1692] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 175 TO HIS SON JOHN. Mosco, January 11, 1692.

Passages from the diary of General Patrick Gordon of Auchleuchries : A.D. 1635-A.D. 1699"

1692] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 175

TO HIS SON JOHN.

Mosco, January 11, 1692.
Loveing Son,

My last to you was the eighth August, by Captain
William Gordon, since which I have yours of the third of July ; as also, a
joint letter from my unkle and Nethermuir, which I answered the next post
after I received it, viz., the twelfth past, and gave notice of my resolution.
But now to the particulars of yours. You tell me of many letters you have
written, but how addressed, nothing ; and if there be any miscarriage, it is
betwixt that and London or Dantzick, for Mr. Meverell in the first, and
Patrick Forbes in the last, are very carefall, to whom you should writt, and
enclose that to me in theirs. You tell me of paying postage from Mosco to
Aberdeen, for a packet dated the sixteenth of February last, which is a great
abuse, and I would gladly know where it lyeth, for I sent that packet by a
ffriend, one Mr. Brest, to Amsterdam, enclosing it in a letter to Mr. James
Gordon, merchant in Roterdam, who gave me notice that he had forwarded
it, but whether by ffriend or post he gave me no notice, so that at the most
you have but payed postage from Amsterdam to Aberdeen, after which you
may enquire. As to the business of the wedsett of the Mains,* you may
use the ordinary course and diligence, as also in the business with Water-
towne. I wonder to hear of a backbond given to my brother John by my
father concerning the Muirtake. It was great injustice in him to conceale
it when I was there, and even malice now to detaine it. If I had knowne
any thing of it, I had not ordered his bond of four hundred merks to be
given to him befor he had restored that. How he hath dealt with me, it is
well knowne. It was great injustice in him, if not worse (If worse can be),
first to move my father to give him an herctable right to the Muirtake,
which could not be either justly or lawfully done, my father haveing disposed
the here table right of the whole to me befor that ; and then to take a bond
of our father for three hundred merks, and hereupon to serve himself exe-
cutor creditor, thereby to defraude me and the rest of the moveables and
any thing left by our parents. But, transeat ; I never see men useing un-

* [The Mains of Auchleucbries.]