78 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1666 ingly rejoyed to hear of my mother m law and see us

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

78 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1666

ingly rejoyed to hear of my mother m law and see us. Haveing dined, wee
hired a waggon, and went towards Bruges, and lodged in a village half way,
where wee had good wholesome countrey fare.

Haveino; breakfasted, wee set forward, and came to Bruges about two
aclock afternoone.

Here I stayed some weakes, expecting the going away of the fleet from
Ostend for England, with a great deale of impatience, albeit I had many
wayes to divert me ; for, in the morning early, I went over the way to the
monastery of the Capucine Fryers, and heard the masse ; then, at halfe ten,
I went to the monastery of the English Nuns, after the Princes Pallace, and
heard masse againe ; and getting acquaintance, wee did meet at the place
where the Lady Abbess useth to sitt and give audiens at a trally,* and there,
with others, heard what passed. In the afternoone, I either went with the
English residents, and other Scots and English, and passed our tyme at the
Trey, with a glass of wyne and joviall discourse ; or then went to the
Nunnery, where three young gentlewomen lately come from Lowen, and
going for England, lodged, and passed the tyme with them at cards or
discourse ; or went sometymes and walked about the walls, to see the
monasteryes, waterworkes, and other things worthy of notice. Wee had
sometymes in the Nunnery after vespei's, at my desire, excellent vocall
musick, whereat many people of all nations and religions were often present.

I did writt to JMrs. Plowden, desireing her advice for buying in of neces-
saries and makeing of cloaths for my wyfe and mother in law, to the which
I received a very civill and respectfuU answer, dated the sixteenth. Being
wearyed of lying or staying in one place, I found fitt to writt to England,
and give notice of my being here, and desire assistance for my passage. So
I did writt a letter to the Earle of Lawderdale, and another to Mr. James
Mettellane, his secretary, to that purpose, and complaining of Captain Hill
of Detford, who would not take me into the Kings yacht. Li the meane,
wee heard the sad newes of the burning of the citty of London,! diverse
posts haveing been kept up.

I did writt to General Dalyell and to Lieventennant Generall Drum-
mond,| as also to my father and unkle.

* [TreiZ/zs— a grating, or lattice.] X [Thomas Dalyell of Binns, and William

t [The Great Fire of London broke out on Drummond of Cromlix, together entered the

the second, and raged till the sixth of Septera- Kussian sorvico in 1656, and having risen, the

ber, 1666.] one to the ranlc of (ieneral, tlie other to that