ance ▁officer ▁for ▁the ▁King ' s ▁forces . ▁In ▁his ▁spare ▁time , ▁he ▁studied ▁mathematics ▁and ▁physics ▁at ▁his ▁lod g ings , ▁Bras en ose ▁College . ▁There ▁he ▁acquired ▁a ▁deep ▁interest ▁in ▁astronom y , ▁ast ro log y , ▁and ▁magic . ▁In ▁late ▁ 1 6 4 5 , ▁he ▁left ▁Oxford ▁to ▁accept ▁the ▁position ▁of ▁Commission er ▁of ▁Ex c ise ▁at ▁Wor c ester . ▁Ash m ole ▁was ▁given ▁the ▁additional ▁military ▁post ▁of ▁captain ▁in ▁Lord ▁Ast ley ' s ▁Regiment ▁of ▁Foot , ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Royal ist ▁Infantry , ▁though ▁as ▁a ▁math ematic ian , ▁he ▁was ▁second ed ▁to ▁art illery ▁positions . ▁He ▁seems ▁never ▁to ▁have ▁participated ▁in ▁any ▁actual ▁fighting . ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁surrender ▁of ▁Wor c ester ▁to ▁the ▁Parliament ary ▁Forces ▁in ▁July ▁ 1 6 4 6 , ▁he ▁retired ▁to ▁Ch esh ire . ▁Pass ing ▁through ▁L ich field ▁on ▁his ▁way ▁there , ▁he ▁lear nt ▁that ▁his ▁mother ▁had ▁died ▁just ▁three ▁weeks ▁before ▁from ▁the ▁pl ague . ▁During ▁this ▁period , ▁he ▁was ▁admitted ▁as ▁a ▁fre em ason . ▁His ▁di ary ▁entry ▁for ▁ 1 6 ▁October ▁ 1 6 4 6 ▁reads ▁in ▁part : ▁" I ▁was ▁made ▁a ▁Free ▁Mason ▁at ▁W arr ington ▁in ▁Lanc ash ire , ▁with ▁Coll : ▁Henry ▁Main w aring ▁of ▁Kar inch am ▁[ K erm inch am ] ▁in ▁Ch esh