▁pr ic eless ▁manuscript s ▁to ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Oxford ▁to ▁create ▁the ▁Ash m olean ▁Museum . ▁ ▁Sol ic itor , ▁royal ist ▁and ▁fre em ason ▁ ▁Ash m ole ▁was ▁born ▁on ▁ 2 3 ▁May ▁ 1 6 1 7 ▁in ▁B read market ▁Street , ▁L ich field , ▁Staff ord shire . ▁His ▁family ▁had ▁been ▁prominent , ▁but ▁its ▁fort unes ▁had ▁decl ined ▁by ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁Ash m ole ' s ▁birth . ▁His ▁mother , ▁Anne , ▁was ▁the ▁daughter ▁of ▁a ▁wealth y ▁Cov entry ▁dra per , ▁Anthony ▁Bow yer , ▁and ▁a ▁relative ▁of ▁James ▁P aget , ▁a ▁Baron ▁of ▁the ▁Ex che quer . ▁His ▁father , ▁Simon ▁Ash m ole ▁( 1 5 8 9 – 1 6 3 4 ), ▁was ▁a ▁s add ler , ▁who ▁had ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁soldier ▁in ▁Ireland ▁and ▁Europe . ▁E lias ▁Ash m ole ▁attended ▁L ich field ▁Gram mar ▁School ▁( now ▁King ▁Edward ▁VI ▁School ) ▁and ▁became ▁a ▁ch or ister ▁at ▁L ich field ▁C athedral . ▁In ▁ 1 6 3 3 , ▁he ▁went ▁to ▁live ▁in ▁London ▁as ▁ment or ▁to ▁P aget ' s ▁sons , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 6 3 8 , ▁with ▁James ▁P aget ' s ▁help , ▁he ▁qualified ▁as ▁a ▁solic itor . ▁He ▁enjoyed ▁a ▁successful ▁legal ▁practice ▁in ▁London , ▁and ▁married ▁Ele an or ▁Main w aring ▁( 1 6