Related
1666] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 73 Haveing breakfasted early, and given the postmaster
1666] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 69 evening, wee sailed by it, and Bornholme
1667] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 95 After breakfast, I went to Greenwich, Sir John [Hebden]
150 DIAEY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1686 Nethermuir. I went thereafter to the Links
1667] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 97 storme, wee could not gett over to Embden
76 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1666 the cart was ready
110 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1686 I gave up my petition
1667] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 99 I went to Altenaw and heard devotion
146 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [168G Haveing dyned, and hearing my trunks were come from Edinburgh
74 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1666 go from hence. So here wee lodged, and the next morning came to Dort
Summary
Passages from the diary of General Patrick Gordon of Auchleuchries : A.D. 1635-A.D. 1699"
74 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1666
go from hence. So here wee lodged, and the next morning came to Dort,
two howres.
This towne hath the priority of all the others in Holland, hath the staple
of Rhenish wyne, and is a strong, populous, rich citty, and standeth in ane
illand. Short of it I went a shore, and viewed the ruines of the house De
Merve, being on our left hand ; for anno Domini 1421, by a suddaine inun-
dation, eighty villages and about a hundred thousand people were drowned,
one child in the cradle, being a son and heire of this lordship of Merve, being
miraculously preserved; for a cat, getting up upon the cradle, kept the
cradle in ballance till it sailing downe the river arrived safely at Dort,
called in Latine Dordracum, and in Hollands Dordrecht.
Here, haveing put our baggage over into another boat, I went into the
towne, and up through the principall streets ; and returning to our boate, wee
set forward about ten aclock downe the river Wael, towards Zeeland. Wee
had a great boat, and store of company of all sorts, and passed the tyrae with
discourses, tobacco, and eating of bernacles. I understanding that in the
boat was a captaines wyfe, with two children, who, being of English parents,
and marryed to ane Englishman called Aiscue, a captain who, being with
others, at the beginning of the warr, recalled out of the States service, was
gone over to England, and now she was convoying her sslf and effects over
to England as privately as possible ; by meanes of my brother in law,
Charles, who had found her out, I offered my assistance and company on the
way, whereof she was glad. We sailed by Wilhehnstadt on our left hand,
St 21. foure howres, and giveing our selves rest in the night tyme, by day light,
wee found our selves within sight of Zerick-Zee, it being ten howres from
Wilhehnstadt. Wee passed by it, being a good way off, on our right hand.
About midday wee landed at Tervere, being foure howres from Zerick-Zee.
Here wee landed, and tooke coach to Midleburg, being a Hollands mile
or howres going. From thence, putting our baggage on a waggon, I, with
company, went a foot to Flushing, being one howres going. I shall speak
nothing of these townes, being so well knowne, and described so often.
This Flushing was so propt up with souldiers and seamen, that wee
could hardly gett a house to lodge in, for here was De Ruiter, with his fleet,
embarking. Haveing, at last, gott a lodging, and only roome without
bedding or beds, wee had but sorry accomodation, and no ease ; for some
Scotsmen were gott into the next roome, who passed the whole night
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.