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1648-51] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 5 A.D. 1G48. Wee were sent again to the school of Crowdan ; our schoolmaster Mr. Alexander Frazcr,
Summary
Passages from the diary of General Patrick Gordon of Auchleuchries : A.D. 1635-A.D. 1699"
1648-51] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 5
A.D. 1G48.
Wee were sent again to the school of Crowdan ; our schoolmaster Mr.
Alexander Frazcr, who teached us about a yeare.
A.D. 1049.
Mr. Andi'ew Browne succeeding schoolmaster, I, with my brothers,
were continued at schoole, and lodged and dyetcd in Alexander Gariocli
liis house, near two yeares.
A.D. 1651.
I was taken from schoole ; and, staying at home, did wait upon my
fatlicr.
Haveing thus, by the most loveing care of my dear parents, atteined to
as much learning as the ordinary country schools affoord, and being un-
willing, because of my dissenting in religion, to go to the University in
Scotland, I resolved, partly to dissolve the bonds of a youthfull affection,
wherein I was entangled, by banishing my self from the object ; partly to
obtaine my liberty, which I foundly conceited to be restrained, by tiie care-
full inspection of my loveing parents ; but, most of all, ray patrimony being
but small, as being the younger sone of a younger brother of a younger
liouse ; I resolved, I say, to go to some foreigne countrey, not careing much
on what pretence, or to which country I should go, seing I had no knowno
ffi-iend in any foreigne place.
Being thus resolved, there wanted nothing but to have the leave and
furtherance of my parents, which I obtained by the intercession of my
unkle, and haveing notice of a ship at Aberdeen bound shortly for Dantzick,
I made a progress into the country amongst my ffriends and tooke my
leave of them.
On the third of June, after a sadd parting with my loveing mother, June 3.
brothers, and sister, I took my jorney to Aberdeen in company of my
father and unkle, who, after two dayes stay, wherein I was furnislied with
cloths, money, and necesseries, returned. My mother came foure dayes
thereafter, of whom I received the benediction and tooke my leave.
On the twelfth, I went aboord, and stayed at anchor all night in the June 1?.
roade. The shipp was a large merchant's shipp, with eighteen gunnes, be-
longing to Dantzick, the skipper called Jacob Bartlman.
On the thirteenth^ the merchants and passengers came aboord, and to- Jun<? i^--
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.