(Vol. iii., pp. 424. 508.)
Through the kindness of a friend, who takes an interest in the pedigree
of the _Gay_ family, I am enabled to offer the following information to
MR. TAGART.
In Paley's Life of Law, prefixed to the _Theory of Religion_, mention is
made of Gay's dissertation; and the author is there stated to be of
"Sidney College." Inquiry was accordingly made in that quarter, and the
following answer was returned:--
"I find there have been four persons of the name of Gay educated
at Sidney College; three of them _certainly_--and in _all
probability_ the fourth--members of the same family. As I shall
have occasion to refer to them subsequently, I will give you their
several entries in the College Register:
"'1. _Johannes_, fil. Jacobi _Gay_, clerici, natus apud Meath in
com. Devon. lit. gram. instit. per quinquennium apud Torrington
sub M'ro Reynolds, deinde per biennium sub M'ro Rayner, apud
Tiverton in com. praedicto. Adm. est Pens. min. anno aet. 18'mo sub
tut. M'ro Nath. Popple, S.T.B., et M'ro Laur. Jackson, M.A., 7'mo
Nov. 1717.'
"'2. _Nicholas_, fil Jacobi _Gay_, clerici, natus apud Meath in
com. Devon. lit. gram. instit. per quinquennium apud Torrington
sub M'ro Reynolds, deinde per triennium sub M'ro Rayner apud
Tiverton, in com. praedicto. Adm. est Sizator 20'mo Oct. 1718, anno
aet. 17'mo, Tut. Laurentio Jackson, A.M.'
"'3. _Jacobus_, fil. natu max. Rev'di Joannis _Gay_, hujus
Coll'ii quondam Socii, postea Vicarii de Wilshamstead, natus apud
Wilshamstead, in com. Bedf. lit. gr. instructus apud Bampton in
com. Devon. sub M'ro Wood. Adm. est Sizator 24'to Aug. 1752, annum
agens 17'mo, Tut. J. Lawson et J. Cranwell.'
"'4. _Johannes_, fil. natu max. Nicolai _Gay_, de Newton St. Cyres
in com. Devon. Vicarii, ibidem natus, lit. vero gram. inst. apud
South-Molton per sexennium, et apud Ottery St. Mary per triennium
sub viro rev'do Joanne Colridge. Adm. est Sizator 15'to Junii
1762, annum agens 19'mo, Tut. Gul. Elliston, M'ro C'i et Joh.
Hey.'
"Gay (1.) was a scholar of Peter Blundell's foundation, and in
1724 succeeded to a fellowship on the same foundation. This
fellowship, of which there are two at this college, is tenable for
ten years; and all our fellows are compelled to proceed regularly
to the degree of B.D. (seven years after they have taken that of
M.A.). Mr. Gay was M.A. in 1725, and might have proceeded to B.D.
in 1732: but he never took any higher degree than M.A. He must
therefore have vacated his fellowship before 1732. I find no
mention of his name in our College Office-book later than 7th May,
1730. He was probably presented during that year to the vicarage
of Wilshamstead (which of course would render void his
fellowship), and subsequently entered upon another kind of
fellowship, one of the results of which was Gay (3.).
"Of Gay (2.) I find it recorded that he was appointed Chapel Clerk
in 1719; that he was B.A. 1722, and M.A. 1731. As far as dates are
concerned, it might be questioned which of the brothers (1. or 2.)
was the author of the 'Preliminary Dissertation.' In our
University Library I can find only two editions of Law's
translation of Archbishop King's work, viz. the 2nd edit., 1732,
which contains the 'Preliminary Dissertation,' but no mention of
its author; and the 4th edit., Camb. 1758, at the end of the
Preface to which are these words: 'The following Dissertation was
composed chiefly by the _late_ Rev. Mr. Gay.' The author of the
Dissertation must therefore have died in or before 1758. But in
the entry of Gay (4.) 1762 (who was without doubt nephew of 1.), I
do not find 'defuncti' attached to his father's name, which it has
always been usual to add, in the case of the father being
deceased.
"I am convinced in my own mind that the Mr. Gay of Sidney College,
mentioned by Paley in his life of Bishop Law, was Gay (1.). There
would be no difficulty, I should think, in ascertaining the time
of Mr. John Gay's decease. The present vicar of Wilshamstead could
no doubt readily inform you. If it should be found that Mr. John
Gay died before 1758, then there can be no question but that he is
Bishop Law's _late_ Mr. Gay.
"Fellow of Sidney College."