1692] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 179 Patrick Gordon of Cults

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

1692] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 179

Patrick Gordon of Cults, and they, or any two of them their discharges, to
be sufficient acquittances, I haveing entrusted my effaires there to them ;
reserving also, as a portion for one of my other sons, to whom I shall as-
signe it, the summc of two thousand punds Scottish, which summe of two
thousand punds is not to beare annuall rent untill the first Whitesunday
after he to whom it shall be assigned shall come to Scotland, and produce
the assignation or attested copy of my testament ; and for the more security
hereof, a bond of provision to be made up, and that, as well as the infiofment,
to be registrate according to our Scottish formes, and these bonds and
writeings to be delivered to the custody of my above mentioned ffriends,
whom, also, for this and other purposes, I constitute my proctors ; and be-
cause, in this remote place, wee are ignorant of the Scottish formes of such
dispositions and other writeings, so have I subscrived foure sheets of paper
battered together, subscrived on the margine at the battermg or glowing,
and at the bottome, to be filled up according to the Scottish formes, befor
the same witnesses that this is subscrived, to witt. Major Generall Pawll
Menezes, Collonell Alexander Leviston, and Major Hary Gordon. So done
at Mosko, A.D. 1692, the eleventh of January.

TO THE EARLE OF ABERDEEN.

Mosco, 11 January, 1692.
May It please your Lordship,

My last was the eighth of August, by Rothemayes brother.
By this I have sent a disposition of the heretablc right of the lands of
Achluichries to my eldest son, John, reserving two hundi'ed punds Scottish
yearly for me and my wyfe, during our hves ; as also two thousand punds
Scottish, a portion for one of my other sons. For security of the first, I
desire that my wyfe be infeft in the two ploughs of Easter Achluichries, and
for the other, a bond of provision to be made, which writeings, and a bond
for the money, to be gott from Rotliemay, and any other writeings, I desire
to be given in custody to any whom your Lordship shall advise ; for it is
dangerous tyme now, and the old proverb proveth but too oft true :

Nou pater a filio, non Iiospes ab liospite tutus,
Non socer a gcnero, fratrum quoquc gratia rara est.

And to say the truth, I have reserved that rather to keep my son in duty,
and to make him frugall, than that I have any hopes of ever comeing to that