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160 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1686 been represented to her
Summary
Passages from the diary of General Patrick Gordon of Auchleuchries : A.D. 1635-A.D. 1699"
160 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1686
been represented to her, and that she was enclined to have a harder sentence
put upon me.
I made another remonstrance ready, which I gott rectifyed by M. V.
I gott the remonstrance written over by another hand.
I was advertised by diverse fFriends, that If I did not, by confessing my
fault, and craveliig their Majesties pardon, make hast, snddaine sentence
was to be executed upon me ; wherefor they advised me to make what hast
I could to prevent the ruine of my self and family, which, if prolonged, their
teares could not be able to help me. The thoughts of this so perplexed my
mynd, that I could not gett sleeped the whole night ; and the worst was, I
had no body whom I durst trust with my mynd, all being ballanced by
interrest, or careless of another mans state, or then not capable of affoording
any help or counsell.
The Emperour* and Princess being in Ismailow, I went thither in the
morning early, and to the Boyarsf lodging, where, after a wlnles stay, the
Boyar did fall out in great passion against me ; and because I vindicated my
self the best way I could, and had the great advantage of reason upon my
syde, he was the more incensed, so that in great heat he ordered me to be
writt in for an ensigne, and sent away the next day. Some noblemen
comeing in, and hearing the contest, did fall all to the Boyars syde ; and in
his favour, though even against reason, and their owne judgement, began to
lay a great deale of blame upon me, and urged me to take other measures.
The Boyar also, with very high words, and threats, and reasoning, without
all reason, or the least show of uprlghtnes, or Vciluing, or considering, any
thing I said, insisted still that I should acknowledge my error, and crave
pardon, and promise to serve in future. So that, knowing his power, and
that all things were caryed according to will, and not to reason, or justice,
and fearing the rulne of my family, I, with much reluctancy, consented to
what they would have me ; and so caused v/ritt a very circumspect petition,
acknowledging that, seeing by my petitioning to be out of the countrey, I
had offended their Majesties, I desired pardon, and promised to serve as
formerly. This petition being read above, was not thought sufficient, as
not being penned in humble enough tearmes ; so that, being forced, and
threatened to be sent, with my family, to the remotest places of their em-
pire, I told them they should sett downe, or give, a copy of such a one as
* [Ivan, the elder of tli3 two Czars.] f [Golizyn.]
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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