L E T T ' E ' R VIII.
O ur forefathers in this -village were no doubt as bufy and
buftling, and as important, as ourfelves: y e t have their names and
tranfaetions been forgotten from century .to century, and. have
funk into oblivion; nor has tins happened only to the vulgar,
but even to men remarkable and . famous in their .generation. I
was led into this train of thinking by finding in my vouchers
that Sir Adam Gordon was - an inhabitant, o f Selborne, and .a man of
the firft rank and property in the parilh. By Sir Adam. Gordon 1
would be underftood to mean that leading and accompli filed
malecontent in the Mountfort fadtion, who diftinguilhed himfelf
by his daring conduct in the reign of Henry III. The firft that
we hear of this perfon in my papers is, that with two others he was
bailiff of Alton before the fixteenth of Henry III..viz-, about 1231,
and then not knighted. Who Gordon was, and whence he came,,
does not appear: yet there is reafon to fufpedt that he was originally
a mere foldier of fortune, who had railed himfelf by marrying
women of property. The name of Gordon does not feem
to be known in the fouth; but there is a name fo like it in a»
adjoining kingdom, and which belongs to two or three noble
families, that it is probable this remarkable, perfon was a North
Briton; and the more fo, fince the Chriftian name of Adam is a
diftinguilhed one to this day among the family of the Gordons
But, be this as it may, Sir Adam Gordon has been'noticed by all the
writers of Englijh hiftory for his bold difpolition and difaffefted
fpirit, in that he not only figured during the fuccefsful rebellion
of Leicefier, but kept up the war after the defeat and death of
that baron’s entrenching bimfelLin. the woods of Hampjhire, towards
the town of Farnbamv After the battle of Evejham, in which
Mountfort fell, in the year 1265, Gordon might not think it fafe to
return to; his hpufofpr fear o f . a|furprife; but cautioufly fortified
himfelf amfdft the forefes.and woodlands .with which he was.fo
. well acqqajfitefl. gn pee .Edjtwrd, defirous of .putting an end to
the. troubles ;which had fo lopg haraffed the kingdom, .purfued
die arch-rebel into:l>is faiftneftes;,'.attached:his camp; leaped over
the entr^ebmenta; and, fingliog out.Gordon, ran him down,
.wounded-ldm,. and took htmprifoner’ .
There ;is not perh.aps in all hiftory a. more remarkable inftance
of. command o f . temper, and magnanimity, than this before us •.
that a young prApce, in the moment, of.vidtory, when:jhe had the f
fell adverlary of the crown and royal family at his mercy, fiiould
, be,able to -withhold his hand from that vengeance which the van-
quifhed fo wejl deferveel. A cowardly difpolition would have
been blinded by refentment: but this gallant heir-apparent faw
at once a method of converting a moft defperate foe into a lalfing
friend. He raifed the fallen, veteran from-the ground, be pardoned
him, he admitted him into his confidence, and introduced
him to the queen,, then lying,at Guildford, that very evening *. This
. unmerited and unexpected lenity melted the heart of the rugged
Gordon at once; he became in an inftant a loyal and ufefui fub-
ject, trufted and employed in matters of moment by Edward when
king, and confided in till the day of his death-.
* M. Paris, p. 675. & Trfvfti Annafe.