Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 22.djvu/297

 use of these travels, and especially of Gourdon's quaint details about the inhabitants of Samoed.

[Purchas's Pilgrimes, as above.] 

GOURLIE, WILLIAM (1815–1856), botanist, was born at Glasgow in March 1815, his father being a merchant in that city. He was educated at the public school and university of Glasgow, studying botany under Dr. (afterwards Sir) W. J. Hooker and Dr. J. H. Balfour. Being regular and orderly in his habits, he was able, though in partnership with his father, to spare time for the study of science, for which he had an ardent love. He collected British plants, especially mosses, and also shells and fossil plants. In 1836 he joined the Edinburgh Botanical Society, and in 1841 the Glasgow Philosophical Society. In 1855 he became a fellow of the Linnean Society. He took an active part in the promotion of various benevolent institutions, and in 1855 acted as local secretary in connection with the Glasgow meeting of the British Association. He was attacked by cancer and died at his brother's house at Pollockshields, 24 June 1856, leaving a widow and two children.

[Proceedings of Linn. Soc. 1857, vol. xxvii.] 

GOURNEY, MATHEW (1310?–1406), soldier, was fourth son of Thomas Gourney, one of the murderers of Edward II, who was afterwards banished from England, and in the parliament held at the end of 1330 was condemned during his absence. Next year he was arrested at Burgos in Spain, but escaped, only, however, to be recaptured at the end of 1332 at Naples; he died in 1333 while on his way back to England as a prisoner (see paper by Mr. Hunter in ‘Archæologia,’ vol. xxviii.; and ‘Fœdera,’ iv. 488 and 509). Mathew Gourney was born at Stoke-under-Hamden in Somersetshire about 1310. He became a distinguished soldier of fortune. Froissart terms him a ‘moult vaillans chevalier.’ He was first mentioned as being at the battle of the Sluys (1340). In 1342–4 he was at the capture of Algeziras, taken by Alphonse XI from the Moors, at Crecy (1346), and at Poitiers (1356). In November 1357 he was named governor of Brest Castle and of the neighbouring town of Saint Mathieu (Fœd. vi. 70). In the same year a safe-conduct was granted from Westminster to Tristram Kerrety and Peter Prescy, prisoners of Mathew de Gourney, to go to France and return (ib. vi. 66). In May of the following year Gourney obtained a safe-conduct to go to Brittany to assume his command (ib. vi. 80). He was one of the jurats of the peace of Bretigni (1360) (ib. vi. 238). He, however, joined the bands of military adventurers known as ‘les grandes compagnies,’ who made war on their own account. In 1362 he was in disgrace and imprisoned in the Tower, probably for the part he had taken in this predatory warfare (ib. ed. 1830, iii. 648). In 1364 he was at the battle of Auray in Brittany, where Duguesclin was taken prisoner by Sir John Chandos and Charles de Blois killed. There is a bond in the archives of the Château of Vitré in Brittany, dated 13 March 1365, showing that John de Laval is the prisoner of Mathew de Gourney, who of his own free will has given to the said John his ransom for the sum of thirty thousand crowns. He was probably taken prisoner at the battle of Auray, in the month of September previous. When Henry the Trastamare, with the help of the free companies, had obtained the throne of Castile, from which he had driven Don Pedro, Pedro applied for help to the king of Portugal. Gourney, on the suggestion of Duguesclin, who had the direction of the expedition, was sent as an ambassador from Henry to learn how the king of Portugal was disposed towards Don Pedro. Having reached Lisbon, on entering the Royal Palace he was recognised by an esquire who had seen him at Poitiers, by whom he was presented to the king, who received him at his table and loaded him with honours. Tournaments, which lasted several days, were held to give him an opportunity of showing his prowess. The trouvère Cuvelier gives a detailed account of the pageantry. He terms Gourney an ‘Engloiz souffisans … qui bien fiert de l'espée.’ None of the Portuguese knights could stand before him, his only rival being a Breton knight. On his return to Henry to render an account of his mission, he found that the Black Prince had taken up the cause of Don Pedro, and had recalled all the English knights. He, with the others, left the service of Henry and their French companions, and, having joined the prince's standard, invaded Spain, and was present at the battle of Nájara (1367), which reinstated Don Pedro on the throne of Castile. Gourney became afterwards one of the military followers of the Black Prince and attached to his person. He was made a baron of Guienne, and received grants of several estates there. Immediately on the outbreak of hostilities against France in 1369 he accompanied the Earl of Buckingham, Thomas of Woodstock (afterwards Duke of Gloucester), on a raid into the Bourbonnais, and, having laid siege to the chateau of Belleperche, he was sent to treat for the surrender of the place with