The London Gazette 11376. Petersburg, July 9 [1773]. The King of Great Britain having been graciously pleased to nominate Robert Gunning (age 42), Esq;; His Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at this Court, to be a Knight Companion of the most Honourable Order of the Bath, and His Majesty being desirous that he should be knighted and invested with the Ensigns of the said Order in the most Honourable and most distinguished Manner, Mr. Gunning applied to her Imperial Majesty the Empress of Russia, by Order of the King His Master, to desire she would be pleased to represent His Majesty on this Occasion; to which her Imperial Majesty very readily consented, expressing in the strongest Terms her Sentiments of Friendship and Affection towards His Britannick Majesty, and was at the same Time pleased to appoint this Day, (being the Anniversary Festival of her Imperial Majesty's Accession to the Throne) for the Performance of the Cerempny, which was as follows:

Mr Gunning having, between Four and Five o'Clock in the Afternoon repaired to the Palace, according to Appointment, he was there received by the Grand Master of the Ceremonies, who conducted him through manv of the Royal Apartments, where a great Number of the Nobility and Persons of Distinction were assembled in Honour of the Day, and proceeded to the Apartment destined for the Performance of the Ceremony, where her Imperial Majesety was attended by her Serene Highness the Landgravine of Hesse Darmstadt, and the three Princesses her Daughters, Prince Orlow, Count Panin, Count Zachar Czernicbew, and all the Great Officers of State and of the Household. Mr. Gunning being introduced by the Grand Master of the Ceremonies, made a low Reverence on his Entrance, a Second in the Middle of the Room, and a Third on his approaching her Imperial Majesty; and Mr. Gunning then kneeling, the Empress took from a Table a curious Gold-hilted Sword richly ornamented with Diamonds, and touched his left Shoulder three Times with it, pronouncing these Words, Soyez, Bon & Honorable Chevalier au Nom de Dieu, and laid the Sword upon the Table. Then the Vice-Chancellor Prince Gallitzin presented to her Imperial Majesty the Ribbon of the Order, which the Empress put over the Knight's right Shoulder; and receiving the Star likewise from the Vice-Chancellor, her Imperial Majesty delivered it to Sir Robert Gunning (age 42): After which the Empress again took the Sword from the Table, and, delivering the fame to Sir Robert Gunning (age 42), her Imperial Majesty most graciously condescended to do him the Honour of desiring him to wear the Sword with which he had been knighted. Sir Robert Gunning (age 42) then rose up; and, after expressing to her Imperial Majesty how much he was penetrated by this most gracious and extraordinary Mark of Favour, which she had been pleased to add to that of investing him with the Order, he withdrew, observing the same Ceremony as at his Entrance.