Aug. 13. 1853.] 



NOTES AND QUEEIES. 



W5^ 



in the Spanish fleet, whicli readied San Sucar, 

 'Nov. 28, 1637. He returned to England after 

 an absence of" twenty-four years. His father was 

 <lead : 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 validiDy 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 daughtei", and Mary wife, of 

 Thomas Gage, parson of Deal, March 21, 1652 ; 

 but when he v/as married, and whom he married, 

 does not appear. Gage's work has been rather 

 too much decried. It contains matter of interest 

 relative to the state of the Spanish possessions ; and 

 his credulity and superstition must be considered 

 in relation to his opportunities and his age. 

 Perhaps some of your readers may contribute 

 farther Information concerning him, as the general 

 accounts I have been able to meet with are con- 

 tradictory and insuflicient. The Biographic Uni- 

 verselle states, that it was his Survey of the West 

 Indies that led to the English expeditious to the 

 Spanish ISIain, which secured Jamaica to the En- 

 jllish in 1654, and adds he died there in 1655. 

 The registers at Deal could probably prove this 

 fact ; but I confess to doubt as to whether Gage 

 really were the parson alluded to as resident there 

 in 1652. He was evidently of a roving unsteady 

 nature, fond of adventure, and the first to open to 

 English enterprise a knowledge of the state of the 

 Spanish possessions, to prevent which the council 

 of the Indies had passed so many stringent laws. 

 Colbert caused this work to be translated, and it 

 Las been often reprinted on the Continent, but 

 much mutilated, as his statements relative to the 

 Roman Catholic priesthood gave offence. A good 

 memoir of Gage is still to be desired. The follow- 

 ing is the extract relative to the Isthmus of Pa- 

 nama, West Indies, p. 151. : — 



" The Peruvian part containeth all the southern 

 tract, and is tyed to the Mexican by the Isthmus or 

 Strait of Daricn, hehig no more tlian 1 7, or, as others 

 say, in the narrowest place, but 12 miles broad, from 

 the north to the south sea. Many have mentioned to 

 the Council of Spain the cutting of a navigable channel 

 through this small Isthmus, so to shorten the voyage 

 to Cliina and the Moluccoes. But the kings of Spain 

 have not yet attempted to do it ; some say lest in the 

 work lie should lose those few Indians which are left 



(would to God it were so, that they were or Jiad been 

 so careful and tender of the poor Indians' lives, more 

 populous would that vast and spacious country be at 

 this day), but others say lie hath not attempted it lest 

 the passage by the Cape Bona Esperauza (Good 

 Hope) being left of!', those seas might become a re- 

 ceptacle for pirates. However, this hath not been 

 attempted by the Spaniards ; they give not for reason 

 any extraordinary great charge, for that would soon be 

 recompensed with the speedie and easie conveying thut 

 way the commodities from S. to N. seas." 



This bears reference to projects before 1625, 

 or during his residence in S. America, between 

 1625 — 1637 ; but Gage could hardly have under- 

 stood the nature of the Spanish character, and the 

 genius of the government, to speculate upon the 

 cause of their neglect of every useful enterprise 

 for the promotion of commerce and public good. 



S. H. 



FOLK LORE. 



Legends of the Countg Clare. — On the west 

 coast of Ireland, near the ClifTs of Moher, at some 

 distance out in the bay, the waves appear con- 

 tinually breaking in white foam even on the 

 calmest day. The tradition among the country 

 people is, that a great city was swallowed up there 

 for some great crime, and that it becomes visible 

 once every seven years. And If the person who 

 sees it could keep his eyes fixed on it till he 

 reached it, it would then be restored, and he 

 would obtain great wealth. The man who related 

 the legend stated farthci', that some years ago 

 some labourers were at work in a field on the hill 

 side in view of the bay ; and one of them, hap- 

 pening to cast his eyes seaward, saw the city In all 

 its splendour emerge from the deep. He called 

 to his companions to look at it ; but though they 

 were close to him, he could not attract their at- 

 tention : at last, he turned round to see why they 

 would not come ; but on looking back, when he 

 had succeeded In attracting their attention, the 

 city had disappeared. 



The Welsh legend of the Islands of the Blessed, 

 which can only be seen by a person who stands 

 on a turf from St. David's churchyard, bears a 

 curious' coincidence to the above. It is not im- 

 possible that there may have been some found- 

 ation for the vision of the enchanted city at Moher 

 In the Fala Morgana, very beautiful spectacles of 

 which have been seen on other parts of the const 

 of Ireland. Francis Robert Davies. 



Moon Superstitions (Vol. vlli., p. 79.). — In this 

 age of fact and science, it is remarkable that even 

 with the well-informed the old faith in the "change 

 of the moon " as a prognostic of fair and foul wea- 

 ther still keeps Its hold. AV. W. asks " have we 

 any proof of" the "correctness" of this faith ? To 

 suppose that the weather varies with the amount of 



