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their dominions, government, religion, forts, castles, ports, havens, commodities, fashions, behaviour of Spaniards, Priests, and Friers, Blackmores, Mulattos, Mestisos, Indians; and of their feasts and solemnities. With a Grammar, or some few rudiments of the Indian tongue, called Poconelic, or Pocoman. The Second Edition, enlarged by the Author, and beautified with Maps. By the true and painful endevours of Thomas Gage, Preacher of the Word of God at Deal, in the County of Kent. London: Printed by E. Cotes, and sold by John Sweeting at the Angel in Pope's Head Alley, 1655. Fol. pp. 220, besides Epistle Dedicatory, Commendatory Verses, and Contents.

This book has been already imperfectly noticed, in Vol. IV. p. 263, but the Editor having since met with the work itself, now gives a more full account of it. In the copy, here used, is the following notice. « Westwell, May 9, 1756. ["I have been at the expense of rebinding this book in the best manner, because I look upon the author to have been a truly honest man, and that he put it together with a very pious design: and for these reasons, I am desirous that, with the name of the faithful and well-meaning Thomas Gage, may live united that of SAYER RUDD."*

This author was descended from Robert Gage of Haling in Surry, third son of Sir John Gage of Firle

He was vicar of Westwell, Kent, and died 1757-a man of character, and literature.

in

in Sussex, who died 1557. John Gage of Haling in Surry, younger son of Edward, was his father. Lord Clarendon has recorded the memory of his elder brother Sir Henry, Governor of Oxford, who was slain at Culham Bridge, Jan. 11, 1644, æt. 47.

The work is dedicated to Thos. Lord Fairfax, and followed by commendatory verses, by Thomas Chaloner, which have some merit.

The next article will explain more.

ART. II. Nouvelle Relation contenant les Voyages de Thomas Gage dans la nouvelle Espagne, ses diverses avantures; & son rétour par la Province de Nicaragua, jusques a la Havane. Avec la description de la Ville de Mexique, telle qu'elle etoit autrefois, & comme elle est á present. Ensemble une description exacte des Terres & Provinces que possedent les Espagnols en toute l'Amerique, de la forme de leur Gouvernement Ecclesiastique & Politique, de leur Commerce, de leurs Maurs, & de· celles des Criolles, des Metifs, des Mulatres, des Indiens, & des Negres. A Amsterdam, chez Paul Marret, 1695. 2 vols. 12mo.

In this edition there are a great number of very curious engravings, both of events relating to the narrative and of places, and several maps. It is dedicated to Monseigneur de Witsen, formerly embassador from the States General to their Britannic Majesties. The translation was made, by the command of the French Minister Colbert, by Monsieur de Beaulieu Hues O'Neil. He altered the title and the division of the

chapters,

chapters, and omitted some of Gage's digressions. There is, probably, a mistake in the date of one of the volumes, for the second volume is dated 1694, and the first 1695.

Gage was younger brother of the Governor of Oxford in 1645. He studied in Spain, and became a Dominican monk. From thence he departed with á design to go to the Philippine Islands as a missionary in 1625; but, on his arrival at Mexico, he heard so bad an account of those islands, and was so much delighted with New Spain, that he abandoned his original design, and contented himself with a less dangerous mission.

At length being tired of this mode of life, he earnestly sought leave to return to England to preach the gospel among his countrymen; but this he could not obtain; and therefore resolved to take his first opportunity and come away unknown. With this design, he says, "I lived above a twelvemonth in Petapa, with great ease, pleasure, and content, for all things outward; but within I had still a worm of conscience, gnawing this gourd, that shadowed, and delighted me with worldly contentment. Here I grew more and more troubled concerning some points of religion, daily wishing with David, that I had the wings of a dove, that I might fly from that place of daily idolatry into England, and be at rest." This he at length effected.

He only remained ten days at St. Lucar, where he landed, and then, having purchased a secular English dress, returned on board an English ship to Dover, and thence to London, after an absence of nearly

twenty

twenty-four years, in which he had quite lost the use of his native language. This was in 1637.

On his return to his native country, he found himself unnoticed in his father's will, forgotten by some of his relations, and with difficulty acknowledged by others. After a little time, not being able to satisfy his religious doubts, and disgusted with the great power of the Papists, he resolved to take another journey to Italy, to "try what better satisfaction he could find for his conscience at Rome in that religion." At Loretto his conversion from popery was fixed by proving the fallacy of the miracles attributed to the picture of our Lady there: on which he immediately returned home once more; and preached his recantation sermon at St. Paul's, by order of the Bishop of London. He continued above a year in London, spending his own means, till "at last," says he, "I was fully satisfied, and much troubled to see that the Papists, and most of my kindred, were entertained at Oxford; and in other places in the King's dominions; whereupon I resolved upon a choice for the Parliament's cause, which now in their lowest estate and condition I am not ashamed to acknowledge. From their hands, and by their order, I received a benefice, in which I have continued almost four years, preaching constantly for a thorough reformation intended by them, which I am ready to witness with the best drops of blood in my veins, to whom I desire this my history may be a better witness of my sincerity, and that by it I may perform what our Saviour Christ spake to Peter, saying, "And thou, being converted, strengthen thy

rethren."

He was probably rector of Deal, in Kent, where he

lived for in the register of that parish, there is the following entry:

"Mary, the daughter of Mr. Thos. Gage, parson of Deale, and Mary his wife, buried March 21, 1652."

When he says of himself, that he was determined to lead a different life from that which he had hitherto done, and to bid adieu to Spain, and to all Spanish manners; this must probably relate particularly to religion,* for he appears to have been a very good and pious man, and to have led a very regular life in the midst of great temptation. At Chiapa, a city between Mexico and Guatimala, a lady made love to him, and upon his receiving her overtures with coldness endeavoured to send him after the bishop of that place, who had been poisoned just before. His observation on leaving that city is not without point; an enormity of which it must be confessed the good missionary was not often guilty. He says that it merits no other praise but that of being peopled with idiots, and with women who are only skilful in making poisoned chocolate.

Gage seems to be a very accurate and faithful relater; but was also extremely credulous and superstitious. He gives some curious accounts of the power of the devil in sorceries and witchcrafts, in some of the Indian villages, which are not unlike what is recorded of the New England mania in the seventeenth century;

While he was in New Spain he laments his being able to convert so few Indians, and attributes it to his not being able to preach the truth of the gospel for fear of the inquisition; upon which the translator remarks in a note, very justly, that "this reflection makes it doubtful whether the author was a true Catholic." für bi