Related
110 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1686 I gave up my petition
42 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1661 misfortune
1666] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 79 I did writt to Sir John Hebden
76 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1666 the cart was ready
62 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1666 purpose to convoy
1667] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 99 I went to Altenaw and heard devotion
1667] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 97 storme, wee could not gett over to Embden
1666] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 59 account, to banish the English
126 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1686 religion* At night wee cast anchor
66 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1666 wee had from Plesko
Summary
Passages from the diary of General Patrick Gordon of Auchleuchries : A.D. 1635-A.D. 1699"
66 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1666
wee had from Plesko, sounding, put the countrey in no small alarum. The
Ruitmaster parting, I had in place of Captaine Rae and Peter Pile, who
stayed at Plesko, the sotnike with six Streltzees. AVee came to Niew-
heusel, a old stone castle, three verst, and so forward to Roughs crue or
innes, whither wee came about foure aclock afternoone, being from Niew-
heusel fyve miles There being bad beer in the alehouse, and hearing that
the priest had good liquor, I sent and desired a litle of it, who very civilly
invited me to his house, whereof I accepted, and went. He received me
very kindly, and kept me to supper, where wee had good wholesome coun-
trey fare by a cup of good beer.
iyi5, I rose early, and came to Vorstuf, three miles, and to the Black River,
two miles, Avhere I dined. Crossing the river by a float, wee came three
miles further, and lodged m the fields by good convenience of wood, grasse,
and water, and kept good watch all night.
ily 16. By day light I set forward, and, diueing in the woods, lodged a mile
short of Wolmar.
iiy 17. Wee passed by Wolmar, and dined at Papendorf, two miles from
Volmar, and sixteen from Riga ; and going three miles further, wee lodged
in the fields
iiy 18. Wee crossed the river Brasla by a bridge, and lodged by the hill
Koshewnik. J^Vom hence I dispatched the sotnlk, with Caspar Staden, to
Riga, with letters from the governour of Plesko to that governour, ordering
them to take up a lodging for me in the suburbes.
ily 19 I came to the river Gavia, two miles, which crossing, I dined in the
fields. Then I crossed the river luga, and rideing a mile further, I lodged
in the fields, being a mile from Riga.
Lily 20. I arose early, and came to Riga, and lodged by the interpreter. In the
afternoone, the searchers came to me, desiring to know if 1 had any mer-
chants goods by me. I told them that I had nothing but about one hundred
reichs dollers worth of sable tippes for my owne use ; and because they were
so clvill as not to search my trunks, wherein I had some muscas and other
things, I gave them two reichs dollers, wherewith they seemed satisfyed and
departed.
Mr. Benjamin Ayloffe and Finlay Downy gave me visitt ; and Mr.
Herman Becker thereafter, with some others, to all whome there were
letters and tokens. I received a letter from Mr. Thomas Bryan, dated
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.