Amitted 4 Mar, 1686.
Second son of Edward Asgill, of Hanley Castle, Worcestershire, where he was born. He was called to the Bar 6 May, 1692, and practised with much success in Ireland, where he became a Member of Parliament. In the first Parliament after the Union he was elected for Bramber, but being then a prisoner in the Fleet, he was unable to attend. By a resolution of the House, however, he was discharged from custody, and permitted to take his seat. Subsequently he was expelled for the publication of a book or pamphlet deemed blasphemous, and replaced in the Fleet. Here he remained till his death in 1738.
He was the author of the following publications: Several Assertions proved, in order to create another Species of Money than Gold and Silver (1700); Argument proving that Men may he translated to Heaven without dying (1700); An Essay on a Registry for Titles of Lands (1701); Reflections on the Same; De Jure Divino, showing the Title of the House of Hanover to the Succession of the British Monarchy (1710); His Defence on his Expulsion from the House of Commons, with Introduction and Postscript (1712); The Pretender's Declaration (1713); The Succession of the House of Hanover vindicated (1714); The Metamorphosis of Man (1727).
ASHBURTON, BARON. See DUNNING, JOHN.
Admitted 8 October, 1588.
Second son of Anthony Ashley, of Dimeram (Damerham), Wiltshire, where he was born in 1565. Wood says that he became a gentleman-commoner of Hart Hall in 1580, and was there trained up in the arts and learned languages. From college he proceeded to New Inn, whence he entered at the Middle Temple, and "being made a barrester, he was engaged and denominated among the professors of the common law. But finding the practice thereof to have ebbs and tides, he applyed himself to the learning of the languages of our neighbours, the French, Dutch, Spaniard, and Italian, to the end that he might be partaker of the wisdom of those nations. … At length he travelled into France, Holland, etc., and spending some time among the learned and in the public libraries thereof, he returned a very knowing and compleat gentleman" (see Advertisement to his Almansor). After his return he took up his residence at the Middle Temple[1], where he lived many years, and at his death, which occurred in the year 1641, he bequeathed his whole library to the Honourable Society of his Inn, "to be unto them as the foundation of a library, together with £300 in ready money." The books thus bequeathed, and which formed the nucleus of the present Middle Temple Library, consisted of a well-chosen collection of works on all subjects of contemporary and earlier literature, English, Spanish, French, and Italian, and include some rare and choice editions.
Mr. Ashley was the author of the following translations: A Relation of the Kingdom of Cochin-China [from the Italian of Christopher Barri] (1633); Urania, or Celestial Muse [from the French of W. de Saluste], London (1589); Of the Interchangeable Course [from the French of Louis le Roy] (1594); Almansor of Spain, his Life and Death [from the Spanish] (1627); Il Davide Perseguitate, or David Persecuted [from the Italian] (1637).
- ↑ He was admitted to a chamber "in loco Mag. Morgan," 19 Not. 1594.
