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122 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1686 flesh was torren out of their armes
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Passages from the diary of General Patrick Gordon of Auchleuchries : A.D. 1635-A.D. 1699"
122 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1686
flesh was torren out of their armes, and from thence ware carted to the place
of justice without the towne, and there broken and layed on wheeles. This
evening, I was plentifully feasted by Mr. Nathanael Cambridge, where was
the EngUsh resident, and the principalle merchants of the English company.
Haveing bespok a coach, at the rate of a doller a day, I took coach and
rod to Altenaw, and from thence to the river syde, and went aboard of an
Enghsh ship which was bound for London. I gave to bring me aboard, a
mark Lips ; and to the seamen drink money, a half a doller, I received
letters from my son m law and Mr. Vinius, the first dated from Kyow, and
the other, the seventh February, from Mosko. The English resident came
after noone and gave me a visitt.
Being invited, I supped with the English resident, where ware the prin-
cipalle merchants of the EngUsh company, and ware plentifully entertained.
Mr, Cambridge agreed with the skipper, for fraught, meat, drink, and use
of his cabbcu, for me and three persons, to London, for ten pund sterling.
Being Annunciation Day, I went by coach to Altenaw, and heard de-
votion,
I did writt to Mosko by post, to the Boyar, Kniaz Vasily Vasiliovltz, to
Mr, Vinius, to Mr. Hartman, CoUonell von Mengden, and to my wyfe, all
under the coverto of Mr, von Sowme, addressed to Mr, Vinius. Wrott also
to Madame Crawfuird, in a coverto to Mr. Gray, addressed to Mr. Adie,* to
Dantzick,
I supped by Mr. Robert Jolly, and was very kyndly entertained.
Being invited, I was at a christning feast by Mr, Foster, where were
the English resident and the principalle English men and women. Here
was plenty and variety.
Being impatient to stay for a faire wind, I resolved to travel by land,
and tooke boat in a wery stormy day ; and not being able to go downe the
river to Blankness, wee went to Harborg, being reckoned a large mylle,
and haveing Mr. Jolly in company. I payed to the ferrymen four mark
Lipses. Wee hired a waggon to Buckstehude, being three my lies, paying
for each mylle a halfe a doller, according to the ordainance in those places,
for a vaggon withe two, three, or four, or five persons. This Harburgh
is an open towne, yet hath a decayed wall from the land syde, a castle being
* [Probably the Alexander Aidy, who had in 1670. See the Miscellany of the Spalding
a birth brieve from the baillies of Aberdeen, Club, vol. v. p. 348.]
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.
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