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132 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1686 oares at Yorke Buildings
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Passages from the diary of General Patrick Gordon of Auchleuchries : A.D. 1635-A.D. 1699"
132 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1686
oares at Yorke Buildings. I convoyed my sonne neare the bridge, and
then returned on foot, being early, and no coach to be had. Expended this
dav, to James* on the way,fyve pund sterling ; at Gravesend for him. seven
shillings ; for two bookes, one shilling ; for dinner, three shillings two
pence; for wine at night, two shillings two pence : for tea, eight pence; to
servants, two shillings.
Haveing promissed to visit my eood ffrier.d Meverell, and his familv. at
Chersev, I went in coach to Stanes, fifteen miles, and walked from thence
to Chersey on fojt, being two miles, where I was cordially welcomed. Ex-
pended this day, for washing of linnens, three shiUings two pence ; for a red
trimming, fyve shillings ; for boots and spurrs, seventeen shillings six pence ;
for breakfast, eight pence ; for coach hire, for my self and servant, seven
shillings ; drink money to the coachman, one shilling ; in Stanes, three
pence ; for a guide, six pence ; for trimming, six pence.
1 passed the tyme in reading and walking, and seeing the great multi-
tudes of sheep which were brought thittier to the market, and which was to
be there the next day.
I bought a horse from Robin Jacobs, for seven pund sterling ; and a
Jewell, for ten pund sterling ; and a mare, for three pund ten shillings. And
giveing drink money, three shillings, after breakfast, I rode to London,
intending to take mv leave of the King as soone as possible, which I was
pers waded to delay, upon the account of nothing being heard from the
Scots Parliament. t
I dispatched my servants, with such baggage as I had by me (my
tninkes from Amsterdam not being come), to the shipp, which was already
at Gravesend. This dav the Encrlish Parliament conveened, and was pro-
rogued to the twenty third of the ensumg November. I went to the citty,
and by the way did meet the Scots Batallion, marching through the citty,
well cloathed, armed, and di.sciplined. I tooke my leave of ffriends in the
citty, and of Esquyre Hebdea in the Fleet, and, returning, saw the trairedy
of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, acted in Whitehall, in the presence of the
King, Queen, and all the Court. Expended this day, for fraught and meat
• [His son ] in the irterval. as well in a committee ap-
t [It had met on the 29th of April, but ad- pointed to draw up an answer to the King's
journed to the 6:h of Mav, when the debate letter, as in the meeting of the Lords of the
on toleration of the Koman Catholic religion Articles ]
began. The snLject had been touched upon
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.
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