28 DIARY OF PATRICK G JRDON. [1658 A.D. 1658. [The next passage of the Diary, bearing date in January or February 1658, must be given in Gordon's own words.

Passages from the diary of General Patrick Gordon of Auchleuchries : A.D. 1635-A.D. 1699"

28 DIARY OF PATRICK G JRDON. [1658

A.D. 1658.

[The next passage of the Diary, bearing date in January or February 1658, must be given in
Gordon's own words.]

Whilst wee lay In this Werder, an English ambassador, called Brad-
shaw, having been on his jorney to Moskovia, and not admitted,* returned
this way, and was lodged in Lamehands taverne. Wee getting notice
thereof, and thinking him to be that Bradshaw who sat president in the
highest com*t of injustice upon our soveraigne King Charles the First, of
blessed memory, wee resolved, come what will, to make an end of him ; and
being about fifteen, with servants, six whereof might be accounted trusty,
wight men, the others also indiiFerent, wee concluded, that doing the feat in
the evening, wee could easily make our escape by the benefitt of the strait
ground and darknes of the night ; and so, being resolved, wee tooke our way
thither. Being come neai', and asking a boore, come from thence, some
questions, he told us that just now some officers were come from Elbing
to the ambassadour, and about forty dragounes, who were to guard and
convey him to Marienburgh ; which made us despair of doing any good,
and so wee returned. Wee had resolved to make our addresses to him, as
sent with a commission from Field-marshall von der Linde to him ; and,
being admitted, seven or eight of us to have gone in and stabbed him, the
rest guarding our horses and the doore, and so being come to horse, made
our escape to Dantzick.

[Not without regret for the free and profitable career which he quitted, Gordon now entered
the Swedish regiment of Colonel Anderson as ensign. While on duty at Stum, he one day, in
company with his friend Captain Forbes, rode after some Poles who were carrying off horses
belonging to the garrison. Falling into an ambuscade, they were set upon by about a hundred
of the enemy, when Forbes was wounded and taken prisoner. Gordon, floundering through a
bog, dashed through three Poles who had marked him for their prey, and, spurring past twenty
others, escaped with the loss of his sabre, his cap, and a handful of hair which was torn with it
from his head. His clothes were riddled with shot, and had three arrows sticking in them, one
of which wounded him in the side. On regaining the Swedish lines, his colonel, who, with

* [The German editors observe, that, from vileges. There are in the Russian archives,

the death of King Charles I. until the rcsto- it is added, numerous notices of the friendly

ration of King Charles II., no English am- feeling which the Czar displayed in dal'viivnt

bassador was received in Russia. The Eng ways towards King Charles II. during his

lish merchants, in consequence, lost their pri- exile from England.]