HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE [187 



came intimately acquainted with Sir William Dugdale, whom he 

 accompanied in his Survey of the Fens. In a letter to Sir William, 

 he gives an account of the Roman road from Weedon to Lichfield, 

 mentioned in the Itinerary of Antoninus. 



He now discontinued his " Theatrum Chemicum," which accord- 

 ing to his original plan was to have consisted of several volumes ; 

 yet he still retained such a regard for alchymy that he published 

 a short treatise on the Philosopher's Stone, with a well-written 

 preface, in which he bids farewell to the philosophical gold-manu- 

 facturers. 



In the spring of the year 1658, Mr. Ashmole began to collect 

 materials for his great work, " The Institution , Laws, and Cere- 

 monies of the Most Noble Order of the Garter," which occupied 

 his attention nearly fourteen years, and was published in folio iu 

 the year 1672. 



In September 1658, Mr. Ashmole went to Oxford, where he was 

 well received, and engaged to write a description of the Coins and 

 Medals presented to the public Library by Bishop Laud. On his 

 return to London, he lodged and boarded at Mr. Tradescant's, in 

 Lambeth ; this gentleman was a botanist, and had collected many 

 rare and curious subjects in natural history, which he presented 

 to his lodger on the 16th of December 1659. 



Soon after the Restoration of Charles II. in 1660, Mr. Ashmole 

 was introduced to his Majesty, who, as a reward for his zeal and 

 attachment, bestowed on him the office of Windsor Herald. The 

 King afterwards appointed him to give a description of his Ma- 

 jesty's Medals, which were delivered to him for that purpose. 

 Henry the Eighth's closet was appropriated to the use of our anti- 

 quary, and he was allowed to reside and diet in the palace. 



Mr. Ashmole was now a courtier, and high in the estimation of 

 his Sovereign, to whom he presented the three books which he had 

 published, and who received them very graciously. Preferments 

 now poured rapidly upon him. He was appointed commissioner 

 of excise, secretary of Surinam, one of the commissioners for 

 recovering the King's goods, a commissioner of the white office, 

 and accomptant-general, and country accomptant of the excise. 



In the beginning of the year 1662, he presented a set of Ser- 

 vices and Anthems to the Cathedral church of Lichfield, and twenty 

 pounds towards repairing that edifice. In 1666, he presented a. 

 silrer bowl to the Corporation of Lichfield. 



On the 1st of April 1668, his second wife died, and although he 



