Related
1666] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 59 account, to banish the English
1667] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 97 storme, wee could not gett over to Embden
62 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1666 purpose to convoy
110 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1686 I gave up my petition
116 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1686 a third, on the way to Konigsberg
146 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [168G Haveing dyned, and hearing my trunks were come from Edinburgh
1666] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 69 evening, wee sailed by it, and Bornholme
42 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1661 misfortune
1667] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 103 to me, desireing me to let him have him
1666] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 63 noise, the Russes being unwilling to disoblige tbe Hollanders
Summary
Passages from the diary of General Patrick Gordon of Auchleuchries : A.D. 1635-A.D. 1699"
1666] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 63
noise, the Russes being unwilling to disoblige tbe Hollanders, whom my
business concerned most.
Hearing that Mr. Gcorg Gordon,* brother to the Laird of Haddo, was October ii.
in the citty, I sent to seeke him, and desire him to come to me, which he
did in the evening, with Mr. James Metcllane and John Kirkwood. Wee
mad meny, remembrmg tFriends, till neer midnight.
Received letters from Generall Dalyel, dated Lieth, the second of
October, and from Lieutenant Generall Drummond, Edinburgh, the ninth of
October. The Kings lock smith, by order, brought a key which opened
the doores to the parke, galleries, and other passages in tlic Court, to whom
I gave twenty shillings, and to his attendent fyve, my name bemg graved on it.
Being not well accommodated in the Strand, I removed to Hay Market
and lodged in Mr. Robert Ranyes, at the signe of the Two Blew Balls,
where 1 had exceeding good accommodation. I sent my brother in law
Charles to the dancing and writeing schoole.
Writt to my father and brother. ^ , ^ , ,
•' October 15
i had conference with my Lord Chancellourf in his house, he being October i6
sick of the gowt ; the substance whereof in my other booke of my relation.
Being Sunday, I hired a coach and rode to High Gate, and dined with October 21
the Earl of Lawderdale, and returned in the evening.
Writt to my father, and to Mistress Massy in Bruges, and to Mistress October 22
Plowden in Gent, per post.
I had another conference with my Lord Chancellor and Sir William October 23
Morice, the Secretary of State, at the Lord Chancellors house, which is insert
in my booke of relations. Received a letter from Generall Dalyel, dated Lieth,
the sixteenth of October.
Writt to Generall Dalyell and Lievetennant Generall Drummond per October 25
post. Received letters from my wyfe and mother in law, dated Mosko,
^ * [George Gordon, second son of Sir John sident of the Court of Session in October 168]
Gordon of Haddo, kniglit baronet, was born in and Lord Cliancellor of Scotland in Mav' IGS'^'
October, 1637. He studied in Kind's College at A few months afterwards he was made'Karl of
Aberdeen, from 1655 to 1659, when he took the Aberdeen. He ceased to be Lord Chancellor
degree of Master of Arts. He was immediately in May, 1684, and died at Kellie (now called
afterwards appomted a regent or professor, and Haddo House) in April, 17:^0. A memoir of
held this ofhce until .March. 1663, when he his life, from the graceful pen of the late Mr
went abroad to study law. He succeeded to John Dunn, is prefixed to the volume of letters
the fami.y estat e and title on the death of his addressed to him, printed for the Spalding Club
brother, Sir John Gordon, in .March, 1667. He in 1851.]
became au advocate at the Scotch bar in t [The Earl of Clarendon 1
February, 1668, a judge in June, 1680, Pre-
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.