Education
He became a chaplain in the Royal Navy and then royal chaplain "at New York in America", by which time he was a Doctor of Theology. When, on a vacancy in the see of Galloway, a congé d"élire in his favour was issued 3 December 1687.
He became a chaplain in the Royal Navy and then royal chaplain "at New York in America", by which time he was a Doctor of Theology. When, on a vacancy in the see of Galloway, a congé d"élire in his favour was issued 3 December 1687.
He was accordingly elected bishop on 4 February 1688, and consecrated at Glasgow by John Paterson, Archbishop of Glasgow. After a long investigation his orders were treated as if they were null from the beginning. The decree of the inquisition to this effect was issued on 17 April 1704.
After this Gordon received the sacrament of confirmation, and Pope Clement XI conferred on him the tonsure, giving him the benefice of the abbey of Saint Clement, by reason of which Gordon commonly went by the name of the Abate Clemente.
He died at Rome in 1726. Gordon was resident in the Papal States when James VIII/III went there with his court in 1717.
He is often thought to be the author of a controversial piece entitled Pax Vobis, or Gospel Liberty, but that attribution is now considered unlikely.