Bartholomew Ashwood (1622–1680) was an English puritan

divine Divinity or the divine are things that are either related to, devoted to, or proceeding from a deity.divine

Life

Ashwood was 'a Warwickshire man,' son of a clergyman of the same name (who matriculated at

Magdalen College, Oxford Magdalen College (, ) is a constituent college of the University of Oxford. It was founded in 1458 by William of Waynflete. Today, it is the fourth wealthiest college, with a financial endowment of £332.1 million as of 2019 and one of the s ...

, in 1591, also as a Warwickshire man, aged 13, and proceeded M.A. in 1601). He became a batter or commoner of St. Alban's Hall in the latter end of 1638, aged 16 years, and so was born 1621–2. But

Anthony à Wood Anthony Wood (17 December 1632 – 28 November 1695), who styled himself Anthony à Wood in his later writings, was an English antiquary. He was responsible for a celebrated ''Hist. and Antiq. of the Universitie of Oxon''. Early life Anthony W ...

informs us: 'Having been puritanically educated, he was translated, after some continuance in the said hall, to Exeter College, and there put under a tutor puritanically then esteem'd, and took one degree in arts as a member of that college, and was soon beneficed and became a man of the times.' His 'benefice' was

Bickleigh Bickleigh may refer to the following places in Devon, England: * Bickleigh, Mid Devon, a village near Tiverton ** Bickleigh Castle * Bickleigh, South Hams Bickleigh is a small village on the southern edge of Dartmoor in Devon, England. It ha ...

, Devonshire, and he is enrolled by Walker as one of the 'loyalist sufferers' (p. 182) of that parish. Walker assumes that he 'died under the usurpation,' i.e. the Commonwealth. But he lived to form one of the 'two thousand' by being 'ejected' in 1662 from

Axminster Axminster is a market town and civil parish on the eastern border of the county of Devon in England. It is from the county town of Exeter. The town is built on a hill overlooking the River Axe which heads towards the English Channel at Axmou ...

in Devon. He continued to preach for many years, in spite of the severe restrictions imposed on nonconformists. In his old age he seems to have been left in sore straits, and died 'about 1680.' In his probate inventory, Ashwood's personal library was valued at £20. He was the father of John Ashwood.

Works

His three books are: * 'The Heavenly Trade, or the Best Merchandizing, the only way to live well in impoverishing Times, a Discourse occasion'd from the Decay of earthly Trades and visible Wasts of practical Piety in the Days we live in, offering Arguments and Counsells; to all, towards a speedy Revival of dying Godliness,' &c. (1679) * 'The Best Treasure, or the Way to be truly Rich, being a Discourse on Ephesians iii. 8, wherein is opened and commended to Saints and Sinners the personal and purchased Riches of Christ as the best Treasure to be possessed' (1681). John Owen wrote a preface to the 'Best Treasure.' *'Groans for Sin' (1681).

References

* ;Attribution {{DEFAULTSORT:Ashwood, Bartholomew 1622 births 1680 deaths People from Warwickshire 17th-century Protestants Alumni of St Alban Hall, Oxford Alumni of Exeter College, Oxford English religious writers 17th-century English writers 17th-century English male writers