CH/20/75

CH/20/75

File

Letter from the Dean of Salisbury, John Gordon, about Mr Sharp's suit

1603-1619

1 sheet

Letter addressed "To the Right Worshipfull and my very loving brethren The docteurs of the Chapter at Sarum in the Close". The letter mainly concerns the suit of a Mr Sharp and "a very grievous [complaint?] of a great [injury?] done to him as he will inform you more amply himself". "I pray you very earnestly . . . [unclear] . . . the wrong done to him be repaired". The letter begins with a salutation in Latin ("Carissimi in Cristo fratres") and continues, "I thank God that my wife is returned in good health"; both are "desirous to renew our acquaintance with you all and my loving sisters your wives". In 1594 John Gordon had married as his second wife Geneviève Petau de Maulette, later to be French tutor to James I's daughter Elizabeth (elder sister of the future Charles I). A postscript to the letter, in French, repeats the assurances about her return to health ("Messieurs mes freres . . . mi permit de vous dire que je suis arrivé en bonne santé grace a Dieu) and and looks forward to "le bonheur de vous voir"; it is signed "Petau". John Gordon (1544-1619) was educated at St Andrews, Paris and Orleans. He alledgedly enjoyed the patronage of Mary Queen of Scots and served as a gentleman in waiting to three French kings (Charles IX, Henry III, Henry IV). He succeeded his father as Bishop of Galloway (1575-1586) but resigned in favour of his brother, and was nominated by James I as Dean of Salisbury at the age of nearly 60. He procured an act of chapter by which for seven years one fifth of the revenue of every prebend was to be devoted to cathedral repairs, and left a legacy for rebuilding the cloisters. He was regarded as learned in law, theology and ancient languages, and left books to the Cathedral library. The barony of Glenluce was bestowed on him by royal charter in 1611.

English
French
Latin

Material: paper