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1686] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 131 Htle way, and being four, wee hired a coach
126 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1686 religion* At night wee cast anchor
128 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1686 I was, because of hireing chaires or coaches
1692] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 179 Patrick Gordon of Cults
122 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1686 flesh was torren out of their armes
110 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1686 I gave up my petition
136 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1686 Queens hand; whereat his Majestic smileing
150 DIAEY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1686 Nethermuir. I went thereafter to the Links
170 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1690 delighted that he made the Boyars
138 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1686 to a coachman, to bring the trunke
Summary
Passages from the diary of General Patrick Gordon of Auchleuchries : A.D. 1635-A.D. 1699"
138 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1686
to a coachman, to bring the trunke maile to Duncaster, foure shillings. In
the evening, wee rode to Stilton, nyne miles, where lodged, and payed for our
selves, twenty pence ; for our horses, three shillings six pence ; wages, six pence.
The Prince of Denmarkes last borne daughter, christined and named
Anna Sophia ; the Earle of Fewersham, godfather ; the Ladies Roscommon
and Churchill, godmothers ; christined by the Bishop of Durham.
Wee rose early, and came to Stamford, twelve miles, crossing here the
river Welland, by a stone bridge, and rode ten miles further, and dined
in a village called Kolsfoot, where wee payed for victuals, twenty pence ; for
horses, fifteen pence ; wages to the ostler, two pence. Then wee rode
through Grantham, six miles ; and, a mile further, wee had a delicate prospect
of a fertile valley, with a ancient place, called Beavoir Castle, on our left
hand. Wee passed through the valley, and lodged in a large long village,
called Great Billingtowne, which is five miles from Grantham, where wee
payed for our selves, twenty nine pence ; for horses, three shillings six
pence ; wages, one penny.
Wee came to Newarke, fyve miles, where wee passed the river Trent,
and, at the ferry, paid six pence. Wee came further, through a low couutrey,
and dined in Tuxfoord, ten miles from Newarke, where wee had a sight of
Lincolne on the right hand. Here wee payed for our selves, thirty two'
pence ; for horses, fifteen pence. From hence wee rode through Shirwood
Forrest, the old haunting place of Robin Hood, to Barnby on the Moor,
eight miles, and to Skribtree, three miles, where wee lodged, and payed for
our selves, two shillings six pence ; for horses, three shillings ; wages, six pence.
Wee came to Doncaster, being six miles, where I received my trunk
maile by the Yorke coach. Being afrayed to spoile my mare, as I had
done the horse, with the maile, I bought a portmantle or bagge, and put in
the linnens, and such other things as could not be the worse of being pressed,
and caused fitt the maile pillion better ; and, refreshing ourselves, wee payed
for our selves, two shilhngs six pence ; for dressing the pillion, one shilling
six pence ; for foot socks, twelve pence. Here, crossing the river Done, wee
came foure miles further to Robin Hoods Well, and, by the old Roman
causey way, to Wentbridge, three miles ; and to Ferrybridges, three miles,
very stony and strait way ; and then to Aberfoord, six miles. All this way
wee had a sight of Yorke forward on our right hand. Here wee rested,
and payed in all thirteen pence ; and rideing six miles further, wee
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.