Related
1666] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 69 evening, wee sailed by it, and Bornholme
76 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1666 the cart was ready
1667] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 99 I went to Altenaw and heard devotion
1666] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 59 account, to banish the English
110 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1686 I gave up my petition
1686] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 141 Being invited to devotion and dinner, by my Lord Chancellour
74 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1666 go from hence. So here wee lodged, and the next morning came to Dort
1666] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 73 Haveing breakfasted early, and given the postmaster
1686] DIAHY OF PATRICK GORDON. 151 pleasure, wee shall heartily embrace it. And so wee pray God
1666] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 75 carowsing, swearing, and blaspheming
Summary
Passages from the diary of General Patrick Gordon of Auchleuchries : A.D. 1635-A.D. 1699"
1666] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 75
carowsing, swearing, and blaspheming, so that it was a grleffe and vexation
to hear them.
This Fkishing, with Middleburg, and Toervere, are all In the illand of
Walcheren, the fairest illand of all the Low Cowntreves.
I got up early, and caused our baggage bo brought a shipboard, and August 22.
following our selves about seven aclock, wee went from thence, and crossing
over to Flanders, wee entred a large channel or river, haveing an illand
called Catsand on our left hand, and the continent on the right, on each syde
a fort, with other small workes of fortification. We sailed up to Sluls, which
is about five leagues from Fliissing. Wee came just to the shoare by the
towne, and found the gates shutt, it being, according to the new style, the
first Wednesday of the month, which, by an ordinans of the States, was
ordained to be a holy day. All the passengers of the ship, haveing nothing
but satchels, went out, and, crossing the river, went a foot to a small fort
halfe a mile distant, and from thence tooke boat to Bruges ; but I, being en-
tangled with a trunke and other luggage, and engaged to keep company
with the captaines wyfe, who had a large trunk and other things, and a litle
child, could not stirr. I desired the skipper to procure our entrance into
the towne, but he could not, nor gett any other convenience for bringing us
to Bruges but a cart, which he hired for us, for two relchs doUers.
The sea beginning to flow, the master told us that, how soone his ship
was a flow, he must be gone ; so I was forced to take all out of the ship, and
harbor it on the shore. I was in very great perplexity here, not knowing
what to do, whether to reveale or conceale my self, in both which I found
difliculties, and so began to repent my comeing through Holland, fearing to
be discovered. I promised the master of the ship a reichs doller for his
paines, if he could procure us entrance into the towne, which made him ap-
ply himself very cordially and earnestly to procure us passage ; and finding
two of the magistrates walkeing befor the gate, he made his address to them,
who commanded us to be let into the towne. So getting fellowes to carry
in our baggage, wee entred the first and second gate, when the officer of
the guard came stareing and swearing, and would force us out againe, say-
ing the maiiistrates had nothing to do or command at his post, I gave him
all the good and rationall words I could, and the captains wyfe beginning to
speake, he knew her, and so, entring in discourse with her, he connived at
my going forward through the last gate. Being come to an alehouse, where
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.