Related
1667] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 97 storme, wee could not gett over to Embden
1666] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 79 I did writt to Sir John Hebden
1686] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 141 Being invited to devotion and dinner, by my Lord Chancellour
146 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [168G Haveing dyned, and hearing my trunks were come from Edinburgh
1667] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 103 to me, desireing me to let him have him
1667] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 95 After breakfast, I went to Greenwich, Sir John [Hebden]
110 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1686 I gave up my petition
74 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1666 go from hence. So here wee lodged, and the next morning came to Dort
78 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1666 ingly rejoyed to hear of my mother m law and see us
1667] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 99 I went to Altenaw and heard devotion
Summary
Passages from the diary of General Patrick Gordon of Auchleuchries : A.D. 1635-A.D. 1699"
1667] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 99
I went to Altenaw and heard devotion. Being returned, Collonell March lo.
Maljson sent an officer to welcome me, excuseing that he himself was
bedsick, telling mc, that hearing I was come in a private way, he desired
me to make use of his coach and servants, which he would take for a
singular courtesy, and that dureing my stay there. I rendred many thanks,
and promised how soone I could to returne his kind visitt. I dined with
Steelhand, whither in the afternoone came Feltmarshall Wurtz,* who,
hearing of my being come to the citty, came of purpose to gett Steelhand
to go along with him, to give me a visitt. I gave him many thanks,
telling his Excellency that I tooke It for a singular favour, and his good
intention for a visitt. The same evening I went and visitted Collonell
Malyson, who was sick and under phisick. He made us very welcome, and
pressed me to accept of his coach and servants dureing my stay, seeing he
could not himself ; which I promised to do. Here I gott notice of my old
master, the noble Lubomirsky, his death, who dyed the second of February,
in Breslaw.
Feltmarshall Wurts gave me .a visitt, and stayed, discoursing together Jiarch 12.
of old and mooerne stories, two howrcs. The same day, many other
cavaUers came and gave me visitts. I had notice of the thii'teen yeares
truce betwixt the Emperour of Russia and the King of PoUand.
Finding my lodging unfitt for me, for many reasons, I removed to the
new towne, and lodged in the signe of the White Horse, where 1 had
better convenience in every thing.
I did writt to Russia to my wyfe, mother in law, Mr. Bryan, and Ahnais March 15.
Ivanovits ; as also to England, to Sir John Hebden and his son, to Mr.
Andrew Hay ; to Scotland, to my father, to Generall Dalyell, and Lieve-
tennent Generall Drummond ; to Mr. Glauville in Bruges, and Mrs. Plowden
in Ghent ; to Doktor Dawison in Varsso ; to Mr. Gellentin in Dantzick to
whom I sent the letter from His Majestic of Great Brittaine to the King of
PoUand, in favour of Collonell Bockhoven, as also the letter from Prince
Rupert to Duke Boguslaw Radzivil, recommended to him. Writt also to
Lievetennent Collonell Bruce, who was commendant in Magdeborg, re-
commending to him the letter from Prince Rupert to the Elector of
* [Paul, haron de Wurtz, a native of the Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden, King Christian
dutchy of ^"Icswig. He served successively IV. of Denmark, and the United Provinces of
under the Emperor Ferdinand II., King Holland. He died in 1676.]
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.