about 200 items a month. This is via the generosity of donations from our members, students, scholars, and publishers, and
bequests. Please check back for updates.
Architecture/Masonry In TEL:
Other departments of the Library worth checking which may be of interest to those researching the symbolism of European
architecture etc are those related to ancient Egyptian architecture and Temple building, as well as ancient
Greece, and Medieval etc.
Our Masonic Librarian:
Our Chief Librarian is Stephen B. Cox. He was initiated into English Freemasonry on the Summer Solstice of 1991 in
his Mother Lodge of Sindlesham within the Masonic Province of Berkshire in the United Grand Lodge of England. Since then he
has worked his way through the various officerships of the lodge to rise to have the honour to become the Worshipful Master
of his Lodge in 1999-2000 (which is always a one year appointment in any lodge). In year 2000-2001 he served his Lodge as
the Immediate Past Master. And then in 2001-2002, and again in 2002-2003 and for the 3rd., year 2003-2004 was appointed its
Assistant Director of Ceremomies (a monthly duty), and its Preceptor of the Class of Instruction (a twice monthly duty).
He
has written and delivered to the Class a number of unique lecture papers on the symbolism, mysteries, history and spiritual
philosophy of different aspects of the three degrees of Craft Masonry with regards to the Emulation Ritual.
He has
also written a book of guidance for Stewards and newly raised Master Masons.
He offers private tuition and meetings
for officers of the Lodge to assist them in their progress and for newly made Masons and Stewards.
Free tours of the
Berskhire Masonic Centre and its lodge rooms and temple, with an introduction to Freemasonry, its history and symbolism were
given by him to his students and friends from around Europe over the years, enriching their understanding.
In October
2003 he was elected by the Lodge members to be Master Elect to serve as Worshipful Master of his lodge for a 2nd. time (for
the year 2004-2005) and was installed into the Chair of King Solomon according to ancient custom in April 2004 to serve a
2nd. year as Worshipful Master of his lodge.
To mark the 200th. meeting of the lodge in May 2004, he created a special ceremonial evening reflecting the history
of the lodge at which were present and participating the worshipful masters of Sindlesham grandmother lodge (Downshire), mother
lodge (Acorn) and daughter lodge (Erlegh), with specially written historical presentations of their lodges. The
evening concluded with a salate to the Founders.
Due to dramatically rising costs of the fees payable to the Berskshire Masonic Centre where his lodge met, it was with
great sadness that he decided in September 2004 to resign from the lodge- this becoming operative on March 31st. 2005. He now privately researches, writes articles and gives lectures on the history and
symbolism of Freemasonry.
Masonic Province of Berkshire Library
Situated between the towns of Reading and Wokingham in England U.K., the Berkshire Masonic Centre (Sindlesham Court)
is home to over 5o Masonic Lodges in the Province of the Royal County of Berkshire in thr United Grand Lodge of England. It
has a sprawling centre of lodge rooms, temple, study rooms, dining rooms and conference centre and dining suite (thr latter
two open to the public for booking). But perhaps the area of greatest interest are its Museum- containing interesting items
of Masonic regalia, art, ornament, from all over the world. and also its library.
The Library is reputed to be the 4th. largest in the world (it currently has 12,000 items!) and contains many items both
of general and specialist historical interest with regards to history, philosophy, esoterics, spirituality, mysteries, and
related subjects in addition to collection of reference works on Craft Masonry, Holy Royal Arch, and all the side degrees
(such as Rosicrucians and Knights Templars etc). It also contains manuals and histories of many Provinces and Lodges from
all over the world.
Its dedicated Chief Librarian is a man of knowledge and skill.
