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1666] DIARY OF PATEICK GORDON. 81 mariners aud souldlers
Summary
Passages from the diary of General Patrick Gordon of Auchleuchries : A.D. 1635-A.D. 1699"
1666] DIARY OF PATEICK GORDON. 81
mariners aud souldlers, being beastly drunk, would scarcely hear him, so
that in the going by one shott off a musquct at them, whereat, they falling
to the ground, when wee were past, they rose up and called out. Go you
Tailes, the French arc waiting for you in the sea ; which so irritated the
seamen that they would be turning upon them to I'evenge themselves, but
I, with the other passengers, gott them diswaded from it.
Towards evening, wee sailed by Dunkirk with a soft gale. After sun-
sett, the wind beginnmg to blow harder, I went downe below, and lay downe
near to the great mast, where 1 knew the least motion was.
About midnight, being against Calais, our captaine seased upon three
large fisher boats, haveing masts and sailes, and put men of his owne aboard
of them, and tooke some of theirs to him. But I, being awaked with the
noise, sent up a servant to know what the business was, whereof being in-
formed, I went above and prevailed so with the captaine and seamen, that
they let the men go over in their own boat, and let them go ; only their
nets, fish, ankers, and what they had about, they tooke from them.
By day light, wee came to Dover, and landing, went to the Red Lyon, October i.
and breakfasted. Afterward takeing post, I rode to Canterbury, being,
. . . miles, where, refreashing ourselves, and getting other horses, wee
rode forward to Sittingborne, where changing horses, wee rode through
Rochester, . . . miles, Gravesend, seven m'les, and lodged in the Salu-
tation, where had good accommodation and good entertainment, but
deare.
Wee tooke boat, and rowed up the river Thames to Detford, where I October 2.
went ashore and tooke a guide, who conducted me to Peckham, where I was
heart ely welcomed by Sir John Hebden and family. Here I received a
letter from Generall Dalyell, dated London, the thirteenth of July, and
with one enclosed from my father, dated Achluichries, the twentieth of
June. I received also letters from Mr. Bryan, dated Mosco, the sixteenth
of August ; from Doctor Collins, dated the twentieth of August.
Haveing advised with Sir John Hebden about the putting myself and
suite in a decent posture of appearing befor His Majesty, I sent to Mr.
Peter Webster and Mr. Georg Grove, to whom I had bills of exchange from
Mr. Parker, for money, who immediately furnished me with as much as I
had occasion for. So I stayed some dayes here untill I furnished myself and
suite with cloaths and liveryes ; and, because the Court was in mourning, I
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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