Ashley is first heard of as cook at Douay College, which he left on 28 April 1590 for the English College, Valladolid. Here he entered the Society of Jesus, but after a time returned to England because of ill-health.Ryan, Patrick W.F. "Ven. Ralph Ashley." The Catholic Encyclopedia Vol. 1. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1907. 3 February 2019
