210 APPENDIX. Instrument of seasing givin to James Gordoune brother german to John Gordoune
Summary
Passages from the diary of General Patrick Gordon of Auchleuchries : A.D. 1635-A.D. 1699"
210 APPENDIX.
Instrument of seasing givin to James Gordoune brother german to John Gordoune off Auch-
leuchries, off the eistsyde of the Westertoun of Auchleuchries, presented be Mr. William
Lumsdcn off PittuUok, advocat in Aberdenc, vpon the second day of Apryll 1655.— {From the
Particular Begister of Seisins for Aberdeenshire, vol. xvii., foil. 421-423.)
43 By charter dated att Westertoune of Auchleuchries on the tuentie day of Julij 1654 (in presence
of William Lumsdene, sone to Mr. William Lumsden off Pittullock, and John and George Gor-
dones sones to the granter), John Gordoune of Auchleuchries granted to his brother german,
James Gordoune, the eistsyde of the toune and landis of Westertoune of Auchleuchries. Sasine
was given on the twelfth of February, 1655.
Instrument of seasing given to Johne Gordone younger in Westertoune and Margaret Forbes
his spous, in lyfrent, of the pendicle of land of Wester Auchleuchries called the Muretack,
presented by Johne Gordone forsaid, vpon the fyiftenth day of March 1665. — {From, the
Particular Ecgister of Seisins for Aberdeenshire and Kincardineshire, vol. iii., foil 372, 373.)
44 By charter, dated at Auchleuchries on the fifth day of April, 1664, (In presence of James
Gordone of the Westertoune of Auchleuchries), Johne Gordone of Auchleuchries granted to his
son Johne Gordone, younger, in Westertoune of Auchleuchries, and to Margaret Forbes his wife,
the longest liver of them tua, in conjunct fie and lyfrent, and to the bairnes laufullie gotten,
or to be gotten, betuixt them tuo, that pendicle of land of Wester Auchleuchries called the
Muretack. Sasine was given on the last day of February, 1665.
Instrument of seasing given to Marie Ogilvie, spous to Johne Gordone of Auchleuchries, in
lyfrent, and James, Patrick, and Alexander Gordones, ther laufull sones, in fee, of the west-
syde of the toune and landes of the Westertoune of Auchleuchries, presented be Johne
Gordone, younger, in Westertoune of Auchleuchries, vpon the fyftcnth day of March, 1665.
— {From tJie Particular Hegister of Seisins for Aberdeenshire and Kincardineshire, vol. iii.,
foil. 373-375.)
45 By charter, dated at Auchleuchries on the twenty third day of March, 1665, (in presence of
his son, Johne Gordone in Westertoune), John Gordone of Auchleuchries granted to Marie
Ogilvie, his spouse, in conjunct fie and lyfrent dnreing all the dayes of hir lyftyme after his
deceiss, and to Patrick, James, and Alexander Gordones, his sones, ther aires and assigneys
equallie amongst them after the deceiss of himself and the said Jlarie Ogilvie, in fie and
heritage, the westsyde of the said Johne Gordone of Auchleuchries his toune and landes of
Westertoune of Auchleuchries, presentlie occupied by the said Johne Gordone of Auchleuchries
himselff. Sasine was given by Johne Gordone, younger, in Wester Auchleuchries, as bailie
of the granter, to James Gordone, fourth laufull sone of the granter, for himself, and as
actomay for the said Marie Ogilvie, his mother, and Patrick and Alexander Gordones, his
brethren, on the third day of March, 1665.
Seasing, William Hay and Elizabeth Gordone, his spouse, of the lands of Auchleucharies, pre-
sented by Mr. Alexander Robertsone, advocat in Aberdein, on the first day of December,
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.