1661] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 43 Wee rose early, and, towards eveniug, came to Kokenliausen

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

1661] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 43

Wee rose early, and, towards eveniug, came to Kokenliausen, a towne
and castle situate by the river Dwina, on a high rocky ground. Hercui
was a garrison of the Moskovites. I seeing the streets so dirty, and every
where such nastines, the people so morose, and the houses so decayed and
wast, I presaged, ex ungue Uoncm^ a great change ; for, considering that I
was come from a countrey pleasant, citties well inhabited, neat and cleanly,
and a people generally well bred, courteous, and civill, I was much troubled.
The governour here was called Basilius Volshinsky. Here was also a
Dutch colonell called John Meves.

The next day, wee dined at a christening feast, with the governour, by a
captaine called John von Arnheim ; and, haveing gott some post horses,
after noone wee went from thence and lodged in the fields. Wee tooke
jorney early, and rode through a pleasent but depopulated countrey, and
lodged in the fields. Here did overtake us Captaine Smith and Lieveten-
nant John Muris, with their wiwes, who were come from Riga, and going for
Mosko to serve. They had gott posthorses, but scarse to serve their turne,
and were in a very poor condition. Wee were glad of their company, and
so jogged on together. Wee came to a ruined place called Marienburg.
Here is a castle within a lake, wherein a Russe garrison. Wee went to wiew
the place, but non was permitted to enter the castle but the Colonell. The
governour sent us some small provisions and a sort of small drink called
quass. Being come to Niewenhausen, wee found the Sweds takeing pos-,
session of the barneyards and corne, which was standing in the fields ; for by
the treaty of peace or truce, this and the former two places which they had
taken in Liefland, were to be restored to the Sweds. In Kokenhausen, I had
seen some great cannon, which they retired from Riga, and which, by the
treaty, the Sweds were to furnish horses to bring to Plesko.

Haveing lodged by a barneyard at Niewenhausen, the next morning,
about three verst from thence, wee passed the borders and came to Petshure,
a ruined towne, where a monastery environed with a stone wall. This place
is called Petshure, of the subterranean caves. Wee lodged in a village not
farr from the lake Peipus, where I sold my passeganger for nine rubles
copper money, imageining each ruble to be two reichs dollers. He cost me
thirty reichs dollers in Varso, and that from a good ffriend, but was growne
lame by the way, and I could not get any body to cure him.

About midday wee had a sight of Plesko or Opsko, which had a glorious