Related
150 DIAEY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1686 Nethermuir. I went thereafter to the Links
126 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1686 religion* At night wee cast anchor
1667] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 103 to me, desireing me to let him have him
1686] DIAEY OF PATRICK GORDON. 113 I gott our landlord to conduct
1666] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 79 I did writt to Sir John Hebden
42 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1661 misfortune
1678] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 107 delivered to Gordon.
116 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1686 a third, on the way to Konigsberg
1653] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. U me that he was to stay tliere
110 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1686 I gave up my petition
Summary
Passages from the diary of General Patrick Gordon of Auchleuchries : A.D. 1635-A.D. 1699"
110 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1686
I gave up my petition to be lett out the countrey for a tyme ; and had
orders to be lett off, my wyfe and children staying in Mosko in pledge.
Was at their Majesties hands, receiving a charke* of brandy out of the
yongestf his hand, with a command from him to returne speedily.
I was at the Princesse:}: her hand, who required me to returne speedily,
and bring at least one of my sonnes with me.
I went to Czarny Grash, and tooke my leave of the Boyar, who desired
me to returne speedily, and not to drowne him my cautioner, and to writt to
him by every post.
I did writt to Lieutennant Generall Drummond and Mr. Meverell by
post, under Mr. WulfFe his coverto^ informing them of my being dismissed
and going from Mosko the next day ; and the Lieutennant Generall, my
transaction with Mr Cooke, and, because no exchange could be had, of my
haveing given the money to Mr. Wulffe, to be remitted from Archangell,
hopeing to gett it done tender cento better as now.
I dined with Mrs. Boetenant and diverse others ; and afterwards, in the
towne, tooke my leave of the Secretary of Estate,§ and Mr. Vinius, from
whom I received a verball commission, by order from the Chieffe Minister of
Estate,|| concerning their Majesties effaires.
In the Slobod, I tooke my leave of the Hollands resident, and others
my nearest ffriends.
In Nowgrod, the Customers wished to inspect my effects. I did not allow
it. They assured to have the orders to sight persons of all quality, charge,
and condition. I told them that that was to be understood as to merchants
and others, and not to military persons, especially of such quality as myself,
and instanced them diverse examples of late. They pretended an order of
some few dayes old, and I referred my self to the Governours raport or
verdict, who declined to medle into it, yet gave me his dispatch as to what
concerned himself. I visited him a night ; he was exceedingly kind, and
repeated what is said befor.
I sent againe to know the Governours pleasure, who told as befor, that
I might go for him, haveing full dispatch from him ; and upon my desire,
*f Apparently a cup or glass. Gordon after- only the Czar Ivan, Peter being ill of the
wards notes that, at Memel, he bought " anc small pox ]
amber crosse, a diarke, and three bracelets."] tfSophia.]
f[The Czar Peter, then in his fourteenth g[Icmelian Ignatjewitsch Ukrainzow, who
year. This was Gordon's first interview with was then Dumny Dyak.]
him. When at court, in January, 1684, he saw l|[Wassilij Wassiljewitsch Golizyn.]
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.