1686] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. I6I they desired ; and so parting, I came to the Slobod

Passages from the diary of General Patrick Gordon of Auchleuchries : A.D. 1635-A.D. 1699"

1686] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. I6I

they desired ; and so parting, I came to the Slobod, haveing seen in the way
the glasse hutts.

I stayed these two dayes at home, being much grieved at the great in- Nov. 23 &
justice and wrong done to me.

I went to the towne, wlicre, in the office, the Dumny Diack Yemelian Novembei
Ignatjewltsch Ukraintzuf gave me the copy of a petition, which I shoukl
cause transcribe and subscrive. Haveiog read it, I found some things in it
not fitt, whereof blotting out these, I caused writt it over, and put my hand
to it, albeit it was conceived in as submissive tearmes and expressions as
could be done to God Almighty. When it was read above, there was a
great silence, neither did the Princess say any thing, all knowing it to be
forced from me by threats and compulsion.

Haveing ane occasion, I gave notice of what I had done to my ffriends Novembei
in Shewsky.

I did give the same notice to my ffriends in SmoUensko. November

I did writt to Collonell Hamilton in Shewsky at large. November

I received, by post, a letter from the Earle of ]\liddleton, one of his November
Sacred Majesties of Great Brittaine principall Secretaries of State for Eng-
land, the copy whereof is this :

Whitehall, 25 October, 1686.
Sir,

I have the favour of your letters of the twelfth of August, from Riga,

and of the seventeenth of September, from Moskowe. I would have sooner

acknowledged the first, had I been sooner instructed with the Kings pleasure

thereupon ; which I am now to tell you, is, That his Majestic thinks fitt to

honour your self with the character of his Envoy Extraordinary to their

Czaarish Majesties, and to that end your credentialls and instructions shall

be forthwith prepared, and sent to you to Riga, where I hope this may meet

you, and where you are to stay till your dispatches do arrive. In case you

be fm'ther advanced towards us, I hope you will give me notice of it, that I

may know whither to write you. I am,

Sir,

Your most faithfull humble servant,

MIDDLETON.

With this letter I was very much surprised. I went and consulted with

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