XX. YOUNGER SONS.

BEFORE the acquisition of our Indian Empire, and our numerous Colonial conquests, it was thought by no means derogatory to the dignity of families that younger sons should enter into trade, and even perform, in some instances, manual labour.

Sir Ludovic Gordon, the Premier Baronet of Scot land, as grandson paternally of the Earl of Sutherland, was a direct descendant of the Princess Margaret,' daughter of King Robert the Bruce :

"Thir Indentors, made at Edinburgh the ffourteenth day of August Jajvic thre scoir twell yeirs (1672), in themsells proports, and beirs leill and southfast witnessing that it is appoynted, agreed, and ffinallie ended betwix the pairties following--to wit, Mr. Robert Blaikwood, merchand burges of Edinburgh, on the ane pairt, and George Gordoun, sone laufull to Sir Lodovick Gordoun of Gordonstoun, Knight Barronett, with the speciall advyse and consent of his said

1 The Princess married William, fourth Earl of Sutherland.

father, and the said Sir Lodovick Gordoun for himselff, and takand the burthen in and upon him for the said George Gordoun, and as cautoner and suertie for him for fullfilling of his pairt of thir present indentors underwretten, on the other pairt; in maner, forme, and effect as efter followes: That is to say, the said George Gordoun, with advyce and consent forsaid, is become, and, be the tenor heirof, becomes bound prenteise and servand to the said Mr. Robert Blaikwood to his airt and trade of merchandizeing, and that for all the dayes, space, yeirs, and terms of ffyve yeirs nixt and immediatly following his entrie therto, which shall be, and, God willing, begin the day and date hereof; dureing the which space the said George Gordoun binds and obleisses him, be the faith and trueth of his bodie, to serve the said Mr. Robert Blaikwood, his master, leallie and truelie, night and day, holyday and workday, in all things godlie and honest; and shall not know nor heire of his said masters skaith dureing the space forsaid, but shall reveill the samen to him and remied it to his power; and shall not absent himselff from his said masters service, at noe tyme dureing the space contained in thir indentors, without the speciall lisence of his said master had and obtained to that effect; and if he does in the contrar, he obleisses him to serve his said master tuo dayes, for ilk daye's absense, efter the expyreing of thir indentors; and shall refund, content, and pay to his said

master tuo pennies for ilk pennies loss that his said master beis damnified, in his default, dureing the space forsaid and if it shall happen the said George Gordoun (as God forbid) to comitt the filthie crymes of fornicatione or adulterie at any tyme during the space conteined in thir indentors, in that case he faithfullie binds and obleisses him to serve the said Mr. Robert Blaikwood, his master, thre yeares, efter the expyreing of thir indentors, in the same estate as if he wer bound prenteise as said is: and for the said George Gordoun his lawfulie remaineing and fullfilling of the premisses, the said Sir Lodovick Gordoun, be the tenor hereof, becomes bound and obleissed as cautoner and suertie for him. Lykeas the said Mr. Robert Blaikwood faithfullie binds and obleisses him to ken, learne, teatch, and instruct the said George Gordoun, his prenteise, in all the poynts, pratiqes, and ingynes of his said airt and trade of merchandizeing, and that alsweill without as within the cuntrie; and shall not hyd nor conceill no poynt nor pratiqe thereof from him, but shall doe his utter and exact diligencie to caus him conceave, learne, and understand the samen, in so far as he is able or can doe himselff; and shall furnish and sustain the said George Gordoun, his prenteise, suffecentlie at bed and boord dureing the space mentioned in thir indentors, according to the estate of siclyke ane prenteise; and also the said Mr. Robert Blaikwood binds and obleisses him to send, or take with him, the said

George Gordoun, his prenteise, once to London and once to Holland befor the expyreing of thir indentors, and that upon the said Mr. Robert his own proper charges and expensses. For the whilks causses the said Sir Lodovick Gordoun has instantlie contented payed, and thankfullie delyvered, to the said Mr. Robert Blaikwood, in name of prenteise ffie with the said George Gordoun, ane certane soum of money, wherof the said Robert grants the recept and holds him weill satisfied, and, for him and his airs and successors, exoners and simplie discharges the saids Sir Lodovick and George Gordouns, their airs, executors, and all uther whom it effeirs, therof for ever, renuncand all exceptiones whatsomever in the contrar. And finallie, the said Mr. Robert Blaikwood binds and obliesses him to book the said George Gordoun his prenteise in the Gild Court books of Edinburgh, within fourtie dayes nixt efter the date of thir indentors, under the paines conteined in the act and ordor of the Counsill, of date the first daye of ffebruary 1656 yeirs. Consenting thir presents be insert and registrat in any register compitent, that letters of horning on sex dayes, and other executione neidfull in forme as effeirs, may pas therupon, and for that effect constituting thir prors. In witnes wherof (wrettin be Thomas Pirrie, writter in Edinburgh,) both pairties have subscryved thir presents with their hands, day, month, place, yeare of God

forsaid, befor thir witnesses, Mr. Robert Gordoun, brother-german to the said Sir Lodovick Gordoun, John Trotter, merchand burges of Edinburgh, and the said Thomas Pirrie.

"Ro. Gordone, witnes. To. Trotter, wittnes.

T. Pirrie, witnes."

R. BLACKWOOD.
GEORGE GORDON.

LODV: GORDON.

From his not having served the three additional years, we infer that it did not "happen the said George Gordoun to comitt the filthie crymes" mentioned in the "indentors."

"Be it keind to all men by these presents that wheras the within written Georg Gordon did truly and faithfully serve me the whole time of the within written indentors, and perform the haile oblessments therof; therforr wit me to haive exonared and discharged (lykas I be the tennor heirof exonors and discharges) him of the said indentors, and Sir Lodovick Gordon of Gordonstoun, his father and cautoner, for now and ever. In witnesse wherof I have wretten and subscryved this, at Edinburgh, this fourth of December Jajvic seventie eight yeares (1678).

"R. BLACKWOOD."