Related
138 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1686 to a coachman, to bring the trunke
128 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1686 I was, because of hireing chaires or coaches
1686] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 119 lages on the road, and on both sydes
1686] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 127 with severall necessaryes, and having received from Mr. Meverell
1686] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 155 Crossing the Black River
174 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1692 be restored. As for Harie Gordon
1686] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 109 memorated him in mournful wise
1692] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 179 Patrick Gordon of Cults
1686] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 123 by the river, well fortifyed with a wall
1686] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 131 Htle way, and being four, wee hired a coach
Summary
Passages from the diary of General Patrick Gordon of Auchleuchries : A.D. 1635-A.D. 1699"
1686] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 131
Htle way, and being four, wee hired a coach for eight shillings to Graves-
end, where, after supper, wee haveinaj hired a boat for six shillings, to
London. Expended this day, at Shirncss, for the boat, fyve shillings ; for
breakfast in Chattam, eighteen pence ; coach hire to Gravesend, two shil-
lings ; where wee tookc coach, six pence ; supper in Gravesend, two shillings ;
oares to London, eighteen pence.
It being a great storme on the river, wee gott to London about four April 28.
a clock in- the morning. I went immediately to bed, and riseing about nine
a clock, went to Court, and waited on the King at Privy Staires, who came
in his barge, and landed about eleven a clock. I dined with my ordinary
company, and expended this day, for dinner, two shillings two pence ; to
Sonne and servants, with the tyme I had been away, seven shillings ; for
a booke, two shillings ; for makeing of some kravats, lace to ruffles, ten
shillings ; for a kravat, seventeen shillings ; for three travelUng kravats,
nine shillings ; for washing of my sonnes linnens, three shillintis. I payed
also the taylors bill, being twenty six pund ; for house meale^^ by him, six
shillings ; for stockens to the page, two shilling ; for shooes to him, three
shillings. 1 sent a paire of sables to my Lady Melfort.
1 went by water to Loudon, and haveing done my business upon the Ex- April 29.
change, I returned about eight a clock at night, and Avent to Court ; and,
about ten a clock, meeting with Mr. Marr,t he told me that the shipp wherein
my Sonne should go to Dunkirk in was gone dowue to Gravesend, and that,
by four a clock next morning, he must be gone. So that, tfce tyme being
pressing, I came home, and, albeit late, I bought some linnens for him, and
made all things ready. Expended this day, for oares to London, six pence;
for wyne there, two shillings two pence ; for a ken,| with hand, nine shillings ;
for coach hire to returne, eighteen pence ; for sonne and servants, two shil-
lings ; for two shirts to my sonne, seven shillings.
About four a clock, haveing sent for Mr. Marr, wee went and tooke April so,
*[Houserent. Gordon hadhired the tailor's rood in November, 1686, and became Rector
lodging for two or three days. See above, pp. ol tlie Scotch College at Douity, alter the
126, 127.] Kevolution of 16S« See Dr Oliver's l.iogra-
t [A friend, to whose intimate knowledge phical Aleuioirs of the Society of Jesus, pp 21,
of the history of his church in Scotland 1 107 ; Letters of Janie.-;, Karl of I'crth, to his
have been nio-e than once indebted the sister, the (^'uiite-s ot Krr, I. p li4
Kevcrend Geoifrc A. GriflSn of New Abbey, i\Ir. eirilfin adds tliat, neither the names of
informs me that "Mr. Marr" was but Gordons suns, John and James, ni<r the oame
another name for Father James Forbes, a of his cousin, Alexander, are to be foun^l in
raeml)er of the society of Jesus, who was su- the roll of students at Douay.]
perior of its Scottish mission in 1679, was ap- t [A cane ]
pointed one of the King's chaplains at Holy-
Gordon was brought up and remained a lifelong Roman Catholic, at a time when the Church was being persecuted in Scotland. At age of fifteen, he entered the Jesuit college at Braunsberg, East Prussia, then part of Poland. In 1661, after many years experiences as a soldier of fortune, he joined the Russian army under Tsar Aleksei I, and in 1665 was sent on a special mission to England. After his return, he distinguished himself in several wars against the Turks and Tatars in southern Russia. In recognition of his service he was promoted to major-general in 1678, was appointed to the high command at Kiev in 1679, and in 1683 was made lieutenant-general. In 1687 and 1689 he took part in expeditions against the Tatars in the Crimea, being made a full general. Later in 1689, a revolution broke out in Moscow, and with the troops under his command, Gordon virtually decided events in favor of Peter the Great against the Regent, Tsarevna Sophia Alekseyevna. Consequently, he was for the remainder of his life in high favor with the Tsar, who confided to him the command of his capital during his absence from Russia. In 1696, Gordon's design of a "moveable rampart" played a key role in helping the Russians take Azov. One of Gordon's convinced the Tsars to establish the first Roman Catholic church and school in Muscovy, of which he remained the main benefactor and headed the Catholic community in Russia until his death. For his services his second son James, brigadier of the Russian army, was created Count of the Holy Roman Empire in 1701. At the end of his life the Tsar, who had visited Gordon frequently during his illness, was with him when he died, and with his own hands closed his eyes. General Gordon left behind him a uniquely detailed diary of his life and times, written in English. This is preserved in manuscript in the Russian State Military Archive in Moscow. Passages from the Diary of General Patrick Gordon of Auchleuchries (1635–1699) was printed, under the editorship of Joseph Robertson, for the Spalding Club, at Aberdeen, Scotland, 1859.