Jesuits unmasked;" and some treatises against the bishop of Marseilles, on the subject of grace and other topics, which occasioned him to feel the severe vengeance of that prelate. For Gastaud was by his interest exiled to Viviers, in the year 1727; and after he had been permitted to return home, exiled to the same place a second time in 1731, where he died in the course of the following year, and his corpse was refused the rites of christian burial. Moreri. Nouv. Dict. Hist.-M.

GASTON DE FOIX, duke of Nemours, and nephew of Lewis XII. king of France, was born in 1488. He was much beloved by his uncle, who called him his own work, and took pride in his opening virtues. He gave Gaston the government of Milan, and made him general of his army in Italy. The young hero signalised his valour and abilities in various actions, which terminated in the battle of Ravenna, fought on Easter-day, 1512. After he had obtained the victory, he could not be dissuaded from pursuing a body of Spanish infantry which retreated in good order. Making a furious charge on this brave troop, he was thrown from his horse, and dispatched by a thrust of a pike. He perished in his twenty-fourth year, and the king's affliction for his death embittered all the joy arising from his success. Moreri.-A.

GASTRELL, FRANCIS, a learned and worthy English prelate in the beginning of the eighteenth century, was born at Slapton, in Northamptonshire, about the year 1662. He, received his classical education at Westminster school, under the famous Busby, where he was admitted king's scholar, and elected thence a student of Christ-church college, Oxford, in the year 1680. His collegiate studies he prosecuted with great diligence and success, and took his degree of B.A. in 1684, and that of M.A. in 1687. Soon after this he was admitted into orders, and acquired distinguished reputation by the solidity, elegance, and usefulness of his pulpit compositions. In the year 1694 he was admitted to the degree of bachelor in divinity, and was also appointed preacher to the Honourable Society of Lincoln's-inn, London. The manner in which he acquitted himself in this respectable appointment gave so much satisfaction to his learned hearers, that in the year 1697 he was appointed to preach the lecture founded by the honourable Robert Boyle. During the same year he published the eight sermons preached by him at that lecture, in one continued discourse, that the strength of the proofs therein used might appear more plainly from their connection, and entitled

"The Certainty and Necessity of Religion in general; or, the first Grounds and Principles of Humane Duty established, &c." 8vo. As the reasonings in this discourse were principally in tended to counteract the influence of atheistical notions, the author very properly determined to follow them up, by a series of arguments in defence of the christian religion against the Deists. Accordingly, in the year 1699, he published another discourse as a second part of the same important subject, entitled "The Christian Revelation, and the Necessity of believing it established; in Opposition to all the Cavils and Insinuations of such as pretend to allow Natural Religion, and reject the Gospel," 8vo. Both the preceding works are equally honourable to the author's learning and ingenuity, and by the attention which they excited prepared the way for his future honours and preferments in the church. in the church. In the year 1700 Mr. Gastrell commenced doctor of divinity; at which time he was chaplain to the House of Commons. In 1702 he was presented by queen Anne to a canonry of Christ-church, in Oxford. At this time the dispute between doctors South and Sherlock concerning the Trinity, being still kept up with much zeal and ill temper, Dr. Gastrell published "Some Considerations concerning the Trinity, and the Way of managing that Controversy," 8vo., which soon passed through two editions; and coming to a third, in 1707, the author subjoined to that edition a vindication of it, in answer to some animadversions of Mr. Anthony Collins in his "Essay concerning the Use of Reason." In the year 1707, likewise, Dr. Gastrell published his excellent and very useful performance, entitled "The Christian Institutes, or the sincere Word of God; being a plain and impartial Account of the whole Faith and Duty of a Christian. Collected out of the Writings of the Old and New Testament: digested under proper Heads, and delivered in the Words of Scripture," 8vo. In the year 1711 our author was chosen proctor in convocation for the chapter of Oxford; and was also nominated one of the chaplains in ordinary to queen Anne. In 1714 he published "Remarks upon Dr. Clarke's Scripture Doctrine of the Trinity," to which that eminent man returned an answer at the end of his "Reply to Mr. Nelson," with candid and liberal acknowledgments of the learning and skill discovered by the remarker, and due commendations of the becoming temper and spirit with which he had written. Dr. Gastrell held the preacher's place at Lincoln's-inn till this year; when he resigned it upon his promotion to the

see of Chester. Of this dignity the merits of Dr. Gastrell rendered him well worthy; and as the revenues attached to it were but small, he was permitted still to hold his canonry of Christ-church in commendam. Dr. Gastrell was indebted for this promotion to the favour of the ministry who held the reins of government during the latter part of the reign of queen Anne. This circumstance rendered him in some degree obnoxious to the administration in the succeeding reign; and as they shewed marks of displeasure towards him, without any sufficient reason, as he conceived, he felt disgust at their behaviour, and resented it, by opposing several of their measures of policy in the House of Lords. He particularly resisted the prosecutions which were at that time carried on against the late ministry; partly out of gratitude to those who had proved themselves his friends, and partly because he considered the inveteracy with which the triumphant Whigs attempted to crush the Tory party, to be unfavourable to the peace and true interests of the country. In the year 1717 he manifested his zeal for the university of Oxford, by appearing warmly in its vindication, when it was attacked in the House of Lords, for having given rise, by neglecting to celebrate the prince of Wales's birth-day with proper rejoicings, to the riots and disturbances which took place on that occasion, between the scholars, townsmen, and the soldiers quartered in that city. But at the same time that he vindicated the university in this business, he expressed the greatest abhorrence of any marks of disloyalty that might have been shewn by individuals belonging to that learned body, and used all his influence to check and prevent such behaviour. In the year 1719 our prelate, out of his regard to the honour and interest of the university, was involved in a contest with the crown, respecting the legal qualifications for the wardenship of Manchester college. For Mr. Samuel Peploe, a master of arts of the university of Oxford, having obtain ed a grant of that wardenship from the king; and it being a necessary qualification, according to the foundation-charter of that college, that before his institution he must be a bachelor of divinity; instead of taking his degree at Oxford, he procured a faculty for it from the archbishop of Canterbury. But Dr. Gastrell, who, as bishop of Chester, was to admit him, being persuaded that a Lambeth degree was not a good and effectual qualification in law for any ecclesiastical dignity or benefice, refused to give him institution, and published his "Case with relation to the Wardenship of Manchester,

&c." Mr. Peploe, however, insisted upon the validity of his qualification by the archbishop's diploma, and had recourse to the court of King's-bench, where the decision was given in his favour. Notwithstanding this decision, the university was so sensible of its obligations to Dr. Gastrell for his conduct on this occasion, and the labour which he had bestowed on the enquiries and reasonings in his "Case," that it was decreed in a full convocation, that solemn thanks should be returned to the bishop for his having so fully asserted the rights, privileges, and dignities, belonging to the university degrees. In the year 1723, when the bill for inflicting pains and penalties upon Dr. Atterbury, bishop of Rochester, had been brought up from the House of Commons to the Lords, bishop Gastrell opposed its passing with great firmness and spirit, and not without censuring the rest of his brethren on the bench, who all concurred in supporting it. On this occasion he was not influenced by any personal partiality for the bishop of Rochester, whose haughty temper he disliked, and whose arbitrary proceedings while he was dean of Christ-church he had constantly opposed; but the part which he took appears to have originated in his disapprobation of the violence of the proceedings against Dr. Atterbury, together with his persuasion that there had not been any evidence of his guilt produced, sufficiently clear and weighty to justify the severe sentence which the bill pronounced against him. Dr. Gastrell was much afflicted with the gout during several years of his life, and at length fell a sacrifice to that disorder towards the latter end of 1725, when he was about sixty-three years of age. His piety and virtues have been highly spoken of by his contemporaries; and of his learning and abilities his excellent writings afford ample proof. Besides the articles already enumerated, he was the author of a sermon, preached at the anniversary meeting of the charity schools in London, and entitled "The religious Education of poor Children recommended ;" and "A moral Proof of a future State," published without his name. Other anonymous pieces have been attributed to him, but upon uncertain authority. Big. Britan. Brit. Biog.-M.

GATAKER, THOMAS, a very learned Eng lish divine, critic, and commentator, who flourished in the seventeenth century, was born in the parsonage-house of St. Edmund the King, in London, of which parish his father was incumbent, in the 1574. His first tincture of learning he received in his father's house, and gave early indications of an uncommon genius,

a most retentive memory, and surprising application. Having passed through the classes in the grammar-school by the time that he was sixteen years of age, he was sent in 1590 to St. John's college, Cambridge, where he distinguished himself, by his indefatigable diligence, and the exemplariness and modesty of his manners. He was one of those students who constantly attended the Greek lectures read by the famous Mr. John Bois in his bed, and under his instructions perfected himself in an accurate acquaintance with the Greek tongue; and at the same time he made himself master of the Hebrew language, with the assistance which he derived from Mr. Edward Lively. Not long after he was settled at college he had the misfortune to lose his father, who was not in cirumstances to leave him a sufficient provision for his maintenance during the course of his academic education. The early hopes, however, which he had afforded of future proficiency, induced some friends to contribute to his assistance; and being thus encouraged, he prosecuted his studies with such success, that in reward of his merit he was chosen a scholar on the foundation of his college. At the statutable periods he took his degrees in arts with uncommon applause. He was now held in so high esteem for his learning and piety, that the trustees of Sidney college, of which the foundation was laid in 1596, appointed him one of the fellows of that institution, even before the building was erected. This unusual circumstance occasioned an offer to be made to him, to reside, until the college should be completed, at the house of William Ayloffe, esq. afterwards a baronet, of Barksted, in the county of Essex, as tutor to that gentleman's eldest son, and as assistant to himself in the study of the Hebrew language. While he continued in this family, he was accustomed every morning to read a portion of the Bible, giving the sense from the original languages with much perspicuity, and afterwards deducing practical reflections and observations. At one of these exercises Dr. Sterne, suffragan bishop of Colchester, who was related to the mistress of the family, happened to be present, and was so much pleased with Mr. Gataker's performance, that he earnestly pressed him to enter into orders without delay. For some time Mr. Gataker's modesty and diffidence led him to decline undertaking the ministerial character; but being repeatedly solicited by Dr. Sterne and other friends, not to withhold from the public the benefit of his services, he at length acceded to their wishes, and was ordained by the suffragan just mentioned.

lain.

When in the year 1599 Sidney college was finished, and prepared for the reception of its society, Mr. Gataker repaired to his proper station, and commenced the office of tutor with great reputation and success. While he was engaged in this employment, he united with Mr. Abdias Ashton, and Mr. William Bedell, afterwards bishop of Kilmore, in Ireland, in the pious and laudable plan of preaching every Sunday in different parish churches at no great distance from Oxford, where, from various circumstances, the people were in want of able ministers. In conformity to this plan, Mr. Gataker constantly preached for six months in the parish church of Everton, a village on the confines of the counties of Cambridge, Bedford, and Huntingdon, the vicar of which was rendered incapable of performing his duty by the infirmities of a very advanced age. At the expiration of that period, some reasons, which are not explained, having determined Mr. Gataker to quit the university, and to settle in London, he was prevailed upon by his friend Mr. Ashton to reside with sir William Cooke, near Charing-cross, in the capacity of his chapThis situation proved the means of his introduction to many persons of eminence and learning, particularly in the profession of the law; and as several of the latter, who were members of Lincoln's-inn, had frequent opportunities of admiring his excellent pulpit talents, when he preached for different clergymen of his acquaintance, they wished much that he would take the necessary steps to be chosen preacher to their society. His diffidence of his abilities, however, would not permit him to become a candidate for that honourable post; but upon his being chosen to it about the year 1601, without any solicitation on his part, he was prevailed upon to accept of the office, the duties of which he discharged for ten years, much admired and caressed by his respectable and learned auditory. By accepting of this employment, Mr. Gataker did not dissolve his connection with sir William Cooke's family, notwithstanding that in term time he thought it his duty to reside in Lincoln's-inn; but in the vacations he went down to sir William's seat in Northamptonshire, and during his stay there preached constantly, either in the domestic chapel or the parish church. In the year 1603 he took his degree of bachelor of divinity at Cambridge, and was afterwards often solicited to proceed to that of doctor; but he declined it, for economical reasons. The reputation which he acquired by his learned discourses at Lincoln's-inn, occasioned several offers of valuable

preferments to be made to him, which he might have held without relinquishing his situation of preacher to that society. But he entertained conscientious scruples against pluralities; and no arguments could persuade, nor examples induce, him to conceive that one man, at one time, could discharge his duty, having two cures of souls. It was his wish also to continue in his present situation, though the income of it was much smaller than that of livings to which he might have been inducted, because of the advantage which it afforded him of leisure to pursue his learned studies. To these he devoted much of his time, and particularly to his improvement in an acquaintance with the Scriptures in their original languages, with the fathers of the first ages in the christian church, and with the best Greek and Roman writers. In the year 1611 Mr. Gataker, having entered into the matrimonial state, accepted of the rectory of Rotherhithe, in Surrey, with which he was much importuned to retain his former office; but in consistency with his principles he resigned it, to the great regret of the learned body who had long profited under his ministry. 'After entering on his new cure, he applied himself to the discharge of his pastoral functions 'with great diligence and fidelity, notwithstanding that for a long time he was afflicted by an almost perpetual head-ach, to which, very probably, his late and early studies did not a little contribute. In the year 1616, and some following years, Mr. Gataker maintained a literary correspondence with Dr. Usher, afterwards archbishop of Armagh, on the subject of some curious MSS. which he possessed of some of our ancient divines, and among others of the famous Robert Grosthead, bishop of Lincoln. Several of the letters which passed between them are preserved in the collection subjoined to the Life of Archbishop Usher, by Dr. Richard Parr, and afford evidence not only of our author's profound erudition and critical acumen, but of his great modesty and humility, and of the high esteem in which he was held by that learned prelate. While Mr. Gataker had been preacher at Lincoln's-inn, among other curious subjects more particularly adapted to his learned auditory, he had devoted several sermons to the consideration of the nature, use, and abuse of lots, or lotteries, intended to shew the lawfulness of lusorious, or, in plainer English, innocent and entertaining games of chance, and the unlawfulness of the divinatory lots. What he had delivered on this subject was much misrepresented, and he was accused of

VOL. IV.

having pleaded the cause of gamblers, and encouraged the abuse and misemployment of time. Finding that these misrepresentations were propagated not only in conversation but by the press, he was obliged to overcome his reluctance to sending any of his labours into the world, and by way of self-defence published the substance of his sermons, under the title "Of the Nature and Use of Lots, a Treatise historical and theological," 1619, 4to. This work is distinguished by great accuracy of method, acuteness of reasoning, profound learning, perspicuity, and elegance of style for the time in which it was written. It was deservedly received with much applause by the greater part of the learned world; but at the same time it excited the strictures of some individuals, with whom the author afterwards engaged in controversy.

In the year 1620 Mr. Gataker set out on a tour through the Spanish and United Netherlands, in company with two friends, and a nephew of his, then a student. When he was at Middleburgh, in Zealand, he preached at the English church in that town, to the great satisfaction of his protestant countrymen; and he distinguished himself by the spirit and ability with which he disputed against the English catholic priests who resided in those parts, together with the fugitives of their persuasion who had been obliged to quit England, for being concerned in the plots against the government during the reigns of Elizabeth and her successor. While he was in Holland, he was led to form a very high opinion of the zeal of the Dutch for the protestant religion, and thence wrought himself into a conviction that we could never differ from them, even upon points of national policy, without injury to the protestant interest. This opinion was warmly maintained for a time by those who opposed the measures of the court in England; but when they had succeeded in overturning the royal authority they proceeded upon a very different system, as the reader will learn from the history of the times. Upon Mr. Gataker's return to his native country, he found that his Treatise on Lots had been attacked by a Mr. John Balmford, whose work, on account of the angry spirit in which it was written, and the illiberal insinuations which it contained, was, by the licenser of the press, refused permission to be published. Greatly to Mr. Gataker's honour, he immediately interested himself to obtain the removal of the prohibition against his adversary's work; and after it had been permitted to appear, he employed himself in

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