1804.]. Information requefted of the Lives of Gardiner Collier. 
of the people, who fhouted for joy, and at 
length reited againft the breaft of the hoary 
Saint. At his death, the people flocked in 
crowds to fee his conates over which it was 
found neceflary to piace a guard, This, 
however, was not fufficient to prevent one 
of his toes from fuddenly difappearing, and 
nobody could ever difcover what became 
of the facred relic. 
When we exprefled to our hofts our 
furprife that they fhould honour a patron 
who was not yet canonized, they, burit 
out inte a laugh. ** How is it poffible,”” 
faid they, ‘* that he fhould not be a Saint, 
who has wrought fo many miracles!” 
His feftival at length arrived. It was 
celebrated with all the ufual ceremonies. 
In the evening a general illumination 
took place: the roofs of all the houfes 
were covered with lanterns of oiled paper, 
We, together with our helts, enjoyed this 
IpeGtacle, and the fhouts of joy which re- 
founded on every fide. They pointed out 
to us, with refpe@, fome houfes that were 
better illuminated than the others. 
«« There,”” faid they, ** lives a relative of 
the Saint, and that is the houfe of one of 
his nieces.” They called and anfwered 
each other from roof to roof by fhrill 
whiftlings. 
exclaimed our aged hoft, ‘* will make an 
offering to our Saint,”” He went and fetch- 
ed an old barre! from his ftore-houfe, and 
fet fireto it. We amufed ourfelves with 
looking at the flames; and before it fell to 
pieces, they rolled it into a hollow, fol- 
lowing it with cries of joy. The day con- 
eluded with dancing and fports, 
We felt as if we could have paffed the 
remainder of our lives there. We were 
however obliged to feparate. ‘* Are all 
the Germans like. you ?” they frequently 
afked. At taking leave they talked of 
coming to fee us during our ftay at Sor- 
rento, and of receiving us again among 
them. They, as well as we, ftood much 
inneed of that hope. They accompanied us 
to the vefiel. We have not feen them fince. 
eo 
To the Editor of the Monthy Magazine. 
SIR, 
S you pay particular attention to the 
article Neglecea Biography, 1 hope 
a requeft to infert the foliowing will not 
be thought obirulive ; merely local I flat- 
ter myfelf it cannot appear, fince any thing 
that affeéts the local trade, or the en- 
croachments of the Corporation of Newcaftle- 
upon Tyne on the free and open trade of 
that port, muft be generally interefting. 
A\ friend of mine here, who believes hiun- 
«© And I too,” fuddenly » 
SEL 
felf a diftant relation of Ralph Gardiner, 
Efq. who lived at Chirton near this place, 
and wrote ‘* England’s Grievances difco- 
vered in relation to the Coal Trade,** 
London, prioted 1655, would efteem him- 
{elf particularly obliged to any of your 
Correfpondents who could inform him if 
any fketches or hints of that gentleman’s 
life are to be met with, or if he wrote 
any thing for the public except the above? 
as my friend withes to publifh a cheap edi- 
tion of ** England’s Grievances,”’ and his 
other works, if any, together with a Life 
of the Author, {o far as authentic maierials 
may be obtained. It is moft injurioufly 
faid in the fourth page of the preface of 
Mr. Brand’s Hiftory of Newcaile-upon-. 
Tyne, that the above * Ralph Gardiner 
broke the jail of that town, being therein 
imprifoned for divers great fums of money 7 
and was again imprifoned at the {vit of 
the fheriff ;° and afterwards Mr. Brand 
adds that, ‘he was hanged at York for 
coining.’ As thefe affertions are believed 
to be inferted by Mr. Brand merely to: 
flatter the Corporation of Newcattle (tor 
Gardiner had difcovered and publithed 
numberlefs outrages of theirs) and are 
prefumed to be entirely without founda- 
tion, I think it a duty to his memory to 
prefs my requelt for information concern- 
ing his life and death, on the minds of 
thofe who may beable to refute fuch reports. 
A cheap edition of ail the writings of 
John Collier, the authcr of “¢ An Effay 
upon Charters, particularly thofe of New- 
caftle-upon-Tyne,”’ is alfo in preparation; 
any information regarding his Life or Writ-. 
ings will be much efteemed ; thould any 
gentleman favour me with copies of fuch 
of his printed works as they believe au-__ 
thentic, or any of his manu{cripts, many 
of which are known to be extant yet, that 
a correct edition of the whole may be ob- 
tained, it will be confidered a great obli- 
gation, and fufficient fecurity will be given 
for their copies being returned with all 
poffible care. Communications on either 
of thefe fubjeéts addreffed to me tothe care 
of Mr. Michael Watfon at the Sub{crip- 
tion Library, North Shields, or Mr. Jubn 
Marfhall, bockfeller, Gatefhead, near 
Newcaftle, will be confidered an obliga-. 
tion by, Sur, your’s, &c, 
Joun W. Ramsay. 
North Shields, Auguft 17, 1804. 
Fo the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, 5 
NNEXED to the Church of St. 
A Nicholas here is a library of above 
eight - 
