Scots worthies, 1560-1688

The Four Gordons. 43
in the science of physic." He was professor of medicine in King's
college, Aberdeen. His curious tribute to the memory of bishop
Patrick Forbes shows his attachment to that great prelate. It is
composed of lines extracted from Virgil, similar to the "cento"
of Laelius, and the "Virgil: Evangelisans " of Ross. The younger
Gordon had doubtless been brought up in reverence of the great
Aberdeen doctors, and rather unwillingly submitted to the balder
theology and worship of the restoration. He expressed his views
learnedly indeed, but tartly, and, it was believed, too personally, in
"The Reformed Bishop; or xix. articles tendered by a well-wisher of
the present government of the church of Scotland in order to the
further establishment thereof. Printed for the author, 1680." The
book is full of learning, earnestness, and indignantly refers to
prevalent corruptions, the waste of the patrimony of the church
by money spent on " curious coaches " and the " gaudy busks of
wives" of ecclesiastics. He laments the strength of puritancial
methods, the neglect of confirmation, of the Christian seasons and
other matters. In the same year he was summoned before an
episcopal synod, and rather summarily deprived of his benefice. He
submitted quietly, and was soon restored again. Some persons
alleged that envy was at the root of the " proposals." An epigram
written in an old hand on my copy of " The Reformed Bishop '
is pretty well known :
" If your book had ne'er been seen,
You had been bishop of Aberdeen ;
and
If you had been bishop of Aberdeen,
Your book had ne'er been seen."
Gordon was author of a number of other works, now rare and
forgotten. He survived till 17 14. Strange to tell, he was able to
accomplish during the establishment of Presbyterianism what he
could not do during the establishment of the church — in 1712
the book of common prayer was introduced into Banchory church,
and " kneeling boards were also placed in the pews." Two hundred
books were distributed. It is noted that as the parishioners had
hitherto been " so exemplary in the worship of God " they would
easily perform the " excellent worship " provided for by the prayer
book.
His son, James Gordon, was in 1691 presented to the parish of