Francis Gage
Encyclopedia
Francis Gage was an English Roman Catholic priest, who became President of the English College, Douai
.
, by his second wife, Mrs. Barnes, a widow. He was half-brother of Sir Henry Gage, governor of Oxford, of George Gage and of Thomas Gage, missionary and traveller. He was a student in the English College, Douay from 1630 to 1641, when he went to Paris to pursue theological studies under William Clifford
at Tournai College, which had been granted by Cardinal Richelieu to Richard Smith for the education of the English clergy.
In 1646 he was ordained priest, and in 1648 appointed tutor to Thomas Arundel, then residing in Paris. He graduated B.D. at the Sorbonne
in 1649, and D.D. in 1654. He then came to the English mission, was appointed archdeacon of Essex, and resided with Lady Herbert, whom he afterwards accompanied to France. He then went to Rome in 1659 as agent to Old Chapter
. He remained in Rome until his recall in 1661, and then returned to the English mission. He was chaplain to Lady Strangford from 1663 to 1667, and afterwards tutor to Philip Draycot of Paynsley, Staffordshire
, whom he accompanied on a Grand Tour
.
On 23 January 1676 he was nominated President of Douai College, in succession to John Leyburn
. The college flourished prospered until 1678 and the fabricated Popish Plot
scare; from which it recovered. Gage died on 2 June 1682.
. Thompson Cooper
in the Dictionary of National Biography
states that Gage was the ‘F. G.’ who edited ‘The Spiritual Exercises of … Gertrude More, of the … English Congregation of our Ladies of Comfort in Cambray,’ Paris, 1658.
English College, Douai
The English College, Douai was a Catholic seminary associated with the University of Douai . It was established in about 1561, and was suppressed in 1793...
.
Life
Born 1 February 1621, he was son of John Gage of Haling, SurreySurrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, by his second wife, Mrs. Barnes, a widow. He was half-brother of Sir Henry Gage, governor of Oxford, of George Gage and of Thomas Gage, missionary and traveller. He was a student in the English College, Douay from 1630 to 1641, when he went to Paris to pursue theological studies under William Clifford
William Clifford (priest)
William Clifford was an English Roman Catholic theologian.-Life:After education and ordination at Douai, Clifford went on the English mission...
at Tournai College, which had been granted by Cardinal Richelieu to Richard Smith for the education of the English clergy.
In 1646 he was ordained priest, and in 1648 appointed tutor to Thomas Arundel, then residing in Paris. He graduated B.D. at the Sorbonne
Sorbonne
The Sorbonne is an edifice of the Latin Quarter, in Paris, France, which has been the historical house of the former University of Paris...
in 1649, and D.D. in 1654. He then came to the English mission, was appointed archdeacon of Essex, and resided with Lady Herbert, whom he afterwards accompanied to France. He then went to Rome in 1659 as agent to Old Chapter
Old Chapter
The Old Chapter was the body in effective control of the Roman Catholic Church in England, from 1623 to 1850 .-Origin:...
. He remained in Rome until his recall in 1661, and then returned to the English mission. He was chaplain to Lady Strangford from 1663 to 1667, and afterwards tutor to Philip Draycot of Paynsley, Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
, whom he accompanied on a Grand Tour
Grand Tour
The Grand Tour was the traditional trip of Europe undertaken by mainly upper-class European young men of means. The custom flourished from about 1660 until the advent of large-scale rail transit in the 1840s, and was associated with a standard itinerary. It served as an educational rite of passage...
.
On 23 January 1676 he was nominated President of Douai College, in succession to John Leyburn
John Leyburn
John Leyburn was an English Roman Catholic priest, who became Vicar Apostolic of the London District, and thus the senior Roman Catholic prelate in England, from 1685 to 1702. He was not only a theologian, but also a mathematician, and an intimate friend of Descartes and Hobbes.-Life:He was the...
. The college flourished prospered until 1678 and the fabricated Popish Plot
Popish Plot
The Popish Plot was a fictitious conspiracy concocted by Titus Oates that gripped England, Wales and Scotland in Anti-Catholic hysteria between 1678 and 1681. Oates alleged that there existed an extensive Catholic conspiracy to assassinate Charles II, accusations that led to the execution of at...
scare; from which it recovered. Gage died on 2 June 1682.
Works
He wrote ‘Journal of the Chief Events of his Life, from his Birth in 1621 to 1627,’ autograph manuscript, in the archives of the Old ChapterOld Chapter
The Old Chapter was the body in effective control of the Roman Catholic Church in England, from 1623 to 1850 .-Origin:...
. Thompson Cooper
Thompson Cooper
Thompson Cooper was an English journalist, man of letters, and compiler of reference works. He became a specialist in biographical information, and is noted as the most prolific contributor to the Victorian era Dictionary of National Biography, for which he wrote 1423 entries.-Life:Thompson Cooper...
in the Dictionary of National Biography
Dictionary of National Biography
The Dictionary of National Biography is a standard work of reference on notable figures from British history, published from 1885...
states that Gage was the ‘F. G.’ who edited ‘The Spiritual Exercises of … Gertrude More, of the … English Congregation of our Ladies of Comfort in Cambray,’ Paris, 1658.