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116 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1686 a third, on the way to Konigsberg
1686] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 131 Htle way, and being four, wee hired a coach
1686] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 163 and equity which I had on my syde
1686] DIAEY OF PATRICK GORDON. 113 I gott our landlord to conduct
1686] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 141 Being invited to devotion and dinner, by my Lord Chancellour
1686] DIAHY OF PATRICK GORDON. Ill granted me two Strcltsees for a convoy
110 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1686 I gave up my petition
1686] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 155 Crossing the Black River
138 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1686 to a coachman, to bring the trunke
1686] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 119 lages on the road, and on both sydes
Summary
Passages from the diary of General Patrick Gordon of Auchleuchries : A.D. 1635-A.D. 1699"
1686] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 119
lages on the road, and on both sydes, are many gentlemens houses, plea-
sently situated, the countrey being barren. Wee dined In a crue, belonging
to the Landrat Colberk, a sea port on the right hand, and Treptow, a
kestor^ and head of a district, two mylles on the same hand, and payed here
twelve grosse. We came from hence to Piatt, a small towne, with two
Ducall houses in it, haveing, on the right hand, GrifFenberg, and it invironed
with a decayed brick wall, a river running by It with milles on it* and
lodged, a great mylle further. In the village Great Sabow, haveing the
towne Quarkenberg, on our right hand, where payed one floren three
grosse, and to the maid a penny. Here I turned of from the Stetins road,
agreeing with my fuu'man to give him ten relchs dollers more to carry me
to Berlin.
To Neugarten, a small towne, with a decayed brick wall, and a castle March 1.
on the north, environed with a moat, and earthen wall with flanks, being
altogither decayed. To Marsaw, two myles, a little towne, with a decayed
brick wall, and, m most places, a double earthen wall, belonging to a
Countess ; and from thence to Starragard, two mylles, the choicest and best
towne In Pomeren, which is distant from Statin fyfteen mylles, from Berlin
seventeen mylles, and from Posna fyfteen mylles. This, with Stolp, Slauch,
and Koslln, are governed by a townes counsel, and not by amptmen, as
others. On the north syde, it Is exceding strong, haveing a brick wall
with towers, and without that yet earthen, the river lena making as it were
a double ditch, and running through the towne also, whereon milles. On
the other syde is a dry moate. This river falleth in the Dams Sea, and
that In the Oder. Wee payed, for dinner and bear, one floren two grosse.
Traviled further, where very many, not great, but churche villages, and
lodged In a crue, two mylles. Payed here, for bear, five stuivers, and one
to the malde ; for fish and milk, five grosse.
Wee went over a marishy passe, which the river Plone maketh, where March 15.
the mines of two forts ; and, crossing the bridges made over the brookes
wee went to the right hand, to Great Rishau, a village, and so kept to the
right hand of Perlts, a little towne, lying in a fertile soyle ; the ground
here about being very fruitfull. This Perlts Is distant from Stargard three
mylles, and from Bon or Baneu, a small towne, two mylles. Wee came
through many villages to Banen, which hath ane altogither decayed brick
wall, and the signe of a double earthen wall, on the wast syde a lake and
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.