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
1678] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 107 delivered to Gordon.
1686] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 131 Htle way, and being four, wee hired a coach
1699] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 193 ' A number of Strelitzes were executed
146 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [168G Haveing dyned, and hearing my trunks were come from Edinburgh
1667] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 99 I went to Altenaw and heard devotion
122 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1686 flesh was torren out of their armes
1690] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 107 their arrival was announced. Gordon was at once admitted to His Majesty
1667] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. lOl with their officers, from which 1 diswaded them, that the Emperour
Summary
Passages from the diary of General Patrick Gordon of Auchleuchries : A.D. 1635-A.D. 1699"
1667] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. lOl
with their officers, from which 1 diswaded them, that the Emperour haveing
dissmissed so many officers who had served and were acquainted in the
countrey, it was not lykely that he would accept of new, seeing, by the
peace with Polland, there was Htle to do. And, with much trouble, I got
them perswaded to stay so long untill I should returne them an answer
from Mosko, if they could be accepted or not ; to which purpose they gave
me a memoriall subscrived with their hands.
I was entertained in the English house. March 2
I did writt to Dantzick to Mr. John Gellentin. March i
I did writt to Collonell More in Buxtehude, and the next day received March 3
answer.
I confessed, and received the blessed sacrament in Altenaw. March 3
Being resolved to go to Lubeck, 1 tooke my leave of ffiiends, as of April i.
Field Marshall Wurtz, Collonell Malyson, and the English merchants, and ^^'^^^
last of all, of Collonell Gordon Steelhand.
I borrowed one hundred dollers of Mr. Cambridge, giveing a bill upon April 2.
Mr. Herman Becker to pay to Mr. Benjamin Ayloffe, with a letter of advise
to Herman Becker. This same evening I tooke my leave of the Queen of
Sweden, who was very gracious to me. Received letters from Sir John
Hebden, dated Peckham, the first of March.
I went for Lubeck, lodging by the way, the innes where wee should April 3.
have breakfasted being in the night burn'd off, wee breakfasted in a
house by the same landlord, to whom we contributed largely upon the
account of his losse. By the way, a merchant in the coach shott the
master of the coach through the legg, holding a pistoll negligently in his
hand.
Writt to Steelhand. April 6.
Writt to Hendry Poorten, and the twelfth to him also. April 8.
Received a letter from Hendry Poorten, dated Hamborg, the tenth of
April, and from Steelhand, dated Hamborg, the thirteenth of April.
I did writt to Collonell Malyson, thanking him for his civilityes. April 18.
I was entertained in the Ratsheer Keller.
At a feast by Jost Poorten.
By Johan van Goren, entertained liberally.
Writt to my wyfe and her mother, in a coverto to Mr. Bryan. I was April 20.
in Grinaw, with Mr. Van Sweden.
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.