A few lines relative to the author, of whom but little is known, may be also of use. He was the son of John Gage, of Haling; and his brother was Sir Henry Gage, governor of Oxford, killed at the battle at Culham Bridge, Jan. 11, 1644. His family were of the Roman Catholic faith; and he was sent by his father in 1612 into Spain, to study under the Jesuits, in the hope he would join that society; but his aversion to them led him to enter the Dominican Order at Valladolid, in 1612. His motives were suspected; his father was irritated--threatened to disinherit him and to arouse against him the power of the Jesuits of England if he returned home. He now determined to pass over to the Spanish possessions in South America; but as an order had been issued by the king, forbidding this to any _Englishman_, it was only by inclosing him in an empty sea-biscuit case, he was able to sail from Cadiz, July 2, 1625. He arrived at Mexico on October 8; and after residing there for some time to recruit himself from the voyage, resolved to abandon a missionary scheme to the Philippine islands he had planned, and accordingly, on the day fixed for their departure to Acapulco, escaped with three other Dominicans for Chispat. He was here well received, and went subsequently to the head establishment at Guatimala. He was soon appointed curate of Amatitlan; and during his residence at this and another district contrived to amass a sum of 9000 piastres, with the aid of which he sought to accomplish his long-cherished desire of returning to England. Many difficulties were in his way; but on the 7th January, 1637, he quitted Amatitlan, traversed the province of Nicaragua, and embarked from the coast of Costa Rica. The ship was soon after boarded by a Dutch corsair, and Gage was robbed of 8000 piastres. He succeeded in reaching Panama, traversed the Isthmus, and sailed from Porto Bello {145} in the Spanish fleet, which reached San Sucar, Nov. 28, 1637. He returned to England after an absence of twenty-four years. His father was dead: he found himself disinherited, and although hardly recognised by his family at first, he met ultimately with kindly treatment. During his residence in S. America, doubts had arisen in his mind as to the truth and validity of the creed and ritual to which he was attached. Whether this was the consequence of reflection from his theological studies, or animated love of change which his conduct at times betrayed, cannot be decided. He resolved to proceed to Italy, and renew his studies there. Upon his return, after a short residence, he renounced Catholicism in a sermon he preached at St. Paul's. About 1642 he attached himself to the Parliament cause, and it is said he obtained the living of Deal in Kent; as the parish registers contain an entry of the burial of Mary daughter, and Mary wife, of Thomas Gage, parson of Deal, March 21, 1652; but when he was married, and whom he married, does not appear. Gage's work has been rather too much decried.