66 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1666 wee had from Plesko

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

66 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1666

wee had from Plesko, sounding, put the countrey in no small alarum. The
Ruitmaster parting, I had in place of Captaine Rae and Peter Pile, who
stayed at Plesko, the sotnike with six Streltzees. AVee came to Niew-
heusel, a old stone castle, three verst, and so forward to Roughs crue or
innes, whither wee came about foure aclock afternoone, being from Niew-
heusel fyve miles There being bad beer in the alehouse, and hearing that
the priest had good liquor, I sent and desired a litle of it, who very civilly
invited me to his house, whereof I accepted, and went. He received me
very kindly, and kept me to supper, where wee had good wholesome coun-
trey fare by a cup of good beer.
iyi5, I rose early, and came to Vorstuf, three miles, and to the Black River,
two miles, Avhere I dined. Crossing the river by a float, wee came three
miles further, and lodged m the fields by good convenience of wood, grasse,
and water, and kept good watch all night.
ily 16. By day light I set forward, and, diueing in the woods, lodged a mile

short of Wolmar.
iiy 17. Wee passed by Wolmar, and dined at Papendorf, two miles from
Volmar, and sixteen from Riga ; and going three miles further, wee lodged
in the fields
iiy 18. Wee crossed the river Brasla by a bridge, and lodged by the hill
Koshewnik. J^Vom hence I dispatched the sotnlk, with Caspar Staden, to
Riga, with letters from the governour of Plesko to that governour, ordering
them to take up a lodging for me in the suburbes.
ily 19 I came to the river Gavia, two miles, which crossing, I dined in the
fields. Then I crossed the river luga, and rideing a mile further, I lodged
in the fields, being a mile from Riga.
Lily 20. I arose early, and came to Riga, and lodged by the interpreter. In the
afternoone, the searchers came to me, desiring to know if 1 had any mer-
chants goods by me. I told them that I had nothing but about one hundred
reichs dollers worth of sable tippes for my owne use ; and because they were
so clvill as not to search my trunks, wherein I had some muscas and other
things, I gave them two reichs dollers, wherewith they seemed satisfyed and
departed.

Mr. Benjamin Ayloffe and Finlay Downy gave me visitt ; and Mr.
Herman Becker thereafter, with some others, to all whome there were
letters and tokens. I received a letter from Mr. Thomas Bryan, dated