Related
78 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1666 ingly rejoyed to hear of my mother m law and see us
1666] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 67 Mosco, the fyfth of July
110 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1686 I gave up my petition
34 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1661 hired it ; the lodging or house belonging to that family
1667] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 103 to me, desireing me to let him have him
1667] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 99 I went to Altenaw and heard devotion
1666] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 69 evening, wee sailed by it, and Bornholme
1661] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 47 good earnest to consider how I might ridd myself of this countrey
1667] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 97 storme, wee could not gett over to Embden
68 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1666 24. I did wrltt to Mosko, to my wyfe and mother in law
Summary
Passages from the diary of General Patrick Gordon of Auchleuchries : A.D. 1635-A.D. 1699"
68 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1666
24. I did wrltt to Mosko, to my wyfe and mother in law, to Mr. Bryan,
Doktor Colins, and to Almos Ivanovitz, the Dumny Chancellour.*
25. The sliip being gone downe the river, I sent my baggage to the boat
which lay at the wharfe waiting for us. Here these of the custome house
stopped my baggage, exacting four reichs dollers for land toll, and as much for
going out, of the hundred reichs dollers of sable tippes ; which Mr. Ayloife
payed for me, and I repayed him at breakfast In the towne.
About ten aclock wee went in the boat downe the river, and at Dune-
munde skonce or fort, made a halt, where I spoke with Captain John
Gordon. Then going to the shipp, wee made forward, haveing pilots to
shew us the way. The ship belonged to Lubeck, the masters name Durick
Ebler.
26. Haveing sailed all night, about ten aclock wee passed by Dumes Ness,
haveing the illand Oesel on our right hand. This ness is eighteen miles
from the mouth of the river Dwina, and very dangerous, by reason of the
sands and flatts, so that seldome a yeare but some suifer ship wrack here.
Toward evening, with a pretty gale, wee passed by Sllversoort, nyne miles,
and Vendaw, three miles. Then, quitting the Curish coast, wee steered our
course more to the north west towards Gothland, whereof wee gott a sight
J 27. the next day in the evening. This Illand is eighteen miles long, and Is said
to have at every miles end a church.
1 28. By contrary winds, wee were forced to lie here two dayes. Then the
7 29. wind proveing more favorable, wee sailed forward to the Illand Oeland,
J 30. which is distant from Gothland seven miles. The south end of Oeland Is
distant from Vendow forty leagues, and from Bornholm twenty one. Both
r 31. these Illauds, by the treaty of Bromsebro, 1645, belong to the Sweds. Wee
sailed by Oeland, which is also eighteen miles long, and towards evening
lost sight hereof. Wee had ugly unpleasant weather.
;ust 1. Wee sailed by Erdholme, which hath a small harbour for necessity. No
body dwelleth here ; only fishers come from Bornholme, and stay. Towards
* [Dumny Chancellor, or Dumny Dyach, — that dome or neuer called to any publique consul-
is, Lord Chancellor, or rather Lord Secretary of tation. They which are of his spcciall and
State, ' The Emperours of Kussia,' says Giles priuie counsell indeed (whom hee vsetli daily
Fletcher, 'giue tlie name of counsellour to and ordinarily for ail publique matters pertcin-
diucrsofthcirchiefenohilitie, rather for honors iufr to the state) haue the addition of Dumnoy,
sake, then for any vse they make of them and are named Z^wmno;/ /Wwrcra, or Lords of the
about their matters of state. These are called Counsell. Foure of these are called Dumnoy
BoiurenSy without any addition, and may bee (fewAe?/, or Lord Secretaries'— (The Kvssc Corn-
called counsellors at large. For they are sel- mon Wealth, If. 34-36, Lend. 1591.) ]
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.