1686] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 123 by the river, well fortifyed with a wall

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

1686] DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. 123

by the river, well fortifyed with a wall, bastions, and moats, and belonged to
the Duke of Luneborg. Wee traviled through a very barren oountrey to
Buckstehude, where, at an old monastery without the towne, wee hyred
horses to bring us forward, and ware cheated by the fuirman ; for he, pre-
tending bad way, said, he could not bring us speadely forward, nor carry us
thorow, with one waggon, hot would neads have another, desiring for that
only a discratiou. So wee agreed with him for three dollers and a half to
Closter Sewen, being four mylles, whither wee came about eleven aclock at
night ; haveing payed in the old closter, for bear and cages, ten Lipscs
shilling. In Sewen, wee had nothing ; yet, for sitting be the fyre, I payed
for each person a Lips shilling, and to the waggen master here, for each
person, two grosse. Here we ware forced to take two waggens, and there-
after at Ottersberg, they drawing the practise of the Buckstehudes fuirman
unto a consequens, and so payed double fraught to Bremen, to wit, for each
mylle a doller.

A litle befor seven a clock, wee came to Ottersborg, which is three March 30.
mylles, and payed there, for wyne, bear, and cages, a mark ; and getting
fresh horses, wee passed by the castle, which is pretty well fortifyed ; and
crossing a river by bridge, and a long marish passe, wee came to Bremen,
])eing three mylles, and payed for each of these stages three dollers.

Bremen is a towne very pleasantly situated on the river Weser, and
well fortifyed, yet not thriving so well under the Swedish yoke as befor.
Here I was kindly entertained in the wyne seller* by Mr. Spcnse, and then
took waggon, and came in the evening to Delmenhorst, being a long mille;
for which I payed a doller and a half, according to the ordainance, which is
to be seen and read every where in the common innes. This is a little open
towne, with a large pallace or castle by it, and belonged formerly to the
Dukes of Oldenburg, but now, by hereditary right, is possessed by the King
of Damn ark. About ten a clock, getting fresh horses, wee traveled all the
night, and, about six a clock, wee came to Oldenburg, a towne pretty well
fortifyed, on the river Hund ; the Dukes pallace being also fortifyed, with a
moat and draw bridges. Here I payed for this stage, being four mylles,
for four persons, a hundred and sixty grutt, or two doller and sixteen grutte ;
and to the fuirman, drink money, eight grutte. I payed here, for brackfast,
thirty three grutte, which is twenty two Lips shilling. AVee traveled
* [The wine cellars, under the ancient town hall, renowned for their old hock.]