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diff --git a/41830-8.txt b/41830-8.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 668b5fd..0000000 --- a/41830-8.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,12835 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Spell of Flanders, by Edward Neville Vose - - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - - - - - -Title: The Spell of Flanders - An Outline of the History, Legends and Art of Belgium's Famous Northern Provinces - - -Author: Edward Neville Vose - - - -Release Date: January 12, 2013 [eBook #41830] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - - -***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SPELL OF FLANDERS*** - - -E-text prepared by Greg Bergquist, Matthew Wheaton, and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) from page images -generously made available by Internet Archive/American Libraries -(http://archive.org/details/americana) - - - -Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this - file which includes the original illustrations. - See 41830-h.htm or 41830-h.zip: - (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/41830/41830-h/41830-h.htm) - or - (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/41830/41830-h.zip) - - - Images of the original pages are available through - Internet Archive/American Libraries. See - http://archive.org/details/spellofflanderso00vose - - - - - -THE SPELL OF FLANDERS - - * * * * * - - THE SPELL SERIES - - - _Each volume with one or more colored plates and many - illustrations from original drawings or special photographs. - Octavo, with decorative cover, gilt top, boxed._ - - _Per volume $2.50 net, carriage paid $2.70_ - - THE SPELL OF ITALY - - By Caroline Atwater Mason - - THE SPELL OF FRANCE - - By Caroline Atwater Mason - - THE SPELL OF SOUTHERN SHORES - - By Caroline Atwater Mason - - THE SPELL OF ENGLAND - - By Julia de W. Addison - - THE SPELL OF HOLLAND - - By Burton E. Stevenson - - THE SPELL OF SWITZERLAND - - By Nathan Haskell Dole - - THE SPELL OF THE ITALIAN LAKES - - By William D. McCrackan - - THE SPELL OF TYROL - - By William D. McCrackan - - THE SPELL OF JAPAN - - By Isabel Anderson - - THE SPELL OF SPAIN - - By Keith Clark - - THE SPELL OF FLANDERS - - By Edward Neville Vose - - THE SPELL OF THE HOLY LAND - - By Archie Bell - - - THE PAGE COMPANY - - 53 BEACON STREET, BOSTON, MASS. - - * * * * * - -[Illustration: _Cathedral of St. Sauveur, Bruges_ - -(_See page 47_)] - - -THE SPELL OF FLANDERS - -An Outline of the History, Legends and Art of Belgium's -Famous Northern Provinces - -Being the story of a Twentieth Century Pilgrimage in a -Sixteenth Century Land just before the Outbreak of the Great War - -by - -EDWARD NEVILLE VOSE - -Illustrated - - - - - - - -Boston -The Page Company -MDCCCCXV - -Copyright, 1915, -by the Page Company - -All rights reserved - -First Impression, April, 1915 - -The Colonial Press - -C. H. Simonds Company, Boston, U. S. A. - - - - - To - - ALBERT I., - - King of the Belgians, the guiding star of a brave nation and - the hero of the Battle of Flanders in the Great War, this book - is dedicated - - - - -PUBLISHERS' NOTE - - -Lord Beaconsfield once said: "Flanders has been trodden by the feet -and watered by the blood of countless generations of British -soldiers." This famous passage--which has received a new confirmation -to-day--is typical of many references among English writers and -statesmen to Flanders as a general term covering all of what is now -known as Belgium. Among the citizens of that brave little Kingdom, -however, and among most Continental writers, Flanders is recognised as -being the name of only the northern part of Belgium. Small as that -country is, it has for centuries been bi-lingual, the northern portion -speaking Flemish, the southern French; and for centuries the history -of the Flemish provinces was as distinct from that of the Walloon -province to the southward as the early history of California or Texas -was from that of New England. - -Although eventually united under one Government with the Walloons and -with what is now Holland, it was during the long period of their -semi-independence that the Flemings achieved many of the artistic and -architectural monuments that have made Flanders for all time one of -the most interesting regions in the world. - -While this book, therefore, does not attempt to describe the whole of -Belgium, it does present a pen picture of the northern part of the -country as it existed almost at the moment when the devastating -scourge of the Great War swept across it. - - - - -FOREWORD - - -This book is the record of a vacation tour in the beautiful old -Flemish towns of Northern Belgium beginning in May and ending in July -of the Summer of 1914. The assassination of the Austrian Archduke -Ferdinand and his wife at Sarajevo took place while our little party -was viewing the mediæval houses and churches of Ghent and Audenaerde, -but in the many discussions of that event to which we listened there -was no whisper of the awful fate which the march of events was so soon -to bring upon one of the most charming, peaceful and happy countries -in the world. - -Many of the descriptions in the following pages were written in or -near the towns described, and within a day or so after the visit -narrated. Then each old Flemish "monument" was in as perfect a state -of preservation as the reverent pride and care of the Belgian populace -and the learned and skilful restorations of the Belgian government -could together accomplish. The fact that since these accounts were -written many of these very towns have been swept by shot and shell, -have been taken and retaken by hostile armies, have formed the stage -upon which some of the direst tragedies of the world's greatest and -most terrible war have been enacted, will--it is hoped--give them a -permanent interest and value. As a painting of some famous city as it -appeared many years or centuries ago is of the utmost historical -interest, even though by an inferior artist, so these halting word -pictures of towns that have since been wholly or partially destroyed -may help the reader to recall the glories that have passed away. - -In accordance with the plan described in the first chapter, the tour -of Flanders followed a decidedly zigzag itinerary, frequently visiting -some town more than once. The purpose of this was to follow, in a -fairly chronological sequence, as far as possible, the development of -Flemish history, architecture and art. The outline of the intensely -fascinating history of the old Flemish communes that has been thus -presented may prove of interest to many readers who have been thrilled -by the superb bravery of the little Belgian army in its defence of -Flanders against overwhelming odds. As these glimpses into the past -clearly show, the men of Belgium have engaged in a battle against -foreign domination from the earliest ages. That it was at times a -losing struggle never for a moment diminished the ardour of their -resistance, or the depth of their devotion to liberty and the right to -rule themselves. And when we consider how, during these centuries of -conflict, and in defiance of obstacles that would have daunted a less -strong-hearted people, the men of Flanders found the inspiration, the -patience and the skill to erect some of the noblest examples of -mediæval architecture, to create a school of painting that ranks as -one of the most priceless heritages of the ages, and to excel in a -half a score of other lines of artistic endeavour, we surely must all -agree that here is a people we would not willingly see perish from the -earth. - -If to be neutral is to stand by and silently acquiesce in the -destruction of Belgium as an independent nation, then the author of -this book is not neutral. In every fibre of his being he protests -against such a course as a crime against liberty, against humanity. -Happily, from every corner of the United States come unmistakable -evidences that the American people as a whole are not, at heart, -neutral on this subject. The embattled farmers who stood on the -bridge at Concord and fired "the shot heard round the world" have -thrilled the imagination and stimulated the patriotism of every -American schoolboy, but no less heroic is the spectacle of the little -Belgian army under the personal leadership of its noble King standing -like a rock on the last tiny strip of Belgian soil and stopping the -onrush of the most powerful fighting organisation in the world. At -Nieuport and Dixmude and along the bloodstained Yser Canal, the men of -Belgium fought for the same cause of liberty for which our forefathers -fought at Bunker Hill. Whatever our sympathies may be with respect to -the larger aspects of the great world war--and as to these we may most -properly remain neutral--our national history and traditions, the very -principles of government to which we owe "all that we have and are," -cannot but confirm us in the profound conviction that no conclusion to -this war can be just and right, or permanent, that does not once more -restore the Belgian nation and guarantee that it shall remain -completely and forever free. - -On the other hand, while news of the damage done to some famous -Flemish church or Hotel de Ville causes the author sensations akin to -those that he would experience on learning of the wounding of a -friend, this book will contain no complaint regarding German -destruction of these monuments of architecture. At Ypres and Malines, -where the havoc wrought cannot fail to have been fearful, the damage -was done in the course of battles in which the most powerful engines -of destruction ever invented by man were used on both sides. Much as -we may deplore the results, we cannot blame the individual commanders. -At Antwerp, Ghent, Bruges and many other famous Flemish cities the -Germans appear to have made every effort to avoid wanton destruction -and preserve the most notable historic edifices. After the war is over -and we have learned exactly what structures have been destroyed, and -under what circumstances, we can justly place whatever blame may -attach to such a catastrophe where it belongs--but not until then. For -the present we can only hope that the damage may be less than has been -reported, and that in many instances it will be possible for the -Belgians--so skilful in the work of restoration--to reconstruct the -sections of famous buildings that have been damaged. - -When the war is over many thousands of Americans and English will be -eager to visit the battle-fields of Flanders and see for themselves -the scenes of conflicts that will forever hold a great place in human -history. The author ventures to hope that this little book may be -found serviceable to such tourists as it contains much information not -to be found in any guide book. If it aids any of them--or any of the -far larger host of travellers whose journeys in far-off lands must be -made by their home firesides--to understand Flanders better it will -have achieved its purpose. It is one of the many ironies of the war -that towns like Ypres and Malines, which were rarely visited by -American tourists when they were in their perfection, will, no doubt, -be visited by thousands now that the clash of arms has brought them at -the same moment destruction and immortal fame. - - EDWARD NEVILLE VOSE. - - - - - CONTENTS - - - CHAPTER PAGE - - PUBLISHERS' NOTE vii - - FOREWORD ix - - I. INTRODUCING FLANDERS AND THE FOUR PILGRIMS 1 - - II. VIEUX BRUGES AND COUNT BALDWIN OF THE IRON ARM 15 - - III. BRUGES IN THE DAYS OF CHARLES THE GOOD 30 - - IV. HOW BRUGES BECAME "THE VENICE OF THE NORTH" 54 - - V. DIXMUDE AND FURNES 78 - - VI. NIEUPORT AND THE YSER CANAL 94 - - VII. WHEN YPRES WAS A GREATER CITY THAN LONDON 116 - - VIII. COURTRAI AND THE BATTLE OF THE SPURS 146 - - IX. GHENT IN THE DAYS OF THE FLEMISH COUNTS 169 - - X. THE AGE WHEN GHENT WAS GOVERNED BY ITS GUILDS 192 - - XI. PHILIP THE GOOD AND THE VAN EYCKS 218 - - XII. TOURNAI, THE OLDEST CITY IN BELGIUM 242 - - XIII. THREE CENTURIES OF TOURNAISIAN ART 268 - - XIV. THE FALL OF CHARLES THE BOLD--MEMLING AT BRUGES 285 - - XV. MALINES IN THE TIME OF MARGARET OF AUSTRIA 311 - - XVI. GHENT UNDER CHARLES THE FIFTH--AND SINCE 344 - - XVII. AUDENAERDE AND MARGARET OF PARMA 367 - - XVIII. OLD ANTWERP--ITS HISTORY AND LEGENDS 393 - - XIX. THREE CENTURIES OF ANTWERP PRINTERS 411 - - XX. ANTWERP FROM THE TIME OF RUBENS TILL TO-DAY 438 - - XXI. WHERE MODERN FLANDERS SHINES--OSTENDE AND "LA PLAGE" 464 - - XXII. THE SPELL OF FLANDERS 480 - - BIBLIOGRAPHY 485 - - INDEX 489 - - - - - LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS - - - PAGE - CATHEDRAL OF ST. SAUVEUR, BRUGES (_in full colour_) - (_See page 47_) _Frontispiece_ - - MAP OF BELGIUM AND THE NETHERLANDS, - SHOWING THE OLD FLEMISH PRINCIPALITY _facing_ 1 - - BÉGUINAGE BRIDGE, BRUGES 35 - - TOMB OF MARIE OF BURGUNDY, CHURCH OF NOTRE DAME, BRUGES 51 - - PALAIS DU FRANC, BRUGES (_in full colour_) 59 - - THE BELFRY, BRUGES 63 - - THE MINNEWATER, BRUGES 71 - - SHRIMP FISHERMEN, COXYDE 93 - - TOWER OF THE TEMPLARS, NIEUPORT 99 - - AN ANCIENT PAINTING OF THE FLEMISH KERMESSE BY TENIERS 115 - - CLOTH HALL, YPRES 119 - - HOTEL MERGHELYNCK, YPRES 139 - - CHURCH OF ST. PETER, YPRES 141 - - STATUE OF PETER DE CONINCK AND JOHN BREIDEL, BRUGES 154 - - CASTLE OF THE COUNTS, GHENT 170 - - RUINS OF THE ABBEY OF ST. BAVON, GHENT 184 - - POST OFFICE, CHURCH OF ST. NICHOLAS, BELFRY AND - CATHEDRAL, GHENT 195 - - DE DULLE GRIETE, GHENT 208 - - WORKROOM, PETIT BÉGUINAGE DE NOTRE DAME, GHENT 210 - - "SINGING ANGELS," FROM "THE ADORATION OF THE - LAMB"--JEAN VAN EYCK 236 - - "GEORGE VAN DER PAELE, CANON OF ST. DONATIAN, - WORSHIPPING THE MADONNA"--JEAN VAN EYCK (_in full colour_) 239 - - GENERAL VIEW OF TOURNAI AND THE FIVE-TOWERED CATHEDRAL 256 - - THE BELFRY, TOURNAI 262 - - A TRIPTYCH OF THE SEVEN SACRAMENTS BY ROGIER VAN DER WEYDEN 272 - - SHRINE OF ST. URSULA, HOSPITAL OF ST. JEAN, BRUGES 296 - - AN ILLUMINATION BY GHEERHARDT DAVID OF BRUGES, - 1498; ST. BARBARA (_in full colour_) 300 - - "THE LAST SUPPER"--THIERRY BOUTS 307 - - QUAI VERT, BRUGES 310 - - CATHEDRAL OF ST. ROMBAUT, MALINES 312 - - TOWER OF THE CATHEDRAL OF ST. ROMBAUT, FROM - THE RUELLE SANS FIN 318 - - _IN HET PARADIJS AND MAISON DES DIABLES_; TWO FIFTEENTH - CENTURY HOUSES, MALINES 333 - - PORTRAIT OF JEAN ARNOLFINI AND HIS WIFE BY JEAN - VAN EYCK 340 - - MAISON DE LA KEURE, HOTEL DE VILLE, GHENT 347 - - PORTRAIT OF THE DUKE OF ALVA BY A. MORO 352 - - "THE ADORATION OF THE SHEPHERDS"--HUGO VAN DER GOES 362 - - OLD GUILD HOUSES, QUAI AUX HERBES, GHENT 365 - - HOTEL DE VILLE, AUDENAERDE 370 - - WOODEN DOORWAY, CARVED BY VAN DER SCHELDEN, - HOTEL DE VILLE, AUDENAERDE 375 - - CHURCH OF STE. WALBURGE, AUDENAERDE 383 - - A FLEMISH TAPESTRY OF THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY 386 - - THE _VIELLE BOUCHERIE_, ANTWERP 399 - - "THE BANKER AND HIS WIFE"--MATSYS 403 - - "WINTER"--PETER BREUGHEL 405 - - "DRAGGING THE STATUE OF THE DUKE OF ALVA THROUGH - THE STREETS OF ANTWERP"--C. VERLAT 418 - - COURTYARD OF THE PLANTIN MUSEUM, ANTWERP 428 - - ANCIENT PRINTING PRESSES AND COMPOSING CASES, - PLANTIN MUSEUM, ANTWERP 436 - - "THE DESCENT FROM THE CROSS"--RUBENS 439 - - "COUP DE LANCE"--RUBENS 442 - - "_LA VIERGE AU PERROQUET_"--RUBENS 445 - - PETER PAUL RUBENS 448 - - "AS THE OLD BIRDS SING THE YOUNG BIRDS PIPE"--JACOB - JORDAENS 453 - - HOTEL DE VILLE, ANTWERP 456 - - THE "SALLE DES JEUX," IN THE KURSAAL OSTENDE 476 - - -[Illustration: MAP OF BELGIUM AND THE NETHERLANDS, SHOWING THE OLD -FLEMISH PRINCIPALITY] - - - - -THE SPELL OF FLANDERS - - - - -CHAPTER I - -INTRODUCING FLANDERS AND THE FOUR PILGRIMS - - -"Flanders! Why, where is Flanders?" - -"There! I told you she'd ask that question. You'll have to start right -at the beginning with her, and explain everything as you go along." - -We were planning our next vacation tour in Europe, which we had long -before agreed to "do" together this year. That meant a party of -four--the "Professor," as I always called him, and his charming young -wife, my wife, and myself. Like the plays in which the characters -appear on the stage in the order that their names are printed on the -programme, the arrangement I have just given is significant. The -Professor is always first, a born leader-of-the-way. And I am usually -last, carrying the heavy bundles. - -Not that I am complaining. No doubt I was born to do it. Moreover, the -Professor and I have been chums since boyhood. We worked our way -through "prep" school and college together, came to New York together, -and--in a modest way--have prospered together. At least, we felt -prosperous enough to think of going to Europe. For some years he has -been the head of the department of history in an important educational -institution within the boundaries of the greater city, while I have -devoted myself to journalism--and am therefore dubbed "the Editor," -whenever he wishes to refer to me as a personage instead of a human -being, which, happily, is not very often. Of the two ladies in the -proposed party I do not need to speak--not because there is nothing to -say, but because they can speak for themselves. In fact, one of them -has just spoken, has asked a question, and it has not yet been -answered. - -"Flanders, my dear," said the Professor, speaking in his most -sententious manner--as if delivering a lecture in his classroom--"is -the most interesting and the least visited corner of Europe. It has -more battle-fields and more Gothic churches per square mile than can -be found anywhere else. In other parts of Europe you can see mediæval -houses, here and there--usually in charge of a smirking caretaker, -with his little guidebook for sale, and hungrily anticipating his -little fee. In Flanders there are whole streets of them, whole towns -that date from the sixteenth century or earlier--but for the costumes -of the people, you could easily imagine yourself transported by some -enchantment back to the days of Charles the Bold, or even to the time -of the Crusaders." - -"Yes," I added, "and there is no region in the world where the history -of the past seems more real, more instinct with the emotions that -govern human conduct to-day, than these quaint old Flemish towns. You -stand in front of a marble skyscraper on Fifth Avenue and read a -bronze tablet that tells you that here the Revolutionary forces under -old Colonel Putnam, or whoever it was, delayed the advancing British -and covered General Washington's retreat. Now, does that tablet help -you to reconstruct your history? No, you are quite aware that the -fight took place when Fifth Avenue was open country, but your -imagination will not work when you try to make it picture that scene -for you right there on Fifth Avenue where the tablet says it happened. - -"Now, it's different in Flanders. You read in the history about how -the burghers of Bruges, when the Duke of Burgundy, Philip the Good, -tried to overawe the city by placing an army of archers in the -market-place, swarmed out of their houses and down the narrow, crooked -streets like so many angry bees. There are the same old houses, the -identical narrow, crooked streets--a bit of an effort and you can -picture it all--and how the Duke and his archers were driven back and -back, while the burghers swarmed in ever increasing numbers, and the -great tocsin in the belfry shrieked and clanged to tell the valiant -weavers that their liberties were in danger. - -"And take that other famous event, when they flung the murderers of -Count Charles the Good--who lived and died five hundred years before -the other Prince who, like him, was surnamed "the Good"--from the -tower of the very cathedral in which they had murdered him. Why, you -can climb the tower and look off across the same sea of red-roofed -houses and down upon the same square, paved with cruelly jagged -stones, as did the condemned men when, one by one, they were led to -the edge of the parapet and sent hurtling down." - -"The point is well taken," interrupted the Professor, "only that -particular church is no longer standing--it was destroyed during the -French Revolution. But really that makes little difference--there are -plenty of other towers in Bruges that have witnessed stirring scenes. -And all over Flanders it is the same way--nothing is easier than to -make your history live again, for everywhere you have the original -setting practically unchanged." - -"It's all very well for you men," observed Mrs. Professor, when her -husband and I paused to get our breath, "who admire, or pretend to -admire, battles and executions and that sort of thing, but if there is -nothing else to see except places with such dreadfully unpleasant -associations I, for one, don't want to go there." - -"On the contrary," I hastened to reply, seeing that the Professor was -much disturbed at this unexpected result of all our eloquence, -"Flanders has a lot of things to interest the ladies. Think of its -famous laces and lacemakers--we can still find the latter at work in -places like Bruges, Malines and Turnhout--of its rare old tapestries -from Audenaerde and Tournai, and the fine linens of Courtrai. Then -there are wood carvings the like of which you will travel far to see, -and old Flemish furniture everywhere." - -"To say nothing of the pleasure of learning a little more about the -great Flemish school of art in the very home towns of its most -celebrated artists," added the Professor, who was much elated to see -that the frowns were leaving the fair face of his better half. - -"That's much better," she announced. "I've always thought fine -hand-made lace the most wonderful product of feminine patience and -skill, and I should certainly love to watch them make it." - -"For my part," remarked the fourth member of the party, who had been -strangely silent during all this discussion, "while I like to learn a -little about the history of the old towns I visit, and see the fine -things--whether paintings, or town-halls, or lace or tapestry--for -which they are famous, what I like the best is to study the people -themselves. I mean the live ones, not those who are dead and gone that -our husbands are talking about. I love to sit on the sidewalk on -pleasant evenings and have dinner and black coffee while watching the -people of the town go by. It's better than a play. And on rainy days -there is always some quaint old-fashioned inn or café where the whole -scene looks like a painting by Jordaens or Teniers. The beamed ceiling -and the pictures on the walls are grimy with the smoke and steam of -countless dinners, the buxom landlady sits in state behind an array of -bottles of all sizes and colours and labelled at all prices, her -equally plump daughters wait on the tables, the very guests--including -ourselves--form a part of the picture. Why, it makes me want to be -back there again, just to think of it!" - -"The Madame is right!" exclaimed the Professor heartily--all of our -friends call my wife "the Madame" because she speaks French as -fluently as English. "Our first object on this trip will be pleasure. -A little knowledge of the history of Flanders, of tapestry and -lacemaking, of architecture and art, may enhance our enjoyment of what -we see, because we will thereby understand it better and appreciate -its interest or beauty more keenly. But we are not going over as -historical savants, or as authorities on art--or pretend that we know -any more about such subjects than we really do--" - -"Which is just enough to enable us to derive sincere pleasure from -seeing them, and having them explained to us, without troubling our -heads about this, that or the other element of technique," I -interrupted, completing the Professor's sentence for him. - -"And the best part of the day will be, just as Madame says," added -Mrs. Professor gaily, "the dinners on the sidewalks, where we can -watch the people as they go about and tell each other of what we have -seen since morning. And, hurray! for the Flemish inns!" - -"Well, as to Flemish inns," observed the Madame, "what I said related -to eating a dinner in one. When it comes to sleeping in them there are -other things to think of besides beamed ceilings and picturesque -interiors. - -"A few years ago we had an experience at Antwerp that taught us the -folly of arriving at a great continental city late at night without -having hotel accommodations secured in advance. We had started at -eight in the morning from Hamburg, intending to stop at Antwerp just -long enough to transfer our belongings to a train for Brussels that, -according to the time-table, would leave fifteen minutes after our -train arrived. Now, from Hamburg to Antwerp is quite a long -ride--short as the distance looks on the map--and when we finally -arrived at our destination, half an hour late, it was long after -midnight and our train for Brussels had gone. - -"We were both tired out, and hastily decided that we would put up at -Antwerp for the night and go on to Brussels in the morning. As we -emerged from the great Gare Centrale we found despite the lateness of -the hour, about a dozen red-capped hotel runners, each of whom -clamoured for our patronage. They all looked very much alike, the -names on their caps meant nothing to us as we were not familiar with -the Antwerp hotels, and we selected one at random. To our dismay we -discovered, when it was too late, that, whereas most of them had hotel -busses in waiting--into which they leaped and were driven off--our -cicerone was not so provided. He attempted to reassure us by saying -that the Grand Hotel de ---- was close by--a fact that produced the -opposite effect from that intended, as we knew that the immediate -vicinity of a large railroad station is seldom a desirable -neighbourhood. - -"However, the other porters were now gone and, unless we were disposed -to sleep in the station, there was nothing to do but follow along. To -our further alarm our guide presently turned into a most -unprepossessing street on which several drinking places were still -open, or were only on the point of closing. Into one of these he led -us. After a short conference with the proprietress, who was sitting -behind the bar counting the day's receipts, he took a candle and a -huge key and led us out into the court, then up a flight of stairs -placed on the outside of the house, and through several narrow -passageways. But for the flickering candle everything was completely -dark, and when he finally ushered us into an immense room with a -mediæval four-post bed in its darkest corner we involuntarily looked -for the trap-door down which the murderous inn-keepers of the stories -were wont to cast their victims. - -"Lighting a pair of candles on the mantelpiece from his, and wishing -us a civil '_Bon soir_,' our red-capped guide now left us--to our -great relief. Although we tried to dismiss our fears as childish, we -both felt more insecure and helpless than we cared to admit, even to -each other. None of our friends knew that we were in Antwerp. If we -disappeared they would hardly think to look for us there--and still -less on this shabby street, the very name of which we did not know. - -"We barricaded the door against a sudden surprise, inspected the walls -with a candle for signs of the secret door (at the head of the -winding stairway up which the wicked innkeeper so often creeps upon -his prey, according to the chronicles) and at last, the fatigue of the -day overcoming our fears, we slept. It was broad daylight when we -awoke, and the street was alive with people--mostly cartmen and -peasants it seemed. With some difficulty we found our way down to the -room where we had seen the landlady the night before. She greeted us -warmly, our fears of the night had fled--and we sat down and ordered, -and enjoyed, a most excellent breakfast. The hotel was quite a popular -one, we learned, much frequented by people from near-by towns, and we -had never been safer in our lives. Yet, just the same, we both vowed -firmly that 'Never Again' would we take similar chances--and we never -have." - -"I have thought of that incident more than once while talking over our -Flemish tour with the Professor," I observed, "and have decided upon -this plan. When we find a hotel that suits us all, as regards -cleanliness, cuisine and safety--or rather the sense of security, for -I daresay we would be safe enough in many that we would hardly care to -patronise--we will stay overnight in whatever town we may chance to be -visiting. If, on the other hand, we have not had time to find such a -place, we'll take a train back to Antwerp or Brussels, where there are -hotels that we know all about. We'll get second-class _billets -d'abonnement_ every two weeks anyway, so the rail trip will only cost -us our time." - -"And are Antwerp and Brussels both in Flanders?" inquired Mrs. -Professor. "Between you, you have given me an idea that I should like -to visit Flanders, but you have none of you answered my question as to -where it is." - -"I think I can answer you, my dear," replied her husband. "There are, -as you probably know, two little provinces in the northern part of -Belgium called East and West Flanders. The boundaries of the Flanders -of history and of art, however, cover a considerable wider area than -these two provinces. Over in France a considerable part of the -Department du Nord was for centuries subject to the Counts of -Flanders. On the other side, to the eastward, the cities of Antwerp -and Malines were for many centuries independent of the Counts of -Flanders, but their people spoke Flemish, their houses, churches and -town-halls were built in the best style of Flemish architecture, and -they became famous centres of Flemish art and learning. To my mind, -therefore, they both belong to Flanders. Brussels, however, while its -Hotel de Ville and Grande Place are splendid examples of Flemish -architecture, is more French than Flemish, and belongs to the Walloon -or French part of Belgium. - -"Now, as the Editor here has proposed a plan which seems to me a good -one as regards our hotels, I will venture to suggest one as regards -our itinerary. It will make comparatively little difference which -towns we visit first, and as some are more closely identified with the -early history of Flanders than the others I propose that we visit -these older towns first. At the time of the Crusades Ypres, for -example, had two hundred thousand inhabitants when the population of -London was less than thirty-five thousand and Antwerp was an obscure -little town. Nieuport and Furnes were, at that time, the chief -seaports of Flanders. Now they are miles from the sea. Dixmude, near -by, was another important city of those olden days. Now all these -places are country villages--'the dead cities of Flanders,' they are -called, and scarcely a tourist from America ever visits them, although -they are fairly familiar to our English cousins. - -"If we start our pilgrimage in Flanders with Bruges, which was the -first capital of the County of Flanders, and with these old -towns--all of which are hard by--we can plan our journeys -chronologically, so to speak, visiting first the monuments that date -from the twelfth to the fourteenth centuries, then those of the -fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, and so on. In that way we not only -can keep the little history we know straight, but we can trace with -our own eyes the gradual development of Flemish architecture and art." - -This plan was unanimously voted to be a capital one--in theory, at any -rate--and thus it was that in our subsequent wanderings about -Flanders, under the guidance of the indefatigable Professor, we often -crossed our trail, and now and then visited the same place more than -once. In practice it did not accomplish quite all that was expected of -it by its learned originator--but what plan ever does, or ever will? -That it enhanced the interest of the trip manyfold we all agreed; it -often sustained our flagging zeal, and it helped us to know -Flanders--the Flanders of the past especially--far better than we -would have done in any other way. - - - - -CHAPTER II - -VIEUX BRUGES AND COUNT BALDWIN OF THE IRON ARM - - -It is not the purpose of this veracious chronicle to recount the -doings and sayings, the incidents or lack of incident, on the voyage -across. Suffice it to say that in due season the good ship _Lapland_ -turned its prow away from the white cliffs of Dover and straight -toward the low-lying shores of Flanders. As she crossed the North Sea -scores of fishing boats with brown sails hovered around her, while -throngs of seagulls soared overhead, or now and then dashed madly into -her foaming wake to grasp some morsel flung from deck or porthole, or -fight fiercely with each other for its possession. Presently, in the -haze ahead, a faint outline of land could be distinguished, and soon -we could see through our glasses the heaped up dunes that mark the -battle line between the North Sea and the fertile Flemish polders -behind them. Here and there the shore was strengthened by rows of -pilings to keep the waves of Winter from washing it away. As a -"sight," however, it was dreary and uninviting enough--not at all like -the picturesque headlands of Merrie England we had been looking at -only a few hours before. - -Now, for a time, the ship kept its course parallel to the shore, but -at a distance of a mile or more. Gradually the coast became more -inhabited, and soon we could see a row of stone and brick buildings -facing directly on the beach which some one said was Blankenberghe. No -doubt there were other rows of houses behind the first, but either -they were lower, or in the haze our glasses could not distinguish -them. Then the panorama of the Flemish coast unrolled a little further -and we saw the long curved breakwater of Zee-Brugge, with its white -lighthouse. This is an artificial port connected with the ancient -capital of Flanders by a ship canal. Entrance to the canal from the -sea is effected by a large lock which was faintly visible. Another -beach city, Heyst, next appeared--the ship seeming to stand still -while the shoreline marched slowly past. Then came a smaller place, -which from our maps we concluded must be Knocke. Here the coastline of -the present Kingdom of Belgium ends, the little River Zwyn--once -famous as the channel up which one hundred and fifty ships a day made -their way to Bruges in the days of its greatness--forming the -boundary. - -The Dutch are apparently not interested in sea bathing, for there were -no more watering places. In fact the whole coast seemed to be dead and -deserted, and we were glad when the _Lapland_ began to turn her prow -inland. We were now in the broad estuary of the Scheldt, and soon the -tiny city of Flushing appeared. It was over on the other side of the -ship and we all scampered across to take our first "near look," as -Mrs. Professor expressed it, of the land we had come to see--for -Flushing belonged for centuries to the great overlords of Flanders, -the Dukes of Burgundy and their successors. It looked very small and -compact from the towering deck of the big liner, but also very quaint -and interesting, and we all agreed that as a sample of what we had -come so far to see it was the reverse of disappointing. - -Soon the propellers of the _Lapland_ began to revolve again and the -little Dutch city slowly slipped out of sight in the fast gathering -gloom of a coming shower. As night came on the engines presently came -to rest once more and we anchored to await daylight and flood tide -which, the officers said, would come together. At four o'clock the -following morning the Professor and I were on deck in order to miss as -little as possible of the voyage up the "greyest of grey rivers," as -the Scheldt has been called. The _Lapland_ had started while we were -asleep, and we were already in Belgium. This circumstance disappointed -the Professor not a little as he had set his heart on seeing the -remains of the Dutch forts at the boundary line that for nearly one -hundred and fifty years--from the Treaty of Munster in 1648 to the -French occupation in 1794--closed the river to ocean commerce. -Meanwhile, grass grew in the streets of the all but deserted city of -Antwerp. The French tore down the hated forts and for nearly forty -years the ships from oversea went up the river unmolested. Then came -the Revolution of 1830 and the establishment of the Kingdom of -Belgium, whereupon the Dutch proceeded to impose heavy navigation -duties upon all ships passing through the lower part of the river. -While this did not stifle the trade of Antwerp, it seriously crippled -it, since the duties formed a handicap in the keen competition for -traffic between the Belgian port and those of Holland and Germany -farther to the eastward. It was not until 1863 that the Belgian -Government was able to arrange a treaty whereby all river dues were -abolished in return for the payment of a lump sum of 36,000,000 -francs--of which only one-third was paid by Belgium, as other powers -were interested in obtaining freedom of navigation on this important -river and gladly contributed the remainder. The imposing monument by -Winders on the Place Marnix at Antwerp, which was erected in 1883, -commemorates this important event, to which the port owes its present -prosperity. - -As the _Lapland_ slowly steamed up the river we could look down from -her lofty decks upon the broad and intensely cultivated plain, -stretching as far as eye could penetrate in the misty distance. Here -and there we could see compact little groups of farm buildings, -usually arranged around a central courtyard and with their outer walls -well-nigh windowless, as if the peasant proprietors still counted on -the possibility of a siege such as their ancestors no doubt often had -to sustain against the wandering marauders and freebooters who for -centuries infested the country. Along every road and canal, and beside -nearly every cross-country path, we could see long lines of trees set -out at regular intervals and cutting the landscape into sections of -varying sizes and shapes. Now and then a little hamlet could be seen, -with its red-tiled roofs nestling close together and a tiny church -steeple rising from the centre. Often the roofs of the houses nearest -to the river were below the top of the high dykes which here enclose -the Scheldt on either side. Close to the banks an occasional fort -commanded the river--outlying links in the great chain of -fortifications that was thought to be impregnable until the huge -German siege guns so quickly battered it to pieces. - -Presently some one with a keener vision than the rest cries that the -spire of the Cathedral of Antwerp is in sight and we all crowd forward -and peer eagerly through the mist until at last we make out vaguely -the shape of that marvel of Flemish architecture rising above the flat -plain. At each turn of the river it draws nearer and we can see more -clearly its delicate tracery of lace-work carved in stone, while one -by one other spires loom up through the grey dawn. - -The traffic in the river becomes more dense as we proceed slowly -onward--huge red-bottomed tramp steamers with their propellers half -out of the water and churning furiously in a smother of foam, clumsy -canal boats with Flemish or German names lying at anchor close to the -banks, barges with dingy brownish sails and all manner of strange -cargoes. Then, suddenly, we swing around the last turn and the entire -city lies before us, its houses with their high peaks and dormer -windows rising tier above tier, while at the left we catch glimpses -through the lock gates of the vast inner docks with their hundreds of -masts and funnels. Curiously enough the view to the right is entirely -different--the green fields and farmsteads stretching in this -direction from the very edge of the river as far as the eye can see. - -But now we are warping up against the Red Star Line pier and all eyes -are gazing down upon the motley crowd that has assembled thus early in -the morning--it is not yet seven o'clock--to welcome the new arrivals -from America. The customs inspection proves to be a mere formality, -half of our trunks and bags are chalk-marked by the obliging inspector -without lifting a tray or disturbing any of their contents. A -commissionaire is waiting to bear them away to the cabs and, after -generously bestowing five cents on this worthy for his trouble, we are -off for the Gare Centrale--for the Madame has decreed that we must all -proceed forthwith to the home of a certain Tante (Aunt) Rosa, not far -from Brussels, where we can get our land legs safely on before -starting on our tour under the guidance of the Professor. - -Throughout the morning it has rained heavily at intervals, and as the -_rapide_ for Brussels steams out of the station the grey clouds are -pouring down their contents in torrents. This circumstance disturbs us -not at all, for we have agreed to pursue our course regardless of the -weather and are prepared for anything short of a flood or blizzard. -And right here it may be as well to state that any one who proposes to -travel in Flanders must make up his or her mind to ignore the vagaries -of the weather altogether. At Brussels the weather records show that -it rains more or less during three hundred days in each year, and -while there are many days when the showers are brief, and some periods -when it is clear for several days, it is better to come prepared for -anything. Somewhere in the direction of the English Channel there -seems to exist a vast cloud factory, for day after day one sees the -huge cloud masses rolling slowly eastward or southward across the -country. Usually they are high overhead, with frequent intervals of -brilliant sunshine, and the showers few and far between. At other -times the clouds hang low and dark and the rain falls steadily, not in -furious driving showers such as occur frequently during the summer -time at New York, but with a monotonous continuity that is the -despair of travellers who are equipped only for fair weather. It is no -exaggeration to state that one may look out of his hotel window upon a -cloudless sky and find that by the time he has descended to the street -it is raining. Happily the reverse is equally possible, and frequently -we looked out of the window while at breakfast at pouring rain and -dripping roofs, only to find by the time we were ready to go out of -doors that the shower was over, the sky clear and the sidewalks nearly -dry. It is this rapid alternation of showers and sunshine that makes -Flanders the land of flowers and vegetables, giving the former their -brilliant colouring and the latter their indescribable succulence and -freshness. - -Another tip for the would-be traveller in Flanders is to come well -prepared for cold weather even in June, July or August. The nights are -always cool, and the prevailing winds are from the north or the -northwest--the former cold, the latter wet. Many Americans contract -serious colds because they come clad only for hot weather. Warm -underwear, on the other hand, is best for the Flemish summer climate, -with overcoats and wraps for evening wear. Raincoats, it is needless -to say, should be in every suitcase--even for a day's outing, while a -very handy article indeed is a _parapluie-canne_, or umbrella cane, -such as can be purchased in Brussels for ten francs and upwards. - -In less than three-quarters of an hour our fleet train was rolling -into the Gare du Nord at Brussels; but Madame was in a hurry, so we -became for the time birds of passage only and in another hour were -already entrained again and speeding toward the steaming dinner that -she assured us la Tante Bosa had awaiting us. Of the reception that we -found when we arrived at last, and of the dinner which was presently -spread before us, there is no need to say more than that the latter -proved to be all that we had been led to anticipate. Served in the -true Belgian style--customary alike in Flanders and in the Walloon -provinces--it occupied our attention for the greater part of the -afternoon, the courses following one another leisurely, with intervals -between during which the men folk strolled about the garden and -smoked. Two days later we started on the Professor's itinerary, -completely refreshed after the fatigue of our voyage; and after a bit -of shopping at Brussels, our pilgrimage into the heart of Flanders -began. - -It was a little after noon when we reached the old city of Bruges, -and while we were eating our luncheon the Professor explained -briefly the origin of the city and of the County of Flanders. In -order to understand the kaleidoscopic history of Flanders it is -necessary to forget entirely the Europe of to-day. Throughout the -Middle Ages Europe was sub-divided into hundreds of separate -sovereignties--duchies, counties, principalities large and small, -whose rulers bore a score of titles. These, as a rule, acknowledged -allegiance to some higher prince, while the most powerful yielded -deference only to some King or Emperor. But this allegiance was -usually a very shadowy affair, and the actual government rested -absolutely in the hands of the local Count, or Duke, or whatever else -his title may have been. The history of Flanders is, therefore, in a -sense, the history of its Counts, for as their power waxed or waned -the country itself grew powerful or weak. Gradually, however, the -great cities of Flanders acquired from the earlier and better Counts -rights and privileges that made them, in many respects, sovereign -powers, and the most fascinating and instructive part of the history -of Flanders is the record of the brave struggle made by its burghers -to maintain their liberties in the face of a steadily advancing tide -of tyranny and oppression. - -The first Count of Flanders, who won his title and his domains during -the period of storm and stress that followed the breaking up of the -great empire of Charlemagne, was a Flemish chief, called Baldwin of -the Iron Arm. He chanced one day to see Judith, the beautiful daughter -of Charles the Bald, the son of Charlemagne, fell in love with her, -and carried her off for his bride. Judith had been previously married -to Ethelwolf, King of Wessex in England, when he was a very old man; -and had taught her stepson, who afterward became Alfred the Great, -much of his learning. The old King Charles, her father, for a time -opposed the marriage with Baldwin, but finally it was celebrated with -much splendour at Auxerre in 863, and Baldwin was thereupon given the -title of Count of Flanders. On his return, Baldwin built a great -fortress on an island formed by the intersection of the River Roya -with its little tributary, the Boterbeke. This was called the Bourg, -and soon contained within its strong walls the nucleus of the future -city of Bruges. - -Mrs. Professor interrupted at this point to ask if the name Bruges was -derived from Bourg, to which our learned friend replied that it was -not, but that most historians ascribed the name to the bridge (in -Flemish, brigge) from the island to the mainland; while some take it -from the purple heather (brugge) which grows plentifully hereabout, -and in August can be seen alongside the railway tracks and in great -clusters by the country roadsides. - -The first afternoon's programme was to discover as much as we could of -the old Bourg of Baldwin of the Iron Arm. Not much of it is left in -the Bruges of Albert the First. The Roya still runs where it did in -the days of the first Counts of Flanders, but only along the Dyver, a -terrace of middle-class residences, can it be seen by the tourist. -Since the eighteenth century it has been vaulted over for much of its -course through the city, and the Boterbeke runs through subterranean -channels for the entire distance from where it enters the city limits -to its junction with the Roya at the corner of the rue Breidel. It -flows close to the Cathedral, or possibly beneath it, and directly -under the Belfry, which is built on piles. For part of its course it -runs, like a subway, under the rue du Vieux Bourg. The only building -in modern Bruges that dates from the first Baldwin's time is the crypt -of St. Basil, under the Chapel of the Holy Blood. Here, or assuredly -hard by, the founder of the long line of Flemish Counts, and his -beautiful and talented Countess, no doubt worshipped; and, in the -main, the little chapel probably looks today very much as it did a -thousand years ago. In one corner, apparently outside of the original -outer walls of the structure, the concierge showed us a miniature -model of the ancient castle of the first Counts of Flanders as -archeologists have reconstructed it, with the little Chapel of St. -Basil adjoining it. On the opposite side, and near the entrance, is a -smaller chapel which some authorities state was the one built by old -Iron-Arm, the main structure dating from the middle of the twelfth -century. Be this as it may, here is unquestionably the very oldest -relic of the ancient Bourg and one of the oldest places of worship in -all Flanders. - -After our inspection of St. Basil we decided to devote the rest of the -afternoon to tramping around the streets of the Vieux Bourg, or, in -other words, the section of the city within the circle of picturesque -old quays that mark the approximate boundaries of the island-fortress -where the first Counts of Flanders laid the foundations of their -power. To be sure, none of the houses now standing date from a much -earlier period than the fifteenth century, but all were so quaint and -charming that we cared little for the archeologists with their dates, -and felt ourselves transported without an effort to the days when -might made right and the whole world was governed by the simple law -that "he may take who has the power, and he may keep who can." We -little dreamed, as we journeyed about amid these peaceful -surroundings, that within a single month the world was to revert to -the rule of might once more; that, to quote from Kipling's noble poem, -stricken Belgium, and, indeed, all civilisation could say: - - "Our world has passed away, - In wantonness o'erthrown. - There's nothing left to-day - But steel and fire and stone. - - "Once more we hear the word - That sickened earth of old-- - 'No law except the sword, - Unsheathed and uncontrolled.'" - - - - -CHAPTER III - -BRUGES IN THE DAYS OF CHARLES THE GOOD - - -To those for whom the past possesses elements of romance, of mystery -and of fascination that our more prosaic and orderly modern world -lacks, Bruges offers endless opportunities for enjoyment. To be sure, -the streets are a bit more crowded than they were twenty years ago, -and one sees more frequent groups of people, carrying little -red-backed Baedekers and evidently intent on seeing all the "sights," -than formerly. But these are evils of which all old travellers -complain, as one compares notes with them at the hotel after the day -is over. One caretaker told us, with evident pride, that thirty -thousand tourists visited Bruges in 1913. If one divides this total by -three hundred and sixty-five, and the result again by the score or -more of places that every tourist wants to see, it will be perceived -that the number in any one place at the same time is not likely to be -excessive. In point of fact our little party was almost invariably -alone, save when we encountered a party of "personally conducted" -travellers rushing at break-neck speed from place to place. - -If, after seeing all the "points of interest" enumerated by the -faithful red-coated guide, philosopher and companion above mentioned, -one should stray down one or another of the narrow, crooked streets in -the older parts of the town he is certain to find bits of mediæval -Bruges here and there so well preserved and perfect that if the few -passers-by only wore the picturesque costumes of the olden days the -illusion would be complete. Take, for example, the rue de l'Ane -Aveugle, the Street of the Blind Donkey, with its attenuated sidewalks -along which a tight-rope walker could hardly advance without stepping -off, its roadway too narrow for two blind donkeys to pass abreast, and -its charming archway from the Hotel de Ville to the Maison de l'ancien -Greffe Flamand; or the rue du Poivre, with its tiny one-story houses, -many of them with one room down-stairs and one overhead--the latter -lighted by the quaintest of gable windows--surely we have stepped -backward half a dozen centuries, for nothing like this could have -continued to exist until the prosaic present! - -In fact these queer little one-story houses abound in all parts of the -city, and the Madame was constantly darting across the roadway to peer -within whenever she saw a door ajar. She generally returned highly -indignant that any one could think of existing in such narrow -quarters. "I'd as soon live in a tomb!" she exclaimed, nodding in the -direction of one little house which consisted of one room and only -one, being devoid even of the attic room with its customary dormer -window. Inside sat an old lady, gazing tranquilly out of doors and -doing nothing whatever. Indeed, as the Madame pointed out, there was -little enough to do as far as housework was concerned. In the morning -everybody in Flanders washes the stone floors of their living-rooms, -and frequently the sidewalk and out to the middle of the street as -well. This done, the housework for the day is over, except for -preparing the meals. We had hoped to see old ladies by the score -sitting at the doorways making lace, but on only one street--the rue -du Rouleau--did we catch a glimpse of any, and they went indoors as we -approached them. It was only the estaminets that we could inspect -within. Whenever we found what appeared to be an exceptionally old -house that bore the legend "Hier Verkoopt men drank" the Professor -and I often used to go in and order a glass of _Vieux système_, simply -to get a look at the interior. If, as sometimes happened, mijnheer and -his vroue were very accommodating and kind, we summoned the -ladies--despite the fact that the sign without appeared to mean "for -men only"--and together we explored the old house from garret to -cellar. - -More than once, as we journeyed about among these delightfully old and -quaint surroundings, the longing to see some one whose costume would, -in a measure, suggest the period when these structures were built came -back to us. "Oh!" exclaimed Mrs. Professor, as we sat one afternoon in -a particularly cosy corner of one of the oldest interiors we had yet -seen, "if two or three knights in armour--or in their lovely costumes -of velvet, silk and old lace--would stalk in and sit down at that -table over there it would make the picture complete." We found, -however, one spot in Bruges, dating from the twelfth century, in which -even the costumes were unchanged. This was the Béguinage, close to the -Minnewater and the ancient city ramparts--a city of the past where, -shut off by high brick walls from the noise and bustle of the outer -world, peaceful figures clad in sombre grey and white move noiselessly -about as if the big figures on the calendar read 1114 instead of 1914. - -Except for two institutions of the kind in Holland, Belgium is the -only country in Europe in which these Béguinages have survived--all of -them in Flanders. No institution of the present day recalls so vividly -the conditions that existed at the time when Flanders was the name of -a wild marsh country peopled by yet wilder men. In 877 the Emperor -made the title of Count of Flanders hereditary--the oldest title of -the kind in Europe. Baldwin II, son of Baldwin of the Iron Arm and the -beautiful Judith, married Alfrida, the daughter of Alfred the Great. -The second Baldwin was renowned chiefly for his work in fortifying the -towns of Bruges, Ghent, Ypres and Courtrai as a means of protection -against the robber chiefs who still--despite the energetic warfare of -his father--infested this entire region. The necessity for protection -against robbers, and occasional incursions of savage Danes from the -North Sea, caused population to flock speedily into these walled -towns, and thus laid the foundation for the wonderful civic -development of the next four centuries. The son of Baldwin II, -Arnulph--often called Arnulph the Great--continued the policy of -strengthening the cities, and also established or restored nearly a -score of monasteries and convents for the protection of men and women -against the many dangers of that lawless age. The famous chapter of -St. Donatian's at Bruges was one of these, and while the Béguinage -dates from a somewhat later epoch in the town's history, it admirably -exemplifies many of the principles that made these early religious -orders the strongholds, not only of piety in a period of -semi-barbarism, but of learning and civilisation. - -[Illustration: BÉGUINAGE BRIDGE, BRUGES.] - -The Béguinage at Bruges is much smaller than the famous Grand -Béguinage at Ghent, which so many tourists visit, but is far more -ancient--its arched gateway dating from the thirteenth century and its -gloomy and barn-like chapel from 1605. How old the houses are no one -seemed to know, but probably many of them are older than the chapel. -The little bridge by which one enters its quiet precincts was first -built in 1297, of wood, according to the records, but its present -picturesque stone arches date from 1570--a respectable antiquity, even -for Bruges. We found several of the little houses untenanted for some -reason, but even the empty ones were spotlessly clean. The Béguines -live in small communities or "convents," under the superintendence of -a Lady Superior called "de Juffer"; or in "houses" where two or three -live together. In the convents there are usually about twenty inmates. -Each has her little cell, but these we were not permitted to see. We -did, however, inspect the kitchen and dining-room of one of the -convents--and the large sunny workroom, in which the Béguines were -assembled. Each was chatting aloud as she worked, but whether in -Flemish or Latin we could not tell. On every face there rested the -same expression of absolute peace and quietness, nor did a single one -betray the slightest interest or curiosity at our presence. - -In the early annals of Bruges no story is more dramatic than that of -the murder of Charles the Good. It is, in fact, the theme of the great -Flemish novelist Hendrick Conscience's most famous book, _De Kerels -van Vlaanderen_, and has been told by several contemporary -chroniclers. When Charles became Count of Flanders the feudal system -was slowly displacing the anarchy that had resulted from the breakdown -of all centralised government as the Norsemen swept over northern -Europe. Charles was an ardent believer in the new order, but was -opposed in his policy of building up a strong feudal state by the -Karls, a class of free landholders of Saxon descent, who stubbornly -refused to swear allegiance to any feudal over-lord. The greatest of -these was the house of Erembald. Desiderious Hacket, the head of the -family, was Châtelain of Bruges, ranking next to the Count himself; -while his brother Bertulph was Provost of St. Donatian, the principal -ecclesiastical position in the County, and chancellor of the Count. -The head of the feudal lords was Tancmar, Lord of Straten. Between the -powerful houses of Erembald and Straten there was a deadly feud, which -culminated in a challenge to mortal combat delivered to Walter, a -nephew of Tancmar, by Richard de Raeske, a baron allied by marriage to -the house of Erembald. - -To the amazement of all Flanders the challenge, delivered in the -presence of Count Charles and all his court, was refused. Walter, whom -the historians call "the Winged Lie," proclaimed that he would fight -only with a free man, and that the Lord of Raeske, by wedding a serf, -had become a serf himself. This was in accordance with a law recently -promulgated by Charles, but the house of Erembald, perceiving that -its very existence was threatened by the charge, fiercely repelled the -accusation and was supported not only by all of the Karls, but by most -of the feudal nobility as well--the latter no doubt fearing lest one -of their own houses might be attainted in a similar manner at any -moment. - -The country was plunged into what was virtually civil war, when -Charles was suddenly summoned by his feudal over-lord, the King of -France, to come to his aid at Clermont. On his return, assured of the -King's powerful support, Charles undoubtedly meditated the complete -overthrow of the Erembalds, whom he had steadfastly claimed as his -vassals since "the Winged Lie" had denounced them as serfs. He arrived -at Bruges late in the evening, and early the following day, March 1, -1127, repaired to St. Donatian to hear mass. It was a foggy morning -and the Count went almost unattended. Hardly had he knelt before the -altar when a party of followers of the attainted house of Erembald -swarmed into the church and he was struck down before he had time to -rise, much less to defend himself. - -If, in his lifetime, the Count was a dangerous foe to the Erembalds, -in his death he proved to be far more deadly. As his body lay on the -stone floor of the great church, clad in the crimson robe the -chroniclers so often allude to, and surrounded with flaming torches, -the heads of the house hastily consulted as to what was to be done -with it. To inter the body at Bruges would be to risk an outbreak of -popular passion at the murder, and it was decided to secretly convey -it away. This plan was rudely frustrated by a mob of citizens who -forcibly prevented the removal of the body, which was therefore laid -to rest with imposing ceremonies in the very church where the Count -had been assassinated. - -Meanwhile the story of the murder spread far and wide, and, in a few -days, a huge host was marching on Bruges from every part of Flanders. -For a time the burghers stood by the Châtelain and the Provost, but -when the city was entered by stratagem and the Erembalds driven back -into the Bourg the mass of the citizens went over to the side of the -avengers. After a short defence the Bourg in turn was captured--its -defenders failing to guard one small gate by which their enemies -entered unopposed--and the remnant of the Erembalds fled into the very -church that had been defiled by their kinsmen's crime, St. Donatian. -Here, for a time, they were left in peace while the victors pillaged -the rich palaces in the ancient Bourg. - -The day before the capture of the Bourg Bertulph, the Provost managed -to escape and fled to a little village near Ypres. Here, after -remaining in hiding for some three weeks, he was captured. The next -morning he was brought to Ypres, walking on foot all the way, although -a horse was offered him. That he was going to his death he well knew, -and asked for a priest to whom he confessed. The old man--who had been -"a soft, luxurious prelate," proud and haughty in his days of -power--made his last journey like a martyr. As the prisoner and his -captors neared the gates of the city a great throng came forth to meet -them, beating the Provost with their staves and fists and pelting him -with the heads of fish. Arrived in the market-place he stood amid the -huge jeering throng, not one of whom looked with pity on him, and -there, for his greater shame, he was fastened naked to a cross like a -common thief. On his refusing in a steadfast voice to reveal the names -of any of those implicated in the Count's murder, "those who were -assembled in the market-place to sell fish tore his flesh with their -iron hooks, and beat him with rods, and thus they put an end to his -days." - -The news of this tragedy was brought to the little band still being -besieged at St. Donatian and caused great grief and terror. Of the -very considerable army of Erembalds and their partisans who had taken -refuge in the Bourg only thirty now remained, most having been killed, -while some no doubt had escaped. King Louis, with a host of French -knights, had joined the men of Flanders in the attack and it was seen -that further resistance was hopeless. The only terms were instant -surrender or instant death, and as they looked across the country from -the church tower they could see no hope of succour and surrendered. -After keeping them prisoners for a fortnight, Louis directed that all -save one, who was of somewhat nobler lineage than the rest, should be -flung from the tower of the now thrice historic St. Donatian. This -sentence was duly carried out. The cruel soldiers told the condemned -that they were about to receive a proof of the King's mercy and they -remained ignorant of their terrible fate until, one after another, -they stood on the lofty tower overlooking the city for a brief moment -and were then dashed down headlong to the jagged pavement below. The -bodies were denied Christian burial and thrown into a marsh outside of -the city, and it is related that for many years thereafter "no man -after nightfall would willingly pass that way." - -The house of Erembald was well-nigh annihilated during this short, but -sanguinary, war. The sole survivor of the band captured in the church -was beheaded by King Louis as soon as he crossed the French frontier, -while most of the great names in the family were heard of in Flanders -no more--some having perished in battle, others in exile. Only one, -Hacket the Châtelain, returned after the cry for vengeance had died -down, was placed on trial for the murder, proved his innocence, and -eventually recovered much of his former power and wealth. The charge -of serfdom was never raised again, and his descendants for many -generations stood high in the rolls of the Flemish nobility. - -The church of St. Donatian no longer stands, having been destroyed -during the French Revolution. In the small museum of antiquities in -the Halles adjacent to the Belfry we were shown some stone railings, -carved in imitation of rustic woodwork, that the concierge assured us -had come from the ruins of the famous church. From a painting made in -1710 the student can obtain a fair idea of the appearance of the -structure, which can hardly be said to have been imposing externally. -It stood opposite the Hotel de Ville, and the statue of Van Eyck in -the centre of the little shaded square is said to mark the spot where -Charles the Good fell at the hands of his assassins. The stones with -which the Cathedral was built were carried away, and some of them were -used to build a château a short distance outside of the city. -According to the peasants in the neighbourhood, ill-luck has always -followed those who lived there. If so, the spirit of the murdered -Count would seem to have been as dangerous in the nineteenth century -as it was in the twelfth. - -Every morning here at Bruges, and elsewhere throughout our pilgrimage, -the Professor and I sallied forth between five and six o'clock to -explore as many of the by-ways and quaint out-of-the-way corners as we -could before breakfast. The sun rises in Belgium long before five, in -fact it is light as early as three in the summer time, but we found -very few people astir, and those who were up were usually engaged in -the morning scrubbing of floors and sidewalks--a fact that made us -keep pretty much to the middle of the road on these expeditions. -Cleanliness is certainly honoured next to godliness in Belgium, for -this morning ablution of the premises is universal--the big department -stores at Brussels observing the custom as faithfully as the tiniest -_estaminet_ in the remotest hamlet. Every one, rich and poor, performs -this rite, and the tourist could safely eat his breakfast off the -doorstep of any house when it is over. Nor is the rest of the interior -neglected, for every pot and pan that we could see within the little -houses as we passed their doors shone with a lustre that bespoke -perpetual polishing. On the other hand, the good vroue herself, or her -maidservant, was not so clean, and it is in this respect that the -people of Holland are superior, for they somehow manage to keep -themselves as immaculate as their little houses. - -It was at Bruges that the Professor had his first experience with the -Belgian species of barber. Instead of the massive reclining chair, -with which all Americans are familiar, one finds in all parts of -Belgium, save the big tourist hotels and resorts, stiff little -arm-chairs with immovable head rests that look as if they could never -serve the purpose for which they are intended. In point of fact they -do fairly well, once one becomes accustomed to them. Razors in -Belgium, however, are almost invariably dull--especially with the lady -barbers who abound in the smaller villages. Avoid these sirens if you -value your skin, for they certainly will slice off a bit of it. On -Sundays and holidays, it appears, their husbands officiate, but week -days the better half does her best to accommodate the public--but her -best is none too good, and the experience is usually a painful one for -the unwary tourist. - -The shave over, the barber says, "S'il vous plaît, monsieur," or its -equivalent in Flemish, motioning meanwhile toward a small wash basin -that is placed in front of the chair. To the uninitiated this is -somewhat bewildering, but the professor desires that monsieur will -kindly wash his own face. The ablution performed, he proceeds to rub a -piece of alum over the face, after which he sprays it with perfumed -water, then dries and powders it much in the manner of the American -barber. When one becomes accustomed to this performance--which costs -two to three cents in the villages and five to ten cents in the large -towns--he is apt to prefer it to the American method. Certainly it is -vastly superior to the hot towel torture so deservedly caricatured -some years ago by Weber and Fields. In the smaller villages of the -industrial provinces we found that the first and second class -distinction that one encounters everywhere in Belgium extends even to -the barber's chair. The rough clad workman is simply shaved--a few -fierce scrapes with the razor and it is all over--and is left to wipe -off the remnants of lather as best he can, usually with a red bandanna -handkerchief. For this the charge is only two cents--the alum, the -spraying and the powder being reserved for first-class patrons only. - -On our way back to the hotel from these early morning promenades the -Professor and I kept on the look-out for some _patisserie_ where -_brioches_ or _cuches au beurre_ could be had with a pot of coffee. -This formed our usual breakfast for, it may as well be admitted right -now, we did not feel that we could afford the extravagance of a -three-franc breakfast at the hotel. The ladies were ready to join us -by eight o'clock--before that hour it would be useless to look for a -place open for business--and we conducted them to the _patisserie_ we -had discovered. The _brioche_, it may be remarked, is a light spongy -preparation--half cake and half biscuit--while the _cuche au beurre_ -is apparently made from a kind of light pie-crust, rolled thin and -built up in several layers with butter between. When served fresh and -hot from the oven the latter is most delicious, but when cold it is as -tough and soggy as a day-old griddle-cake. The usual charge for these -delicacies was five centimes (one cent) each, and as three made a very -substantial meal, and the coffee cost three or five cents per cup, our -total expenditure for four people was less than two francs. If, as -often happened--in addition to getting everything hot and -delicious--we were served on little tables out of doors with a view of -a cathedral or Hotel de Ville thrown in, we felt that we were getting -a very good bargain indeed. - -Of the Bruges of Charles the Good the most important existing monument -is the great Cathedral of St. Sauveur, which was rebuilt by him after -having been partially destroyed by fire in 1116, the work being -completed in 1127. Probably very little of the structure as we see it -to-day dates from this period, as the edifice has been enlarged and -restored many times, much of it dating from the fourteenth and part -from the sixteenth century--the era when architecture in Flanders -flourished as never before or since. The tower was begun in 1116, -continued in 1358, and its upper portions added during the last -century, so that nearly eight hundred years elapsed before it was -finally completed in its present form. Many writers speak of this -tower as clumsy and unsightly, but to me it is one of the most -majestic and stately structures in Flanders. At any rate, there is no -other tower like it, and the way in which it lifts its castle-like -mass of tawny brick high above the tiny houses that surround it is -profoundly impressive. The lower part of the tower is Romanesque, -being, no doubt, the portion erected under the supervision of Charles -the Good. The rest is Gothic, if so unecclesiastical a style can be so -denominated. - -The interior of St. Sauveur dates in the main from a much later period -than Charles the Good, and as we visited this interesting edifice -several times an account of its later constructions and paintings will -be found in a chapter devoted more particularly to the art treasures -of Bruges. It is not the purpose of this book to weary the reader with -detailed descriptions of this and every other "monument" in Flanders. -For those who are interested in architectural details there are -numerous works written by experts and discussing exhaustively--if not -exhaustingly--every feature of technical importance. Our little party -was not learned and these random jottings will therefore record only -such facts as seemed interesting to the average American visitor. Nor -would it be possible to attempt a detailed account of the pictures and -sculptures, either at St. Sauveur or elsewhere. Many of the great -Flemish churches are literally museums of early Flemish art and a mere -catalogue of their contents would fill many pages. For the most part -the works are of mediocre merit, but nearly every church possesses one -or more masterpieces--which the uninformed visitor can generally -distinguish by the fact that a charge is made to uncover them. At -times this practice becomes a bit annoying, particularly when--in -addition to paying the fee--one has to hunt around for half an hour to -find the sacristan, who may live two or three blocks away; but, after -all, it is the tourist who is under obligation for the privilege of -visiting the churches when they are closed to the general public, and -all the fees in Flanders add only a trifle to the expense account of -one's tour. - -In St. Sauveur on the occasion of our first visit we were especially -interested in a curious painting of the Crucifixion located in the -Baptistry and said to be the earliest picture of the famous Bruges -school in existence. The savants assign a date prior to 1400 to this -work, the author of which is unknown. - -The name of Charles the Good is also associated with the Church of -Notre Dame, part of the present structure dating from his reign. The -bulk of the edifice was erected during the fourteenth and fifteenth -centuries. The spire was begun in 1440, torn down and rebuilt, being -finally completed nearly a century later. There is a legend that the -architect, in despair over the fact that it leans considerably to the -east, threw himself from its summit. At present it is one hundred and -twenty-two metres in height, which is said to be the greatest -elevation ever attained by a structure of this kind built of brick. It -can hardly be described as beautiful, the dark red of the top portion -being out of harmony with the rich tawny grey of the lower part, but -it forms a splendid feature in the sky-line of the city. Perhaps the -most charming view of it is that obtained from the opposite side of -the Lac d'Amour. Another excellent point of view is from the Dyver -with the outline of the tower, reflected in the still waters of the -Roya. - -The interior of this church is, like the tower, built of brick, only -the great supporting pillars being of stone. The general effect of -the interior is greatly marred by a wooden rood-loft that separates -the nave from the choir. In this church there is an interesting -"Adoration of the Magi" by Daniel Seghers, a painter of the later -Antwerp school, who became a Jesuit but continued to practise his art -and was especially renowned for the flowers and butterflies with which -he adorned his pictures. This work, which was finished in 1630, is -thought by many to be the artist's masterpiece. Another notable -treasure is the statue of the Virgin and Child by Michael Angelo, -executed in 1503. - -[Illustration: TOMB OF MARIE OF BURGUNDY, CHURCH OF NOTRE DAME, -BRUGES.] - -The most famous of the possessions of Notre Dame, however, are the -superb tombs of Charles the Bold and his daughter Marie of Burgundy, -to be seen only by paying a small fee to enter the chapel in which -they are placed. That of Marie is the older, and by far the finer of -the two, and consists of a sarcophagus of black marble upon which -rests a life-sized recumbent figure of the famous princess--"the -greatest heiress in Europe"--who died at the age of twenty-five as a -result of an injury received when hunting in 1482, less than five -years after her marriage to Maximilian who later became Emperor. At -the command of her son, Philip the Handsome, this masterpiece of -stone and bronze was begun by Pierre de Beckère in 1495 and completed -in 1502. Around the altar-tomb are exquisitely carved statues of -saints and angels, with twining plants and scrolls and the heraldic -shields of all the provinces and not a few of the cities within -Marie's wide domains. The figure of the princess lies above all this -with her hands folded as if in prayer, a crown upon her head and two -hounds lying at her feet. The bronze has been cunningly carved to -represent the finest lace and richly gilded until it seems to be pure -gold. The body of Charles the Bold was brought from Nancy in 1550 at -the command of Charles the Fifth, his grandson, and eight years later -the funeral monument was begun by order of Philip II. It was completed -in 1562, and is designed in imitation of that of Marie. The figure of -"the terrible Duke" is shown clad in armour, with his helmet at one -side and a lion crouching at his feet. - -"Here, in this little chapel," said the Professor, "one can see the -beginning and the end of the most interesting period in the long -history of Bruges, the alpha and omega of her greatness. At the time -of Charles the Good the little Bourg on the Roya was slowly emerging -from obscurity and beginning to assume the aspect of a great capital. -For three hundred and fifty years its power and fame grew until 'the -Venice of the North' was everywhere recognised as one of the most -beautiful and brilliant cities in the world. Then suddenly, almost -within the span of a single generation, the fickle sea abandoned it -and it became the quiet inland city that it is to-day, living largely -upon the memories of its splendid past. When the beautiful Marie was -brought home to the Princenhof, dying from her fall at Wynandael, the -decline had already begun, and when the remains of her father were -placed beside her here in Notre Dame the end had already come and the -city's merchants and prosperity had departed." - - - - -CHAPTER IV - -HOW BRUGES BECAME "THE VENICE OF THE NORTH" - - -After the murder of Charles the Good had been so thoroughly avenged, -the King of France sought to foist one of his own underlings upon the -people of Flanders, but they would have none of him, and he fell -fighting before the gates of one of the Flemish cities. Dierick of -Alsace was the popular hero and became Count on the death of this -rival. The King of France sought once more to interpose, but the -burghers of Bruges retorted proudly: "Be it known to the King and to -all princes and peoples, and to their posterity throughout all time, -that the King of France hath no part in the election of a Count of -Flanders." - -Of all the Counts of Flemish blood Dierick proved to be the greatest -and the wisest who ever ruled over the land. During his long reign of -forty years (from 1128 to 1168) and that of his son, Philip of Alsace, -who ruled until 1191, the country prospered and grew rich. Both -princes encouraged commerce, industry and the arts, and were liberal -in their policy toward the cities. It was during this Golden Age of -Flemish history--the longest period of happiness the country ever -knew--that municipal charters were granted to the cities of Bruges, -Ghent, Ypres, Furnes, Gravelines, Nieuport, Dunkerque and Damme. - -While the memory of Dierick of Alsace deserves to be fondly cherished -by the people of Flanders as that of a wise and liberal ruler, his -most famous exploit was bringing back the relic of the Precious Blood -from Jerusalem. Like most princes of his time, Dierick joined in the -Crusades, but, unlike many of them, he left his government so strong -and secure that no harm came to the country during his absence. It was -the second Crusade, and Dierick departed in 1147, and returned in -1150, bringing with him this relic, a portion of the most precious -possession of the Holy Church of Palestine, consisting of a small -crystal vial filled with what was alleged to be the blood of Christ, -preserved by Joseph of Aramathea who prepared the body for burial. -Deeming himself unworthy to bear so holy a relic, the Count entrusted -it to his chaplain, who never parted with it until the returning -crusaders delivered it to the chaplains of the court who placed it in -the chapel built by Baldwin of the Iron Arm, where it still remains in -its original receptacle. - -On the 2nd of May every year from 1303 until now--save for a brief -interruption during the stormy times of the French Revolution--the -city of Bruges has celebrated its possession of this holy relic by the -great Procession of the Holy Blood. At first simply a religious -ceremony, the procession gradually took on spectacular features such -as the Flemings love, including representations of the Apostles, the -Nativity, King Herod, and so on. At present _La Noble Confrerie du -Precieux Sang_, or Honourable Society of the Holy Blood, is a very -wealthy and aristocratic organisation, even its affiliated members--of -whom there are several thousands, of every nationality--esteeming -their connection with it a great honour. - -During the French Revolution mobs stripped the chapel of everything -that could be torn down or broken, leaving it such a wreck that the -municipal authorities were considering tearing it down, but were -happily prevented from doing so by Napoleon. The lower chapel was, -however, used as a jail for drunken and disorderly persons--and even -as a pound for stray dogs--until 1818. The upper chapel meanwhile was -roofless and windowless, a sad wreck of so ancient and famous a -structure. Both have since been restored, the lower--or Chapel of St. -Basil--being now just as it was in 1150, and, in the opinion of many -critics, "the most beautiful and perfect specimen of Romanesque -architecture in Europe." We had already inspected the lower chapel -while exploring the Vieux Bourg of Baldwin of the Iron Arm our first -day at Bruges, but had not spent much time in the upper one. Here the -most interesting object was naturally the chasse, or casket, -containing the holy relic after which the chapel is named. This is on -one side of the little museum of the chapel and is of silver-gilt, -standing four feet, three inches high. It was made in 1617 by a -silversmith of Bruges and, while not regarded as a masterpiece of its -kind, is very graceful and elegant. The chapel itself is richly -decorated and has some excellent stained glass windows, all of this -work dating from the middle of the last century. - -Adjoining the Chapelle du Saint-Sang is the Hotel de Ville. This -structure is a very fine example of Flemish municipal architecture, -dating from the last quarter of the fourteenth century. Here the -Counts of Flanders formerly took the oath to respect the rights and -privileges of the city, this formality taking place in the last window -to the right. Originally there were statues of former princes on the -façade and six of these were coloured by Jean Van Eyck in 1435. All -were destroyed during the Revolution. Part of the interior is still -used by various government officials, while up-stairs the tourists -usually visit the ancient Salle Echinivale, or Council Chamber. This -was restored in 1895 and decorated with a series of twelve mural -paintings representing notable scenes in the history of the city. Of -these eleven are by Albrecht de Vriendt, and the last by his brother, -Julian, the first artist dying just before his work was completed. As -these pictures form an interesting epitome of the history of the city, -the subjects are given herewith: - - 1.--Return of the Brugeois from the Battle of the Golden - Spurs at Courtrai in 1302. - - 2.--Foundation of the Order of the Golden Fleece by - Philip of Burgundy at Bruges in 1430. - - 3.--Dierick of Alsace bringing the Holy Blood to the - chapel of St. Basil in 1150. - - 4.--The interior of the ancient Hospital of St. Jean. - - 5.--Magistrates of Bruges renewing the privileges of the - Hanseatic League. - - 6.--Count Philip of Alsace granting a charter to Bruges - (1190). - - 7.--Magistrates visiting the Studio of Jean Van Eyck - (1433). - - 8.--The printing by movable type in Bruges by Jean - Britto in 1446. - - 9.--Count Louis of Maele laying the foundation of the - Town-hall (1376). - - 10.--Jacob Van Maerlant, father of Flemish poetry, born - at Damme. - - 11.--The Free-fair. - - 12.--Opening of the new Zwyn canal in 1404. - -[Illustration: _Palais du Franc, Bruges_] - -One of the most interesting of the almost innumerable mediæval -buildings in Bruges is the Palais du Franc which, with its many quaint -turrets and gables, overlooks the fish market on the Quai Vert. The -associations and history of this sumptuous bit of sixteenth century -architecture date from the twelfth century--1190 to be exact--when -Philip of Alsace granted a charter to the region stretching to the -northward from the city to the sea, and from Aardenburg (now just -across the Dutch frontier) to Dixmude. This wide tract of territory -was called the Franc or Liberty of Bruges, and comprised ninety-one -parishes and the towns of Ostende, Blankenburghe, Eccloo, Lissweghe, -Aardenburg, Sluys and Dixmude. Of these only the first two are known -to the tourists of the present day, while one must needs search the -map very closely to find one or two of the others at all, but in the -time of Philip all were busy centres of trade and industry. This was -the hereditary land of the Karls, whose revolt against the attempt of -Charles the Good to force them under the feudal yoke cost that monarch -his life. - -The charter was called the _Keurbrief_ and laid the foundation for the -administration of a code of justice that, rude as it was, meant -liberty for those who otherwise would have been utterly at the mercy -of any feudal lord or wandering knight. It was the _Magna Carta_ of a -large part of the Count's dominions and even its stern eye-for-eye and -life-for-life doctrine was tempered by equivalents in cash that might -be paid. The life of a Karl was worth twice as much as that of a monk -or priest, while for each injury there was an appropriate fine. He who -broke a dyke must lose the hand that did the damage, besides -forfeiting all his goods; for false weights the penalty was a fine of -three livres for each offence. Fencing one's property against game -entailed branding with a red hot iron, or trial by the Count--who -might confiscate the goods of the guilty party, but his life and -liberty were to be safe. This cruel game law was not repealed for -nearly three centuries, and must have entailed much hardship. On the -whole, however, the charter was liberal for its day, and the country -under it flourished exceedingly--a sure evidence of wise laws. - -The Keurbrief was administered by the Magistrates of the Franc in the -Palais du Franc, which was therefore a sort of special court. The -present edifice is not the one erected by Philip, or used by him for -the purpose, but dates from the early part of the fifteenth century. -Part of it is still used as the Palais de Justice, but that part of -the present structure is for the most part modern. The most -interesting portion of the edifice, and the only one shown to -tourists, is the Court Room containing the magnificent Cheminée du -Franc, or chimney-piece, erected in honour of the Ladies' Peace -negotiated by Margaret of Austria while Regent of the Netherlands in -1529. The work was executed from designs by Lancelot Blondeel, a -painter of Bruges, and was completed in 1530. The fireplace itself is -of black marble, surmounted by a frieze in white marble containing -four bas-reliefs representing the history of the chaste Suzanne. One -cannot but wonder what was the connection of thought that suggested -this story in conjunction with the commemoration of the Treaty of -Cambrai, but at all events here it is. The reliefs are of varying -excellence, the one showing Suzanne about to be seized by her aged -admirers being very sharp and clear, while the fourth which shows the -culprits being stoned to death is rather indistinct. - -The upper part of the monumental chimney is of oak and occupies almost -the entire side of the room. In the centre stands Charles V, -represented as a Count of Flanders, nearly life size and finely -carved. At his right are statues of Maximilian and Marie of Burgundy, -and at the left Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castile--these -being the Emperor's ancestors on his father's and mother's sides -respectively. On the throne behind the Emperor are the busts of Philip -the Handsome and Joanna of Spain, his father and mother, and below -these are the portraits in small medallions of Charles de Lannoy, who -won the victory of Pavia where Francis I, the King of France, was -captured, and Margaret of Austria, who negotiated the treaty. As the -last mentioned portrait is almost invisible in the shadow of the -Emperor it hardly seems as though the chimney-piece does justice to -the loyal and talented woman whose successful diplomacy the entire -work is intended to commemorate. As an example of sixteenth-century -wood-carving, however, and as a most important historical monument, -this chimney-piece is by no means the least interesting of the many -things to be seen at Bruges. - -[Illustration: THE BELFRY, BRUGES.] - -Unlike most tourists, the Professor seemed to be in no hurry to -inspect the famous Belfry, although we had passed it a score of times -during our stay. Facing the Grande Place, and towering three hundred -and fifty-three feet into the air, it could not be overlooked, while -its loud chimes--which rang every quarter of an hour, and can be heard -for many blocks around--insured that it could not be forgotten. -Moreover, we more than once took our evening meal at a little -restaurant just across the Place from it and saw its graceful -octagonal parapet on one occasion outlined against the fast-flying -grey clouds of a summer storm and the next day against the blue sky of -one of the few perfect June days it was our fortune to enjoy. "Too -soon," he said, in answer to our inquiring glances--"the Belfry -belongs to the period of Bruges' splendour, while the buildings we -have seen thus far date from the formative period when she was still -little more than a fortress on a marsh." - -The original structure dates from the very early Counts of -Flanders--possibly from the time of the first Baldwin--but was -practically destroyed by a fire in the year 1280. It was then that the -present edifice was begun, at a period when the commercial and -industrial importance of the city was already very great. The city's -seal and archives were stored in a strong room within the belfry -walls, where four wrought iron doors secured by ten locks and ten keys -guarded them against abstraction by the emissaries of some Count who -might desire to curtail the privileges of the city. Eight of these -keys were kept by the deans of the eight leading guilds--the butchers, -bakers, shoemakers, tailors, weavers, brokers, carpenters and -blacksmiths--who thus virtually controlled the government. This room -the Professor desired to see above all else in the old structure. We -found the four wrought iron doors, but the archive chamber no longer -contains archives or the city's seal. It was a most interesting old -room, nevertheless, and one that ought to particularly interest the -builders of the elaborate burglar-proof and earthquake-proof vaults -that extend below so many great banking houses in America. Alas! -neither the four doors nor the ten locks rendered this ancient -strong-room for the protection of the city's liberties proof against -the cunning and power of tyrants, and the precious charters it once -held were gradually taken away, despite the stout handiwork of one -Erembald, blacksmith, who received eighty-one pounds for forging the -doors in the year 1290. - -To reach the bells one mounts a steep, dark staircase which is said to -contain four hundred and two steps, although we did not count them. -The chimes are claimed to be the finest in Europe, and comprise -forty-nine bells weighing in the aggregate fifty-six thousand, one -hundred and sixty-six pounds. They were cast by George Dumery in 1743 -and are noted for their soft tone. The _tambour_ which operates the -chimes that ring every quarter of an hour weighs nineteen thousand, -nine hundred and sixty-six pounds and is pierced by thirty thousand, -five hundred square holes in which are fixed the pegs that pull the -strings commanding the hammers hanging outside the bells. By altering -the position of these pegs the tunes can be varied, but the programme -played while we were in the city was as follows: - -At the hour: "Rondo, 15th sonata," by Mozart; at the quarter past: "Le -Carillon de Dunkerque," a popular air; at the half: "The Day of -Happiness," by Mozart; at the three-quarters past: "The Three -Drummers," a Flemish popular air. The official bell-ringer is M. Toon -Nauwelaerts, a native of Lierre, where his ancestors have been -bell-ringers for more than a hundred years. Although a young man, M. -Nauwelaerts won an international competition of bell-ringers organised -by the city of Bruges in 1911. - -The view from the summit of the Belfry is one of the most superb in -Flanders, especially if the visitor is so fortunate as to have fallen -on one of those days when the clouds roll in great fleecy masses of -dazzling white that form a wondrous background for the grim grey tower -of St. Sauveur and the tapering red spire of the cathedral. As one -looks down upon the sea of tiny red-roofed houses far below he is -transported in fancy to the time, centuries ago, when watchmen peered -off across these very parapets day and night to sound the alarm of an -approaching foe, or announce the approach of their mighty Count or -some noble visitor. In so doing he can realise what the old Belfry has -meant to the city on the Roya. "For six hundred years," wrote M. -Gilliodts, one of the city's learned archivists, "this belfry has -watched over the city of Bruges. It has beheld her triumphs and her -failures, her glory and her shame, her prosperity and her gradual -decay, and, in spite of so many vicissitudes, it is still standing to -bear witness to the genius of our forefathers, to awaken alike -memories of old times and admiration for one of the most splendid -monuments of civic architecture which the Middle Ages have produced." - -The best time of all in which to study and admire the external aspect -of this noble structure is when the sun is sinking to rest and its -rays fall slantingly across the sombre pile of tawny brick, touching -up its projections here and there with high lights that contrast -sharply with the deep shadows behind them, and listen--as did so often -our poet Longfellow--to the wonderfully sweet chimes as they ring the -quarter hours: - - "Low and loud and sweetly blended, - Low at times and loud at times, - And changing like a poet's rhymes - Ring the beautiful wild chimes - From the Belfry in the market - Of the ancient town of Bruges." - -The Halles themselves, of which the Belfry is the chief ornament, are -notable for their considerable size, forming a rectangle one hundred -and forty-three feet broad and two hundred and seventy-six feet deep. -The archeological museum in one wing--which is in course of removal -to the Gruuthuise Palace--enabled us to see the interior of the -structure, the extent of which indicates the volume of business that -was transacted there when Bruges was known as "the Venice of the -North." The great commercial activity of Bruges during the period of -its prosperity, from the twelfth to the fifteenth centuries, was due -primarily to the fact that the Counts of Flanders decreed that it -should be the sole port of entry for the entire country. The burghers -quickly perceived the priceless value of this privilege, and by their -enterprise and liberality made the city the foremost metropolis in -Europe in the volume and variety of its international trade. With -London its relations were especially intimate and cordial, each city -granting to the merchants of the other privileges that in those days -were almost unheard of. For example, the merchants of Bruges in time -of war were granted forty days of grace in which to dispose of their -property and provide for their personal safety. On one occasion, while -a war was actually going on, they were given a special truce of ninety -days in which to traffic freely with the subjects of the King of -England. The reason for these unusual favours was that Bruges was the -great market where the wool of England, on which the prosperity of -the country depended, was disposed of. Not infrequently the archives -record instances where the Kings of England treated with the chief -magistrates of Bruges on terms of complete equality, as if with a -sovereign power. - -Nor was England the only country represented in the market places of -Bruges during this period. The Doges of Venice often treated directly -with the Burgomasters of the Italian city's Flemish rival, while the -powerful Hanseatic League established here their chief establishment -for the Netherlands. The list of the "Nations," as the groups of -foreign merchants were called, makes curious reading at the present -day. There were English, Scotch, French, Lusitanians, Castilians, -Venetians, Genoans, Florentines; merchants from Aragon, Biscay, Lucca, -Milan, Lombardy and Navarre. The German merchants from the Hanseatic -towns of Lubeck, Hamburg, Cologne, Dantzig and Bremen numbered no less -than forty houses in the year 1362, while the Italian and Spanish -firms resident in the city were still more numerous. Many of these -concerns were among the foremost trading and banking houses of the -Middle Ages, with mercantile transactions extending into every part of -the known world and strong enough financially to loan money to -princes. When the Duke of Pembroke was captured by Du Guesclin in the -Hundred Years' War between England and France it was in Bruges that -his countrymen borrowed the seventy thousand pounds demanded as -ransom. - -As befitted the first mercantile city in the world, business methods -were more advanced at Bruges than anywhere else. It is claimed that -the first insurance policies ever drawn up were devised and signed in -Bruges about the year 1300. A form of registration of land titles was -in use there as early as the fifteenth century. Its Bourse, or central -exchange for merchandise of all kinds, is claimed to have been the -first ever established. - -In a single day in the year 1456 no less than 150 foreign vessels -arrived at Bruges through its canals and the River Zwyn, and while -these were, of course, small craft as compared to those of the present -day there was then no port in the world that could boast of an equal -quantity of shipping. Industrially, the town was no less important, -having some fifty thousand artisans belonging to fifty-two different -guilds. - -The silting up of the Zwyn, rendering the approach and departure of -shipping difficult and uncertain, started a downward movement that -in less than a century destroyed all of this great activity and -prosperity. Had it come alone it is probable that the sturdy merchants -of Bruges would have found a way to overcome this adverse factor to -their continued success, either by digging a new channel to the sea or -by dredging, but misfortunes--as is their proverbial wont--did not -come singly. In 1488, as a result of a conflict between the city and -Maximilian, the stores and exchanges were closed for three months and -all business came to a standstill. Seven years later it was said that -nearly five thousand houses stood vacant and abandoned, no one caring -either to buy or rent them. One by one the great merchants of the city -closed their counting-rooms and went away; one by one the artisans -departed. The last of the "Nations" to desert the declining city was -the Hanseatic League, which stood by it loyally until 1516, when it -removed its offices to Antwerp, by that time the acknowledged -metropolis of the North. - -[Illustration: THE MINNEWATER, BRUGES.] - -The Minnewater, or Lac d'Amour, is--apart from its exquisite -beauty--of interest as another memento of the city's former commerce. -This was the chief harbour for shipping, and, no doubt, was thronged -with sailing craft, while its banks must have swarmed with merchants -checking their arriving or departing cargoes, stevedores carrying -bales and boxes to and fro, clumsy wagons and carts for transporting -merchandise to the warehouses of the city and all the varied noise and -bustle of a great seaport. It is strangely silent and deserted now, -and the grass grows tall around the round tower built in 1398 by Jan -van Oudenaarde, and the white swans float slowly and majestically -beneath the black arches of the adjoining bridge which is eight years -older than the tower. It is said that he, or she, who stands on the -central arch of this bridge at midnight and expresses a desire will -have the wish fulfilled, but we did not try it. Before leaving this -charming spot, however, we went along the banks of the little lake to -a point where, looking back, we had the round tower and the bridge in -the middle distance, the lake in the foreground, and the towers of the -city on the horizon. This view is, without doubt, the finest the old -town affords. - -The visitor to Bruges who is interested in the past should devote at -least half a day to a pilgrimage to Damme, distant about an hour's -walk along the canal that leads from the new port of Bruges to the -sea. In 1180 this now all but forgotten town was made an independent -commune with two burgomasters, and for two centuries thereafter it -enjoyed a great and increasing prosperity. It became the chief -entrepôt for the great commercial city of Bruges during its period of -splendour, and most of the leading merchants maintained offices there. -Its warehouses were crowded with merchandise from every corner of -Europe--wines from France and Spain, beer from England, wool from -Scotland, silk from Italy, all manner of cloths and stuffs, spices of -all kinds, metals of every variety known to the metal workers of those -days, rare and precious goods of every description. - -To-day the very scene of all this mercantile activity has vanished. -Gone are the busy warehouses, the docks and wharves, even the very -harbour in which--according to ancient chroniclers--a score of ships -of the largest size then built could anchor easily. All that remains -is a diminutive Grande Place surrounded by several ancient edifices, -and the ruins of a huge church. In the centre of the Place is a modern -statue of Jacob van Maerlant, called "the Father of Flemish Poets." -Fame has surely never played any more astounding trick than that out -of the great host who lived in this busy commercial town in the days -of its prosperity--portly burgomasters, skilled in winning the -plaudits of the populace; shrewd, far-sighted merchants grown rich -from the commerce with distant lands; skilled artisans and craftsmen -in a hundred guilds--all, all are forgotten, while an obscure poet, -whom very likely many of those who knew him derided as a fool, is -alone remembered as the one great man of Damme. - -Facing the Grande Place is the ancient Hotel de Ville, which, in -addition to being the most notable monument of the dead town, is also -an estaminet where the living can get a little refreshment. The main -floor of this edifice is divided into three large rooms. The first one -is the estaminet, with its array of bottles and its beer pump -contrasting most incongruously with the remaining vestiges of its -ancient grandeur. - -Adjoining this is a large, irregular and unfurnished room, bare of -ornamentation save for two corbels, or Gothic brackets, which support -the main rafters of the ceiling. These are of wood, elaborately -carved. One represents Van Maerlant in his study, seated at a desk, -with what M. Havard calls a "chaste Suzanne" bathing in a tub over his -head. The other shows King David with his harp, and is embellished -with sundry other figures. - -The remaining room is by far the most interesting, for it was here -that Charles the Bold publicly betrothed Margaret of York. The room, -which is officially termed the _Salle des Délibérations_, or Council -Hall, has a fine old fireplace said to have been restored during the -seventeenth century. It is decorated with two female figures in hoop -skirts and bears the motto "_Parcere subjectis et debellare -superbos_." This quotation from Vergil (Æneid 6:853) sounds rather -pompous and out of place in the council chamber of this now completely -vanquished and ruined city, and must have seemed so even in the -seventeenth century, but it may have been a survival of an inscription -placed over the original fireplace in the days when Damme dared to -close its gates even against the men from Bruges itself, and the -puissant Counts of Flanders had to use force to compel it to open -them. - -It was in the year 1468 that this room in which we are now standing -had its one great day and became, for a brief space, the setting of -one of those splendid mediæval scenes that bards and novelists so -fondly recall, and that--in our age of up-to-date inventions--the -moving-picture men are so busily reconstructing and re-enacting. The -Princess had landed at Sluys, near the mouth of the River Zwyn, where -the Duke of Burgundy paid her a brief visit in secret--possibly to see -what she looked like, for this was a marriage of state and intended to -further his far-reaching ambitions. Probably if she had been as homely -as a witch the wedding would have taken place just the same, but as -the reverse was the case the preliminary inspection must have been -very gratifying. The following day the royal lady and her company rode -to Damme in a fleet of barges gorgeously decorated with gold, rich -velvets and rare silks. Here she was lodged in this very Council -Chamber of the Hotel de Ville, and here the Duke came in great state -to perform the public ceremony of betrothal. The wedding ring was -given in the presence of the English Bishop who had accompanied the -Princess, and Charles announced that he would await her presence on -the morrow at Bruges, where the wedding itself was to be celebrated in -the Cathedral. - -The wedding procession as it departed for Bruges the next day must -have been another brave sight for the proud citizens of Damme. The -bride, reclining in a litter borne by four white horses, wore a -magnificent gown of cloth of gold, a crown on her forehead, a jewelled -necklace, and a mantle clasped with precious stones. Around her -pranced her ladies of honour, mounted on white horses gaily bedecked -with crimson satin. Immediately behind this picturesque group came -five decorated chariots bearing a score of beautiful ladies from the -English court, and following these came the guard of honour, or -escort, provided by the Duke--a squadron of counts, barons and -knights, with their faithful squires, their horses covered with gold -and silver, the riders resplendent in bright coloured velvet and rich -lace. The good people of the Middle Ages dearly loved a pageant, and -this surely was one to rejoice the heart of every citizen of Damme, -for here was the pride of the chivalry of all Europe--fair ladies and -brave men from oversea and from every corner of the great Duke's wide -dominions--thronging the Grande Place as the procession formed, and -then falling into their respective places as the long line passed out -through the city gate and proceeded on the straight, tree-lined -_grande route_ that led to Bruges. - - - - -CHAPTER V - -DIXMUDE AND FURNES - - -The tourist who desires to get away from the main thoroughfare of -European travel, to explore out-of-the-way corners, and discover for -himself wonders and beauties that the learned Mr. Baedeker never heard -of, cannot do better than to turn away to the westward from the great -Ostende-Brussels express route and visit the all but forgotten cities -of Dixmude, Furnes and Nieuport. All but forgotten, that is, in June, -1914. The world has heard of them since, and it will be many hundreds -of years before it forgets them again! These little places, which when -we visited them were nothing but sleepy and quiet country towns, were -great and prosperous cities in the period when Bruges was slowly -rising toward its zenith, and the Professor therefore decreed that -they must come next on our itinerary. We accordingly spent an evening -studying the _correspondences_, or connections, of the State Railway -and the _chemin de fer vicinal_, or local steam tramway, and started -at daybreak the next morning. - -Right here it may be said that the Belgian State Railway did its best -to compensate us for whatever shortcomings we found in the weather or -in the country generally. Perfect its service can hardly be said to -have been, but it was excellent and amazingly cheap. Our party -purchased every two weeks _billets d'abonnement_ that cost us just -forty-one francs each, or about $8.00, and entitled us to ride on any -State-owned railway line in the country day or night for fifteen days. -These were second-class, the third costing twenty-three francs, and -first sixty francs. The last, by the way, is a useless luxury, as on -the local lines the first-class compartments are identical with the -second-class except for a white tidy placed at the back of the -cushions. Frequently there was not even the tidy, but the sign, -"_Reservé_--_Voorbehouden_," converted an ordinary second-class -compartment into first-class--a distinction that gave the traveller -very little for his money, save the privilege of riding alone. - -On the main express routes that radiate outward from Brussels in every -direction there were a number of _rapides_, or fast express trains, -that made very good time indeed--a speed of a kilometre per minute -being about the average. On the international express trains, some of -which are first-class only, the speed was somewhat higher, but these -we never had occasion to use. After the _rapides_ came the express -trains, generally marked "_direct_" or "_semi-direct_," according to -whether or not they made any intermediate stops before reaching their -final destination. These were only moderately fast, and, if they did -stop anywhere, lingered so long that the time gained by their previous -speed was largely lost. Then came the type of local train called -_omnibus_ or _ordinaire_, that stopped at every station. To the -American these trains would seem astoundingly slow, even for a land -that is never in a hurry. Each stop is dragged out, minute after -minute, until it seems certain that either a terrible accident must -have occurred ahead, or the train crew has gone on strike. Actually, -more than once, we did see part of the crew returning from an -estaminet hard by whither they had gone to have a friendly glass. -Finally, however, the red-capped station master blows his whistle and -the train reluctantly pulls away. To make a trip of sixty kilometres -(forty miles) by one of these trains took, on more than one occasion, -two hours and a quarter, and the train arrived on time! - -This last point is a feature of the Belgian railway trains. They are -almost invariably on time, and lateness is a matter for strict -examination on the part of the officials and severe penalties for -those responsible. However, there does not seem to be much credit -attached to being on time when the schedule allows for a stop of from -two to fifteen minutes at each station. The man primarily responsible -for the movement of the trains is not the conductor or engineer but -the _chef de gare_, or station-master. He, or his deputy if the -station is a large one with many trains, must be on hand when each -train pulls in, and give the signal for its departure. His dark-red -cap, embroidered with gold braid, is therefore in evidence at every -station, and until this high functionary gives the word no train -moves. As it is, each leaves exactly on time--but not a second before, -no matter if every passenger has been in place and the doors slammed -and fastened for the last five minutes! - -The foregoing description of the Belgian State Railway refers, of -course, to the service as it existed down to the end of July. Since -then the destruction of tracks, bridges and tunnels by one army or -another has put most of the system out of operation. One of the -saddest phases of the war is that every one of the thousands of -employés of the Belgian State Railway--from the highest supervising -official to the humblest track walker--was working faithfully and -efficiently, and planning the future of his frugal life, upon the -assurance that promotion and an old-age pension would reward his zeal. -This obligation toward its employés the Belgian Government has ever -faithfully observed, and in the course of our travels we met many -middle-aged men who told us that they were looking forward to the day -when their terms of duty would end and they would be pensioned on half -pay to enjoy a few years of well-earned repose. Probably not one of -these men ever seriously dreamed that an event could occur that would, -in the course of a few swift weeks, blot out the record of his life -work, and deprive him of all opportunity for promotion, for pension, -and even for employment. No doubt the death toll of the battles on the -plains of Flanders has been heavy among these courteous, capable and -industrious men--many of whom were liable for military service in time -of war--but let us hope that peace, when it comes, will bring to each -survivor his old post again, with the old good service record -unforgotten, and that he will receive the pension he rightfully -expects and that his country would gladly give--at last. - -To those who enjoy rambling through the byways of history there is no -town richer in associations, yet less spoiled by the visits of the all -but ubiquitous tourist, than Dixmude. At present this little city is -situated fifteen miles from the sea, yet all the ancient chroniclers -aver that prior to the thirteenth century it was a seaport with a -commerce overseas and a not inconsiderable fishing fleet. As one looks -across the miles and miles of pleasant fields, interspersed with -waving windmills and tiny villages, this part of the ancient city's -history seems utterly incredible, but it is too well authenticated to -be disputed. Ten times, so the histories tell us, Dixmude was besieged -and bravely defended by its citizens. More than once it was destroyed -by fire and rebuilt, but at last the blight that destroyed the -prosperity of its larger and more powerful neighbours, Ypres, Bruges -and Ghent, struck at the heart of its industries as well and it sank -by imperceptible degrees into its long sleep. - -Like the abode of the Sleeping Princess, of whom Tennyson wrote, one -might almost fancy that all life had stopped centuries ago at the -wave of some magic wand. The summer's sun and winter's rain and snow -of half a thousand years have left but the faintest traces on its old -houses and its great parish church of St. Nicholas. The pride and joy -of this church is its altar screen, or _jubé_, said to have been -designed by Urban Taillebert, the architect of the Church of St. -Martin at Ypres and many other celebrated works of around the year -1600. There is also an "Adoration of the Magi" by Jordaens, and the -usual collection of minor works of art. To us, however, this old -church was far more interesting externally than within, its huge clock -tower resembling nothing else that we had seen in Flanders or -elsewhere. The Grande Place, from which one can obtain a fine view of -the old church with a row of Lilliputian houses nestling below it, is -big enough to accommodate all the present inhabitants of the town in -one corner. In its prime Dixmude is said to have had thirty thousand -inhabitants, and all the room on the Place was, no doubt, needed on -market days, but it does not have a fifteenth of that number now, and -the wide, grass-grown expanse of cobble-stones is entirely deserted. - -The _jubé_, or altar screen, already mentioned, is the one great -"sight" of the little town, and every one asks without fail whether -you have yet seen it. It is assuredly well worth seeing, being -wonderfully graceful and dainty, and, perhaps, the finest thing of its -kind in Northern Europe. The other famous _chef d'oeuvre_ of Dixmude -is culinary instead of artistic. This is a kind of brioche called -_zieltjenskoeken_, or _gateaux d'ames_--a sort of "soul cooky," as it -were. Twice a year, on certain religious occasions, the inhabitants of -Dixmude consume vast quantities of these confections, which are -claimed to possess the property--if eaten on the prescribed days--of -delivering one's soul from purgatory and sending it straight to -Paradise. We were unfortunately unable to verify this, as our visit -did not come on the right day, but we found the butter of -Dixmude--which has enjoyed a great reputation for centuries--to be all -that was claimed for it, although the Professor insisted on putting a -shake of salt on his, to the great horror of the maid who served our -dinner. - -Had some Madame Thebes told us what the near future had in store for -this sleepy and quaint old city we would have spent days instead of -hours in it, but last June its importance did not seem to justify -giving it a chapter so we planned to visit Furnes the same day. -To-day the name of Dixmude has been heard to the farthest ends of the -world, its great square echoes to the tramp of armed men, its old -church--after standing for so many centuries--is said to have fallen -before the withering storm of shrapnel and shells that for days rained -down upon its defenders. It has been taken and retaken by each side in -the gigantic combat more than once. It is asleep no longer, forgotten -no longer; and, in years to come, reverent visitors from many nations -will visit what may remain of the ancient town. For these the chief -interest will not lie in the walls of the ruined church or the relics -of the departed _jubé_, if any there be, but out in the open, pleasant -fields where, in trenches that the kindly hand of nature will -gradually obliterate, the brave men of four nations met in one of the -fiercest and bloodiest death grapples of the great war. - -But last July both Madame Thebes and the cannon were silent, so again -taking our faithful _omnibus_ after the dinner--which we obtained at -one of the little restaurants overlooking the Grande Place--we next -journeyed northward to Furnes, which is only a few miles distant -across the flat Flemish plain. Furnes, according to the antiquarians, -dates from as early as the year 800, and its day of greatness had -come and gone centuries ago. Its crooked streets, quaint gabled -houses, and picturesque corners seemed more mediæval than any place we -had visited--surpassing even Dixmude in this respect. It was here, by -the way, that Leopold I was welcomed to the country when he arrived -after being chosen to be the first King of the Belgians in 1831. The -Hotel of the Nobele Rose, near the Grande Place, is said to have been -the Palace of the Countess Gertrude of Flanders in 1093, and if so, -must be one of the oldest houses in Flanders. The widow of Count -Philip of Alsace is also said to have resided here in 1218. More -celebrated, in years to come, than any of these incidents, will be the -fact that Furnes was for many months of the Great War the headquarters -of the brave Belgian army, and the place of residence of Belgium's -heroic King. - -The great annual event at Furnes is the famous Procession, which takes -place the third Sunday in July. It dates from 1100 or thereabouts, -when, according to the legend, Count Robert of Flanders was on his way -back from the Holy Land, bringing with him a piece of the true cross. -His voyage across the Mediterranean, through the Straits of Gibraltar -and past the stormy Bay of Biscay, was without incident, but as he -was nearing home a fearful storm in the English Channel threatened to -send his frail bark to the bottom. The waves were running mountain -high and all the party expected each moment to be their last when the -Count suddenly bethought himself of his holy relic and vowed that, if -his life were spared, he would present it to the first church of which -he might see the spire. - -Immediately the storm ceased, the wind died down, the sea became as -smooth as a mill-pond, and as the happy mariners looked toward the -shore of their dear Flanders a ray of sunlight fell upon the tower of -Ste. Walburge in Furnes. To this church, therefore, in fulfilment of -his vow, Count Robert presented the relic, now doubly precious by -reason of this miracle. To commemorate this event the canons of the -church organised a procession which took place every year and was -marked by various historical representations of the return of Count -Robert. About 1650 an act of sacrilege committed by a soldier, who was -publicly executed for his crime, led to the procession taking on -certain penitential features by way of expiation on the part of the -city for this sin. From that time on the procession has included -representations, for the most part by peasants dressed up for the -parts, of Abraham and the Prophets, the Flight into Egypt, the Visit -of the Three Wise Men to the Cradle at Bethlehem, so often painted by -the artists of the Flemish school, the Stable and the Birth of Christ, -the Court of Herod, Jesus in the Midst of the Doctors, the Penitent -Magdalen, the Entry of Christ into Jerusalem, the Feast at Cana, the -Garden of Olives, the Betrayal of Judas, and a series of scenes -representing the crucifixion, burial and resurrection. Following these -tableaux come the penitents, walking masked and barefooted, clad for -the most part in brown Capuchin robes, and singing or chanting certain -lines in Flemish. Many of the leading actors in the tableaux have -"speaking parts," all of them in Flemish and delivered with varying -degrees of histrionic skill to the crowd that lines the streets. The -whole performance, apart from its great antiquity, is of interest as -being a local and original representation of the Biblical story--a -sort of Flemish passion play, less refined and artistic than that of -the Swiss peasants of Oberammergau, but none the less conscientious, -earnest and sincere. - -At one time Furnes ranked next to Ghent and Bruges among the cities of -Flanders in official importance, if not in population and industry, -its _châtellenie_ comprising fifty-two villages. In 1297 it was -besieged by Robert, the Count of Artois, who fell five years later at -the great battle of Courtrai. At Furnes the French arms were -successful and the city was captured and sacked, "more than two -thousand houses being burned in two days," according to the -contemporary chronicles. Philip the Bold, the first of the Burgundian -Dukes to rule over Flanders, rebuilt its fortifications, and the city -was deemed worthy under Philip the Good to be designated as the place -of residence of the French Dauphin, who subsequently became Louis XI, -when that remarkable young man was in exile through his father's -displeasure. It may well have been here that the wiliest and most -unscrupulous of all the Kings of France planned that tortuous and -secretive policy that--steadily pursued year after year--brought the -powerful House of Burgundy low at last and made France one nation -instead of two or three. - -The quaint old Grande Place of Furnes, while smaller than that of -Dixmude, is equally picturesque. On one side is the old Meat Market, -dating from the first quarter of the seventeenth century; and hard by -is the _Maison des Espagnols_, or House of the Spaniards, formerly -used as a town-hall and erected in the thirteenth century. The -present Hotel de Ville also faces the Place and is well worth a visit, -although none of its rooms are sufficiently notable to merit a -detailed description. The ancient _Châtellenie_, now used as Court -House, was begun in 1612--the year the Hotel de Ville was -finished--and is chiefly memorable as the meeting-place of the Spanish -Inquisition. This body held its sessions in the antechamber on the -first floor and not in the main hall, which is decorated by a mural -painting by de Vriendt representing Philip the Fair swearing to -observe the rights and privileges of the city. The establishment of -the Inquisition by his namesake and grandson, Philip II, affords a -ghastly commentary on the manner in which that monarch kept the -similar pledges with which he began his reign. Another fine old -edifice on the Grande Place is the Belfry, square for half its height, -then octagonal, and finally surmounted by a bulbous spire, heavy and -clumsy, but none the less exceedingly quaint and picturesque. Not a -few of the ancient houses around the Place and in the adjacent streets -were sufficiently mediæval to have merited a visit had our stay in -this fine old Flemish town been longer; but, so far as we could -learn, none possessed any particular historical interest. - -Besides Ste. Walburge, already mentioned--which was evidently planned -to be a cathedral, but of which only the choir was ever -completed--Furnes possesses the church of St. Nicholas, which has a -noble square tower, also unfinished. Both churches are disappointing -within, although the former is, no doubt, of great interest to -architects as an example of the ogival style, while the latter is -Gothic and dates from the fourteenth century. The choir stalls in St. -Walburge are notable examples of the Flemish woodcarvers' art, -although far less ancient than the church itself. - -If the time of your stay is midsummer, as it will be if you come to -Furnes to see the Procession, do not go away without a day on the -dunes at Coxyde. This beach is less well known, as yet, than those at -Ostende, Heyst and Blankenburghe farther to the east but it is -increasing in popularity very rapidly. A land company, with head -offices at Brussels, is engaged in erecting summer houses among the -dunes which look too American in architecture and manner of -construction for this country where houses are generally built as if -intended to last a thousand years. A little _chemin de fer_ -_vicinal_ runs from Furnes to Coxyde. In addition to the splendid -beach and the dunes, which have a dreary grandeur that is always -fascinating, the shrimp fishermen, or _pecheurs de crevettes_, will -make the short trip well worth while. - -[Illustration: SHRIMP FISHERMEN, COXYDE.] - -These weather-beaten men, with their rough oilskin hats and suits, are -the modern representatives of an ancient Flemish industry--shrimp -fishing having been carried on along these coasts literally from time -immemorial. They are very picturesque, both while at work on horseback -dragging in their nets, and while lounging along the shore, pipe in -mouth. Jean Delvin has a fine painting representing them in the Museum -at Ghent, while one of the most powerful of Meunier's statues is -devoted to the same subject. - - - - -CHAPTER VI - -NIEUPORT AND THE YSER CANAL - - -When the war is over, and the era of commemoration begins, Belgium, if -she is free, should erect at Nieuport, close to the great locks that -mark the outlet of the Yser Canal--or at some point along the canal -where the fighting was the fiercest--a monument higher than that at -Leipzig where the Germans recall their victory over Napoleon, higher -than the great lion that guards the field of Waterloo. At its summit -should stand a heroic-sized figure in imperishable bronze of a Belgian -infantryman, one of the round-capped "demons" whose indomitable will -and unwavering courage held this last bit of Belgian soil against -overpowering numbers for days. It was here that Germany's magnificent -rush from Antwerp to the Channel ports was stopped, and it was the -last remnant of the little Belgian army that, turning on its foe like -a lion at bay, hurled back every assault until the little Yser Canal -ran red and until, at last, the great reinforcing hosts of the allies -came. - -The little straggling town of Nieuport, peaceful and sleepy as it -looked last summer, is not a stranger to battles and sieges. In the -time of William the Conqueror Lombartzyde, now a little hamlet on the -_chemin de fer vicinal_ behind the dunes from Nieuport to Ostende, was -the shipping port of this region, but great storms filled the harbour -with sand and the citizens established a "New Port" on another branch -of the Yser in 1160. It was fortified three years later, and for -several centuries was one of the strong towns defending the Low -Countries on the French frontier. Its strategic importance made it the -scene of many battles and sieges. It was destroyed by the English and -their allies, the men of Ghent, in 1383. The lonely tower or Donjon of -the Templars, standing on the edge of the town, is all that remains of -a monastery of that order which was ruined at that time. - -The city itself, however, was quickly rebuilt, and among other -memorable sieges beat off a great French force in the year 1489. In -1568 the Spanish, under Condé, beat a French army commanded by Turenne -not far from the city. Another famous fight before the walls of the -old town took place in the year 1600 during the long war between Spain -and her revolted Provinces. Count Maurice of Nassau, at the head of -twelve thousand men from the United Provinces, had invaded Flanders, -which still remained under the power of Spain, and marching rapidly -from the Scheldt past Ostende, proceeded to besiege Nieuport. The -Archduke Albert, hastily raising an army of fifteen thousand -Spaniards, advanced unexpectedly on the Dutch, who were taken -completely by surprise. Perceiving that he was caught in a trap, Count -Maurice--in order to give his men the courage of despair--ordered the -Dutch fleet to withdraw, and told his soldiers that they must either -conquer or "be prepared to drink all the water behind them." - -Meanwhile an advance guard of the Dutch army was driven back by the -advancing Spaniards who, thinking they had met the whole army, sent -couriers to Bruges and Ghent announcing the victory. Bells were rung -to celebrate the Archduke's supposed success which, as the event -proved, was a strategic victory for Nassau as it delayed the enemy -several hours. It was three o'clock in the afternoon when the -advancing Spaniards found themselves face to face with the main army -of the republic, drawn up on the very beach outside the city walls. -Perceiving their sturdy ranks and unyielding front the Archduke -hesitated, but the Spaniards urged him not to let them lose their -prey, whom they regarded as hateful rebels and heretics. - -Thus encouraged, the Archduke gave the order to advance and the battle -soon became general. The fate of the day was decided by the artillery -of the Dutch which, by a fortunate order of their far-sighted -commander, had been lifted off from the sand and mounted on platforms -made from boughs, brush and such timber as was handy. That of the -Archduke, mounted in haste directly on the beach, embedded itself in -the sand at each discharge until it became useless, while that of the -republicans became more accurate and deadly. At the same time the rays -of the setting sun falling directly in the eyes of the Spanish -soldiers, who were facing westward, blinded them and caused them to -fire wildly. The Archduke performed prodigies of valour, having two -horses killed under him and being himself slightly wounded, but as -darkness began to fall on the bloody beach Count Maurice ordered a -charge by a force of cavalry he had held in reserve. This fresh force -proved irresistible, the Spanish lines began to give way on all sides, -and the retreat quickly turned into a rout. Even the proud Archduke -had to seek safety in flight, and the day, which had begun so -auspiciously, ended in one of the greatest disasters of the disastrous -war. - -Nieuport and its sister cities in this, until lately, half-forgotten -corner of Flanders were, in former times, renowned for other contests -happily less bloody than these famous battles. Here, during the Middle -Ages, flourished a group of societies devoted to rhetoric. In place of -the still more ancient tourneys, where armed knights fought with lance -and sword, these "Chambers of Rhetoric" held annual contests of -oratory. From one end of Flanders to the other the movement spread; -and these debating societies did much to cultivate a regard for -learning and dialectic skill among the mass of the population. Sternly -suppressed by Alva, implacable foe of every form of free thought, -these societies were revived after the Spanish scourge was withdrawn, -and some of them continue to the present day. - -The visitor who wandered around the long, slightly hilly streets of -the Nieuport of last July would have had little trouble in locating -plenty of the "monuments" of its famous past, although the beach has -now receded two or three miles to the northward and pleasant fields -extend along the edge of the wide marshes which then were probably -part of the sea. A curious old lighthouse with a pointed tower stands -about midway between the present town and Nieuport _Bains_, as the -beach town is called, showing where the coastline lay some three -hundred and fifty years ago. Even this spot is now too far inland for -the light to be seen at sea and a new lighthouse has been built on the -rampart of dunes that runs, like a miniature mountain range, almost to -Ostende toward the east, and westward to Coxyde and beyond. - -[Illustration: TOWER OF THE TEMPLARS, NIEUPORT.] - -Our first visit at Nieuport was to the Tower of the Templars, a huge -square pile of brick standing in the midst of a potato patch. This -prosaic environment detracted not a little from the sentimental -interest of the edifice, and we were unable to get into the structure, -although one of the gens d'armes of the village was said to have a key -to the low wooden door at its base. Equally disappointing was a visit -to the ancient _Halle aux Draps_, or Cloth Hall, now used on certain -days as a local butter market. Here again, the door was locked and no -one seemed to know who had the key. Curiously enough, although -situated very close to the French frontier, we found in this little -town and its neighbours, Dixmude and Furnes, very few people who -understood French. Flemish is the universal language hereabouts -apparently, but it was only on this little trip that we were at all -inconvenienced by our inability to speak it. Elsewhere in -Flanders--even at Ypres and Audenaerde, where our friends said we -would have trouble--we were able to make our French universally -understood. - -On the Grande Place, close to the Cloth Hall, we found a little inn, -called the Hotel du Pelican, where the Professor proposed that we -should get some liquid refreshment. We failed, however, to obtain any -response to our raps and thumps on the door, and concluding that the -establishment must be run for pelicans only we took ourselves and our -patronage elsewhere. The Church of Notre Dame, which stands just off -the Grande Place, we found to be a most quaint and interesting old -structure dating, it is said, from the thirteenth century. While less -imposing externally than St. Nicholas at Furnes its massive square -baroque tower was very striking, and formed a fine picture in -conjunction with the more slender tower of the Cloth Hall hard by. The -approach to the main entrance of the church was beneath some lofty -trees and we did not see a solitary human being either outside of the -edifice or within it. This church has an interesting _jubé_ or rood -loft, a fine wooden pulpit, and we also noticed a curious winding -stairway that seemed to lead upward within one of the pillars at the -intersection of the transept and the choir. As the tower is not built -at this point, but at one end of the edifice, it was quite a mystery -where this stairway went and what its purpose might be, but as it -seemed exceedingly narrow and dark we did not explore it, nor did we -find any one to whom we could apply for information about it. - -It was in this church, by the way, or possibly in one of those at -Dixmude or Furnes, that the Madame developed a violent antipathy to a -certain painting that seems to be one of the most cherished -possessions of nearly every church in Flanders. As old Cotton and -Increase Mather delighted in scaring and harrowing their audiences -with word pictures of the tortures of the burning fiery pit, so nearly -every old Flemish artist seems to have delighted in portraying most -vividly the sufferings and martyrdoms of the saints, and one subject -in particular appears to have caught the fancy of every one of them. -This was the beheading of John the Baptist. At times the head is shown -rolling in the dust or mire of the street, at times it is represented -as being served on a platter--but to one and all of these works of art -the Madame objected. This circumstance added not a little to the -happiness of Mr. and Mrs. Professor, who were continually contriving -to lead her artfully around to inspect some new wonder, which proved -to be another representation of this agreeable scene. As works of art -they were nearly all atrocities, but as jokes on the Madame they were -one and all great successes, and it was really surprising how many of -them there were. - -The Hotel de Ville, a somewhat commonplace looking structure, is said -to contain a small collection of paintings, but we were unable to make -any of the phlegmatic gens d'armes whom we found lounging close by -take enough interest in our questions to inform us where admission -might be obtained. In fact the whole town seemed singularly -uninterested in tourists, apparently caring not a bit whether they -came or stayed away. While the war will undoubtedly change this, still -any one desiring to visit it will do well to make the trip from -Ostende or Furnes, returning for the night to some point where hotel -accommodations are more adequate. In our case we went over to Ostende, -where there are many good hotels. No doubt a pleasant week or month -could be spent in this corner of Flanders, but for such a stay the -best plan would be to go to one of the many little seaside resorts -between Coxyde and Ostende for one's hotel or pension, and explore the -hinterland from there. - -The ride by the little _chemin de fer vicinal_ from Nieuport to -Ostende is a very interesting one. At the outset the line crosses the -huge locks that join the canals to Ostende and Furnes with the tidal -river Yser. There are seven or eight bridges in all, the different -canals and channels being separated by tiny islands. Had Madame Thebes -only suggested that we explore the Yser Canals while we were there -last July how much more interesting this part of the book would be! -Unfortunately they looked then much as hundreds of other Belgian -canals had looked and we gave them only a passing glance. While the -newspapers in their accounts of the great battle of Flanders usually -spoke of the Yser Canal as though there was but a single canal, in -reality there are three canals that flow into the tiny Yser River at -this point. One of these runs parallel with the coast to Ostende, and -then onward to Bruges and beyond; the second runs behind the range of -dunes westward to Furnes, where it divides and crosses the French -frontier in two branches, one going to Bergues and the other to -Dunkerque. It is the third branch that achieved immortality in the -Battle of Flanders. This runs straight inland, at right angles to the -other two, following the tortuous channel of the old river much of the -way to Dixmude. A short distance beyond Dixmude the canal ceases to -follow the River Yser, which here flows eastward from a source well -across the French boundary, and ascends the Yser's smaller tributary, -the Yperlée, to Ypres. It did not seem like very much of an obstacle -from a military standpoint, but brave hearts can make the most of a -small advantage. Below the big locks the little river runs in its own -bed to the sea. Here the tide was out the day of our visit and a few -small fishing boats were lying tipped over sideways in the mud, while -two or three English ladies were busily sketching the not -over-picturesque scene. There will be a great many people sketching in -this vicinity by and by! - -About two miles from Nieuport the train passes the church of -Lombartzyde, within which is a statue of the Virgin known among -mariners far and wide as the _Bonne Mére de Lombartzyde_, and who is -devoutly believed able to protect the faithful seaman from perils by -sea, to aid the farmer in his harvest, to cure the sick and succour -the distressed. Many are the little ships, patiently carved by fingers -hardened by toil and exposure, that have been reverently hung before -the good Virgin's shrine. There are perhaps fewer now than formerly, -but faith in her protection and power is still strong and will -probably always continue to be so, for the Flemings are intensely -loyal to the church. - -Not a few of those who visit these little towns, rich in mementoes of -the past, but otherwise apparently very sleepy and dull, wonder what -the inhabitants do for amusement. No one who has ever spent a Sunday -in a Belgian country village need ask this question. From one end of -the country to the other, in the Borinage or mining provinces of the -southwest as well as in the Flemish counties of the north, the male -population devotes the greater part of the day to what may -unhesitatingly be termed the Belgian national sport--archery. In the -early part of the Middle Ages Flemish archers were as famous as the -longbowmen of Merrie England, and on many a hard fought field they -gave a good account of themselves. Curiously enough, the archery -societies into which they formed themselves for practice have survived -all the wars and changes of the centuries, have continued in spite of -the invention of gunpowder and the perfection of firearms--an industry -in which Liége, in southern Belgium, has led all other cities--and -seem to be as vital a part of the national life of the country as ever -they were. The fact that the bow and arrow is an anachronism troubles -your Belgian peasant not at all; he shoulders his long bow as -cheerfully on a Sunday morning as if he were carrying the latest model -of smokeless powder repeater, with Maxim silencer and all modern -improvements, instead of a weapon that was out of date and useless -five hundred years ago. - -As practised in Belgium, archery contests are carried on in two ways. -There is first what is known as the _Tir á l'oiseau_ or _Perche_. In -the centre of the village green of the smaller towns, and in some open -space in the suburbs of the larger places, the traveller cannot fail -to notice what looks like a flag pole, the top of which, however, -tapers to a slender point, from just beneath which four short arms -point upward diagonally, while three cross arms are placed -horizontally below them. On these are fixed the _oiseaux_, or -birds--blocks of cork covered with tinsel or gaily-coloured paper, -each with a tuft of feathers stuck at the top. The archers gather -below the pole and shoot upward, aiming at the "birds" and -endeavouring to knock them off cleanly. Each shoots in turn, and the -prizes--which have been duly announced by posters for days -beforehand--go to those capturing one of the "birds," the value -varying according to its position. In the contests entitled "_Tir du -Roi_," the archer bringing down the last bird wins the largest prize -and is called the "_Roi_," or King, and as by that time the archers -have one and all consumed a goodly portion of their favourite -beverages there is general hilarity--especially if the victor is a -popular favourite. Immemorial custom decrees that the King should deal -liberally with his subjects and dispense in libations whatever sum he -may have gained as a prize, after which he is usually escorted, or if -necessary carried, home in great state with a band in advance and all -the members of the contest following in a disorderly, but jolly, -crowd. - -The second form of contest is known as the "_Tir au berceau_," and -consists of shooting at a target. The birds, in this case, are -fastened about the bull's eye. The archers stand at a distance of one -hundred metres from the target, which is usually placed at the rear of -a walled court or garden. Generally a series of wooden arches placed -at intervals along the line of fire serve to arrest any arrows that go -wild, while the back of the target is reinforced strongly with straws -about a foot long laid lengthwise with the line of the shooting and -packed under great pressure. There is invariably a public café or -estaminet attached to the places where archery contests _au berceau_ -are conducted, while such places are always found close by the spot -where a _Tir á l'oiseau_ takes place. Between shots the men consume -liberal quantities of lambic, faro, or the beer of some neighbouring -brewer, and discuss politics or the news of the day. A circumstance -that renders disorders comparatively rare is that each archery society -consists of men of a single party. The Catholics have their favourite -places that are patronised exclusively by Catholics, while the -Socialists in the southern provinces, where that party is strong, have -their own societies and places of rendezvous. The clergy are heartily -interested in the Catholic contests, giving liberal prizes and -attending in considerable numbers to cheer the victors and console the -vanquished. - -During the early part of the war numerous references were made in the -despatches to the marvellous accuracy of the Belgian riflemen. To one -who has attended scores of these archery contests it is not surprising -that the Belgians are good shots. Out of date though the bow and arrow -is, yet the sport cannot fail to train the eye and hand, and constant -rivalry in such a pastime has made the Belgians literally a nation of -sharpshooters. On one occasion the writer and a friend took a couple -of shots with a carbine in one of the little shooting galleries that -accompanied a village kermesse. We both missed. A young man standing -by, who worked in the village sugar mill, politely asked which of the -various pipes and other objects we were aiming at. We indicated one of -them and, zip! his bullet had shattered it. Half a dozen shots in -quick succession at different objects we pointed out proved equally -accurate. It was an exhibition of marksmanship such as one frequently -sees on the stage in the United States, but being made by a casual -bystander in a village street it was most impressive. Nor was the lad, -as I took pains to inquire, noted particularly for his skill in this -direction--having seldom won prizes in the official contests. - -All ages join in this sport, the small boys erecting diminutive poles -in the fields around the villages, where they imitate their elders -with toy bows and arrows, while men of seventy or eighty take their -turn with beardless youths in the prize competitions. While I was -visiting in the Borinage two years ago the uncle of my hostess -shouldered his two-metre bow and started off to a "meet" despite his -eighty-seven years. What is more, his hand had lost none of its -strength and firmness, and his eyes none of their keenness, for twice -while I was present he brought down one of the "birds," and I later -learned that he had won one of the principal prizes. Only the year -before he had been crowned "King" at one such contest, and the first -time he ever won that coveted honour was when he was sixteen--or -seventy-one years before. I doubt whether there is any athletic game -in the world of which the devotees can point to a longer record of -success. - -This fine old athlete had two brothers older than himself alive at the -time, the combined ages of the three aggregating two hundred and -eighty years. One of them, aged ninety-four, recently expressed some -anxiety as to what would become of him in the event of the death of -the daughter with whom he was living. - -"What will I do if Amèlie should die?" he asked of one of his other -daughters. - -"Why, papa, then you would come and live with me," she replied, -adding with a flash of characteristic Belgian humour, "and when I am -dead you'll go to live with Fèlicienne" (a grand-daughter still in her -'teens). As this provided safely for his future for at least another -fifty years, the old gentleman was greatly relieved, feeling perhaps -that if he survived Fèlicienne her children would by that time be old -enough to take care of him. - -While archery is everywhere the dominating pastime of the working -class it is by no means the only form of popular amusement. The -bicycle has not yet gone out of vogue in Belgium, and societies exist -in hundreds of cities and communes for the encouragement of bicycle -racing. The day of our arrival in the village where Tante Rosa spread -for us the banquet mentioned in the second chapter, we were so -fortunate as to witness the final sprint of a twenty-five kilometre -race. A score of contestants had pedalled ten times over a course -consisting for the most part of roadways paved with ragged -cobble-stones, the rest being dirt roads filled with mud puddles owing -to a recent rain. The riders, as they rushed by, were literally -covered with mud and had evidently struggled hard to gain one of the -five prizes which aggregated, as we afterwards learned, the -munificent sum of eighty francs, sixteen dollars, of which the winner -received thirty--six dollars! - -Another favourite form of recreation is the racing of pigeons, and -societies for the promotion of this sport exist in every part of the -Kingdom. Frequently the birds fly from one end of the country to the -other and many examples of remarkable speed have been reported, the -winners bringing comparatively high prices: - -No better idea of the variety of popular amusements can be given than -to take the programme of one little commune that I had an opportunity -of copying, entitled "_Fêtes Communales de 1914_"--this announcement -being printed in French and Flemish. While many of the events were -evidently organised by various societies the officials of the commune -assumed responsibility for the proper conduct of the contests, and -either provided the prizes or contributed a substantial sum toward -them, the rest being raised by a fee exacted from each contestant -which varied from one franc, thirty centimes for the smaller events to -five francs for the more important ones. With one hundred contestants -this would yield one hundred and thirty francs, to which the commune -usually added fifty, making one hundred and eighty francs available -in all. For the chief events the prizes aggregate 1,000 to 2,000 -francs--quite a respectable sum for a commune of six thousand -inhabitants. The difference between archery contests _au berceau_ and -_à la perche_ has already been explained. The programme, much -abbreviated, follows: - - Sun., Apr. 19.--Archery contests, both au berceau and - perche. - - Sun., Apr. 26.--Archery contest, au berceau, and rifle - contest (carbines). - - Fri., May 1.--Fête du Travail (Labor Day) Archery - contest and popular ball on a public - square in the evening--dancing in - the street, rain or shine. - - Sun., May 10.--Rifle contest. - - Thurs., May - 21.--Archery contest. - - Sun., May. 24.--Annual Fair with archery contests of - both kinds, rifle contest and grand - concert in evening with two bands. - - Sun., May 31.--Kermesse, with archery contests of both - kinds and a popular out-door ball in - the evening. - - Sun., June 7.--Bicycle Race--outdoor course around - the village ten times, 25 kilometres. - - Sun., June 14.--Archery contest au berceau and Tir du - Roi (perche). - - Sun., June 21.--Kermesse in another quarter of the commune, - with rifle contest and concert in - evening, followed by popular ball. - - Sun. to Tues., - July 5, 6, 7,--Annual Kermesse in the centre of the - commune, with archery contest (perche) - on Sunday, au berceau on Monday, and - Tir du Roi with public games and - sports on Tuesday. Itinerant amusement - enterprises of all kinds make - these annual kermesses a miniature - Coney Island while they last. - - Sun., July 26.--Tir du Roi and Grand Fête Gymnastique, - followed by concert, Fête de Nuit and - a ball. - - Sun., Aug. 9.--Fête d'Enfance, distribution of prizes to - school children with public exhibition - of school gymnastics, etc. - - Sat. and Sun., - Aug. 15 and - 16.--Kermesse in a third quarter, with archery - contests and concert. - - Sun. Mon. and - Tues., Aug. - 30 to Sept. 1.--Annual Kermesse, with archery contests - of both kinds, concert and sports and - games. - - Sun., Sept. 20.--Archery au berceau and rifle contest. - - Sun., Oct. 25.--Same. - - Sun., Nov. 21.--Archery, perche. - - Sun., Dec. 13.--Rifle contest. - -It must be confessed that this programme is somewhat monotonous, but -in the larger towns it is considerably amplified and varied. Still to -one who was brought up in a small country village in New Hampshire it -seems very good, both as an evidence of the popular desire for -healthy and rational out-door enjoyment, and of the disposition of the -Government to promote and foster legitimate amusements of all kinds. -The kermesse is an European rather than a Belgian institution and -requires no description further than that it is a jolly good time for -everybody. It has existed in Flanders and throughout the Walloon -provinces from time immemorial, as ancient paintings and still more -ancient historical references conclusively show. Its most interesting -feature to the American visitor is the night dancing out of doors on -the rough cobble-stones of the town square or on the soft grass of the -village green. Lighted by flaring gas torches, or sometimes only by -the moon and such stray beams as fall on the dancers from the open -doors and windows of adjacent cafés, the spectacle of the gaily -dancing couples carries the observer back to the days when the world -was young, and love and laughter and happiness reigned supreme. - -[Illustration: AN ANCIENT PAINTING OF THE FLEMISH KERMESSE, BY -TENIERS.] - - - - -CHAPTER VII - -WHEN YPRES WAS A GREATER CITY THAN LONDON - - -As we returned from our trip to Dixmude, Furnes and Nieuport, the -Professor announced that our next destination would be Ypres. If he -had said that it would he Chingwangtao, or the Comoro Archipelago, the -ladies could hardly have stared at him more blankly. They had never -heard of it. Since October the whole world has heard of it, and the -name of the all but forgotten old town is familiar to every -schoolboy--and will continue so for generations to come. The record of -our visit that follows was written amid the pleasant and peaceful -scenes that it describes. When we were there the swans were swimming -majestically in the waters of the moat that still surrounded the -remnants of the old city walls, but we were told that for military -purposes all this was obsolete. No doubt it was, but the brave old -town was none the less able--with the help of its stubborn English -defenders--to withstand the most furious, determined and bloody -assaults in all history. To the German host the mediæval term _la -morte d'Ypres_ was revived in those awful weeks of October and -November, 1914, for the grim, low-lying ramparts of the town meant -death to countless thousands. - -Whether anything whatever is still standing of the old structures -described in this chapter it is at present impossible to say. The -British trenches were under a well-nigh continuous storm of shells for -many weeks, and the town itself must undoubtedly have suffered -severely. Late in November it was reported that the old Cloth Hall had -been destroyed by the furious German bombardment, or, at least, -severely injured. The account of the various points of interest in the -famous old town as they appeared in peaceful June--together with some -brief sketches of its former greatness--may be all the more -interesting now that its ruins lie in the lime-light of the world's -attention. As compared with the half-dozen tourists that averaged to -visit Ypres each day before the war the return of peace will see it -become the Mecca for daily thousands. To these the remains of the town -itself should vie in interest with the trenches of the famous -battle-fields of the Great War, for during a period two or three -times as long as the entire duration of the nation known as the United -States of America, Ypres was one of the greatest and richest cities in -the world. - -It was hard to believe it, however, as we rumbled into the railroad -station and, stepping out upon the almost deserted platform, took our -first look at the place. As is usually the case in Flanders, the train -deposits the visitor some distance from the centre of the town. The -very first view was full of delight and promise of better things in -store, however, for as we emerged from the station we found ourselves -facing a pretty little park or square on the opposite side of which we -could see a bit of the ancient city walls which stretched away toward -the right most invitingly. - -Postponing the pleasure of inspecting these renowned ramparts till a -later occasion, we made our way through narrow winding streets direct -to the Grande Place, pausing now and then to admire the quaint gabled -houses on the rue au Beurre (Butter Street). At the Grande Place the -Professor led us directly to the huge Cloth Hall, which completely -fills one side of it, for here--he said--we would find the best -introduction to the history and romance of the city. The concierge -proved hard to find, and we wandered up-stairs and through a -deserted corridor, trying several doors that proved all to be locked, -before we located the familiar sign. Our fees being duly paid--fifty -centimes each, which was little enough for the privilege of inspecting -the finest monument of its kind in Flanders, or for that matter in all -Europe--one of the doors was obligingly unlocked and we found -ourselves immediately in the great Guild Hall. - -[Illustration: CLOTH HALL, YPRES.] - -The _Halle aux Draps_, or Cloth Hall, is the largest civil edifice in -Belgium, and without doubt one of the largest in the world. It is four -hundred and thirty-three feet long by more than two hundred in -width--or larger than Madison Square Garden. Its huge bulk, and that -of the former cathedral hard by, contrast strangely with the present -dimensions of the little city. Yet when they were built Ypres was the -powerful rival of Bruges and Ghent, then at the apex of their glory, -and one of the foremost cities in the world. The Cloth Hall was begun -in 1200 and completed in 1304, or two years after the Battle of the -Spurs, a victory won by the guildsmen of Ypres and Bruges against the -chivalry of France. During that period the city had two hundred -thousand inhabitants, its woollen weavers operated four thousand -looms, and more than four hundred guilds responded to the calls to -arms that sounded, at frequent intervals, from the belfry. - -The greatest wonder of the edifice is the immense gallery, or hall, -which occupies the side next to the Grande Place. This extends for the -entire length of the building, broken only by the belfry in the centre -which forms a sort of transept across it. In height it reaches clear -to the roof, the huge roof beams forming its ceiling. There is a -veritable forest of these, massive, sturdy, and as perfect as the day -they were hewed from the fair oaks of the countryside roundabout. The -concierge will not fail to tell you, if you pause to admire this -majestic timber-work of six hundred years ago, that from that day to -this no spider has ever spun its web there--nor is any spider ever -seen. Like the story of the snakes in Ireland, it would be a big pity -to spoil this by finding one and pointing it out--one must needs be a -good runner to do it, and be very sure which road leads to the railway -station, for it might go hard with him--but we could not see any the -day we were there. In fact, the legend has been repeated by many -writers since the sixteenth century and is now such a matter of local -pride that no doubt the concierge who permitted one to get in and set -up housekeeping in this spiderless Eden--for it certainly must look -like the Promised Land to a spider--would not only lose his or her -job, but be severely punished by the indignant city fathers into the -bargain. - -Looking at the Cloth Hall from across the Grande Place it has the -aspect of being a low building, but within this gallery one gains -precisely an opposite impression--of unusual loftiness. Just how high -the vast room is can best be estimated by noting the wooden façade of -an ancient house that has been taken down and erected against one wall -in its entirety. With its three stories and high peaked top this -structure appears to be literally lost, looking like an undersized pea -in an extra big pod. The great inner walls of the main gallery, facing -the windows that look out upon the Grande Place, have been decorated -by modern frescoes of great historical and artistic interest painted -by two artists of widely different methods and ideals. The portion -into which one first enters, extending to the break formed by the -tower, was decorated by Ferdinand Pauwels, Director of the Royal -Academy of Dresden. Both the art critics, and those who make no -pretence to superior knowledge in such matters, agree that this work -has been magnificently done. The vastness of the wall spaces made it -possible to paint the pictures on a scale of size and with a wealth of -detail surpassing the fine frescoes of the Hotel de Ville at Bruges -and the general effect upon the beholder is impressive in the extreme. -The pictures represent notable events in the town's history down to -the fourteenth century, and were begun in 1872 and completed in 1881. -The subjects selected by the artist are as follows: - - 1.--Visit of Count Philip of Alsace to the Hospital of - Our Lady in 1187. - - 2.--Count Ferdinand of Portugal orders the Magistrates - to fortify the town in 1214. - - 3.--Countess Jeanne of Constantinople setting prisoners - free on Good Friday, 1206. - - 4.--5.--The Magistrates give the Countess Margaret the - ransom of her son William, who was made prisoner - during the 7th Crusade. - - 6.--Building the West wing of the Guild Hall in the time - of Guy of Dampierre, 1285. - - 7.--8.--Return of the armed forces of Ypres in 1302 - after the Battle of the Spurs. - - 9.--The Plague, known as la Morte d'Ypres, in 1347. - - 10.--11.--Banquet offered in this very hall to Mahaut, - Countess of Flanders, and Matthew, Duke of Lorraine - on their marriage in 1314. - - 12.--An episode of the siege of Ypres by the English - and the men of Ghent in 1383. - -As will be noted, the pictures are not arranged in exact chronological -order, but, taken together, they form a wonderful pictorial summary -of the city's history--down to the Fall of 1914, which merits a -separate gallery by itself. To us the most impressive of the series -was the vast picture in two sections showing the triumphant return -from the Battle of Courtrai and the tragic representation of the Black -Death, which swept through all the densely populated Flemish towns; -but was more destructive at Ypres than elsewhere. The visitation here -represented was by no means the only one in the city's history, and -for centuries _la morte d'Ypres_ was a name of terror throughout the -countryside. - -In the section of the Great Hall beyond the belfry the mural paintings -are the work of Louis Delbeke, a painter of Ypres. His pictures were -the subject of violent criticism when they were first exhibited, and -are entirely unlike those in the other portion of the chamber. The -artist endeavoured to give his work an archaic appearance, in keeping -with the antiquity of its surroundings, and it was his intention to -symbolise the various manifestations of the public life of the -city--Civic Freedom, Commerce, Industry, Charities, Literature and so -on. The work was interrupted by his death and has never been -completed. - -Another room of great interest is the _Salle Echevinale_, where for -five centuries the magistrates of Ypres held their sessions. Between -1322 and 1468 local artists painted on the wall above the three Gothic -arches in this room a frieze comprising portraits of the early Counts -and Countesses of Flanders, beginning with Louis of Nevers and ending -with Charles the Bold. When the French occupied the town in 1794 they -covered these "emblems of superstition and portraits of tyrants" with -a thick coat of whitewash which was only accidentally knocked off in -1844, exposing a bit of the ancient and still brilliantly coloured -painting. The discovery created quite a sensation, as the very -existence of this work had been forgotten, and a native artist was -commissioned to remove the whitewash and restore the paintings, which -he did in a manner that is not entirely satisfactory, but none the -less gives us an opportunity to view once more this interesting -work--one of the earliest pieces of mural painting in Flanders. On the -north wall of this room is a modern fresco by Godefroid Guffens, -representing "The State Entry of Philip the Bold" in 1384, while on -the other side of the room is a monumental Flemish chimney-piece -carved by Malfait of Brussels, with mural paintings on each side by -Jean Swerts--like Guffens, a painter of the modern Antwerp school. -These represent the Magistrates of Ypres issuing an order regarding -the maintenance of the poor, in 1515; and the visit of the Magistrates -to one of the Free Schools founded in 1253--thus illustrating the -early interest taken by the commune in free education and public -charities. - -Leaving this interesting building we went across a small roughly paved -square to the Church of St. Martin, which dates from the thirteenth -century, and was for many centuries a cathedral. The unfinished square -tower was erected in 1433. The choir is Romano-ogival, while the nave -and aisles are early Gothic, and the edifice has many other peculiar -features of interest to students of architecture. It contains the -usual paintings, of which none are of remarkable interest, and some -excellent choir stalls. The most famous of the Bishops of St. Martin, -while it was a Cathedral Church, was Jansenius, one of the leading -figures in the Reformation, who died of the Plague in 1638. His great -work on St. Augustine occupied twenty-two years of his life while at -Ypres and caused a tremendous discussion. It was finally declared to -be heretical, but its teachings had already given rise to an ardent -group of followers of the learned Flemish churchman, who were called -Jansenists. The archives of the city and church contain much -interesting material regarding this celebrated mediæval theologian. -His tomb, which still stands in the church of which he was once the -head, formerly contained a long and highly eulogistic inscription, -which, by an order from the Pope in 1655, was cut down to the bare -remnant that still remains. - -The Grande Place of Ypres is another of the surprises that this tiny -city has to offer to those unacquainted with its history, for it is -one of the largest in all Flanders--a veritable Sahara of a Place on a -hot summer day, albeit a Sahara bordered with many pleasant oases -where cooling drinks, if they do not bubble up from the ground, can at -least be had without much difficulty. During most of the week the vast -paved space is almost deserted, save for an occasional peasant's cart -that rumbles slowly and clumsily across it, but on market-days it is -full of picturesque and swarming life. Then the peasants come in from -the countryside by the thousand, while the itinerant hucksters and -pedlars who, in Belgium travel from one fair or market-place to -another, set up their canvas-covered booths in long streets from one -side of the Grande Place to the other. The country people press along -between these rows of tiny shops and haggle energetically with the -proprietors for whatever takes their fancy. An astounding variety of -wares are offered for sale on these market days--dress goods of every -description in the great Cloth Hall, which for a brief moment reflects -a feeble glimmer of its ancient glory; ready-made garments for man, -woman and child; footwear, headwear, and every conceivable kind of -hardware, of tinware, of crockery. In short, the display is a -veritable department store, for the most part cheap stuff, it is true, -but now and then one runs across laces for which the prices asked are -quite high. Then, of course, there is the inevitable array of -everything possible to eat--from the butchers' stalls in the basement -of the Cloth Hall to the huckster selling live chickens from a bag on -the corner, and the scores of stands selling fruits and vegetables of -every seasonable variety. - -At last, however, the market comes to an end, the hucksters and market -gardeners take down their booths and drive away in their heavy Flemish -carts; the country people, after a more or less protracted visit to -the places of refreshment around the Place and in the adjacent -streets, go homeward, and the Grande Place settles down again into its -sleep of centuries. While we were there the moon was at its full, and -as its white light fell upon the grass-grown Place and the huge grey -mass of the Cloth Hall it was not hard to picture the old days come -back again and review, in fancy, some of the stirring times that the -old houses around it have looked down upon. The great bell in the -Cloth Hall tower rings and from far and wide come hurrying throngs of -sturdy artisans, with their lances, pikes and clubs. The _Serments_, -or oath-bound corporations, take their positions gravely and in good -order--men of substance these, portly, well-fed, and prosperous. Then -the _Métiers_, or lesser craftsmen, assemble--no doubt more noisily -and boisterously, as would be expected from their rougher class and -lower breeding. Each of the four hundred guilds assembles around its -respective banner, the Count and others of the nobility come riding -up; and with them, on terms of full equality, the commanders of the -citizen soldiery confer. Then, as the trumpets sound, or mayhap the -great bell peals again, the hosts march off in serried ranks to the -city gates, or to take their positions along the walls. The old -streets echo to the sound of their tramping feet, the noise of their -shouts and cries dies away, and once more the still moonlight falls -upon the deserted old Place. - -As we sat in one of the cafés facing the Cloth Hall, our minds filled -with these and other fancies of the olden days--the moonlight, the old -houses all around us, and the many quaint and ancient things we had -seen during the day all contributing to the dreamy sense of -enchantment--the Professor told us something of the legend and history -of that far-off thirteenth century when much of the Ypres we had seen -that day was built. It was an age when men firmly believed in magic -and fairies and delighted in tales of mystery and enchantment. Some of -the most famous stories told by the old Flemish chroniclers relate to -the career of Baldwin IX, who came to be known as Baldwin of -Constantinople. After the long and wise reigns of Dierick of Alsace -and his son Philip, Flanders had become one of the richest and most -prosperous countries in Europe. The French, who looked upon its -fertile plains and fair cities with covetous eyes, composed these -lines, which no doubt expressed their sincere conviction: - - "La plus belle Comté est La Flandre, - La plus belle Duché est La Bourgogne, - La plus belle Royaume est France." - -Baldwin was not only Count of Flanders, but also Count of Hainaut, of -which Mons was the capital--his dominions therefore extending from the -North Sea to the River Meuse and including much of the Ardennes. It -was in this region--the true fairy-land of Belgium--that the Count met -with an adventure, according to certain of the chroniclers, which gave -his reign a most sinister beginning. It happened in this wise. The -Count was very fond of hunting, and very neglectful of the duty his -loyal subjects felt that he owed to them--of getting married and -securing children to insure the succession. For nothing was more -disastrous to a country than to have its line of princes die out, -leaving their title to be fought for by all who felt themselves strong -enough to seize it. The Count was to have married Beatrice of France, -the most beautiful princess in Christendom, but to the neglect of this -important matter he went hunting in the Ardennes, where from time -immemorial the wild boars have been very large and fierce. - -Here, after a day of poor sport, the Count came upon a black boar of -enormous strength which killed several of his dogs and even wounded -one of his companions. Pursuing the savage beast eagerly the Count -lost sight of his followers and when he finally brought it to bay he -was alone. With a blow from his javelin he finally killed it, and then -cut off its monstrous head. As he paused to get his breath he heard a -slight rustle in the bushes and there was the most beautiful lady he -had ever seen, seated on a palfrey. Upon his inquiring who she was, -and why she was there in the forest alone, she replied that she was an -Eastern princess and had come to find and wed the richest Count in -Christendom, adding that she had learned that the Count of Flanders -was the noblest lord in all the West, and it was therefore that Count -for whom she was seeking. - -To this the Count, who had already fallen deeply in love with the -beautiful stranger, whose dark eyes flashed upon him with a glance at -once mysterious and entrancing, replied that he was the Count of -Flanders and the richest Count under Heaven. He then and there -proposed to the damsel, offering to marry her at once, nor did he -perceive that the wild boar he had lately slain had disappeared, and -even the blood of the battle was gone, while as for the huge head that -he had cut off with his own hands the palfrey upon which the Eastern -princess was seated stood on the very spot. He then blew so loud a -recall upon his horn that it was heard for miles through the great -forest, and presently the lesser counts and knights who formed his -train came riding up. To these he introduced the strange princess and, -despite the prudent counsels of some that it might be well to learn -more about the lady, he forthwith repaired to Cambrai where they were -married in great splendour. The Countess, beautiful as she was, did -not become popular, the people attributing to her the heavy taxes they -had to pay. It was also whispered that she never attended the -elevation of the Host at mass, always leaving before the bell was -rung. - -Notwithstanding her unpopularity, and the gossip of the busybodies, -the Count still loved his bride who bore him two children, Jeanne and -Margaret, and ever remained as wonderfully beautiful as the day they -first met in the forest. As they were celebrating Easter one year at -Wynandael with a great feast a pilgrim arrived from the East with news -that the Saracens were besieging Constantinople. He was forthwith -invited into the great hall of the castle and food placed before him, -which he ate eagerly. Just then the Countess entered, with a train of -ladies. At sight of her the pilgrim stopped eating and trembled, while -the Countess turned deadly pale and whispered to her lord to send -that stranger away as he was wicked and meant only evil by coming -there. But the Count bade the pilgrim say whereat he was alarmed, -whereupon the stranger rose and in a loud voice bade the devil who -filled the body of the Countess to depart from it. At this the -Countess rose and confessed she was indeed one of the devils cast out -of Paradise who had inhabited the body of the most beautiful maiden of -the East, the soul having departed from it. With this confession, at -which all present were naturally appalled, she rose in all her beauty -before them and vanished through a window of the hall, nor was she -ever seen or heard of again. - -Other chroniclers and historians deny this story, pointing out that -the Count was, in fact, happily married to Marie of Champagne and that -it was the beautiful French Countess and no princess of satanic origin -who bore his two daughters, Jeanne and Margaret. This, in truth, was -the case, but many of the superstitious Flemings believed the tale -about the devil none the less, and the Count's brilliant but tragic -later career caused the story to be repeated and handed down for many -generations. - -Only five years after coming to the throne Count Baldwin announced his -intention of going on a crusade, and in the presence of a vast throng -both he and Marie took the cross in the church of St. Donatian at -Bruges. This was in 1199, but the Count was not able to leave his -dominions at once and in the following year he and Marie came to Ypres -to dedicate the foundation stone of the great Cloth Hall. He finally -set out in 1203, but the Venetians compelled the crusaders, in payment -for their passage, to make a campaign which resulted in the capture of -Constantinople, the founding of the Latin Empire, and the election of -Count Baldwin as the first Emperor. Marie, meanwhile, had gone to -Syria by another route and there she died of the plague, only learning -in her last hour that her husband had become an Emperor and that she -was an Empress. Her death was the first of the reverses of fortune in -Baldwin's meteoric career. A year later, in 1205, he fell wounded in a -battle before the walls of Adrianople--or, perhaps, slain. Certain it -is that he disappeared from the world of men and for a space of twenty -years was heard of no more. - -Then, in the heart of the great forest that in those days stretched -from Tournai to Valenciennes, some wood-cutters found a long bearded, -white-haired old man, his face covered with scars, living the life of -a hermit in a hut none of them remembered ever having seen before. -Gradually this wonder attracted more and more of the people thereabout -to see the stranger, and men began to say that he resembled the good -Count Baldwin. Some of the nobles who had known the Count heard of it, -visited the hut in the forest, and declared that this was indeed Count -Baldwin and the Emperor. - -If he was the Count his country needed him sorely, for the King of -France, Philip Augustus, had during his twenty years' absence all but -made Flanders a French province. When it became clear that Baldwin was -either dead or a prisoner of the pagans Philip had seized his two -daughters--Jeanne being then a girl of fourteen, and Margaret still in -her cradle--claiming their wardship as the dead Count's suzerain. Five -years he kept them, nor did he permit them to return till he had -married Jeanne to a kinsman of his own, Ferdinand of Portugal, who he -thought would be a mere puppet in his hands. Ferdinand, however, -proved to be a man of determination and resisted Philip's seizure of -St. Omer and Aire, two Flemish towns. Philip invaded Flanders with a -great army, capturing Cassel and destroying Damme and all the -merchandise stored there, Lille, Courtrai and many smaller towns. -Ferdinand, unable to resist the superior forces of Philip -single-handed, brought about an alliance with King John of England. -The battle of Bouvines shattered this alliance, and for twelve years -Ferdinand languished in a French prison, while King John was forced to -grant the Magna Carta to his English subjects. Thus a victory for -tyranny in Flanders resulted indirectly in a greater victory for the -cause of freedom in England. Jeanne, while her husband was in prison, -was the titular Countess of Flanders, but Philip kept her completely -under the influence of his counsellors. Margaret, meanwhile, had been -married, but her husband was unable to make head against the -far-reaching power of the King of France. - -It was under these circumstances that the hermit who men thought -resembled Count Baldwin came on the stage. If he was an impostor his -_coup_ was shrewdly planned, for Jeanne was as hated by the Flemings -as her father had been loved. If he was really the good Count and the -Emperor his arrival in Flanders seemed to that distracted country like -a direct interposition of Providence. A great delegation from -Valenciennes went out to the forest and hailed him as their Count -and then he at last admitted that he was indeed Baldwin of -Constantinople. - -His tale was a strange one, but more easily believed in those wild -days than it would be now. He had, he asserted, been wounded before -Adrianople and made a prisoner by the Bulgarians. While a captive a -Bulgarian princess saw him, fell in love, and contrived to effect his -escape after he had promised to marry her. Once free, however, he -repented of his pledge to marry an infidel, and murdered his -benefactress. This wicked deed was quickly followed by his recapture -by the barbarians, who made him a slave and even a beast of burden. -Escaping at last, after many years, he had become a hermit in penance -for his great sin. - -The men of Valenciennes believed this story, and pardoning his -self-confessed crime as of little moment, since it affected only an -infidel, proclaimed him their Count. The great towns of Flanders flung -open their gates to him wherever he went, and finally he held his -court in Bruges. His neighbours, the Dukes of Brabant and Limbourg, -and his former ally, the King of England, acknowledged his claims, -while his daughter Jeanne fled to France for protection. - -The chief reason for believing that Baldwin was an impostor is the -fact that at this crisis of his career he failed signally to show any -of the decision and judgment that twenty years before had made the -true Baldwin Emperor. To be sure, twenty years of slavery, and the -haunting memory of the beautiful Marie of Champagne who had followed -him to her death, and of the Bulgarian princess whom he had so basely -slain, may have enfeebled his intellect. He was now an old man. At all -events, after a period of indecision he did the very thing he never -should have done--he appealed to Philip for aid against his daughter. -Summoned to Péronne, where the King of France was then holding court, -he was subjected to a trial by the royal Council, which clearly showed -its determination to convict him as an impostor. Perceiving that he -had blundered into a trap, the old man fled from the castle and -escaped to Flanders. Here, however, the appeal to Philip and its -result, together with much French gold judiciously expended in behalf -of Jeanne, caused the nobility to turn cold. He determined to lay his -cause before the Pope, but while on his way to Rome was captured and -sold to Jeanne who ordered him to be hanged in chains in the -market-place at Lille between two hounds. If he was the true -Baldwin, after all, few careers in history offer wider contrasts of -glory and shame. - -[Illustration: HOTEL MERGHELYNCK, YPRES.] - -Whether one stays at Ypres a day or a week he will not lack for -objects of interest, for the Cloth Hall and the Cathedral are but the -beginning of the list. A day is hardly too much to devote to the rue -de Lille alone, for here are the Hospice Belle, with a number of -valuable old paintings, and the Hotel-Musée Merghelynck. The latter is -an institution as unique as it is admirable. Built in 1774 by François -Merghelynck, a Treasurer and Grand Bailiff of Ypres, this fine mansion -is filled with furniture and objets d'art of the eighteenth century -coming from Flanders, Holland and France and collected with rare taste -and judgment. In its entirety it represents the residence of a -nobleman of the period, complete down to the smallest detail, with -every article in its proper place, as if the owner had just stepped -out and might be expected back at any moment. The seven principal -rooms are panelled with carved wood. The dining-room is decorated with -bas-reliefs representing all of the principal implements of husbandry. -These were carved by Antony Deledicque of Lille and have been compared -with the work in some of the smaller rooms in the Palace of -Versailles. The music-room is similarly embellished with -representations of musical instruments, and all have fine panel -friezes and gilded carvings. In each room the proprietor of the -mansion, Arthur Merghelynck, the great-grandson of the original owner, -has collected a complete equipment of eighteenth-century furniture. -The dining-room has rare porcelain from Tournai, with the precious -gilt marks of the choicest make, the music-room has an old-time -harpsichord, the kitchen possesses an array of old-time pewter, copper -and brassware. In the chambers the same plan has been faithfully -carried out, even to placing the owner's uniforms and gala raiment in -the wardrobes. Permission to visit these delightful rooms is freely -granted to all visitors to Ypres without charge, other than an -optional fee to the attendant. We were told that natives of the city -are not admitted, but forgot to ask the caretaker if this was true. - -A little farther down this same rue de Lille is an old edifice that -for many years has been called the House of the Templars. It has been -restored and is now used as the Post Office--it was for a long time a -brewery--but it is not now believed that this was ever the House of -the famous mediæval order. The Templars, however, did erect at -Ypres their first house in Europe, and it may well be that this -structure was copied from it. Beyond this interesting edifice we -encountered a grim-looking old church, that of St. Peter, within the -doorway of which is a most curious mediæval Calvary. This church is -one of the oldest in Flanders, having been built in 1073 by Robert the -Frisian, one of the early Counts. On this street also stands the -Hospice St. Jean which was founded in 1277. It contains one fine -timbered ceiling room, with panelled walls, called the nuns' workroom, -and some paintings by Kerel van Yper, an obscure local artist of the -sixteenth century. - -[Illustration: CHURCH OF ST. PETER, YPRES.] - -In this section we were so fortunate as to see the lace workers, of -whom there are still several hundred, making _point de Valenciennes_ -outside the doors of their tiny houses. Mrs. Professor never tired of -watching these women,--who are for the most part middle-aged, while -some of them are very old--as their nimble fingers dexterously shifted -the innumerable little bobbins to and fro, while the delicate fabric -slowly took the design upon which they were working. It is said that -more Valenciennes lace is made here at Ypres, and at Courtrai and -among the little Flemish towns between these two cities, than in the -French city from which this fine point derives its name. - -It is along the rue de Lille that the visitor will (let us hope!) find -the wooden house that is the last, or nearly the last, survival of a -type of architecture that was once very common in Ypres. It is -inferior to the one in the Cloth Hall, which also came from this -street, but is still in use--although it seemed to be closed when we -passed it. A few steps further on we came to the Porte de Lille with -its three semi-circular towers, erected in 1395. The Porte is -connected with the open country beyond by a bridge across the wide -moat, in which a stately white swan was swimming. The ancient walls, -built by the famous military engineer Vauban, extend here for a long -distance in both directions and are in a fairly good state of -preservation. At the Porte de Thourout, where the fortifications end -on the northeastern side of the town, there is an open-air swimming -pool which, according to the local guidebook is free during certain -hours for men Saturday and Sunday, for women Wednesday, for soldiers -Thursday and Friday, and for ladies Tuesday. The distinction between -the women who can come on Wednesday and the ladies who are admitted -Tuesday is not stated. - -From the Porte de Lille we walked along the top of the ramparts toward -the railway station--a promenade full of interest and charm. The broad -moat in which a dozen snow white swans were swimming, the huge trees -arching overhead, the quaint little houses to our right, with now and -then a narrow street bending back into the town as if inviting us to -follow and explore it--everything seemed to combine to make this one -of our pleasantest experiences in Flanders, and we regretted that we -did not have weeks instead of days in which to study this rare old -town and visit some of the charming old Flemish villages by which it -is surrounded. - -The causes for the decline of the city from the proud position it -occupied in the Middle Ages to its comparative insignificance to-day -can be sketched in a very few words. Like the rest of Flanders, it had -flourished exceedingly in consequence of the Hundred Years' War -between France and England. As commerce and industry in these -two great neighbouring countries declined, that of the Low -Countries--which were then enjoying a prolonged period of comparative -peace--augmented with abnormal rapidity. It was inevitable that when -peace across the frontier was restored much of the trade that France -had temporarily lost should return to it. A series of great sieges cut -off the wool traffic with England that formed the foundation of the -city's industry and prosperity. The first of these was in 1383 when -the guildsmen of Ypres successfully beat off a powerful army from -Ghent, aided by a large contingent from England. The plague, that -terror of every overcrowded industrial town in those days, swept off -thousands of people in 1347 and in 1490, and a third of the -inhabitants in 1552. These disasters still further crippled the cloth -industry. In 1583 and 1584 an eight months' siege and the plague -together reduced the population so fearfully that when the town at -last surrendered to the Prince of Parma barely five thousand remained. -After the religious wars were over it recovered some of its ancient -prosperity, but between 1648 and 1678 it was besieged no less than -four times, being a border town and one of the first to be attacked as -the fortunes of war swayed, first one way and then the other. Roused -by the ravages of the plague the magistrates cleaned the city, passed -stringent sanitary regulations, paved the streets and built a costly -system of sewers--Ypres being one of the first cities in Europe to -have these modern improvements. Wise as these steps were, they came -too late to arrest the decline of the town's industries and commerce. -One by one the artisans gave up the battle against the forces that -were sapping the foundations of their prosperity and moved away--some -to Ghent and Bruges, both of which were already beginning to decline; -others to far-off England, where they remained to lay the foundations -of the vast textile industry that has since grown up across the -Channel, but which traces its origin back to the artisans of Ypres in -the days when the fame of that until lately all but forgotten town was -known from one end of the world to the other. - - - - -CHAPTER VIII - -COURTRAI AND THE BATTLE OF THE SPURS - - -Our next expedition, after the delightful visit at Ypres, was to -Courtrai, which is only twenty-two miles distant, although the two -plodding little _omnibus_ trains that we took, one after the other, -were more than an hour getting us there. It was an hour most -pleasantly spent, however, for we were constantly on the lookout for -the fields of flax that we had read covered the valley of the River -Lys as far as eye could see. If this was ever so it certainly was not -the case in the summer of 1914, for there were more and larger fields -of barley and other small grains than of flax. Still, we saw a great -many plantings of the latter, and as the plant was in full bloom the -sight was a very pretty one--the delicate green of each field being -faintly tinged with the blue of the tiny flowers. It did not seem to -be very tall, but it was still early June and a very backward summer. -We also passed many fields in which the flax of the previous season -was stacked to bleach, evidently the crop from several fields being -concentrated into one for this purpose. The water of the River Lys, -from which some authorities say the French Fleur de Lys derives its -name, is said to be superior to that of all other rivers for the -retting of flax, and at all events the raising and preparation of this -important staple has been the leading industry in this region for -centuries, although Ghent is more important as a flax manufacturing -centre. - -Presently our destination, of which the Flemish name is Kortrijk, came -in sight, and we started--with the Professor leading the way, as -usual--for the Grande Place. Here we found a market going on, with -numerous booths and stalls arranged in crooked little streets, and -crowds of thick-set peasant women with big baskets examining the wares -displayed gingerly as if afraid that too great a display of interest -would cause the merchants to enhance their prices. Amid this bustle -and confusion we worked our way slowly to the centre of the Place -where stood the small ivy-covered Belfry, which dates from early in -the fourteenth century, and is one of the prettiest in Flanders. When -the city was sacked in 1382, after one of its many sieges, the Belfry -was one of the few edifices to escape injury. Repaired or restored in -1423, in 1519, and again in 1717, this little monument of the Middle -Ages has come down to us in an admirable state of preservation. -Originally connected with a small public market, _les petites halles_, -it gradually came to be surrounded with private houses until only its -spire was visible, but in 1899 these were torn down and the Belfry -left isolated as it is now. The clock originally placed on this tower -is said by the historian Froissart to have been "_l'un des plus biaux -que on seuist trouver decha ne dela la mer_"--one of the most -beautiful here or abroad--but was removed by Philip the Bold, the -first of the Burgundian Dukes to rule over Flanders, to Dijon, the -capital of Burgundy. This was in 1382, but in 1395 the people of -Courtrai had replaced it by another equally ingenious. We tried to -enter the old tower, but found one entrance guarded by the alarming -sign, "_Haute tension--danger de la mort_," indicating that the -electric light company used the lower part of the edifice as a -transforming station. There was another small doorway, but it did not -appear to have been opened for a long time, and we could find no one -who knew who had the key. - -When we first announced our intention to spend a Summer in Flanders -many friends protested, "But you do not speak Flemish--how do you -expect to get along?" Right here it may be stated that this bugbear -proved without foundation. Even in Ypres, where our Belgian -acquaintances said we surely would have trouble, we found only two or -three of those with whom we had occasion to converse who did not -understand French at least well enough to give us the information we -required. On a few occasions, when touring the poorer quarters of some -old Flemish town, we were non-plussed for a moment, but the children -helped us out in these emergencies by running off eagerly to find some -one who spoke French. Everywhere we found the people accommodating and -courteous, never surly as one author says those he met in these very -same towns were when he visited them half a dozen years ago. To be -sure, our visits seldom took us into the very little towns, where, no -doubt, Flemish is often spoken exclusively--as our experience in -Nieuport showed. - -The most curious fact about the little Kingdom of Belgium is that it -is sharply bi-lingual, the line of demarcation between the French and -the Flemish speaking provinces running across the country from -southwest to northeast a little to the south of Brussels; that city, -however, being far more French than Flemish. Most of the towns have -two names, which usually mean the same but are often so different in -form that it is a wonder the people themselves do not get mixed up now -and then. For example, the French name for the capital of the province -of Hainaut is Mons, meaning mountain, while the Flemish name is -Bergen, which means the same thing but looks very different. The -important railroad junction of Braine-le-Comte between Mons and -Brussels bears the queer Flemish name of 's Graven-Brakel. Even the -postage stamps and the paper money are printed in the two languages, -while the silver money is apparently minted in equal quantities of -each. All public employés are required by law to know both languages, -so that the public has no trouble either at the railway stations or -post-offices. According to official statistics published while we were -there, 38.17 per cent. of the population of the country speak only -French; 43.38 per cent. speak only Flemish; while 18.13 per cent. -speak more than one language and a few speak German only. Of the -bi-linguals over 60 per cent. declared that they ordinarily spoke -Flemish. - -Facing the Grande Place, and only a few steps from the Belfry, is the -Hotel de Ville, an unprepossessing structure externally, although the -historians say that it was once much better looking. It has, at all -events, been restored, and the statues of the Counts of Flanders that -were destroyed during the Revolution replaced by modern ones carved by -a local sculptor. After finding the concierge we were shown a small -collection of modern paintings by Belgian artists bequeathed to the -city by one of its wealthy sons. This, however, was merely _en route_, -as it were, to the great show-place of this--as of all other Flemish -hotels de ville--the Salle du Conseil. Here the _pièce de résistance_ -is the great chimney-piece, carved in 1525 by unknown sculptors, who -probably were natives of the city as there were several of good renown -residing and working there at that period. The elaborate carvings with -which this masterpiece is decorated comprise three tiers. At the top -the figures represent the virtues: Faith, Humility, Charity, Chastity, -Generosity, Temperance, Patience and Vigilance. In the middle section -a series of pictures carved in stone typify the vices: Idolatry, -Pride, Avarice, Sensuality, Jealousy, Gluttony, Anger and Idleness. -The lowest tier contains reliefs that are supposed to show the -punishment for these vices, although the idea is not always quite -easy to follow. In niches projecting from the middle section are fine -statues, carved from wood, of Charles V in the centre, with Justice -and Peace on the opposite sides. At the right and left sides of the -chimney-piece are two more tiers of carvings, but of inferior interest -to those on the front. The beamed ceiling of this fine room is worthy -of at least a glance, for on the corbels supporting it are some of the -most curious carvings to be seen in Flanders, representing the -conquests of woman over man--beginning with Adam and Eve and Samson -and Delilah, and including several examples from pagan mythology. - -We were next conducted down-stairs to the Salle Echevinale, where -there is another fine chimney-piece which, however, was much less -interesting than the one we had just seen. This room is further -embellished with several frescoes by Guffens and Swerts, examples of -whose work we had already seen at Ypres. The former artist painted the -large composition entitled the "Departure of Baldwin IX for -Constantinople," and the latter the more interesting picture of the -Consultation of the Flemish leaders in this very room the day before -the Battle of Courtrai. Smaller frescoes depict other notable scenes -in the old town's history, while small carvings near the ceiling -represent the chief virtues of an upright judge. - -On a hot July day, in the year 1302, there took place, just outside -the ancient walls of the city, the most famous event in the history of -Courtrai. This was the great "Battle of the Spurs." In order to -understand the significance of this conflict--which justly ranks as -one of the decisive battles of the world--it is necessary to go back -three-quarters of a century to the Baldwin of Constantinople, or the -impostor who assumed his name and came to an ignominious end on the -gibbet at Lille. This was in the year 1225. The following year Philip -Augustus forced or persuaded Margaret, Baldwin's younger daughter, to -leave the loyal Fleming to whom she had been married almost since -childhood and wed one of his retainers, William of Dampierre. Then, -during a period of more than fifty years, the Kings of France were -able to exert a steadily increasing influence in Flanders and reduce -the country more and more completely to a French province. Finally, in -1296, the exactions of the French monarch--who, at that time, was -Philip the Fair--became so humiliating that Margaret's son, Guy of -Dampierre, then the reigning Count, rebelled. A brief war followed, -ending in Guy's utter defeat and imprisonment, and in 1300 all -Flanders was formally annexed to the French crown. - -Instead of submitting tamely to this act of aggression, the Flemish -burghers were roused to fight more furiously for their fatherland than -they had ever done for their Count. At Bruges a true leader of the -people appeared in the person of Peter de Coninck, the dean of the -then all-powerful Guild of the Weavers, and one of the most -picturesque figures in mediæval history. Small and ill-favoured in -face and figure, with only one eye, and speaking no language but -Flemish, he was able to arouse the citizens to the wildest pitch of -fury against their aggressors. Another popular hero of the hour was -John Breidel, Dean of the Butchers' Guild, and reputed to be one of -the richest men in Bruges; while a third was William of Juliers, -Provost of Maestricht--a Churchman turned soldier for the cause of -liberty. These three raised the standard of the Lion of Flanders to -which rallied the Clauwaerts, as the Nationalist partisans were -called; while the friends of France were named--after the Lily of -France--the Liliaerts. The latter naturally included the magistrates -and office-holders of the leading towns, and in 1301, when Philip -made a triumphal progress through the chief cities of his new -dominions, he was everywhere received with much outward pomp. - -[Illustration: STATUE OF PETER DE CONINCK AND JOHN BREIDEL, BRUGES.] - -At Bruges the official reception was the most gorgeous of all, the -rich gowns of the wives and daughters of the burghers causing Queen -Isabella to exclaim, "I thought I was alone Queen, but here I see six -hundred!" The mass of the people, however, were cold and sullen, and -when the King proclaimed some public games no one would take part in -them. Hardly had the royal party left the city before an insurrection -broke out. De Coninck was arrested, but his followers burst into the -prison, and, for a time, the leaders of the Liliaerts were behind the -bars. A French force soon entered the city and set them free, and De -Coninck fled to Damme, where the Lion of Flanders waved unmolested -over a rapidly increasing host of Clauwaerts. - -On the 17th of May, 1302, a still stronger army of French entered the -city, and it was rumoured that a general massacre of the Clauwaerts -was planned for the morrow. Without waiting for the blow to be struck, -the men from Damme and the surrounding towns, under the leadership of -De Coninck and John Breidel, poured into the city before daybreak and -roaring "_Schilt end vriendt_"--a battle-cry and password that no -Frenchman could pronounce--they overwhelmed the partisans of the Lily. -So sudden and unexpected was the attack, in the darkness and among -narrow streets with which they were not acquainted, that the two -thousand French knights who had entered the city so gaily on the -previous day could offer no resistance and were slaughtered almost to -a man. Barely forty escaped to tell King Philip of the massacre, while -no record was made of the number of Liliaerts among the Flemings -themselves who were in the heaps of dead that for three days -thereafter were being buried in the fields outside of the city. This -was the famous Matin de Bruges, hardly a glorious day's work -considered as a feat of arms, but bold enough when regarded as a -defiance by the artisans of a single industrial town of the most -powerful monarch of the age. - -Philip, as was to be expected, was furious, and at once gathered an -army the like of which had never before been seen in France; while all -Flanders, with the exception of Ghent which the French still held, -rallied to the support of De Coninck and his comrades. Scores of -Flemish nobles were at that time languishing in French prisons, but -those who were free to come enlisted under the Lion of Flanders. The -army of defence consisted for the most part, however, of -workingmen--members of the great guilds of Bruges, Ypres, Audenaerde -and the other Flemish towns, with seven hundred even from Ghent. Each -guild marched under its gorgeous banner, the men armed with long -pikes, iron lances, short swords, and a sort of club which they -derisively called "_goedendag_," or "good morning." On the eve of the -battle a conference was held by the leaders of the army of defence, -this being the scene depicted in the fine fresco in the Hotel de -Ville. - -About nine or ten in the morning of the following day the French army, -some forty thousand strong, was seen approaching, led by the youthful -Count of Artois. After a reconnoitre two experienced officers advised -the young Prince not to attack the Flemings at once, but to worry them -with his archers and separate them from the town where their baggage -and provisions were. "These people have to eat three, or four times a -day--when they start to retreat, fall on them, you will quickly win," -they counselled him. - -This sage advice did not appeal to the impetuous young Count, or to -his valiant knights, who were burning with eagerness to avenge the -Matin de Bruges. They confidently expected that at the very sight of -their host, for the most part mounted knights, the cowardly townsmen -would turn and run. Nor did they pay much heed to the shrewdness and -skill with which the Flemish leaders had chosen their position. In the -marshy ground in front of the Flemish army were many streams and -canals, the water concealed by brushwood, while the River Lys and the -fortifications of the town protected them against an attack on either -flank or in the rear. - -As the French knights rode forward the first ranks plunged into the -hidden canals and streams with which the marsh--since known as the -Bloed Meersch, or Bloody Marsh--was intersected. Then, as five -centuries later at Waterloo, each succeeding rank pushed in the one -before it, the canals became choked with drowning men and struggling -horses, and it was not until these obstacles were literally filled -with dead bodies that any part of the great French host could approach -the Flemish lines. Then the Flemish guildsmen were for a moment hard -pressed, but they quickly rallied and the proud French nobles were -beaten down beneath their cruel pikes and clubs by hundreds. The Count -of Artois himself led the reserves into the mêlée when the day was all -but lost and fought his way clear to the great standard of the Lion of -Flanders, at the foot of which he fell. Their leader killed, the -French sought to flee, but the rout and slaughter lasted through the -long summer twilight and far into the night. - -According to an ancient chronicle, twenty thousand Frenchmen went down -to death that day, including seven thousand knights, eleven hundred -nobles, seven hundred lords, and sixty-three counts, dukes or princes. -As to these statistics they differ in every history, but certain it is -that the flower of French chivalry perished in unheard of numbers -before the onslaught of the Flemish townsmen, and it is said that in -all France there was no great house that did not mourn a father, a -brother or a son. - -To the men of Flanders, on the other hand, the victory was complete -beyond their wildest dreams. They piously gave thanks to Notre Dame de -Groeninghe, the Abbey overlooking the Bloody Marsh, and hung up seven -hundred golden spurs taken from the battlefield in the Church of Notre -Dame. For a time Philip the Fair sought to prolong the conflict, but -his losses had been too terrible in this battle for him to risk -another one against the now thoroughly aroused guildsmen, and a few -years later a treaty was signed that completely rescinded the act of -annexation and recognised the independence of Flanders once more. - -In the little Museum of Paintings we found a most interesting picture -of the famous battle by the great Belgian artist, Nicaise de Keyser. -It is said that the historian Voisin suggested this subject to the -painter, then a young man of twenty-three, and he devoted eight months -to its execution. Exhibited at the Salon at Brussels in 1836, it made -a sensation through its merit, the historical importance of the -subject and the youth of the artist, and was purchased by the city of -Courtrai by means of a popular subscription. It represents the -decisive moment of the battle when the Count of Artois, unhorsed and -disarmed, is about to be killed by the leader of the butchers' guild, -John Breidel. The museum contains a number of other interesting works -by Belgian painters, chiefly modern, including one by Constantin -Meunier, and a number by natives of Courtrai. This last feature is -characteristic of all these little museums and is a most happy idea. -In France the museums of fine arts in the provincial towns often form -in themselves admirable memorials of the famous artists who were born -or worked there, the names of the most important being carved about -the frieze or brought to mind in some equally prominent way. In years -to come it is to be hoped that these little Flemish towns can follow -this example and erect suitable structures to house their art -treasures--of which such a collection as this one at Courtrai forms a -fine nucleus--and in so doing strive to commemorate all of those to -whom the town is indebted for its artistic fame. In the case of -Courtrai the roster would be a long one, for local authorities have -recorded the names of more than two hundred painters, sculptors, -architects, engravers, metal-workers, miniaturists and master-makers -of tapestries. - -Unlike many Flemish towns, Courtrai is less renowned for its churches -than for its civic monuments. The great church of St. Martin, whose -picturesque Gothic tower rises high above the Grande Place, although -the edifice itself is some hundred yards distant from the Place -itself, dates from 1382, when an older church on the same site was -burned by the victorious troops of Charles VI when they sacked the -city after the Battle of Rosbecque. It was completed in 1439 and -contains a number of interesting paintings and carvings, several of -them by local artists and sculptors. The more important Church of -Notre Dame, with its square unfinished tower, dates from 1211 and was -founded by Baldwin of Constantinople. At that time the Counts of -Flanders had a castle at Courtrai and it was at the side of this that -Count Baldwin and his fair wife Marie located their great church, of -which the foundation stone was laid before the Count departed on the -crusade from which he was destined never to return. In the Chapel of -the Counts, which was built in the fourteenth century, are mural -paintings of the Counts and Countesses of Flanders, the earlier ones -dating from the century during which the chapel itself was -constructed. - -The artistic masterpiece of this church is the "Raising of the Cross," -by Van Dyck. This fine picture was painted for this very church and -was delivered by the artist in 1631, the church still possessing his -receipt for the one hundred livres de gros (about two hundred and -twenty dollars) paid for it. In 1794 the picture was carried to Paris -and placed in the Louvre, and on its restoration to the Netherlands -was several years in the museum at Brussels, being returned to its -proper place in Notre Dame in 1817. During the night of December -6th-7th, 1907, it was mysteriously stolen, its disappearance causing a -great commotion, but January 23rd it was discovered in a field at -Pitthem, where it had lain exposed to the rain and sunshine since its -removal from the church. Apparently the robbers had become frightened -and abandoned it, or possibly were prevented from returning to get it -by the hue and cry that had been raised. At any rate, it did not seem -to be much the worse for its little outing, and was duly hung up again -where any tourist who has a franc to spare can see it. - -It was in Notre Dame that the victors after the battle of Courtrai -hung up seven hundred golden spurs, more or less, picked up from the -battle-field. These were hung in a little side chapel at present -decorated by two black lions, but the original spurs were taken away -when the French sacked the city after the disastrous battle of -Rosbecque. - -A little beyond this interesting old church the rue Guido -Gezelle--named after the poet who for many years was a _vicaire_ at -Notre Dame and whose bust stands in a little _bosquet_, or wooded -parklet, hard by--conducts us to the famous old Broel towers which -guard an ancient bridge across the Lys. These fine specimens of -mediæval military architecture are in an admirable state of -preservation. The Spuytorre, or Southern tower, was first built by -Philip of Alsace in the twelfth century, was pillaged, and perhaps -wholly destroyed, by Charles VI and restored or rebuilt by Philip the -Bold, Duke of Burgundy, in 1386. There was not much to see in this -tower, save some dungeons below. The Inghelbrugtorre, or South tower, -was built at the same time as the bridge, in 1411-1413. There was -formerly an archeological museum in this tower, but we were told that -it had been removed to the Grandes Halles, near the railroad station, -which have recently been restored. We subsequently visited the -collections there, which were very interesting but too miscellaneous -to be described. Returning from the towers by the rue de Groeninghe we -paid a brief visit to the fine monument of the Battle of Groeninghe, -which is the Flemish name for the Battle of the Spurs. At the summit a -bronze Pucelle of Flanders brandishes a _goedendag_, one of the -celebrated war-clubs that did such deadly work on that famous day. -This monument, by Godefroid Devreese, a native of Courtrai, was -erected by popular subscription in 1905. - -It is in these smaller Flemish towns that the visitor who takes the -time to journey a little away from the closely built houses and rough -paved streets of the city will find himself after a few minutes of -brisk walking out in the green fields and winding lanes of the open -country. The trip is well worth the small exertion, for nowhere in the -world can one see such marvellous wild flowers--_fleurs des -champs_--as in Belgium. Every wheat field is sprinkled with the most -wonderful poppies, of a rich deep red that even the choicest -artificial flowers in America cannot equal; with blue corn-flowers -growing tall and big and of an indescribably deep blue that at times -shades into purple; and along the edges is a thin fringe of small -purple flowers, shaped like morning glories but much smaller, the -English name of which I do not know. In the grass of the pasture lands -are innumerable tiny white marguerites, with here and there a tuft of -daisies. Along the country lanes one can pick a score of other -varieties of wild flowers which here bloom all summer long, not to -mention the exquisite purple heather that makes every hillside glow -with colour in August and throughout the fall. To us, however, the -wheat fields with the poppies and corn-flowers were by far the most -charming as we wandered up and down West Flanders in the month of -June. Often one or the other grew so profusely as to give the whole -field a rich mass of colour, at times all red, in other places a solid -blue. - -As we strolled along through these flower gardens of the fields we -enjoyed still another treat, for everywhere in Belgium the skylarks -abound in myriads. To one who has never heard them there are few -enjoyments more exquisite than to watch and listen as these tiny -minstrels of the sky go through their little performance. Suddenly, -almost before the eye can locate it, one shoots upward from the waving -wheat in front of us, his rich trills fairly making the air vibrate -with melody. Higher and yet higher he goes, his little wings -struggling wildly, as if the effort of flying and singing at the same -time was too much for him. Never, for an instant, however, does the -music stop, and as his tiny form rises farther and farther into the -air he gradually begins to drive forward in a wide curve--but still -rising and still fluttering madly--until he becomes a mere speck -against the sky. Then, all at once, the fluttering wings spread -outward and are still, and he begins to volplane slowly downward in a -long slow sweep, while his notes become if possible more shrill and -vibrating than ever. Then, like a flash, as he nears the ground, he -darts sharply out of sight and the song is over. - -All day long the pleasant, flower-bedecked fields ring with this -music--at times a dozen are singing in the air at once. When the sun -is high the birds often rise until completely out of sight, only their -falling music telling the listener that they are still there. Toward -evening the flights are shorter, but as the calm of approaching night -settles over the broad and peaceful fields it seems as if the songs -are sweeter than at any other time. - -Two of the greatest English poets have given us wonderful word -pictures of this marvellous little bird, which surely sings as sweetly -in Belgium as in England. Shelley in his famous Ode, describes the -song itself; his metre imitating the breathless rush of the aerial -notes: - - "Hail to thee, blithe spirit! - Bird thou never wert, - That from Heaven, or near it, - Pourest thy full heart - In profuse strains of unpremeditated art. - - "Higher still and higher - From the earth thou springest, - Like a cloud of fire; - The deep blue thou wingest, - And singing still dost soar, and soaring ever singest." - -In Wordsworth's noble lines the thought is less upon the song, but -dwells upon the mother bird and her hidden nest: - - "Ethereal minstrel! pilgrim of the sky! - Dost thou despise the earth where cares abound? - Or, while the wings aspire, are heart and eye - Both with thy nest upon the dewy ground? - Thy nest, which thou canst drop into at will, - Those quivering wings composed, that music still!" - - - - -CHAPTER IX - -GHENT IN THE DAYS OF THE FLEMISH COUNTS - - -During the Middle Ages Ghent was, for nearly five centuries, one of -the greatest cities in the Occidental world. "If you have ever been in -Flanders," wrote Jean Froissart, near the close of the fourteenth -century, "you are aware that Ghent is the sovereign city of Flanders -in power, in wisdom, in government, in the number of its houses, in -position and in all else that goes to make a great and noble city, and -that three great rivers serve to bring to it ships from every part of -the world." After further eulogising the three rivers referred to, -which were the Scheldt, the Lys and the Lieve, the chronicler of -Valenciennes added that the city could put eighty thousand men in the -field, and that it would require a host of two hundred thousand -warriors to capture it. These statements, though no doubt -exaggerations, do not seem to the tourist so impossible of belief as -corresponding figures regarding the former greatness of the other -cities in Flanders, for Ghent is still "a great and noble city," while -some of its once puissant rivals are now little more than country -villages. In fact, to the visitor who approaches the centre of the -town from either of its two principal railway stations--it has five in -all--the city seems to be essentially a modern one, with fine streets -similar in every way to those to be found in Antwerp or Brussels, and -it is therefore with a shock of surprise that he suddenly finds -himself riding past one hoary old structure after another whose -frowning grey walls and massive architecture bespeak an antiquity -strangely at variance with their surroundings. - -To the Professor, and to all students of the thrilling history of this -famous old Flemish town, the most interesting of these reminders of -the Ghent of five hundred or one thousand years ago is the imposing -Château des Comtes, or Castle of the Counts, the ruins of which stand -in the very heart of the town with the busy life and bustle of the -Ghent of to-day surging about them. Hither, as soon as our belongings -were safely deposited in the hotel, we came--almost as a matter of -course. In part this magnificent relic of the feudal ages dates from -the ninth century, when it was called the new castle, _Novum -Castellum_, to distinguish it from a still older castle situated hard -by that was destroyed about the year 1010. Two of the three stories -composing this original structure are still intact and can be seen by -the visitor when he inspects the cellar of the keep. Here the columns -and arches are of later construction, but the walls--which are over -five and a half feet thick--are the work of builders who put these -stones in place more than a thousand years ago. It was in 1180, -according to the Latin inscription that can still be read just inside -of the main entrance from the Place Ste. Pharaïlde, that Philip of -Alsace--son of the Dierick of Alsace who brought the Holy Blood to the -chapel of St. Basil at Bruges--erected the present structure. Its -purpose was "to check the unbounded arrogance of the inhabitants of -Ghent, who had become too proud of their riches and of their fortified -houses, which looked like towers." The Count had been in Palestine two -years before and had greatly admired some of the strong castles -erected there by the crusaders and instructed his builders to imitate -these models, which he no doubt described to them. - -[Illustration: Photograph by E. Sacré. CASTLE OF THE COUNTS, GHENT.] - -After inspecting the remains of the earlier castle we mounted the -staircase at the left of the entrance tower. This leads to the top of -the outer castle wall and can be followed entirely around the great -ellipse formed by the complete structure. From every side fine views -can be had of the surrounding city and the moat and River Lieve which -guard the castle on the opposite side from the Place. Coming to the -square tower behind the entrance gateway we were shown a room on the -first story formerly used as a prison and torture chamber. From the -top of this tower the banner of the Count was hoisted when the men of -Ghent were called upon to follow their over-lord to war. The gateway -below, at the corner of the Place Ste. Pharaïlde and the rue de la -Monnaie, has a tragic interest from the fact that here were placed the -two railings, called _les bailles_, between which those sentenced to -death by the Council of Flanders were executed. Executions also often -took place in the outer courtyard between the exterior wall and the -Keep, or inner structure. In this yard, in 1445, the procession of the -Order of the Golden Fleece formed for its march to the church of St. -Bavon, and one can imagine how gay with banners and fair ladies the -old castle must have been on that occasion. - -The inner castle, usually styled the Palace, was the actual residence -of the Counts of Flanders whenever they chanced to be stopping in the -city. Thanks to the skilful restoration of the government, the various -parts of this edifice can be seen in approximately their original -condition, save for the rich tapestries and the scant but solid -furniture with which the rooms were formerly made habitable. The -chambers of the Count and Countess are particularly fine specimens of -the living quarters of the mediæval nobility, quite apart from their -many historic associations. Below the former is the entrance to the -underground prison built by Philip of Alsace. It is eighteen feet -deep, and extends ten and one-half feet below the level of the -courtyard, while one of the walls is seven and the others six feet -thick. A little air filters in from a zig-zag opening in one wall, but -no light. The prisoners were let down into this horrible cavern by -means of a ladder, or a basket attached to a rope, after which even -the opening by which they entered was closed and they were left alone -in the dark. For more than six centuries this cell was in constant -use, and one cannot but wonder whether milady the Countess in her -sweet chamber overhead ever had her dreams troubled by visions of the -despairing victims in their beds of slime who were here awaiting the -Count's decision as to their final fate. It seems that this prison, -fearful though it must have been to those incarcerated there, was not -one of those _oubliettes_ of which the Bastille and many another -mediæval castle had so many. So far as known, it was only used for -prisoners awaiting trial, or as a species of solitary confinement for -serious crimes. In 1657 a school-teacher accused of teaching heretical -doctrines to his pupils was confined here thirteen months, but there -is no record of any one being flung down into this pit to be -"forgotten." Still, it must be said that such proceedings would not be -likely to become a matter of record, and very little is known about -what went on behind these grim walls when the Counts of Flanders and -Dukes of Burgundy held absolute and undisputed sway. Any one who asked -inconvenient questions would very probably have come here himself! - -The Great Hall, which is about one hundred and twenty-five feet long -by from fifty to sixty feet in width, is a chapter in the history of -Flanders by itself. Here the Counts, and their successors, the Dukes -of Burgundy, held many of their great banquets and state functions of -various kinds. Louis of Maele in 1346 and Philip the Good in 1445 gave -state banquets in this hall of which long accounts have been preserved -in the contemporary chronicles. The latter, which was held on the -occasion of the seventh meeting of the Knights of the Golden Fleece -already mentioned, must have been quite a tremendous affair. At one -end of this Hall the Council of the Vieux-Bourg used to pronounce -sentence upon prisoners, and half a dozen famous treaties and many of -minor importance were proclaimed in this room. No doubt, also, the -Great Hall was used as the chief living-room of the castle on less -formal occasions, when the Count and Countess perhaps dined on a -raised dais at one end, while the throng of courtiers and retainers -feasted noisily farther down the hall. On such occasions one can -imagine how the great stone fireplace, a dozen feet wide and seven or -eight feet high, must have roared, while the torches and candles used -to supplement the feeble light from the narrow windows flared and sent -their smoke up to the grimy rafters overhead. The great room, now so -empty and silent, was then gay with the variegated costumes of the -olden time, while its walls echoed to the songs and laughter of the -boisterous throng. - -There are half a score of other rooms to be seen: the kitchen with its -fireplace big enough to roast an ox whole; the residence of the -Castellane or keeper of the castle; the small audience chamber near -the bedrooms of their highnesses--which was used on ordinary occasions -instead of the great hall--and several others. Of them all the most -interesting is the ancient stable, which is entered from the castle -yard. It seems hard to believe that this vast vaulted room, with its -splendid columns and Romanesque arches was ever designed or used as a -stable, but such the historians all aver was the case. In appearance -it resembles an early church or chapel. In a glass case at one side is -a gruesome collection of skeletons that were uncovered here in 1904, -presumably those of prisoners who were secretly executed no one knows -how many years ago. After the fourteenth century the castle ceased to -be occupied by the sovereigns as a residence, and the stable, no -longer needed for horses, became a torture chamber and continued to be -used for this purpose until the close of the eighteenth century. It is -here that the beautiful and unfortunate Jacqueline, Countess of -Hainaut and Holland, is said to have been confined by Philip the Good -when that amiable monarch was trying to persuade her to part with her -patrimony. She resisted bravely and was finally released, but her -powerful and wily antagonist subjugated her at last. The Professor -read, or was told, that there is another prison cell below the waters -of the moat, and also a passage, miles in length, leading out to the -open country and intended for escape in case a foe besieging the -castle seemed likely to take it, but these we were not able to -discover nor did the official guide to the castle appear to know -anything about them. - -Speaking of sieges, the castle has witnessed more than one. The _Novum -Castellum_, which preceded the present edifice, was besieged in 1128 -by Dierick of Alsace. In 1302, a few months before the Battle of the -Spurs, the citizens of Ghent rose en masse against the sheriffs of -King Philip of France, who took refuge here. The infuriated crowd, -armed with pikes, axes and swords, beat upon the gates and finally set -fire to the castle. At this the besieged gave up, and all within were -forced to run a fearful gauntlet. Without the castle gates the people -formed a dense mass, bristling with pikes and spears, through which a -narrow lane was kept open. As the late defenders of the castle emerged -they had to pass down this avenue of steel, and whoever had committed -any crime against the burghers never reached the farther end alive, -whether he was one of the lord high sheriffs or a page. In 1338 the -Count himself, Louis of Maele, was here besieged by Jacques Van -Artevelde, and forced to make terms with the great tribune. - -The later history of the structure itself is interesting and curious. -Already in 1302 hovels had been built against the castle walls on the -land side. In 1350 a mint was installed within the castle, where it -remained until suppressed in the sixteenth century, and from the same -year the Court of the Count held sessions here. It was used less and -less as a residence after this, but from 1407 to 1778 was the seat of -the Council of Flanders, which succeeded the Court of the Counts. In -1779 the buildings used by the court were sold and in 1797 and 1798 -those of the Assembly of the Vieux Bourg also passed into private -hands. The Castellany of the Vieux Bourg was for many years a public -inn, and in 1807 a factory was established in the Keep, the Great Hall -being used as a machine-room. The Castellany then became a cotton -spinning mill, was partly burned in 1829, but rebuilt and continued in -use as a mill until 1884. Meanwhile other small buildings were -erected around the old walls until they were entirely concealed, and a -guidebook of this period states that of the old castle "nothing now -remains but the entrance." In 1887 some archeologists stirred the -municipal and national governments to action with a view to saving and -restoring this splendid monument of the Middle Ages, the Gateway -having already been acquired by the nation in 1872. The work of -demolishing the buildings that had clustered about the old walls and -of restoration lasted from 1889 till 1913, when at last the structure -was brought into the condition that the visitor beholds to-day. In its -present form it is unquestionably one of the most interesting and -important examples of feudal architecture in Europe. Within its sombre -walls the student has, in records of stone, an epitome of the history -of ten centuries. - -The Professor informed us that, in the course of his researches, he -had run across a reference to some legend or popular tradition -concerning a siege of Ghent in the year 930, or thereabouts, by the -Kings of England, Scotland and Ireland. The city, according to this -tale, was bravely defended by Dierick, Lord of Dixmude, and all the -attacks of the besiegers were repelled for many months. Their -majesties from across the Channel were naturally much incensed at this -unexpected resistance, and warned the burghers and their valiant chief -that if they did not surrender within twenty-four hours, they would -raze the city to the ground and sow corn on its ruins. Notwithstanding -this threat, to the fulfilment of which the kings aforesaid took a -mighty oath, the men of Ghent fought stubbornly on, and finally the -besiegers were forced to give up their enterprise. The English -monarch, however, in order to fulfil his vow and thereby ease his -conscience, humbly begged permission of the victors to allow him to -throw a grain of corn in the market-place. This modest request was -granted, but to prevent any such stratagem as the one that proved so -successful in the famous siege of Troy, a tiny hole was made in the -city wall and the monarch required to crawl through alone, returning -the same way after the corn-throwing performance was over. From this -circumstance the name of Engelande-gat was derisively given to the -little street leading from the Bestroom-Porte to St. Michel--a name -which Pryse L. Gordon in his book on Holland and Belgium, written in -1834, stated was still retained at that time. We were unable to find -it, however, in one of our early morning tramps, although we found a -rue d'Angleterre which runs into the Place St. Michel directly in -front of the church, and may have derived its name from that of the -earlier street which, quite possibly, it may have replaced. The great -plan of the city drawn by Hondius shows a vast number of streets and -lanes that to-day have entirely disappeared. The legend, however, may -have had some basis in fact, although the three kings were no doubt a -fanciful embellishment added by the peasants as they repeated the -story of some early attack. There were plenty of small potentates in -those days prowling about to seize whatever was not well defended, or -gave promise of rich booty, without going across the Channel to look -for them. - -It was at about this period, in fact a little earlier, that another of -the famous "monuments" of Ghent was erected. This is the Abbey of St. -Bavon, which alone would justify a visit to the city if there were -nothing else to see. A primitive abbey on this site is said to have -been founded about the year 631 by St. Amand, an early missionary, who -dedicated it to St. Peter. One of this prelate's converts was a rich -nobleman named Allowin, who took the name of Bavon on his conversion -and retired into a monastery. A second abbey took the name of St. -Bavon, the deceased monk having been canonized, and around these two -religious institutions a little settlement grew up that was destined -to expand into the mighty city of Ghent. At St. Bavon, therefore, the -visitor beholds not merely the ruins of an ancient and famous abbey -but the birthplace of the city that has played so great a part in the -history of Flanders and of Europe. When Baldwin II died his widow, the -daughter of Alfred the Great, had him buried at the monastery of St. -Peter, to which she made liberal donations. Successive Counts and -Countesses followed this example, the two abbeys becoming rich and -powerful, and the town soon became the home of numerous merchants who -took advantage of the protection afforded by these religious -institutions, and also of the strategic location of the town at the -junction of three rivers. The Quai au Blé and the Quai aux Herbes date -from this epoch, the merchants speedily establishing a market for the -sale of grain and other products. The Fish Market and the famous -Marché du Vendredi, or Friday Market, soon followed and Ghent had -begun the development that was destined to make it, for three -centuries, one of the greatest trading centres in the world. - -The present buildings of the Abbey date from the eleventh and twelfth -centuries, the original structures having been destroyed during the -tenth century. It was during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries -that the Abbey attained the zenith of its power. Here, in 1369, was -solemnised the marriage of Philip the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, with -Margaret, the daughter of Louis of Maele, the last of the Counts of -Flanders to be known by that title only. This event virtually ended -the long line of Flemish Counts, for the title thereafter became one -of many similarly held by the powerful Dukes of Burgundy and their -successors and was only used on state occasions, or when it served -their purpose. The unfortunate Michelle, the first wife of Philip the -Good, was interred here. By a strange irony of fate it was Charles the -Fifth of all men, the valiant Protector of the Faith, head and front -of the monarchs who remained steadfastly loyal to the Catholic Church, -who began the work of destroying this splendid and ancient monastery. -To build the great fortress by which he held in awe the turbulent -citizens of Ghent he ordered the demolishment of a considerable part -of its buildings and the erection on its site of his citadel, the -_Château des Espagnols_. The Calvinists continued the work of -destruction in 1581, the French wrecking the buildings still further, -and the revolt of 1830 completing the ruin of what was in its day of -prosperity one of the finest monastic institutions in Europe. - -Since 1834 the ruins have been carefully protected against further -injury; and, as they stand, give the observer a most imposing -realisation of their former grandeur. The Refectory, or dining-hall, -is still fairly intact, and is used as a museum of sculptures saved -from the wreck of the other buildings, and including some found in -other parts of the city. One of these is a tombstone thought to be -that of Hubert Van Eyck, while another is the _Homme du Beffroi_, one -of the four stone statues erected in 1338 on the corners of the -Belfry. A baptismal font found in the ruins of the Abbey contains a -curious bas-relief representing Adam and Eve being expelled from -Paradise. It is not, however, in these detached items that the visitor -will find the chief interest and inspiration of the ancient Abbey, but -in the general views that in every direction give a conception of the -former vast extent and richness of the buildings. In their present -condition the ruins form a series of pictures of wonderful beauty, -not only in the remains of their architectural and artistic splendour, -but because Nature, kinder than man, has covered the scars made by the -despoilers with her choicest tapestries of trailing vines and glowing -flowers and spread her softest carpets of verdure along the silent and -deserted cloisters. - -[Illustration: RUINS OF THE ABBEY OF ST. BAVON, GHENT.] - -Returning to the heart of the city, another memento of the earliest -period of the city's growth attracted our attention. This was the -Château of Girard le Diable (Girard the Devil) the first of the -"monuments" to be encountered if one arrives by the Southern railway -station. This edifice, now completely restored and used as the -depository of the provincial archives, dates from 1216. Apart from the -exterior, however, which reproduces the original appearance of the -castle, the only portion of interest to the visitor is the crypt which -is over one hundred feet long and nearly forty-five feet in width, -making it one of the largest in Flanders. The vaulted roof is -supported by massive round columns and forms a notable example of the -ogival style of architecture. We sought in vain to find what the noble -Sir Girard did or did not do to receive his satanic appellation. From -the records he appears to have been a tolerably worthy citizen, -holding, as did his father before him, the position of Châtelain of -Ghent. A fortunate marriage, apparently, gave him the means to erect -this exceptionally fine castle, which has--like many of the old -buildings in the city--had a most varied history. For two or three -centuries it remained the residence of the Châtelains of Ghent, then, -for a time, was used by the city as an arsenal, was occupied by the -Hiéronimites, and then became in succession a school, a mad-house, an -orphan asylum, a house of correction, and a fire house. Its spacious -halls now contain the precious charters of the Counts of Flanders and -innumerable historic documents of Ghent and the other cities of the -province. - -The most ancient church in Ghent is that of St. Nicholas in the Marché -aux Grains. It was founded in 912, or slightly more than a thousand -years ago. The original edifice was burned in 1120, so that the -present structure dates from that century. A picturesque feature of -the exterior is the row of tiny one-story houses snuggling up against -the side of the great church on the rue Petite Turquis. The west -window is an extremely lofty lancet of great beauty. The doorway on -this side was for many years crowded between commonplace three-story -houses, the church builders of Flanders apparently caring very little -how the imposing majesty of their noble churches might be marred by -adjacent buildings, but these have now been removed and this front of -the structure cleared. - -Among the treasures of this church are the relics of St. Anne, said to -have been brought from Jerusalem by Godfrey of Bouillon. In the -sacristy is some oil from the tomb of St. Nicholas of Myra and Bari, -after whom the church was named. This saint died in 342 and is the -subject of many picturesque mediæval legends. Even in infancy he is -alleged to have observed the fasts, refusing the breast of his nurse. -He used to look particularly after children, young women, sailors and -travellers. On one occasion he came to an inn where the wicked -inn-keeper fed his guests with the flesh of young children. St. -Nicholas immediately went to the tub where the bodies of the innocents -lay in brine and, reviving them, restored them all alive and whole -again to their parents. This incident is frequently depicted by -Flemish painters. After his death the bones of the Saint were buried -at Myra, but were stolen some centuries later--according to certain -monkish chronicles--and, after many adventures in which the spirit of -the deceased prelate participated, the oil which was found in his -sarcophagus was brought here. Jean Lyon, Dean of the guild of boatmen, -and one of the heroes of the White Hoods in their resistance to the -cruel Louis de Maele, was buried in this church. - -One of the other churches of Ghent, the Cathedral of St. Bavon, dates -in part from the same early period as the other monuments described in -this chapter. Originally dedicated to St. John, the name was changed -to St. Bavon in 1540 and it became a cathedral nine years later. It is -not, however, the cathedral--of which the nave and transepts were not -completed until 1533 to 1559--but the earlier church of St. Jean that -figures in the history of Ghent under Counts of Flanders. Of this -church the crypt, which dates from the eleventh or twelfth century, -and the choir, dating from the thirteenth century, still remain. Our -exploration of the cold and gloomy crypt served to bring back the -earlier period of the history of Ghent in two ways--not only is its -present appearance undoubtedly much the same as it was eight or nine -centuries ago, when the city of the weavers was just beginning to -make its power and fame known in the land, but the historian sees here -the tombs of many of the great men of the city. For the most part -there were merchant princes, aristocrats, the leaders of the Liliaert -faction--those who sided with the King of France and took his lilies -as their emblem. - -Under its early Flemish Counts, the history of Ghent was, on the -whole, one of rapid and almost uninterrupted expansion. The merchants -who flocked to the little town around the Abbeys of St. Peter and St. -Bavon were followed by similar throngs of artisans, and as the -commerce of the city grew apace so its industrial importance expanded. -On the death of Philip of Alsace, who had erected the Château on the -Place Ste. Pharaïlde to hold the city in check, its burghers wrested -from the feeble hands of his widow the famous _Keure_ of 1191, a sort -of local Magna Carta which confirmed all pre-existing privileges and -granted others. The same year the Treaty of Arras, by which Baldwin -VIII ceded Arras and the County of Artois to Philip Augustus, the wily -and land-grasping King of France, made Ghent virtually the capital of -Flanders--a position that had hitherto been occupied by Bruges. Like -its rival on the Roya, Ghent had become an important centre for the -woollen trade with England, and also for all the branches of woollen -manufacture, the "scarlets" of Ghent being renowned far and wide. The -thirteenth century--in consequence of the folly of Baldwin of -Constantinople who, as we have seen, went off on a fanatical -enterprise to the Far East, leaving the richest county in the world at -the mercy of his enemies--saw a steady decline in the power of the -Counts; and, while the Kings of France profited mightily by this -situation, the shrewd burghers of Ghent, Bruges, Ypres and the other -powerful Flemish communes were not backward in extending and securing -their own powers also. The result was that the successive Counts and -Countesses were forced to submit to repeated encroachments on their -authority. In 1228 Count Ferrand established a Council of thirty-nine -members which soon became a virtual oligarchy and the actual ruler of -the city. This body, while maintaining at first fairly friendly -relations with the Counts, soon began to treat with other nations and -the other cities in Flanders as if it was the actual sovereign. Then, -as the King of France, toward the close of the thirteenth century, -began to give evidence of an intention to seize the rich county of -Flanders for himself--thus despoiling both the Counts and the -burghers at the same time--Ghent joined heartily in the general -movement toward a national resistance. In 1297 the Count Guy granted -the city a new _Keure_, or charter, even more liberal than that of -1191, and formed an alliance with England against the common foe. -This, however, came to nothing, and all Flanders was over-run by the -victorious French troops. Ghent, after a brief resistance, yielded, -and the French King, making liberal concessions to win the support of -the most powerful of all the Flemish communes, the Liliaerts, or -supporters of the Lily of France, were temporarily holding the upper -hand when the astounding tidings came of the Battle of the Spurs. - - - - -CHAPTER X - -THE AGE WHEN GHENT WAS GOVERNED BY ITS GUILDS - - -It was on the 12th of July, 1302, that the guildsmen of -Flanders--chiefly, as we have seen, those from the two cities of -Bruges and Ypres--humbled the chivalry of France and demonstrated the -fact that the guilds of the great Flemish communes were a power to be -reckoned with. Obviously, when the greatest monarch of the day had -been so decisively beaten there was no longer any question as to the -relative importance of the guilds and the local Counts of Flanders. -The latter, though still figuring prominently in the history of the -time, were unable to cope with the might of their united subjects, and -only by the help of their overlords of France, by bribery and even by -downright treachery, were they able to maintain themselves on their -tottering thrones at all. This period is the most interesting in the -long history of Flanders, for it was during the fourteenth century -that the land of the Flemings just missed becoming a nation, and, -possibly, a republic. That it failed was due to the fact that, while -there existed a splendid and indomitable spirit of freedom in every -true Flemish breast, the sense of loyalty was local instead of -national. To his guild and his commune the Fleming was intensely -loyal, but his patriotism--fine as it was--was too narrow. Each -commune acted solely for itself, uniting with the others in time of -great and impending peril, but often sending its armies to fight a -sister commune over some trifling dispute as soon as the common danger -was over. The princes were able, by cunningly taking advantage of this -defect in the Flemish character, to play one commune against another -and, by dividing the hosts of the guildsmen, to establish finally a -tyranny too powerful to be thrown off. For one hundred and fifty years -after the Battle of the Spurs, however, the guilds--although now and -then temporarily defeated--were, in the main, supreme throughout the -length and breadth of Flanders, and it was still another century -before the last spark of civic freedom at Ghent was finally -extinguished. - -Two days after the great fight at Courtrai the victors, headed by the -redoubtable Peter de Coninck, William of Juliers and Guy of Namur, -entered the city of Ghent and "converted" the too lukewarm magistrates -to the popular side. The patrician Liliaerts were expelled from the -magistracy and many were killed or driven from the city. The Count -fought stubbornly on, nor did the war with France end immediately, but -in almost every instance the guildsmen were able to maintain the -results of their great victory and firmly establish the foundation of -their power. In the government of the commune of Ghent their voice was -a potent one. Naturally the wool-spinners and weavers were the -dominant organisations, while the _petits-métiers_, or minor -industries, were also represented. - -The apprentice system was rigidly enforced among all the guilds, but -the policy of the organisations was liberal in this respect--for -example, an apprentice was often sent for a year's journey in other -cities or countries in order to obtain a wider knowledge of his craft. -The guildsmen had a hearty and honest pride in good and skilful -workmanship, and the officers of the guilds supervised the quality of -the goods turned out and imposed penalties for poor workmanship or the -use of inferior materials. Each guild had its own house or -meeting-place, and while the fine guild houses on the Marché aux -Grains date from a somewhat later period, they were no doubt preceded -by earlier structures. It was one of the dreams of the Professor to -rummage about in these ancient edifices, poring over the archives of -the guilds and inspecting the rooms and halls where their ofttimes -stormy meetings were held. In this he was destined to be disappointed, -for while the exteriors of several of these historic buildings have -been carefully restored, the interiors are now devoted to private uses -and contain little of interest to the visitor. The archives have been, -for the most part, preserved in the ancient castle of Girard the -Devil. Some of the old guild banners still exist, but the guild houses -themselves are only the empty shells of the powerful organisations -that once made them their homes. - -[Illustration: Photograph by E. Sacré. POST OFFICE, CHURCH OF ST. -NICHOLAS, BELFRY AND CATHEDRAL, GHENT.] - -The most famous structure in Flanders dates from this epoch in the -town's history. This is the Belfry that has looked down on the red -roofs of Ghent for nearly six hundred years. The first Belfry was -begun in 1183, but the present structure was built in 1313-1339, since -when it has been several times modified and "restored"--not always -successfully. The latest restoration was carried out by the municipal -authorities as a preparation for the International Exposition held at -Ghent in 1913 and was carefully and intelligently done. There are -three hundred and fifty-five steps in the staircase by which visitors -ascend the tower, and the climb is one that richly repays those who -make it. On a clear day one can see beyond Bruges to the northwest, as -far as Antwerp to the east and Audenaerde to the south. So densely -peopled is the Flemish plain that these great cities lie almost close -enough together to be within sound of great Roland. - -This was the renowned bell which the burghers of Ghent had cast and -hung high on their Belfry as an emblem of the city's freedom from -tyranny and a tocsin to summon the sturdy guildsmen to its defence -when danger threatened. It bore the following inscription in Flemish: - - Mynen naem is Roelant, als ick clippe dan ist brant - Als icke luyde, dan ist storm in Vlaenderlandt. - -Freely translated, this is what the bell gave as its autobiography: - - My name is Roland; when I speak softly there is fire at hand, - But when I roar loudly it means war in Flanderland. - -The original Roland was cast in 1314, or twelve years after the Battle -of the Spurs. It weighed twelve thousand, five hundred pounds and was -the pride of the city, but was destroyed by order of Charles V when he -forced the burghers abjectly to submit to his despotism in 1540. - -In the lower part of the tower is the "secret room" where from 1402 -the burghers kept, behind triple doors as at Bruges, the charters and -privileges of the city. The famous dragon at the tip of the spire was -for centuries said to have been brought from the Orient at the time of -Baldwin of Constantinople, but recent researches in the archives of -the city have shown that it was made at Ghent in the year 1377-78. -Adjoining the Belfry is the Cloth Hall erected for the most important -of the city's four hundred guilds. The upper hall is now used as a -Bureau of Information for Tourists, while the lower one is a -Rathskeller. Here the columns and vaulted roof greatly resemble the -crypt of Girard the Devil's castle, save that the little tables and -excellent Munich and Pilsen to be had there make it decidedly more -cheerful. The edifice was begun in 1425 and finished, or, at least, -the work was stopped, in 1441. Behind the Cloth Hall, but nestling -close against it, is the quaint little entrance to the communal -prison, which was built in 1741 when the prisoners were confined on -the lower floor of the Cloth Hall. Over the door at the top of the -façade is the celebrated bas-relief representing the legend of the -Mammelokker. The carving really tells all there is to the story; which -is, in brief, that, on one occasion, when an old man was condemned to -die of starvation, his daughter--who just then had a baby whom she was -nursing--secretly gave the breast to her aged parent, thus saving his -life. - -While the Belfry was being built by the burghers of Ghent, France and -England were drifting into the Hundred Years' War. The Count of -Flanders, Louis de Nevers, was ardently loyal to France and utterly -blind to the interests of the great woollen manufacturing communes -over which he ruled and to those of his own dynasty. In 1336, no doubt -at the instance of the King of France, he ordered all the English -merchants in Flanders to be arrested and their goods confiscated. The -King of England, Edward III, promptly retaliated by prohibiting the -exportation of wool from England to Flanders and the sale of Flemish -woollens in his Kingdom. In a few months the Flemish communes of -Ghent, Bruges and Ypres found themselves facing utter ruin as a result -of this economic conflict. The spinners and weavers were idle, the -markets deserted, actual starvation existed, and many of the guildsmen -were forced to wander off into the countryside to beg for food. - -It was at this critical moment that the great figure of Jacques Van -Artevelde appears upon the stage of Flemish history. Son of a rich -wool and cloth merchant who had been long prominent among the -Clauwaerts, or foes of French domination, Jacques Van Artevelde was a -man of wealth and position who by ancestry and calling was inclined to -the popular rather than the aristocratic side. On December 28, 1337, -he harangued the men of Bruges in behalf of peace with England, in -spite of the obstinate and fatuous policy of the Count. As a result of -his eloquence, abundantly enforced by the ruin and misery then -prevailing on every side, the people decided unanimously to establish -a revolutionary government, which was accomplished peacefully on the -third of the following month. Van Artevelde was recognised as the -foremost of the five captains then chosen to administer the government -of the city, and was given a larger guard than his colleagues. The -helpless Count of Flanders, unable to resist, was obliged to ratify -the new policy of the burghers, and by the middle of the year 1338 -the embargo was formally raised on both sides, the woollen industry -started up once more, and Flanders was declared to be neutral as -regarded the contest between its two powerful neighbours. In short, -the wise policy of Van Artevelde was completely triumphant and the -country again placed on the road to renewed prosperity. - -Under the direction of the great tribune the weavers were now the -dominant factor in the government of Ghent, and soon the influence of -Van Artevelde made itself felt in Bruges, Ypres and all the other -Flemish communes, where the guild leaders became likewise the heads of -the magistracy. The Count strove to reassert his power, but Van -Artevelde stormed the Castle and the prince was forced to accompany -the men of Ghent to the annual procession at Tournai wearing their -colours. The "White Hoods," as the warriors of the popular party were -called, destroyed the castles of several of the lesser nobility who -dared to resist their authority and throughout all the land Van -Artevelde reigned supreme. Edward III, after vainly endeavouring to -win the Count of Flanders to his side by flattering matrimonial -offers, ended by treating directly with Van Artevelde as if with a -sovereign prince. - -It was the genius of the great Ghent captain that conceived the -brilliant idea of overcoming the reluctance of the Flemish communes to -take sides with England against their feudal suzerain, the King of -France, by having Edward claim the crown of France, and it was in -consequence of his arguments that the English monarch finally took -this bold but adroit step. On the 26th of January, 1340, the communes -formally recognised Edward as their suzerain on the Marché du Vendredi -at Ghent--one of the many great events that have taken place on that -historic spot. The King made Ghent his headquarters, and it was in the -old Castle of the Counts that his third son, known in English history -as John of Gaunt (Ghent), was born. In the same year occurred the -great Battle of Sluys, in which Edward III led the English ships of -war into the harbour of that town where the French King Philip had -assembled a vast fleet. The defeated Frenchmen leaped overboard in -hundreds only to be slain by the Flemings as they swam ashore. No man -dared tell the King of France of this great disaster until the royal -jester broke the news by exclaiming, "The English cowards! Oh, the -English cowards!" On the King's inquiring what he meant by this, the -jester replied, "They were afraid to jump into the sea as our brave -Frenchmen did at Sluys!" - -This brilliant year, however, saw the climax of the power of Van -Artevelde. Already the other Flemish communes were beginning to -grumble at his rule, outbreaks occurring at Audenaerde, Dendermonde -and Ypres. King Edward began to besiege Tournai with the aid of Van -Artevelde, but on the French King agreeing to a truce he returned to -England, leaving his faithful ally to take care of himself as best he -could. To make matters more difficult, he failed to pay the subsidies -he had promised, and the tribune was violently accused of having -played the people false. Meanwhile the guildsmen began to dispute -between themselves, and on Monday, May 2, 1345, in spite of the -entreaties of Van Artevelde, the fullers and weavers engaged in a -bloody battle on the Marché du Vendredi in which the former with their -_Doyen_, or leader, were massacred. This sad day was called the _Kwade -Maendag_, or Bad Monday. - -Early in July Van Artevelde had a last interview with Edward at Sluys. -On his return to Ghent a mob of malcontents, led by men in the pay of -Count Louis of Nevers, besieged the great tribune in his house, crying -that he had betrayed the country. After vainly trying to argue with -them, he reluctantly permitted himself to be drawn away from the -window by his followers, who sought to persuade him to seek safety in -flight. It was too late, however, as the mob had already burst into -the house and one of them struck Van Artevelde dead on his own -threshold. For nearly nine years he had been virtually a king in -Flanders, his policy bringing unexampled prosperity to the country and -to his native city. - -Although often called a demagogue and a tyrant, Jacques Van Artevelde -ranks as one of the foremost statesmen of his time. He died the -"victim of a faction" and of treachery rather than a popular revolt -against his policies, for the English alliance was steadfastly -continued after his death. To-day his statue stands on the Marché du -Vendredi, where, in 1340, he burned the papal interdict against -Flanders. It represents him in the act of delivering the famous speech -by which he won the allegiance of his fellow citizens to the English -alliance. Count Louis profited little by his treachery, for a little -over a year later, August 26, 1346, he fell in the great battle of -Crécy where the English archers, fighting by the side of many Flemish -guildsmen, gave the death blow to mediæval chivalry and utterly -crushed the power of France. - -The weavers, who under Van Artevelde had become the dominant power in -all of the Flemish communes, soon had good reason to regret his fall, -for the new Count, Louis of Maele--named like most of the Counts of -Flanders from the place where he was born, the great castle of -Maele--was able by liberal promises and the restoration of ancient -charters and privileges to win the support of most of the cities. At -Ghent the butchers, fish merchants, and boatmen's guilds submitted, -followed by the fullers and minor industries. The weavers, although -their numbers had been greatly reduced by the plague, held out -stubbornly, but were massacred on the Marché du Vendredi, Tuesday, -January 13, 1349, their captain and their _Doyen_, Gérard Denys--the -man who had slain Van Artevelde--being flung into the Lys. The victors -called this bloody day _De Goede Disendach_, or Good Tuesday, and it -certainly amply revenged the Bad Monday four years before when the -weavers were the aggressors. The members of the unfortunate guild were -now hunted down like dogs throughout all Flanders, great numbers -fleeing to England where they established the weaving industry--King -Edward wisely welcoming the exiles and giving them every aid in his -power to settle in his Kingdom. Later the competition of these -fugitives and their descendants gave Flanders good cause to rue the -folly of the internal strife that thus drove away some of the best -workmen in the country. - -The numerical superiority of this guild, however, and the fact that -its members were necessarily more skilled than the fullers, led to its -gradual recovery, and by 1359 the weavers were again admitted to a -share in the government of the communes and the fullers were relegated -to the inferior position to which their smaller numbers and less -skilled work entitled them. Louis of Maele made Bruges virtually his -capital, but during the greater part of his reign of forty years was -able to continue on fairly peaceful terms with the turbulent city of -Ghent by means of a careful and detailed adjustment of the order of -precedence between the various guilds which was devised about the year -1352 and continued in effect for nearly two centuries. In 1369 the -daughter of the Count married Philip the Bold, Duke of Burgundy and -brother of the King of France--an event full of dire significance for -the guildsmen as it led to their having, in after years, the powerful -Dukes of Burgundy as their over-lords instead of the comparatively -feeble Counts of Flanders. In 1377 Count Louis held a great tournament -in the Marché du Vendredi. Despite the long conflict between the -guilds the city was at this period very prosperous. - -The Count, however, who was always short of money, sold to the -citizens of Bruges the right to construct a canal from their port to -the River Lys. At this Ghent, headed by the Boatmen's Guild, flew to -arms and a civil war broke out in 1379, the men of Ghent fearing that -they might lose their monopoly of the grain traffic. After various -successes and reverses the Count besieged the city and had very nearly -reduced it by starvation when Philip Van Artevelde, son of the famous -tribune, came forward and was made Captain-General of the city, in -1382. The new leader, and a motley crowd of five thousand half-starved -followers, marched on Bruges, where the Count, at the head of a host -of over forty thousand, attacked them under the walls of the city. The -larger army, however, was a mere rabble--over-confident and half -intoxicated--and Van Artevelde won a complete victory. The Count of -Flanders was compelled to hide for the night under a heap of straw in -a poor woman's hovel, and later escaped to Lille and so to France. -Van Artevelde treated the captured city with generosity and was soon -captain of all Flanders. His next battle was with the King of France, -but this time he was less fortunate, and at Rosbecque, November 27, -1382, the Flemish host was cut to pieces and its leader slain. Louis -of Maele himself died two years later, leaving the reputation of being -the worst and weakest of the line of Flemish Counts, as well as the -last. It was at his request that the French had invaded the country, -which they swept with fire and sword after the defeat of the Flemish -guildsmen, but the victory was of no benefit to the broken-down old -man who no longer dared to show himself in Flanders and died at Paris -in poverty and neglect. - -As an offset to these remarks regarding the weakness of Louis of Maele -it is only fair to that worthy to relate a little legend generally -attributed to his reign. It is said that on a certain occasion the -magistrates of Ghent--which was at the time renowned as the most -opulent city in Europe--were invited to a great feast given in honour -of some foreign king. Those in charge of the arrangements forgot, -however, to put cushions on the chairs and the men of Ghent -accordingly threw their richly embroidered cloaks upon them, and -retired when the feast was over without putting them on again. When -reminded of this the Chief Magistrate replied, "The Flemings are not -accustomed to carry their cushions with them." Not only the grandees -but the bourgeois citizens at this period were said to wear purple and -fine linen. The baths, "stooven," frequented by both sexes, became the -scenes of great vice and disorder and one ancient chronicler reports -an incredible number of murders as occurring during a single year at -gaming tables and drinking places. All this would seem to show that -Louis of Maele was not so bad a sovereign--for at least the country -prospered under his rule--but in reality he had, as we have seen, very -little to do either with the actual government or public policy during -his long reign. - -No visitor to Ghent fails to take a look at De Dulle Griete, or "Mad -Margery," Philip Van Artevelde's big cannon that stands in the -Mannekens Aert. According to Froissart, Van Artevelde took with him to -the siege of Audenaerde "a bombard which was fifty feet in length, and -shot stones of immense weight. When they fired off this bombard it -might be heard five leagues off in the daytime, and ten at night. -The report of it was so loud, that it seemed as if all the devils in -hell had broken loose." Mad Margery seems to have shrunk considerably -since Froissart's time, for she is now nineteen feet long and three -feet in diameter at the mouth. The gun was made of wrought iron and -weighs thirty-four thousand, one hundred and sixty-six pounds, and was -capable of throwing a stone weighing seven hundred and eight pounds. - -[Illustration: DE DULLE GRIETE, GHENT.] - -Another interesting monument dating from the same period in the city's -history as the Belfry is the Hospital of the Biloque or Biloke. Some -of the buildings are of much more recent construction, but the Gothic -chapel was built early in the thirteenth century, apparently about -1228, with a double gable and immense timber roof. The former -Refectory offers an example of early brick work at one of its ends, -_le beau pignon_, that is a joy to architects, and has often been -described and illustrated in the technical books. The timber roof of -this structure is also noteworthy. It is now used as a hospital for -old men. This edifice is a century later than the chapel, while some -of the other buildings date from the seventeenth and eighteenth -centuries. - -Ghent contains two Béguinages, a circumstance that gives not a little -trouble to visitors who in trying to visit one are about always--at -least that was our experience on two occasions--directed to the other. -Both are large, but one is more notable for its antiquity and the -other for its size and the perfection of its appointments. The first -Béguinage in Ghent was founded by Jeanne of Constantinople in 1233 as -a place of refuge for women disciples of the church who in those evil -days felt the need of protection, but did not desire to enter the -conventual life. Little houses sprang up and the institution proved so -popular that a second Béguinage was soon established which came to be -called the Petit Béguinage. Protected by the successive Counts, and -particularly by the patronage of the Countesses of Flanders, both -institutions flourished and expanded steadily. The present Petit -Béguinage de Notre Dame dates largely from the seventeenth century, -and the Chapel and streets of tiny houses inhabited by the Béguines -are most picturesque. It has accommodations for three hundred sisters. -The Grand Béguinage de Ste. Elisabeth was confiscated during the -French Revolution and the property presented to the almshouses of the -city of Ghent. The Committee in charge of the almshouses suffered -the Béguines to remain undisturbed, however, until 1872 when -strained relations resulting from this arrangement led to the Béguines -giving up their establishment, which was modernized by the authorities -and many of its interesting features destroyed. The church remains, -having become a parish church, and the rue des Prébendières retains -its original appearance. Meanwhile, the Duke of Arenberg purchased -ground for a new Grande Béguinage at Mont St. Amand, and here a little -city of small houses, designed in fifteenth-century Flemish style, and -a new chapel were erected, the work being completed in 1874. - -[Illustration: WORKROOM, PETIT BÉGUINAGE DE NOTRE DAME, GHENT.] - -We spent a very charming afternoon visiting the Grande Béguinage. -Passing through the lofty gateway we were greeted by the -pleasant-faced Béguine who receives all visitors and who directed us -how to reach the buildings we were permitted to see. As at Bruges, the -cells were not shown to visitors. Altogether at St. Amand there are -fourteen "convents" and eighty houses, the former accommodating twenty -or thirty inmates and the latter two or three, with occasionally some -lady from the outer world who is taken as a lodger. Each little house -is numbered and also has a name, usually that of some saint. Arriving -at the convent we had been permitted to visit we were first conducted -down a long, clean corridor, painted a glaring white, to a parlour or -reception room, of which there appear to be several. Then, after the -Lady Superior had been notified of our presence and had come to -welcome us, we were taken to the _refter_, or dining-room. The -inventor of the kitchen cabinet could have taken points from this -curious apartment. Along the walls and between the windows are a dozen -or more cupboards, of which one belongs to each Béguine. Here she -keeps her napkins, dishes and cooking utensils, and even her bread and -provisions. A board can be pulled out near the middle, which serves as -a table. These cupboards are so constructed that no Béguine can see -into that of her neighbour, and apparently they take their meals one -at a time, as one was eating her frugal repast when we entered, and -when we passed through the room again a little later her little -private refectory was closed and another one was seated at her little -shelf or table. Adjoining this queer dining-room was a large kitchen, -with an extremely big cook stove, on which a half-dozen little pots -were simmering gently. One Béguine, we were told, has the duty of -attending to the kitchen for three weeks, then another, each taking -turns. The Béguines prepare their own meals to suit themselves, the -one in charge of the kitchen merely looking after the actual process -of cooking. - -We next visited the workroom, where a group of Béguines were busily -engaged in making lace. The bright sunshine streaming through the -large windows on the silent group of workers, each clad in her sombre -garb of black and white, made a pretty picture. All seemed to be -care-free and contented, though the expression on their faces could -hardly be described as one of happiness. As in all conventual -institutions, the inmates are required to go through quite a series of -devotional exercises from morning mass to the Benediction Night -Prayers. The scene in the little chapel attached to each convent, or -in the large chapel of the entire Béguinage, when the sisters are -assembled for service is a very picturesque one and gives the visitor -an impression likely long to be remembered. - -Speaking of the peculiar dining customs of the Béguines reminds me -that in Flanders the judicious should not overlook the importance of -doing justice to the culinary treats that are provided by even the -little hotels. For those travellers who look upon eating as one of the -disagreeable necessities of existence, to be shirked or evaded as far -as possible, and, in any event, to be hurried through with quickly -lest something be overlooked that the immortal Mr. Baedeker said must -be seen, this is one feature of Flemish life that will make no appeal. -On the other hand, for those who are neither mentally nor bodily -dyspeptic; who agree with the French aphorism that "the animals feed, -while man eats"; and who are still able to enjoy a good meal well -planned, well cooked, and well served, a trip through Flanders will -bring a new pleasure every day. A peep into any Flemish kitchen will -convince the most sceptical that here, at all events, one's stomach is -not likely to be forgotten. Pots and kettles, casseroles and pans, -pitchers and jugs, large and small, hang around the walls or rest upon -long shelves--all of brightly polished copper and ready for instant -service. - -The great meal of the day in all parts of Flanders is the dinner, and -it cuts the day in two--coming between noon and two o'clock and -usually lasting an hour or more. The evening meal, or supper, is much -less important, save in a few hotels catering largely to tourists. To -get up a real Flemish dinner, cooked and served in the best style of -which the Flemish cooks are capable, the housewife first ascertains -when the local butcher has fresh-killed meat and plans accordingly. -Vegetables in Flanders are always good, in their respective seasons, -but to get the finest quality of meats one must buy just after the -butcher has made a killing. To Americans, who have been accustomed all -their lives to eat meat that has been kept on ice, it almost seems as -though one has never tasted a roast of beef or a shoulder of mutton -before--so deliciously sweet, tender and juicy are they when cooked -and eaten before the ice has robbed them of their richness and -flavour. - -It was while we were browsing around Ghent that the ladies discovered -a bit of handicraft that seems worth mentioning. We subsequently saw -the same thing at Brussels and Antwerp, so that it appears to be -distinctly a Belgian industry. In a large window they noticed two -women engaged in what from over the way might have been taken for -lace-making. Mrs. Professor hurried across at once to investigate and -she and the Madame spent half an hour watching the operation. Each of -the two women was engaged in repairing, the one a pair of trousers and -the other an overcoat. In each case the repair consisted of literally -weaving a new segment of cloth in place of the damaged portion. First -cutting out all of the latter they frayed out an edge of the goods at -some point where there was sufficient material turned under for their -purpose. This done they took short strands of each of the various -coloured yarns and, with infinite patience and skill, wove them -together in an exact reproduction of the design of the original -textile. So cleverly was the work done that when completed the -reparation could not be detected. It is possible that repairing of -this kind is done in America but none of us had ever seen or heard of -it. In Belgium it seemed to be fairly common, being styled _Reparation -invisible_, and the price varying from one to three or four francs for -each hole repaired, according to the nature of the goods and the -design. We also saw rugs being repaired in the same manner, as well as -ladies' dress goods of every description. - -It is one of the most deplorable features of the war that its most -fearful destructiveness should have been wreaked upon a little country -where every small economy and patient utilisation of trifles had been -practised for centuries. All Belgium is pre-eminently a land of -thrift, of painstaking husbanding of small resources, and to beggar -half the population of such a country means a calamity to each family -group and individual far more poignant than would be the case where -frugality was less deeply ingrained as a national characteristic. - - - - -CHAPTER XI - -PHILIP THE GOOD AND THE VAN EYCKS - - -As the sunset is often the most beautiful hour of the day, so the -splendour of the old Flemish communes reached its zenith at the moment -when many of them were about to sink into their long sleep. This was -the period of Burgundian rule. Upon the death of Louis of Maele the -County of Flanders ceased to be a separate sovereignty, as it had been -since Baldwin of the Iron Arm, for the husband of Margaret, the old -Count's daughter, was Duke of Burgundy and brother of the King of -France--a foreign prince whose interests in France far out-weighed in -his mind his interests in Flanders. The new ruler, Philip the Bold, -was acknowledged as Count of Flanders in 1384, but was only able to -enter Audenaerde by stratagem after a siege, and was defied openly by -the sturdy burghers of Ghent. The following year, however, Philip -effected a family union by which he virtually controlled the two -important States of Brabant and Hainaut. His eldest son was married -to Margaret, daughter of the Regent of Hainaut, while the latter's son -married Philip's daughter. These marriages were celebrated at Cambrai, -in April, 1385, and at the same time the Duchess of Brabant recognised -Philip's second son as heir to the Duchy. Brabant at that time was -less rich and powerful than Flanders, but its chief cities, Brussels -and Louvain, were growing rapidly. Hainaut, on the other hand, had -been termed by one of its leaders "a poor country of proud men"--its -chief cities, Mons and Valenciennes, being places of third-rate -importance, and its present vast mineral wealth then undreamed of. The -marriages of Cambrai are worth remembering, however, as explaining the -rapidity with which the House of Burgundy extended its sway over -nearly all of what is now Belgium. - -Ghent still resisted its new Count, but an army of one hundred -thousand French and Burgundians--gathered primarily to invade -England--destroyed the seaport of Damme, which had been rebuilt since -its previous destruction by the French, and plundered "the Four -Trades," as the fertile region thereabout was called. Ghent, however, -had suffered enough to make it sue for peace and acknowledge Philip's -sovereignty. The invasion of England project came to nothing--as have -so many others before and since--but it had at least enabled Philip to -establish his power in Flanders. - -On Philip's death in 1404, he was succeeded by his son, John the -Fearless (as the old chroniclers call him). The life of this prince -belongs to the history of France rather than Flanders, as he had -little use for his Flemish towns except to extort money from their -burghers--who granted him such sums as he required on his renewing -acknowledgment of their liberties and privileges. In 1407 John caused -the murder of his great rival in the government of France, the Duke of -Orleans. Then came the battle of Agincourt, where the power of France -was ruined by Henry the Fifth, and in 1419 the son of the Duke of -Orleans avenged the murder of his father twelve years previously by -murdering John the Fearless at Montereau. - -The son of John the Fearless was Philip, called by the chroniclers -"the Good." A better term would have been "the Magnificent," for -goodness was hardly his chief characteristic. The murder of his father -caused Philip to take the side of England in the long conflict between -that country and France that was still raging--a policy that pleased -his Flemish communes, which depended for their prosperity on the wool -trade. Meanwhile Philip took advantage of the matrimonial difficulties -of Jacqueline of Bavaria, Countess of Hainaut and Holland, to compel -that beautiful but unfortunate princess to abdicate in his favour. The -dungeon in the Castle of the Counts at Ghent, where the fair -Jacqueline was for a time confined, has already been mentioned. He -also succeeded in making himself Duke of Brabant, thus uniting in his -own person the government of these rich provinces with that of -Flanders and Burgundy and his other possessions in France. - -In 1430 Philip married the Princess Isabel of Portugal, a -great-granddaughter of John, Duke of Lancaster. This marriage cemented -the English alliance, and the English made Philip Regent of France, -over which they still claimed sovereignty. It was Philip who captured -and indirectly caused the execution of Jeanne d'Arc at the darkest -period of French history. - -The now all-powerful Duke of Burgundy signalized his marriage by -establishing at Bruges the famous Order of the Golden Fleece. This -consisted of himself, as founder and sovereign prince, and twenty-four -knights--naturally the highest in the land--and in renown and lustre -the new order quickly took rank as the very pinnacle of mediæval -chivalry. Membership was an honour than which there was none higher, -while members also enjoyed a personal security against the tyranny of -princes in being amenable only to their comrades of the order. The -head of such an institution naturally exerted powers equal, and, in -some respects, superior, to those of any crowned monarch. The fêtes -with which Philip celebrated the establishment of the order were -without precedent in the history of Europe for magnificence, and the -old city of Bruges was for days thronged with the bravest knights and -the fairest ladies to be found in the Duke's widespread dominions. - -Up to this date the policy of Philip had coincided with the interests -of his great communes in Flanders and his popularity throughout the -county was unbounded. Not only did friendship with England protect and -stimulate trade between the two countries, but the misery and ruin of -France also contributed to extend the commerce of the great towns just -over the frontier whose trade and industries were unmolested. In 1435 -Philip concluded the treaty of Arras with Charles VII, King of France, -by which, for the sake of peace, the French King ceded to him a -number of counties in France and made him, during his lifetime at -least, an independent prince owing no homage to the French Crown. This -treaty naturally enraged the English, who at once declared war on -Burgundy, destroying many Burgundian vessels and raiding its coast -towns. In revenge Duke Philip marched on Calais with an army of thirty -thousand Flemings whom he induced to join in the war against their -ancient ally chiefly through their confidence in his good intentions -and against their own better judgment. The siege proved to be a long -one, and the Flemings becoming discontented finally set fire to their -camp and crying, "_Go, go, wy zyn all vermanden!_" ("Go, go, we are -all betrayed!") marched back to Flanders, leaving their Duke raging at -his discomfiture. - -This fiasco determined Philip to adopt a new policy toward the -communes and compel them to obey his orders. On May 22, 1437, he -camped outside of the city of Bruges with a considerable force of -knights and Picard footmen, informing the burghers that he was on his -way to Holland. The next day, telling his men "That is the Holland we -have come to conquer!" as he pointed to the city, Philip led his -forces to the market-place. The tocsin in the old belfry instantly -sounded the alarm, and angry guildsmen and burghers came pouring down -the narrow streets in thousands. Philip's small force, taken at a -disadvantage, was forced to retreat to one of the gates. It was shut, -its heavy bolts securely drawn. Already some of the French force had -been killed, and in a few moments the Duke himself would have perished -but for Burgomaster Van de Walle, who brought a smith and broke the -lock. The Duke escaped with most of his followers, but many who were -caught in the rear lost their lives. This was the Bruges Vespers--to -distinguish it from Bruges Matin, the year of the Battle of the Spurs. - -Philip now set about humbling the proud city in grim earnest, cutting -off the commerce upon which its prosperity depended, and even its food -supplies. To add to the horrors of the siege the plague broke out -within the city, while leprosy was also prevalent. No less than -twenty-four thousand died of pestilence and famine before the brave -burghers at last gave in. Philip's terms were hard. The city officials -were required to meet him bareheaded and barefooted the next time he -deigned to visit the defeated commune, and on their knees give him the -keys of the city. A heavy fine was imposed and forty-two leading -burghers were excluded from amnesty and beheaded--including Van de -Walle, who had saved his life at the Bouverie gate. This was the -"Great Humiliation," as it is sometimes called, but--finding that -continued hostility to the chief trading centre in his dominions was -driving foreign traders away--the Duke now took Bruges again into his -favour and never again molested it during his long reign. - -The proud city of Ghent was the next to feel the weight of the -powerful Duke's displeasure. Rebelling in 1448 against the imposition -of a tax on salt, called the gabelle, the city defied the Duke's -authority for five years. Meanwhile Philip gradually cut off its -supplies, as he had done with Bruges. Ghent was more populous, -however, and its burgher armies took the field and carried open war as -far as Audenaerde, which they besieged. Several small battles were -fought, the advantage resting mainly with the Duke, until on July 23, -1453, the decisive conflict took place. The Duke's forces were -encamped at Gavre, a few miles from the city. Spies within the gates -told the burghers that it would be easy to surprise the camp and -destroy Philip's army. The tocsin therefore was sounded and the hosts -of guildsmen and burghers marched out to attack the enemy. The Duke's -forces, aware of the manner in which the Flemings were to be betrayed, -were placed where the open ground favoured the Burgundian horsemen. In -spite of this advantage, the contest was a stubborn one, both the Duke -and his son Charles narrowly escaping death on one occasion. At last -the Flemings began to give way, and the battle became a slaughter, -more than twenty thousand of the guildsmen being slain on the field, -while all prisoners were hanged. This struggle was called "the red sea -of Gavre." As the men of Ghent were fleeing toward their city Philip -sought to pursue them by the shortest way and intercept their flight. -He accordingly called for a guide. A peasant of the neighbourhood -volunteered, and, after leading the Burgundian army across fields and -by-paths for several hours, conducted the victors--not to the gates of -Ghent, but back to their own camp again! This nameless hero was -incontinently hanged to the nearest tree, but he no doubt saved the -city from pillage and rapine that night. - -Philip by this victory completely crushed the spirit of the communes, -for none dared resist when Ghent the all-powerful had failed. He seems -to have had at least a fleeting realisation, however, that victories -of this sort were not matters for unmitigated satisfaction. The day -after the battle the women of Ghent were searching the ghastly heaps -of dead for the bodies of their husbands, their brothers and their -lovers when Philip exclaimed--possibly touched by the sad sight--"I do -not know who is the gainer by this victory. As for me, see what I have -lost--for these were my subjects!" - -The privileges of Ghent were somewhat curtailed, and the dearly loved -guild banners carried away by the conqueror, but Philip, on the whole, -was very moderate. The obnoxious gabelle, the cause of the war, was -removed, and all citizens guaranteed their individual liberties. The -following year, Philip, possibly to celebrate his now undisputed -supremacy, gave a series of fêtes at Lille that surpassed even those -held on the occasion of his marriage at the foundation of the Order of -the Golden Fleece. Upon one dining table stood a cathedral, with a -choir singing within; another held a huge pie, inside of which an -orchestra of twenty-eight musicians played; a third contained a -pantomime representing Jason in search of the golden fleece. These -fêtes and tournaments lasted for days, and were the wonder of Europe. - -During the remainder of his reign of fifty years Philip never again -had occasion to make war on his Flemish subjects, and while he -seriously curtailed the power and importance of the communes, his rule -was, on the whole, a period of great prosperity for Flanders. Both -merchants and artisans were waxing rich, while the chief cities were -being beautified on every hand. It was under Philip the Good that the -cathedral at Antwerp was begun, and the town halls of Mons, Louvain -and Brussels erected. It was also during his reign that William Caxton -learned the art of printing at the house of Colard Manson at Bruges, -but the prejudice of the burghers led to his banishment as a -foreigner--thus depriving Bruges of the lustre of his achievements. -The greatest event of Philip's reign, however, was one of which the -glory is shared by both Bruges and Ghent--the establishment in -Flanders of the school of painters in oils whose masterpieces loom so -large in the history of art. - -Like most men whose commanding personality dominates the age in which -they live, Philip the Good was many sided. The Professor admires him -because he was, in his judgment, one of the greatest constructive -statesmen of the Middle Ages--aiming steadily throughout his long -reign to weld together, by fair means or foul, a compact Burgundian -nation. On the other hand, I look upon him as a foe rather than a -friend of true progress, because he crushed the self-governing -communes and guilds, the bulwarks of personal liberty in feudal -Europe. Mrs. Professor cares nothing for either of these aspects of -his career, but looks upon him as great for all time because he was an -ardent friend and patron of the fine arts. - -In this she is undoubtedly right, for no greater glory belongs to any -of the long line of princes who ruled over Flanders than that which is -associated with his reign--the birth at Bruges of the art of painting -with oils and of the wonderful school of painting represented by the -early Flemish masters. In his _History of Flemish Painting_ Prof. A. -J. Wauters recounts the names and some faint traces of the work of a -few Flemish painters who lived prior to the period of Philip the Good. -At Ghent there are two interesting frescoes dating from about the end -of the thirteenth century. At that city in 1337 the first guild of -sculptors was organised, under the patronage of St. Luke, and similar -corporations were instituted at Tournai in 1341, in Bruges in 1351, -at Louvain by 1360 and Antwerp by 1382. To this guild from the very -earliest period the painters belonged, sometimes the goldsmiths and -goldbeaters being also associated with them. In the same way the -illuminators of Bruges and Ghent, and the tapestry workers of Arras, -Tournai, Valenciennes and Brussels were organised into guilds, and -these associations of men whose work was in a high degree artistic -soon resulted in the transformation of the artisan into the artist. - -Philip the Good was not the first of his line to give encouragement to -art and artists. One Jehan de Hasselt was court painter to Count Louis -of Maele, while at the same period the better known Jehan de Bruges -was _peintre et varlet de chambre_ for the King of France. By the end -of the fourteenth century not only the great Dukes of Burgundy and the -Kings of France but many minor princes had their chosen painters, -imagers, illuminators and tapestry workers. Philip the Bold, the first -of the Dukes of Burgundy to rule over Flanders, retained his -father-in-law's painter, Jehan de Hasselt, on his pay-roll for some -time, and later employed a resident of Ypres, Melchior Broederlam, -whose masterpiece was an altar-piece for the Carthusian monastery at -Dijon founded by his patron. Part of this has been preserved and is -now in the museum of Dijon. It is of interest as the first great -painting of the early Flemish school and represents the Annunciation -and Visitation, the Presentation in the Temple, and the Flight into -Egypt. John the Fearless, the next Duke of Burgundy, likewise had his -official painter, but it was not until the reign of Philip the Good -that any of these Ducal artists, with the exception of Broederlam, -achieved more than mediocre results. - -The reason for this may have been the medium with which all painters -in those days were accustomed to work. This was called tempera, the -colours being mixed with water, the white of an egg or some other -glutinous substance, then dried in the sun and varnished over. The -colours, however, soon became dull and pale--often fading away -altogether, especially in course of restoration--and the process of -drying was slow and unsatisfactory. To Flanders belongs the honour of -the great discovery of the art of painting with oils that -revolutionised this branch of the fine arts and made the master-works -of the artists of the brush imperishable for all time. - -This epoch-making discovery, which is justly looked upon as the birth -of modern painting, was made by the two brothers Van Eyck about the -year 1410. The early accounts attribute the invention wholly to Jean, -the younger of the two brothers, relating that on a certain occasion -he had placed a painting on wood, which had cost him much time and -labour, in the sun to dry when the heat of the sun caused it to crack. -Seeing his work thus ruined at a blow Jean sought to find some -substance that would obviate the necessity of drying his paintings in -the sun and, after many experiments, discovered that linseed oil and -nut oil were by far the most rapid in drying. He further found that -the colours mixed better in oil than with the white of an egg or glue. -They also had more body, a far richer lustre, were impermeable to -water and--what was best of all--dried just as well in the shade as in -the sun. Later scholarship is not inclined to give the entire credit -for this discovery to Jean alone, however, and his elder brother -Hubert is looked upon by some as the one to whom the glory is due. -Probably it was the joint result of innumerable experiments made by -both, each profiting by the mistakes and successes of the other--just -as was the case with the Wright brothers in perfecting the greatest -invention of our own times. There were, of course, other pioneers who -contributed to the great discovery. - -The brothers were born at Maeseyck (Eyck-sur-Meuse) near Maestricht, -and took the name of the village as their own in a way that was then -very common. Literally they called themselves Hubert and Jean of Eyck. -They first obtained service under the prince-bishop of Liége, and were -illuminators of manuscripts and statues as well as painters. The -increasing wealth and luxury of Flanders under the Dukes of Burgundy -drew the two brothers to that country and they appear to have been in -the employ of the Count of Charolais, afterwards the Duke Philip the -Good, at about the date assigned by the early historians as that when -the art of painting with oils was discovered. The Count was residing -at that time in the Château des Comtes at Ghent with his young wife -Michelle, sister of the Duke of Orleans. In 1419, when the news of the -murder of John the Fearless, Duke of Burgundy, by the Duke of Orleans -on the bridge of Montereau arrived at Ghent, Philip rushed into his -wife's room crying, "Michelle, Michelle! Your brother has killed my -father!" The shock of this terrible intelligence, and the subsequent -suspicion of her husband that she knew of the plot, caused the poor -little French princess to pine away and die two years later. As a -tribute to her memory the guild of St. Luke was asked by the Duke to -grant the freedom of the guild to her favourite painters, the two Van -Eycks, which was done. - -Jean, however, did not remain at Ghent, but took service for a time -under John of Bavaria, whose capital was at The Hague. In 1425 he -became painter and varlet de chambre of Philip the Good, a position he -retained until his death. For a time he seems to have travelled about -with his ducal master, but he eventually settled at Bruges, where most -of his best work was done. Hubert, meanwhile, remained at Ghent, -painting for the rich burghers of that prosperous city. Here he -presently received an order from Jodocus Vydts for an altar-piece for -a chapel he had founded in the Cathedral of St. Bavon in his native -city of Ghent. Hubert began work immediately, planned the great work -and lived to partially complete it when overtaken by death in 1426. -Hubert was recognised as a great painter in his day, the magistrates -of Ghent on one occasion going in state to his studio to inspect a -picture he was painting--which was no doubt the altar-piece for St. -Bavon. He was, however, wholly forgotten by early historians of art -in Flanders, and it is only recently that he has been given his proper -place as one of the first of the great masters of the Flemish school. - -The subject chosen by Hubert for the proposed altar-piece was the -Adoration of the Lamb, and the artist, while true to the conventions -of the age in which he lived, achieved a work that is still full of -interest and charm. Like Shakespeare's plays this, the first great -masterpiece of the Flemish school, belongs not to an age but to all -time. In its entirety the work consists of twenty panels and comprises -more than three hundred separate figures. How far it had been -completed at Hubert's death there is no way to tell, although it is -customary to attribute to him the architectural frame, the central -panel showing the lamb, and the large upper panels. Other critics -believe that Jean practically painted the whole picture when he was -commissioned by the donor to complete it. The books on Flemish art -devote many pages to an analytical description of this picture,[1] -which was finally completed by Jean in 1432. The Duke Philip, his -patron, and the magistrates of Bruges visited his studio in state to -inspect the finished picture, which was afterwards publicly exhibited -at Ghent. When it is considered that this is the very first painting -in oil that has come down to us it is in every respect a most -marvellous performance. The three large central panels in the upper -portion are especially noble and impressive, that of "God the Father," -in the centre, being finely expressive of majesty and repose. In the -panel to the left of the Virgin Mary is a group of youthful angels -singing, who are so skilfully painted that "one can readily tell from -looking at them which is singing the dominant, which the -counter-tenor, and which the tenor and the bass," according to an -early critic. We were told by a Belgian curé with whom we talked about -this wonderful picture shortly before our visit to Ghent that the work -is so fine in its details that in the case of the figures in the -foreground who are holding open in their hands copies of the -Scriptures the very passage at which each book is opened can be -distinguished! We verified this remarkable assertion by the aid of a -glass loaned us by an attendant. - -[Footnote 1: See "The Early Flemish Painters," by J. A. Crowe and G. -B. Cavalcaselle, pp. 49-63; and "Belgium, Its Cities," by Grant Allen, -pp. 164-175.] - -The subsequent history of the painting is interesting. Philip II, who -carried many Flemish masterpieces away to Spain, admired this one, -but contented himself with a copy by Michel Coxcie, for which he paid -four thousand ducats--which was quite likely more than the Van Eyck -brothers received for the original. About 1578 the Calvinists of Ghent -wished to present the painting to Queen Elizabeth in return for her -support of their sect. For a time it was placed in the Hotel de Ville -at Ghent, but was finally restored to the cathedral. After several -other escapes from destruction or shipment abroad the work was finally -dismembered out of deference to the views of Joseph II of Austria, -during the period of Austrian rule in Flanders. He objected to the -nude figures of Adam and Eve as unsuited to a church, and these were -accordingly removed. The entire work was carried away during the -French Revolution, but was returned some years later. The wings, -however, were not restored to their original position, and were -finally sold to a London dealer for four thousand pounds sterling. He, -in turn, sold them to the King of Prussia, and they are now in the -Museum of Berlin. The wings now at St. Bavon are the copies made by -Coxcie. The original panels of Adam and Eve were stored for many years -in the cellars of St. Bavon, and then were exchanged with the Belgian -Government for the Coxcie wings just mentioned. They are now in the -Brussels Museum. The Adam and Eve at St. Bavon are not even copies of -the originals. - -[Illustration: "SINGING ANGELS" FROM "THE ADORATION OF THE -LAMB."--JEAN VAN EYCK.] - -Jean Van Eyck enjoyed the confidence and affection of Philip the Good -until his death, and was often sent on diplomatic missions of great -importance. On one occasion he was sent to Portugal with an embassy -appointed to propose a marriage between his ducal patron and the -Princess Isabel. Jean was also commissioned to paint the portrait of -the fair Isabel so that his master could judge for himself whether her -charms were as great as he had fancied them to be. This portrait was -duly painted and in the inventory of the possessions of Margaret of -Austria there was a painting by Jean Van Eyck called _La belle -Portugalaise_, which was, no doubt, the very one painted for Duke -Philip. It must have been pleasing, for he married the lady. As late -as 1516 _La belle Portugalaise_ was still in existence at Malines. It -represented a lady in a red habit with sable trimmings, attended by -St. Nicholas. It has since disappeared--one of the many thousands that -were lost or destroyed during the wars of the sixteenth to the -eighteenth centuries, but both historically and artistically one -of the most interesting of them all. There are a considerable number -of authenticated paintings by Jean Van Eyck still in existence. -Several of these are in the original frames with the artist's famous -motto, "_Als ik kan_" (As I can), more or less legible. It is by no -means unlikely that in time to come one or more of those now lost will -be discovered, thus adding to the priceless heritage that the world -owes to his immortal brush. - -[Illustration: _"George Van der Paele, Canon of St. Donatian -worshipping the Madonna" Jean Van Eyck_] - -Two of the most celebrated of Jean Van Eyck's paintings can be seen at -Bruges. One of these is in the Museum and shows George Van der Paele, -Canon of St. Donatian, worshipping the Madonna. Of the portrait of the -worthy donor Max Rooses, the Director of the Plantin-Moretus Museum at -Antwerp, says: "The Canon's face is so astoundingly true to life that -it is perhaps the most marvellous piece of painting that ever aspired -to reproduce a human physiognomy. This firm, fat painting renders at -once the cracks of the epidermis and the softness of the flesh. Beside -this head with its lovingly wrought furrows and wrinkles gleam the -dazzling white of the surplice with its greenish shimmer, the intense -red of Mary's mantle, St. Donatian's flowing cape, and the metallic -reflections of St. George's breastplate." Equally fine as an example -of faithful portrait painting is the picture of the artist's wife -which also hangs in this interesting little gallery of old masters. - -Four years after Jean Van Eyck's death, which occurred in 1440, -another Flemish painter of note acquired citizen's rights at Bruges. -This was Petrus Christus. The most celebrated of his paintings depicts -the Legend of Ste. Godeberte. The story was that this young lady's -parents had planned a rich marriage for her, whereas she preferred to -enter a convent. The prospective bride and her groom visited a -jeweller's to select the wedding ring and there encountered St. Eloi, -or Elisius, who was both a goldsmith and a bishop. The Saint, knowing -the wishes of the maiden, placed the ring upon her finger himself, -thereby dedicating her to the service of the Lord. This picture was -painted for the Goldsmiths' Guild of Antwerp, passed into the -collection of Baron Oppenheim, of Cologne, and is now in a private -gallery. - -Besides the "Adoration of the Lamb," the Cathedral of St. Bavon -possesses enough other notable works of art to equip a small museum. -One of these is the wooden pulpit, carved by P. H. Verbruggen, and -representing the glorification of St. Bavon. Another is the famous -tomb of Bishop Triest carved by Jerome Duquesnoy in 1654. This -represents the Bishop reclining on a couch, and has been termed "the -most beautiful piece of statuary in the country." Still a third -masterpiece is "St. Bavon withdrawing from the World," by Rubens. -There are a score of other paintings and pieces of sculpture of -interest and importance, but all are so over-shadowed by the famous -polyptych that the average tourist scarcely notices them unless he -goes back to this remarkable church several times. In front of the -Château of Girard, and close to the cathedral, stands the impressive -monument to the two Van Eycks erected by the city in 1913. It is by -the sculptor Georges Verbanck and represents the brothers receiving -the homage of the nations. - - - - -CHAPTER XII - -TOURNAI, THE OLDEST CITY IN BELGIUM - - -As the ladies were somewhat fatigued by our rambles around Flanders it -was decided that they would spend two or three quiet days with la -tante Rosa while the Professor and I made daily excursions into -wonderland, returning to the home of our hostess every night. The -nearest point of interest was the city of Tournai, the oldest city in -all Belgium. There was no direct railway line, however, and--as on -many other occasions during our pilgrimage--we had no little trouble -studying out a _correspondence_, or set of connections, that would -take us there and back without loss of time. We started each morning -before six o'clock and found the trains at that time of day made up -mostly of fourth-class coaches filled with working people. The Belgian -State Railway sells _billets d'abonnement_ for these trains at -incredibly low rates--a few sous a month for short trips from one town -to the next, and a few francs a month for rides half way across the -Kingdom. I have known clerks residing in the extreme southern end of -the Department of Hainaut, close to the French frontier, who ride -every day to Mons, ten or fifteen miles distant, and there take a -train for Brussels. The object of this low rate of fare is the -paternal desire of the Government that labourers should be able to -obtain work wherever it may be found and still retain their homes in -the villages in which they were born and raised. Home ties are very -strong in Belgium, and the people cheerfully travel considerable -distances under this plan rather than move away from their relatives -and friends. Economically it is a very good thing for the country as a -whole, since it enables the labourer out of work to look for a place -in a hundred different towns and the employer to draw his help from an -equally wide area. Thus in times that are not abnormally bad there are -very few industrial plants without their full quota of hands, and very -few hands out of work. - -The fourth-class coaches are built like the third-class, with cross -divisions making several compartments, but the division walls do not -extend to the roof so the passengers can toss things to one another -over them. Separate cars are provided for men and women, many -scandals having resulted from the promiscuous herding of both sexes -which prevailed some twenty years ago. The occupants of the men's cars -are of all ages, from tiny lads who seem to be hardly more than eight -or nine--but are no doubt older, as the Belgian laws no longer permit -minors of that age to work--to grandsires of eighty. All are roughly -clad, ready to take up their respective tasks the moment they -arrive--no one thinks of having a separate suit for travelling as most -of the workmen who commute to and from an American city would do. In -the women's car the occupants are mostly young girls from fifteen to -twenty, with a sprinkling of little girls and some women up to thirty, -but very few who appear to be older than that. They always seem to be -happy, singing and "carrying-on" with the utmost abandon. They are -ready to start a flirtation at a moment's notice and occasionally, -when their car halts in a station next to some other train in which -there are young men near the windows, the whole bevy of charmers -devotes itself to making conquests--opening the windows and shouting a -volley of good-natured raillery to which, if they are natives and used -to it, the youngsters retort in kind. Then, as the trains start, the -laughing crowd throws kisses by handfuls and the flirtation is over. - -As our train jolted along, with frequent stops to take on and let off -fourth-class passengers, the Professor explained to me that to be -consistent to his plan we really should have visited Tournai first. -However, it was far out of the way as a starting point, and its -history did not dominate that of all Flanders in the way that the -early history of Bruges did. In fact, while in early times subject to -the Counts of Flanders, it was often subject to the French Crown for -generations at a time, and is usually regarded as a Walloon rather -than a Flemish city. Its influence on Flemish art and architecture, -however, led us to include this Ville d'Art in our itinerary. - -According to the scholars Tournai is the _Turris Nerviorum_ of Cæsar, -the capital of the Nervii, and one of the oldest towns north of the -Alps. In 299 it was the scene of the martyrdom of St. Piat, who -founded a church on the site of the cathedral. As the visitor gazes at -that magnificent structure he can reflect that the ground on which it -stands has been consecrated to divine worship for more than sixteen -hundred years. During the fourth and fifth centuries Tournai was the -capital of the branch of the Franks that ruled over the greater part -of what is now Belgium, but the history of these early days when the -Roman Empire was tottering to its fall is very meagre, and more than -half legend at best. The first kings of the Merovingian line are -shadowy, mythical personages who stalk across the pages of history -like the ghost in Hamlet--far off, dim, but awe-inspiring. - -Childeric is one of the most picturesque of these early kings. -Expelled from the tribe owing to his youthful gallantries, he fled to -the court of Basinus, King of the Thuringians. The queen, Basina, -welcomed him even more warmly than her husband, and hardly had -Childeric returned home, on being recalled by the tribe some years -later to rule over them, than she followed him. Arrived at his court, -she announced that she had come to marry him because he was the -bravest, strongest and handsomest man she had heard of. She added, -naïvely, that if she knew of another who surpassed him in these -particulars not even the sea could keep her from such a rival. Basina, -who from all accounts should be the patron saint of the suffragettes, -won her suit and they were married. On the night before the ceremony -mony, according to an ancient chronicle, she bade Childeric go into -the courtyard of the palace at Tournai to see what he might see. He -went at her bidding three times. On the first occasion he beheld a -long procession of lions, unicorns and leopards, struggling and -snapping at one another, but all without a sound, nor did the beasts -cast any shadow. The second time he saw huge bears shambling across -the courtyard which vanished even while he was gazing at them. Then -came packs of wolves which ran in circles and leaped, but silently. On -his last visit he saw dogs of huge size and many colours, and -innumerable cats which always looked behind them. From these portents -Basina explained to him the qualities of the race of kings of which he -was to be the ancestor. Clovis, one of the greatest of the early -Frankish kings, was the child of Childeric and Basina. - -In the sixth century Tournai figured prominently in the narrative of -the furious wars between Fredegonda and Brunehault, one of the great -epics of the early Middle Ages. Fredegonda, who was the daughter of a -bondsman, became by virtue of her beauty and imperious will the wife -of Chilperic, King of the Franks. Brunehault, equally beautiful, but -a king's daughter as well as the wife of a king--Sigebert, brother of -Chilperic--began the contest to avenge the death of her sister -Galeswintha, whom Fredegonda had caused to be slain. Chilperic and -Fredegonda were besieged at Tournai in 575, but the latter caused the -murder of Sigebert, upon whose death the besieging army dispersed. -Incidents in this siege are depicted in the stained-glass windows of -the cathedral. The contest between the two fierce queens lasted more -than half a century, Brunehault at the last being torn to pieces by -wild horses, when more than eighty years old, by the son of her -life-long rival. - -In 880 the Norsemen fell upon the city and its inhabitants fled to -Noyon, where they remained for thirty-one years. In its subsequent -history the old town sustained more than its share of sieges, the -common lot of all frontier places, and changed hands oftener than any -other European city. For many generations it was subject to the early -Counts of Flanders. Philip Augustus then annexed it to France, to -which it belonged until the reign of Francis I. In 1340 occurred the -most famous of all its sieges. It belonged at that time to France and -was attacked by the English under Edward III, a huge army of Flemings -under Jacques Van Artevelde, the Duke of Brabant and the Count of -Hainaut with their followers and many others--a host estimated by -Froissart at one hundred and twenty thousand men. That delightful -historian devotes more than a dozen chapters to a gossipy account of -the siege, which lasted more than eleven weeks and was only raised by -the approach of a French army when the supply of provisions was -reduced to three days' rations. In 1513 Tournai was captured by Henry -VIII, who gave the see to Cardinal Wolsey, but soon sold it back to -the French. The huge round tower a little distance to the right as one -enters the city from the railway station was erected by the English -King during his short rule. In 1521 the city was captured by Charles -the Fifth, becoming a part of his domains, and in 1581 it sustained -another famous siege. In common with the rest of Flanders and the Low -Countries, the city had revolted against the atrocities of Philip II. -It was besieged by the Prince of Parma and heroically defended by -Christine, Princess of Epinoy, whose statue stands in the Grande -Place. She was herself wounded and had lost more than three-fourths of -the garrison before she surrendered. - -Tournai once more passed into the hands of the French in 1668, when -it was captured by Louis XIV and afterwards elaborately fortified by -Vauban, was retaken by Marlborough in 1709, returned to Austria five -years later, and captured once more by the French after the battle of -Fontenoy in 1745. Four years later it was again restored to Austria, -but was twice taken by the armies of the first French republic, -remaining French territory till the battle of Waterloo. It would be a -difficult matter to say how often its fortifications have been built, -demolished, rebuilt and again destroyed. - -The most noteworthy of these later sieges was that of 1745, during the -War of the Austrian Succession, which brought the English and French -into conflict even along the frontiers of their far-off American -colonies. Austrian Flanders became the arena of the decisive campaign -in this war--in which its inhabitants had absolutely no interest or -concern whatever--and Tournai was the prize for which the armies -fought. It was during this and the preceding century that Flanders -became "the cockpit of Europe"--foreign armies sweeping over its -fertile plains in wars the very purpose of which was unknown to the -peasants who helplessly saw their cattle and crops swept away and -their farmsteads and villages destroyed. It is curious to remark how -frequently the English were engaged in these conflicts, particularly -in the vicinity of Tournai. In the words of Lord Beaconsfield, -"Flanders has been trodden by the feet and watered with the blood of -successive generations of British soldiers." - -An English force formed the nucleus and the backbone of the allied -army, which was commanded by the Duke of Cumberland, brother of King -George II. The French forces were led by Maurice de Saxe, the greatest -military leader of that generation, as Marlborough had been of the one -before it. King Louis XV--for almost the only time in his long -reign--played the part of a man throughout this campaign. When Saxe -explained his plan of campaign, which involved a scheme of field -fortifications, the "carpet generals" protested loudly that Frenchmen -were well able to meet their foes on open ground. Louis silenced these -arm-chair critics and replied to his great field-marshal, "In -confiding to you the command of my army I intend that every one shall -obey you, and I will be the first to set an example of obedience." - -For a time the allies, which consisted of English, Hanoverian, Dutch -and Austrian troops--very few Flemings taking part in this campaign -on either side--were in doubt whether Saxe intended to attack Mons, -St. Ghislain or Tournai. With his usual rapidity of action, the French -leader, when his forces suddenly appeared before Tournai, had that -city completely invested before the allies knew where he was. It was -early in the month of May, and very rainy, when the allied army -started from Brussels and marched through the mud toward the -beleaguered city. On the evening of May tenth, eleven days after the -siege had begun, they arrived within sight of the quintuple towers of -the cathedral and the adjacent belfry. Their position was southeast of -the city, on the route to St. Ghislain and Mons, and the towers were -therefore sharply outlined against the sunset as the army, standing on -rising ground, gazed across the rolling country that was to be the -morrow's battlefield. - -Saxe had made the most of the slowness of the allies' advance by -choosing the ground where he would give battle, and strengthening his -position with field redoubts, using the little village of Fontenoy as -a base. The allies attacked from the direction of the little village -of Vezon, while Louis XV watched the battle from a hill near the -intersection of the Mons road with that leading from Ramecroix to -Antoing. The attack began at two o'clock in the morning, the English -advancing in a hollow square, and it was not until after two in the -afternoon that Saxe, after bringing every man in his forces into -action, had the satisfaction of seeing the great square falter and -turn slowly back--halting every hundred yards to beat off its foes. -The fiercest unit in the French army was a brigade of Irish volunteers -who fought like tigers, the men flinging themselves against the -stubborn English square again and again. A learned historian, who has -devoted more than eighty pages to a description of the battle, fails -to give so clear an idea of its decisive moment as does the poet -Thomas Osborne Davis in half as many lines: - - "Thrice at the huts of Fontenoy the English column failed, - And twice the lines of Saint Antoine the Dutch in vain assailed; - For town and slope were filled with fort and flanking battery, - And well they swept the English ranks and Dutch auxiliary. - As vainly through De Barri's wood the British soldiers burst, - The French artillery drove them back, diminished and dispersed. - The bloody Duke of Cumberland beheld with anxious eye, - And ordered up his last reserves, his latest chance to try. - On Fontenoy, on Fontenoy, how fast his generals ride! - And mustering came his chosen troops, like clouds at eventide. - - "Six thousand English veterans in stately column tread; - Their cannon blaze in front and flank, Lord Hay is at their head. - Steady they step a-down the slope, steady they climb the hill, - Steady they load, steady they fire, moving right onward still, - Betwixt the wood and Fontenoy, as through a furnace blast, - Through rampart, trench and palisade, and bullets showering fast; - And on the open plain above they rose and kept their course, - With ready fire and grim resolve that mocked at hostile force; - Past Fontenoy, past Fontenoy, while thinner grew their ranks, - They broke, as broke the Zuyder Zee through Holland's ocean banks. - - * * * * * - - "'Push on my household cavalry!' King Louis madly cried. - To death they rush, but rude their shock; not unavenged they died. - On through the camp the column trod--King Louis turns his rein. - 'Not yet, my liege,' Saxe interposed; 'the Irish troops remain.' - 'Lord Claire,' he said, 'you have your wish; there are your Saxon - foes!' - The Marshal almost smiles to see, so furiously he goes, - How fierce the looks these exiles wear, who're wont to be so gay! - The treasured wrongs of fifty years are in their hearts to-day. - On Fontenoy, on Fontenoy, nor ever yet elsewhere, - Rushed on to fight a nobler band than these proud exiles were. - - * * * * * - - "Like lions leaping at a fold, when mad with hunger's pang, - Right up against the English line the Irish exiles sprang; - Bright was their steel, 'tis bloody now, their guns are filled with - gore; - Through shattered ranks and severed files and trampled flags they - tore. - The English strove with desperate strength; paused, rallied, - staggered, fled; - The green hillside is matted close with dying and with dead. - Across the plain and far away passed on that hideous wrack - While cavalier and Fantassin rush in upon their track. - On Fontenoy, on Fontenoy, like eagles in the sun, - With bloody plumes the Irish stand--the field is fought and won!" - -On our first day's visit the Professor devoted most of the time to the -cathedral and the remains that still exist of the earliest period of -Tournai's long and varied history. As we approached the city, past the -vast excavations around Antoing connected with the lime pits and kilns -and cement works that there abound, we could see the five spires of -the cathedral in the distance. Antoing is only a mile and a half from -Fontenoy, and the battlefield--marked by a monument erected in -1907--is happily free from the pits that scar so much of the -countryside thereabouts, and no doubt looks to-day very much as it did -on the day of the great fight. - -The cathedral of Tournai is the oldest, the most vast, and decidedly -the most imposing religious edifice in Belgium. Its five great towers -dominate the entire city and are visible for miles across the -surrounding plains. The oldest portions of the present structure date -from about 880, when the inhabitants of Tournai returned after the -invasion of the Norsemen. The side porches of the naves belong to this -earliest period. In 1054 a fire destroyed the upper part of the -cathedral and it was shortly after this that the towers were built. -There were originally seven of these, the one in the centre being a -gigantic square structure rising above all the others. The group as it -then stood was without a rival in Europe, but the two towers to the -east of the central one were removed with the ancient choir and the -height of the central tower reduced. In their present form, however, -the towers compose a magnificent assemblage. - -[Illustration: GENERAL VIEW OF TOURNAI AND THE FIVE-TOWERED -CATHEDRAL.] - -The four outer towers, which surround the now much shorter central -one, are two hundred and seventy-two feet high, and, although -apparently alike at the first glance, are not entirely so--a -circumstance that enhances rather than detracts from the -picturesqueness of the group. Placed at the crossing of the nave and -the transept these towers, from without, suggest the fantastic idea -that instead of one there are two cathedrals, each facing the other, -and with the central tower uniting them. - -In reality, the edifice is large enough to make two cathedrals and -more, the interior being four hundred and twenty-six feet in length -and two hundred and twenty feet in width across the transept. Built at -different epochs, this imposing edifice constitutes a veritable -history in stone of the development of mediæval architecture. The nave -was completed in 1070 and the transept in the eleventh and -twelfth centuries. Both are in the Romanesque style, while the -choir--originally Romanesque--was rebuilt in 1242-1325 in the early -Gothic style. It is both longer and almost fifty feet higher than the -older nave--a fact that leads the observer looking at the structure -from without to mistake it for the nave itself. In addition to the -main edifice there is a small parish chapel built against the north -side of the cathedral, a Gothic edifice dating from 1516-1518, while -attached to it by a passage over a picturesque arch called _Le -fausseporte_ is the Bishop's palace. Here there is another chapel, the -Chapel of the Bishops, dating from the twelfth century. - -Like most religious structures in Belgium, the cathedral was for many -years surrounded, and almost entirely obscured, by small private -houses of all kinds built up against it. These have now been removed, -although there are still a few more that we were told were destined to -come down in order to give a better view of the structure from one -side. There are three entrances, of which two are noteworthy. One of -these, called the Porte Mantille, is on the north side facing the -Place des Acacias, and dates from the twelfth century. It is the -oldest part of the exterior, and looks it, the round arch of the -doorway being surrounded by quaint Romanesque sculptures. The winds of -seven hundred winters have worn these bas-reliefs down considerably, -but they are still surprisingly clear, the faces, armour and costumes -of the figures being quite distinct. They are among the oldest stone -carvings in Europe and show that the art of sculpture was practised -at Tournai within a century or two after the retirement of the -Norsemen. - -Even more interesting is the fine façade just behind the groined porch -that faces the Place de l'Evêché. From a distance this end of the -cathedral is hardly pleasing, the sixteenth-century porch concealing -the early Romanesque façade and being out of harmony with it. After -passing within the arches, however, the visitor forgets all this and -is lost in wonder and admiration at the wealth of stone carving that -decorates the walls on both sides of the main entrance. There is no -such decoration in stone to be seen in all Flanders, for the churches -of Tournai escaped the fury of the iconoclasts--Tournai, at that time, -belonging to France. Here the sculptors of Tournai have achieved a -veritable masterpiece. The work is in three tiers and belongs to three -different periods. The lowest tier, carved in blue stone quarried in -Tournai itself or near by, is the most remarkable, and is regarded by -the critics as the finest in artistic merit. It dates from the -thirteenth century and represents Adam and Eve and various prophets -and fathers of the church. The second zone is in white stone, now grey -with age, and was the work of the sixteenth century. It comprises a -series of small panels carved in bas-relief, those at the left -depicting--so the authorities at Tournai tell us--a religious -procession, and those at the right various incidents in the history of -King Childeric. The highest tier comprises a series of large statues -in high relief of the apostles, the Virgin Mary, St. Piat and St. -Eleuthereus. Although the figures are boldly conceived and well -executed, and, in the main, fairly well preserved, they are -artistically less important than the others. In its entirety, however, -this entrance--"_le portail_," "_the_ entrance," as the people of -Tournai style it--is a place of wonderful interest, a place to be -visited again and again under different lights and in different moods. - -Passing into the interior of the cathedral the visitor is again given -the impression that here he is not in one church but at least two and -possibly more. The ancient nave, with its vaulted roof supported by -three series of Romanesque arches placed one above another, seems -somehow to be complete by itself and to have no relation to the -far-off choir which is partially cut off from it by an elaborately -carved rood loft, which--in its flamboyant Renaissance style--seems -out of place and tends to mar the general effect of the vast -interior. The pillars in the nave are not uniform, but have a wide -diversity of capitals--some decorated with the lotus or conventional -foliage, others with beasts or birds or quaint, fantastic heads. At -the intersection of the nave and transept the great pillars supporting -the central tower are of tremendous proportions and the view looking -upward from this point is one of extraordinary grandeur. Here, too, -the rood loft, or _jubé_, can be studied to best advantage. The work -of Corneille Floris of Antwerp and executed in 1572, it is undoubtedly -one of the masterpieces of sculpture of its period. The Doric columns -are of red marble, the architectural outlines of the structure in -black marble, and the medallions and other bas-reliefs in white. -Passing through one of the three arches of this portal we come to the -noble choir. This is the most beautiful portion of the cathedral, its -vast height and the richly coloured light that streams downward from -its fine stained-glass windows creating a very atmosphere of majesty -and inspiration. - -While we were inspecting the choir and the ambulatory, which contains -several paintings and carvings of no little interest, the Professor -discovered that the hours had been slipping by faster than we had -imagined and as there were several relics of the earliest period of -the city's history that we wished to visit on our first day we decided -to betake ourselves to the Grande Place and postpone our visit to the -far-famed treasury of the cathedral to another day. We found a little -place to dine directly facing the Belfry, and with the Princess of -Epinoy, in her coat of mail and brandishing her battle-axe, standing -on her monument hard by. The Place is a very large one, but most of -the houses facing it have been so modernized as to lose much of their -mediæval aspect, although the ancient Cloth Hall--which has recently -been restored--no doubt looks much as it did when in its prime. - -The Belfry was naturally our first stopping place after we had done -justice to the excellent dinner in half a dozen courses that two -francs had secured for us. This edifice dates from 1187, and stands -slightly back from the apex of the triangle formed by the Grande -Place. According to some authorities the peculiar shape of the Place -is due to the intersection of two Roman roads at the point where the -Belfry now stands. Externally the tower, which is two hundred and -thirty-six feet high, strikingly resembles the Belfry of Ghent. -Within, after climbing a winding stairway for some distance, we -were shown several large rooms with heavy timber ceilings that were -once used as prison cells. They looked fairly comfortable, as compared -with the dungeons in the Château des Comtes, and one of them was then -in use by the small son of the concierge as a play-room and was -littered with toys--mostly of his own manufacture, apparently. The -doors to these "cells" were of massive construction and locked by keys -nearly a foot long, or at least it seemed so, though we did not -measure them. The view from the top of the edifice is picturesque and -well worth the climb. A melodious set of chimes is installed near the -top, which ring every half hour. The big bell, _la Bancloque_, which -called the people to arms, was cast in 1392, and must have been rung -quite frequently during the stirring days when Tournai was being -fought for by armies from half the countries in Europe. - -[Illustration: THE BELFRY, TOURNAI.] - -From the Belfry we visited the ancient Church of St. Brice which -stands in one of the very oldest quarters of the city. Almost facing -the church are two buildings known as the Roman houses. Although -hardly dating from the time of the Romans they are undoubtedly very -ancient. Only the outer walls, however, remain of the original -construction, the interiors dating from a much later period. One of -these houses was untenanted when we were there, and the other was an -estaminet. We entered it and ordered drinks, and asked if we could see -the up-stairs rooms, but apparently they were not very tidy as the -landlady declined to show them, assuring us that there was nothing to -see. At No. 18 on the same street, rue Barre-Saint-Brice, is another -estaminet in a house of very ancient construction. After quite a -search we found the caretaker of the church. As old as the oldest part -of the cathedral this structure is a remarkable example of Romanesque -architecture. Externally it looks from the rear like three stone barns -built close together, but its square tower is lofty and imposing, -although much injured by a silly sort of hat which was stuck on early -in the last century. The most interesting object within was a quaint -Tournai tapestry representing a variety of Biblical subjects. - -In the year 1653 archeologists and historians throughout Europe were -greatly excited over one of the most interesting finds of ancient -relics ever recorded. In the house now No. 8 on the Terrace -Saint-Brice, on one side of the church, was dug up at a depth of eight -feet a veritable museum of arms and jewels since known as the -Treasure of Childeric I, whose marriage with Basina was preceded by so -many portents. More than a hundred gold coins of the Byzantine -Emperors were found, several hundred golden bees, a quantity of silver -money of great antiquity, divers clasps and buckles--all mingled with -the remains of human bones, which may have been those of the -Merovingian King and his imperious spouse. One ring bore a bust of a -man with long hair holding a lance, with the inscription _Childerici -Regis_. After passing through various hands the collection came into -the possession of Louis XIV, and eventually into the Bibliotheque -Royale at Paris. Here, in 1831, it was stolen. The thieves were -pursued and threw their booty into the Seine, where a few pieces were -afterwards recovered and are now in the numismatic collection of the -Bibliotheque Nationale at Paris. - -Not far from this interesting old quarter are some picturesque remains -of the ancient city walls, two ivy covered towers facing a moat in -which there is still some water. These are called the Marvis Towers, -and were erected during the thirteenth century. On our way back to the -station we made a little detour in order to see the curious _Pont des -Trous_--literally "the Bridge of the Holes," meaning loopholes--the -most ancient specimen of mediæval military architecture in Belgium. -The tower on the side farthest from the centre of the city was built -prior to 1259, the other in 1304, and the bridge with its three ogival -arches in 1330. Across the bridge at short intervals are narrow -loopholes to enable the defenders to fire at foes approaching by way -of the River Scheldt. One of the towers is said to contain a fine -vaulted room, but as we were unable to find any one who knew who had -the key to the little door at its foot we did not see this room or the -passage-way across the bridge. Between this bridge and the railway -line we noticed a high stone wall of ancient construction which, from -its location, may also have been a fragment of the city walls. Further -on is the Henry VIII tower, which was built by the English monarch -after he captured the city in 1513, as part of a citadel intended to -hold the citizens in check. The tower is slightly over seventy-five -feet in diameter and the walls at the base are said to be twenty feet -thick. The rest of the citadel has long since disappeared and this -vestige of it is now the centre of a pleasant little park much -frequented on sunny days by nursemaids and children. Amid these -peaceful surroundings it was, when we saw it, hard to picture the old -tower as having ever been the scene of fierce conflicts with furious -foes striving to batter a breach in its massive walls or scale it with -long ladders, while its defenders fired volley after volley through -its tiny windows and flung down big stones or boiling tar from its -parapet. - -The strategy of the early part of the present war did not call for a -protracted defence of Tournai, with the result that, as this is being -written, the old city is reported to have suffered little or no -damage. In view of the frequency with which it had been contended for -in former wars it is to be hoped that this one--which has so far been -more destructive than all previous wars put together--will pass quaint -old Tournai by and that the great cathedral with its five towers and -marvellous stone carvings may be spared for generations yet to come. - - - - -CHAPTER XIII - -SEVEN CENTURIES OF TOURNAISIAN ART - - -The citizens of Tournai of to-day have given to their beautiful city -the name of "Ville d'Art." To be sure, the same title is claimed for -Bruges and Ghent, for Antwerp and Malines. The first two are justly -proud of their many beautiful monuments of the past and their -associations with the work of the early Flemish painters, Antwerp of -its connection with the later development of painting in Flanders and -the most artistic of the early printers, Malines of its lace and its -splendid examples of religious architecture and art. Tournai, however, -has a broader title to the phrase than any of them in that the -artistic activities of its gifted sons have not been confined to one -medium or two, but have been independently developed along half a -score of different lines and during a period covering more than seven -centuries. Not only is the city a rich repository of the artistic -productions of past ages, but it is still more notable in having been -one of the most prolific producers of beautiful and artistic things. -To the true connoisseur a stay of several weeks in this fine old -border town would be none too long to afford opportunity to study all -of its collections and rummage in out-of-the-way corners for stray -specimens that the dealers and bargain hunters have overlooked. -Unfortunately, neither the Professor nor I can lay claim to more than -a rudimentary knowledge of such matters and in the chronicle of our -rambles in the City of Art there may be much to make the judicious -grieve. It is not, however, so much in order to give an account of -what we saw that this chapter is written as in the hope that it may -suggest how much there is to see for those whose eyes are better -trained and more discriminating than ours. - -Tournai looms large in the history of early Flemish painting, for it -was here that the next important group of masters after the Van Eycks -appeared. As early as the first half of the fourteenth century -paintings on cloth were executed at Tournai, followed by what was -termed "flat painting" for panels. About 1406 the first of the great -artists whose names have come down to us settled at Tournai. This was -Robert Campin. He acquired the right of citizenship in 1410 and died -in 1444, being thus a contemporary of the Van Eycks. He is known to -have painted many works, but until recently none of these had been -definitely identified. Now, thanks to the earnest and patient study of -Belgian scholars, he seems likely to be given his rightful place as -one of the greatest of the early Flemish masters--after having been -completely forgotten for nearly five hundred years! His most important -work is an altarpiece in the possession of the Mérode family at -Brussels, while the Frankfort Museum and the Prado at Madrid contain -some fine examples of his skill. - -It is known that Robert Campin was the master of two other Tournai -artists, Rogier Van der Weyden and Jacques Daret, of whom the former -soon far surpassed his teacher in renown. Daret entered the atelier of -Robert Campin in 1418, when a lad of fourteen, obtained the title of -apprentice in 1427, and became a member of the Guild of St. Luke in -1432. One of his pictures, a panel showing the Nativity, was in the -collection of the late Mr. J. Pierpont Morgan. Van der Weyden, whose -Walloon name was Roger de la Pasture, became one of Campin's -apprentices in 1427--the same date as Daret--and was admitted to the -guild of the painters at Tournai in 1432. He spent much of his time at -Brussels, however, and is sometimes considered as belonging to that -city rather than Tournai. A "Descent from the Cross" now at the -Escorial is his most famous picture. It was painted for the Archers' -Company at Louvain and a copy of it, made by the master himself, was -hung in the Church of St. Pierre in that city. About 1430 Van der -Weyden was commissioned to paint four large panels for the Hall of -Justice in the new Hotel de Ville at Brussels. Two of these showed -Trajan, the Just Emperor, and the other two depicted the Justice of -Herkenbald, and for more than two centuries the series was regarded as -the finest group of paintings in the Low Countries. They were -destroyed at the bombardment of Brussels in 1695, but tapestries -copied from the originals still exist in the Museum at Berne, having -been captured by the Swiss when Charles the Bold was defeated at -Granson. - -In 1443 the artist began what in the judgment of the art critics was -his most important work, an altarpiece representing "The Last -Judgment" for the chapel of a hospital at Beaune, near Dijon in -Burgundy, where it still remains. The museum at Antwerp contains a -triptych of the Seven Sacraments by this master, showing the interior -of a cathedral suggestive of that of Tournai--and, in fact, it was for -the Bishop of Tournai that it was originally painted. Nearly every -important art gallery in Europe contains one or more works by Van der -Weyden, who not only was very industrious, receiving numerous orders -from the great men of his day, but fortunate in having most of his -masterpieces preserved from the destruction that overtook so much of -the work of the early Flemish artists. - -The former Cloth Hall of Tournai, erected in 1610, was completely and -very successfully restored in 1884, and is now used to house an -admirable little collection of paintings and a museum of antiquities. -The paintings are, for the most part, the work of Tournai artists, and -most of its three hundred and eighty titles are of local rather than -international interest. There are several works, however, of the -highest rank, and the museum as a whole serves admirably to illustrate -the fact that the traditions and inspiration of the first great -masters of Flemish painting, whose work has made the name of Tournai -illustrious for all time, have never been wholly forgotten in their -native city. To be sure, there is nothing to represent Robert -Campin or Jacques Daret, nor had the caretaker ever heard of either of -them--a fact hardly to be wondered at, since the works of the former -have not yet been fully identified by the critics. Van der Weyden is -credited with a "Descent from the Cross" in the museum catalogue, but -many critics hold this to be a copy of a lost work by Hugo Van der -Goes. Those in charge of the museum have wisely included some -excellent photographs of the more famous works by Van der Weyden in -the leading European galleries--a plan that might well be followed -with respect to the other notable works by Tournaisian artists. The -masterpiece of the collection is the well known "Last Honours to -Counts Egmont and Horn," by Louis Gallait, the greatest of Tournai's -modern artists, whose statue stands in the little park before the -railway station. A replica of this fine but gruesome work was painted -by the artist for the Antwerp museum. The Tournai museum contains -nearly a dozen other works bequeathed to the city by this painter, -including several admirable portraits--a branch in which he was -especially skilful. The powerful "Abdication of Charles V" by this -master hangs in the Brussels museum, and his notable "Last Moments of -the Comte d'Egmont" in the museum of Berlin. - -[Illustration: A TRIPTYCH OF THE SEVEN SACRAMENTS BY ROGIER VAN DER -WEYDEN.] - -Equally fine in a very different way, but less widely known, is a -spirited painting by a comparatively unknown artist, Van Severdonck, -representing the Princess of Epinoy valiantly defending a breach in -the walls during the siege of Tournai in 1581. We were unable to -obtain a photograph of this admirable work as it is so hung that it is -difficult to get a good light upon it. A fine portrait of St. Donatian -is attributed in the catalogue to Jan Gossaert or Mabuse (from -Maubeuge where he was born). By some critics it is assigned to -Bellegambe, who was born at Douai in French Flanders and was a -contemporary of Gossaert. The museum also contains works by Hennebicq, -who painted the historical picture of Philip Augustus granting a -charter to the city of Tournai in the Hotel de Ville; Hennequin, the -teacher of Gallait; Stallaert, whose "Death of Dido" is in the museum -of Brussels, and several other natives of Tournai who are less well -known. From Robert Campin, who settled at Tournai about 1406 and died -in 1444, to Louis Gallait, whose three great masterpieces were painted -between 1840 and 1850, and to Stallaert and Hennebicq, who laid aside -their brushes in the first decade of the present century, there -extends a period of five hundred years during which the noble art of -painting has been practised and taught at Tournai by men of commanding -genius--a record in the history of art that no town in the world of -similar size has ever equalled. - -It is worthy of remark, in passing, that the art of sculpture which -was practised at Tournai with such notable success as early as the -thirteenth century, and steadily thereafter for several hundred years, -has not survived to the present day. There are no modern sculptors in -the list of Tournaisian artists, but the cathedral is a veritable -museum of the stone carvings of the past. The men of the chisel, -moreover, must be credited with giving some of the inspiration that -made the work of the early artists of the brush so notable. Van der -Weyden, particularly, shows the influence of sculpture and a marked -appreciation of its effects in the framework and backgrounds of many -of his pictures. Moreover, for several centuries the sculptors of -Tournai enjoyed a renown that extended throughout Flanders and -northern France. In the churches of Tournai and of many other cities -examples of their work can be seen that show a continuous record of -achievement from the twelfth to the sixteenth centuries. - -Closely allied to the carvers of stone were those who worked in metals -and of these Tournai had its full share. A street of the Goldsmiths -(rue des Orfévres) near the Grande Place indicates the importance of -that industry in ancient times. The best example of this branch of -Tournaisian art is to be found in the treasury of the cathedral. This -is the superb Chasse, or Reliquary of St. Eleuthereus, which is -considered to be one of the finest products of the goldsmith's art -during the Middle Ages. While the name of the maker of this -masterpiece is unknown, it is unquestionably of Tournaisian origin and -was completed in 1247. Built in the form of a sarcophagus, and made of -silver, heavily gilded, it is almost bewildering in the richness and -intricacy of its decorations and filigrees. At one end is a large -seated figure of Christ, at the other of St. Eleuthereus, while the -sides contain figures of the Virgin and the Apostles. Around, above -and below these chief figures the artist has placed a labyrinth of -minor ones, of churches and landscapes, of columns, arches and -architectural embellishments, all carved with a richness of design -that cannot be adequately described. Still older, for it dates from -1205, is the Chasse de Notre Dame, another treasure of the cathedral. -This was made by Nicolas de Verdun, a citizen of Tournai, and is of -wood, painted and adorned with curious bas-reliefs representing -incidents from the New Testament. A third chasse, which on account of -its great value is kept under lock and key in the treasury, like that -of St. Eleuthereus, is called the Chasse des Damoiseaux. It is made of -silver and bears in relief, and enamelled, the arms of some of the -patrician families of the city in the thirteenth and fourteenth -centuries, when the Confrerie des Damoiseaux held many brilliant -tournaments in Tournai and other cities. This chasse, the keeper told -us, was not made at Tournai, but at Bruges. Although very beautiful, -it is not considered so notable a work of art as its companion. - -During the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries Tournai rivalled Dinant -as a producer of fine copper and brassware, and in this industry the -artistic instincts of its citizens soon led them to produce pieces of -remarkable distinction. One of the finest of these is the baptismal -font in the church of Notre Dame at Hal, made in 1446. The artisans of -Tournai turned out a prodigious number of fine products of the -copper-smith's art during the two centuries mentioned--lamps, -candlesticks, chandeliers, funeral monuments, crucifixes and other -religious articles; and, in fact, it was not until the eighteenth -century that this industry declined, only to give place to the -manufacture of gilded bronze ware. - -The cathedral and the museum of antiquities contain some choice -examples of another great Tournaisian art industry of the Middle -Ages--the manufacture of rich tapestries. During the fourteenth -century the renown of the products of Tournai in this field was -already considerable, and between 1440 and 1480 its artisans surpassed -even those of Arras. In richness of colouring, diversity and -sprightliness of subjects, beauty of design and workmanship, the -tapestries of Tournai rank among the finest art productions of the -Middle Ages. In 1477, when Louis XI seized Arras and dispersed its -workmen, many of them fled to Tournai, Audenaerde and Brussels, -establishing the industry in those cities. Tournai, where it had -already made great progress, was the first to benefit by this -emigration and for a time became the leading tapestry-making centre in -Europe. It was the school of Tournai that was the true forerunner of -the still more famous tapestry weavers of Brussels in depicting -historical and mythological scenes of the utmost vivacity and -richness, while the ateliers of Audenaerde specialised more largely in -quieter pastoral scenes and landscapes. Philip the Good, the most -fastidious connoisseur of his age, ordered several tapestries at -Tournai, including the history of Gideon in eight panels to decorate -the Hall of the Order of the Golden Fleece. In the cathedral the most -notable of the Tournai tapestries illustrates vividly the story of -Joseph, while one of the best in the museum depicts the history of -Abraham--the angels announcing the birth of Isaac. The border of a -Tournai tapestry usually bears the mark of the ateliers of that city, -a castle tower, which is plainly to be seen on the one last mentioned. -The cathedral also possesses a remarkable tapestry of Arras, made by -Pierrot Féré in 1402, and depicting incidents connected with the lives -of St. Piat and St. Eleuthereus and the plague at Tournai. This -masterpiece originally hung above the stalls in the choir, and more -than half of it has been destroyed at one time or another. The -remainder has been placed in a continuous panel, like a panorama, -around a semi-circular chapel back of the treasury, and constitutes -one of the most curious relics of the mediæval art to be seen in -Europe. According to some authorities the designs for this work were -drawn by one of the artists of the Tournai school of painters from -which Van der Weyden subsequently received his instruction. At all -events the scenes are extremely naïve, and the artist has inserted -sundry little devils who are giving expression to their contempt of -the various religious ceremonies depicted in some of the sections in a -manner that, to say the least, is most unconventional. - -The wars and troubles of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries very -nearly extinguished the art industries of Tournai, the number of -master-weavers of tapestries declining from two hundred and fourteen -between 1538 and 1553 to forty in 1693, and twenty-nine in 1738. It -was only a few years after the last date, however, when a new art -industry became established in the city. In 1751 a native of Lille, -named François Péterink, began the manufacture at Tournai of fine -porcelains. Dinner sets elaborately decorated and daintily formed, -vases, statues and statuettes of "biscuit" equal to the finest -products of Sèvres, Saxony or England, were turned out in considerable -quantities for more than a century, and the porcelains of Tournai -became so renowned that princes vied with one another to secure these -works of art. It is still possible for the collector to secure some of -these fine products, the trademarks being a rude castle tower or two -crossed swords with tiny crosses at their intersecting angles. In the -finest tableware these are usually in gold, but red or some other -colour should not be despised, as the genuine Tournai ware is becoming -rare and already brings high prices. These marks, it should be added, -have been imitated, and the amateur will do well to consult expert -advice before purchasing. - -Still another noteworthy art industry of Tournai merits at least a -word in passing. From the very earliest period after the art of making -stained or painted glass was invented the ateliers of the "Ville -d'Art" have excelled in this fine branch of handicraft. During the -fifteenth century Tournaisian artists made the seven stained glass -windows in the transept of the cathedral that depict in glowing -colours the history of the contest between Childeric and Sigebert and -the donations and privileges granted to the bishop and the cathedral -by Chilperic. Not only are these scenes of the utmost interest -historically, but the student of costumes and customs during the -Middle Ages and the student of early Flemish art will both find in -them abundant material for study. It has already been said that the -cathedral of Tournai is in itself a history of Flemish architecture -covering a period of well-nigh a thousand years. It is also a -veritable museum of Flemish art, and especially of Tournaisian art, in -almost all of its many branches. - -In the eighteenth century the apparently inextinguishable artistic -spirit of Tournai found expression in the production of carpets that -recalled the best period of its tapestry weavers. The carpet in the -cabinet of Napoleon at Fontainebleau and the celebrated carpet of the -Legion of Honour, which was shown in the French pavilion at the recent -exposition at Turin, were made at Tournai during this period. At the -same epoch the goldsmiths and coppersmiths, whose activities had never -entirely ceased during the centuries of trouble, began once more to -turn out their artistic products in considerable quantities, nor have -these ateliers entirely ceased operations at Tournai to this day. -Truly the name "Ville d'Art" has been fairly won and kept by this -little city, if seven centuries of almost uninterrupted artistic -endeavour and achievement count for anything! - -It is a somewhat remarkable feature of modern Belgium, however, that -while its cities abound in beautiful and artistic things, the common -people--both the working classes and the _bourgeoisie_, or fairly -prosperous middle-class of small merchants and manufacturers--seem to -have very little interest in pictures or works of art, and little or -no desire to acquire them. The average Belgian home is utterly bare of -ornament, save perhaps a crucifix or a religious image or chromo--if -these can be termed ornamental. Reproductions of the fine masterpieces -of painting and statuary in which this little country is so rich are -incredibly scarce and difficult to procure--save only the very famous -pictures, of which copies have been made to sell to tourists in the -larger cities. Even these the native Belgian apparently never buys, -and the art stores carry very few coloured prints of moderate price -such as are to be seen everywhere in the United States. In fact, of -those we saw a considerable proportion were of American manufacture. -Of course these remarks do not allude to the stores handling original -paintings by ancient and modern masters, costly water-colours and -etchings. These are purchased in Belgium, as everywhere else, by the -wealthy class, whose homes are as rich and artistic as any in the -world. It is the absence of interest by the two classes first -mentioned that seems to me so remarkable in a country that for -centuries has been passionately devoted to art in all its -manifestations, and, for its population and area, is without doubt the -world's largest producer of beautiful things. - -On the other hand, the Belgian of even the humblest social standing is -invariably fond of flowers. In the cities every woman on her way to or -from market buys a bouquet for the table, while in the country there -is no garden without its little flower-bed, or flower-bordered paths, -or rambling rosebushes climbing up the high brick garden wall or -arching over the entrance. This shows an intense and inborn love of -the beautiful. Why is it, then, that men and women whose daily lives -are spent in creating beautiful things--rare lace, fine wood-carvings, -rich brass or copper ware--are content with homes that are as bare of -ornament as any prison cell? - - - - -CHAPTER XIV - -THE FALL OF CHARLES THE BOLD--MEMLING AT BRUGES - - -There are few careers in history more fascinating, more spectacular, -more dramatic, than that of the last Duke of Burgundy who ruled over -Flanders--Charles the Bold. Heir to dominions that included all of -what is now Belgium and Holland, nearly a third of France, and -portions of what is now Germany, Charles was by far the most powerful -of the feudal lords of his day, surpassing the King of France, and -even the Emperor in the splendour and wealth of his court and in the -number of feudal princes and knights whom he could summon to his -standard. He not only had dreams of becoming a king himself, but was, -on one occasion, offered a crown--the Emperor Frederick III proposing -to make him King of Brabant. This he refused--a serious error, for he -could easily have extended his royal title, once legally acquired, -over the rest of his dominions. - -In "all the pomp and pageantry of power," however, Charles was every -inch a king--magnificent in his hospitality, exceedingly ceremonious -and punctilious in court etiquette, and fond of showing his vast power -on every occasion. On the other hand, he was profoundly ignorant of -the fact that the real source of his wealth and strength was in the -great industrial communes of Flanders, Brabant and Liége, and the -cruelty with which he destroyed the cities of Liége and Dinant cost -him the affection and good will of all his people. His great -antagonist was Louis XI of France--also one of the most picturesque -figures in history--but the exact antithesis of Charles in almost -every respect. While Charles never received a delegation unless seated -on a throne, the loftiness and grandeur of which filled every eye, -Louis dressed plainly--often wearing the grey cloak of a pilgrim, and -almost invariably a pilgrim's hat, with a leaden image of some saint -in the hat-band. On one occasion, when he paid a visit to his subjects -in Normandy, riding in company with the gorgeous Duke of Burgundy, the -peasants exclaimed, "Is that a King of France? Why, the whole outfit, -man and horse, is not worth twenty francs!" - -Charles, like his father, held his ducal court wherever he might -happen to be--both princes often carrying a lengthy train of baggage, -including even furniture and tapestries, from one castle to another. -Bruges, however, is identified with some of the most important events -of his career, and he held his court there much oftener than at the -ancestral capital of Burgundy, Dijon. During the last years of the -reign of his father, Philip the Good, Charles acted as Regent, and it -was during this period of his rule that he astonished and terrified -Europe by the ferocity with which he avenged an insult to his parents' -honour by utterly destroying the prosperous city of Dinant and -slaughtering most of its male inhabitants. On his accession to the -ducal throne, however, the great communes of Ghent, Bruges, Malines -and Brussels were able to extort from their new Duke all of the -privileges that his father had taken away during his long reign. -Charles granted these with fury in his heart, vowing openly that -before long he would humble these presumptuous burghers. Fortunately -for the liberties of the Flemish towns, their Duke's attentions were -speedily called elsewhere and he found no opportunity to carry out his -threats. - -Fomented by the emissaries of Louis XI, the turbulent citizens of -Liége--already a large and prosperous manufacturing town, as advanced -in the metallurgical arts as the Flemish cities were in the textile -industries--rose in insurrection against their Bishop-Prince, an ally -of Charles. With an army of one hundred thousand feudal levies Charles -quickly suppressed this revolt. The following year Louis ventured to -place himself in Charles' power by paying him a visit at his powerful -castle of Péronne. This famous historical incident is brilliantly -described by Sir Walter Scott in _Quentin Durward_. To the king's -alarm and very extreme personal danger, the people of Liége took the -moment of this visit to rise again. Charles was furious, and, not -unjustly considering Louis to be the author of this attack on his -authority, had that monarch locked up in a room in the castle. Nor was -he placated until Louis signed a treaty still further extending the -power of the Dukes of Burgundy in France, and agreed to join Charles -in the expedition to punish his unruly subjects. This time the city -after being captured was given over to the half-savage Burgundian -soldiery to be sacked, some forty thousand of its inhabitants -perishing. - -Returning to Flanders, Charles bitterly denounced the cautious policy -of the burghers in refusing to pay tax levies for his armies unless -they knew how the money was to be spent. "Heavy and hard Flemish heads -that you are," he cried to a delegation from Ghent, "you always remain -fixed in your bad opinions, but know that others are as wise as you. -You Flemings, with your hard heads, have always either despised or -hated your princes. I prefer being hated to being despised. Take care -to attempt nothing against my highness and lordship, for I am powerful -enough to resist you. It would be the story of the iron and the -earthen pots." - -Presently Louis, repudiating the recent treaty as being extorted by -force, invaded Charles' dominions and captured several cities on the -Somme. Charles sought to retake them and was repulsed both at Amiens -and Beauvais, the defenders at the latter place being urged to -stronger resistance by Jeanne Hachette, one of the heroic figures of -French history. Charles now turned his attention to the German side of -his dominions, and here also the implacable enmity of Louis stirred up -enemies for him in every direction. In Alsace the people rose in -revolt and slew the cruel governor Charles had set over them, while -the Swiss defeated the Marshal of Burgundy. Charles set forth to -re-establish his authority with an army of thirty thousand men, the -flower of his feudal levies. The Swiss, alarmed, sued for peace, -assuring the powerful Duke that there was more gold in the spurs and -bridles of his horsemen than could be found in all of Switzerland. - -Charles, however, was bent on punishing these impudent mountaineers -and ordered the invasion of their country. The defenders of the little -fortress of Granson surrendered on the approach of his army, but in -flagrant violation of the terms he had just granted the Duke of -Burgundy ordered the entire garrison to be hanged. This act was -speedily avenged, for the Swiss a few days later utterly routed the -Burgundian forces just outside of Granson. The mountaineers in this -battle advanced in a solid phalanx against which Charles' horsemen and -archers could make no impression. The blow to the pride and prestige -of the Duke was far more serious than the loss of the engagement and -the scattering of his army. With great difficulty he raised fresh -levies, the Flemish communes granting aid only on condition that no -further subsidies should be demanded for six years to come. The battle -of Granson took place March 2, 1476. By June he had raised another -and a larger army, and on the 22nd met the Swiss again at Morat. On -reviewing his host before the battle, Charles is said to have -exclaimed, "By St. George, we shall now have vengeance!" but the -vengeance was not to be always on one side, for the Swiss, making -their battle-cry "Granson! Granson!" in remembrance of their -countrymen, whom Charles had treacherously slain, almost annihilated -his army. The Swiss showed no mercy and took no prisoners, while the -number of killed on the Burgundian side amounted to eighteen thousand. -Charles escaped with his life, accompanied by a small body of his -knights. - -For a time it seemed as if his rage and despair at these two defeats -would cause the proud Duke to lose his reason, nor could his threats -or entreaties secure more assistance from Flanders. He managed, -however, to keep the field, and with a small force sat down to besiege -Nancy--which had been lost to him again after Morat. The town held out -stubbornly, as all towns did, now that Charles' cruelty and treachery -to those who surrendered were known, and the Burgundian forces -suffered much hardship from the cold, for it was now mid-winter. On -January 5th Charles gave battle to an advancing force of Swiss, was -again crushed and the greater part of his little army killed. After -the battle the Duke could not be found, and no man knew what had -become of him. The following day a page reported that he had seen his -master fall, and could find the place. He led the searchers to a -little pond called the Etang de St. Jean. Here, by the border of a -little stream, they found a dozen despoiled bodies, naked and frozen -in the mud and ice. One by one they turned these over. "Alas," said -the little page presently, "here is my good master!" Disfigured, with -two fearful death wounds, and with part of his face eaten by wolves, -it was indeed the body of the great Duke. - -Even his enemies did honour to the dead prince. Clothed in a robe of -white satin, with a crimson satin mantle, his body was borne in state -into the town he had vainly sought to conquer, and placed in a velvet -bed under a canopy of black satin. His remains were interred in the -church of St. George at Nancy, where they remained for more than fifty -years. The Emperor, Charles V, then had them brought to Bruges and -placed in the church of St. Donatian. His son, Philip II, removed -them, five years later, to the wonderful shrine in the Church of -Notre Dame where they remained until the French Revolution, when they -were scattered to the winds as the bones of a tyrant. The sarcophagus, -however, of the Duke and his gentle daughter, Marie, still remain, as -we have seen, and are among the finest in existence. - -The death of the powerful Duke of Burgundy made a profound impression -throughout Europe, and still remains, as Mr. Boulger in his admirable -_History of Belgium_ says, "one of the tragedies of all history." His -downfall was mainly due to the implacable hostility of Louis XI, whom -he had once publicly humiliated at Péronne and affected at all times -to despise. Many of the Swiss and Germans who fought against him in -his last fatal campaign were hired mercenaries in the pay of the King -of France, while some of his most trusted followers and advisers were -traitors in constant correspondence with his wily and unscrupulous -antagonist. Had Charles sought to conciliate his great Flemish -communes instead of intimidate them his reign might have been -prolonged by their powerful aid, and his dream of establishing a -kingdom of Burgundy have been realised. As it was, he failed signally -in most of his undertakings, and with all his fury and vainglory and -cruelty lost in ten years the huge power that his father had taken -fifty years to accumulate. - -Marie, Charles' only daughter, was left by his sudden and unexpected -death "the greatest heiress in Christendom," but also well-nigh -helpless to rule over or even hold her widespread dominions. To -prevent the King of France from taking advantage of this situation her -Flemish counsellors advised her to accept an offer of marriage from -Maximilian, son of the Emperor Frederick III, and in August of the -same year that saw the battle of Granson they were quietly married at -Bruges. This event made Flanders a still smaller unit than before in a -vast aggregation of states that in the course of events was being -combined under the rule of the House of Hapsburg, nor did Marie's -untimely death, less than five years later, in any wise delay the -process of consolidation. - -Bruges, during the stormy reign of Charles the Bold and the quarter of -a century of anxiety and troubles for its burghers that followed after -the battle of Nancy, was steadily losing its population and material -prosperity, and, at the same time, acquiring its greatest claim to -fame--for it was between the year 1462 and 1491 that Memling, the -foremost of the early Flemish painters, executed the wonderful series -of masterpieces that have come down to us. And it is to Bruges that -the student of art must come to see the famous Fleming at his best, -for there are more of his important works here than in all the rest of -the world put together. - -In common with many others in the early Gothic school very little is -known of the early life of Hans Memling, but the recent discovery in -an old manuscript of a note stating that he was born at or near -Mayence gives a most interesting clue both as to his birthplace and -the origin of his name. In the Rhineland district near Mayence there -is a small tributary to the great river called Memling, and a village -named Memlingen. It is probable, therefore, that--just as the brothers -Van Eyck called themselves Hubert and Jean of Eyck--so their most -famous successor called himself Hans of Memling. For lack of authentic -details regarding his early career legend has supplied a most -interesting history--that he was wild and dissolute in his younger -days, was wounded while fighting with Charles the Bold at Nancy, -dragged himself to the door of the hospital of St. Jean at Bruges, and -was there tenderly nursed back to health and strength, in gratitude -for which he painted for the kind sisters the little gallery of fine -works that are still preserved in the original chapter house of the -institution. All of this romance, and that of his love for one of the -sisters, makes a charming background for many of the accounts of his -life and work, but the painstaking scholarship of modern days has -shown that at the time when he was supposed to be lying wounded and -destitute at the hospital he was in fact very prosperous, having -lately bought the house in which he lived and his name appearing as -one of the leading citizens of whom the commune had borrowed money. It -is perhaps pleasanter on the whole to think of the artist as rich and -honoured instead of at the other extreme of the social scale--but the -legend is, after all, so much more romantic that we cannot give it up -without regret. - -At Bruges the first spot for the admirer of Memling to visit is, of -course, the hospital of St. Jean, and at the hospital the first thing -to see is the world-famous shrine of St. Ursula. Little it is, yet -beyond price in value. It was constructed as a casket to contain the -relics of the Saint and was completed in 1489. In design it is a -miniature Gothic chapel two feet ten inches high and three feet -long, with three little panels on each side which contain Memling's -famous pictures setting forth the life and martyrdom of the Saint and -the eleven thousand other virgins who shared her fate. The story of -the famous pilgrimage to Rome and its melancholy ending at Cologne has -been told so often that it need not be repeated here. Ask one of the -sisters to tell it to you in her charming broken French--for they are -Flemish, these sweet-faced sisters, and, as a rule, understand neither -French nor English. - -[Illustration: SHRINE OF ST. URSULA, HOSPITAL OF ST. JEAN, BRUGES.] - -This fact is said to have served them in good stead on the terrible -day when the bandit-soldiery of the French Republic clamoured at the -doors of the hospital in 1494. "The shrine! the shrine!" they cried, -"give us the shrine!" ("_La châsse, la châsse, donnez nous la -châsse!_") The nuns, who had never heard it called by that name, but -knew it only by its Flemish name of _Ryve_, replied that they did not -possess such a thing as a _châsse_, and their voices and expressions -so clearly showed their truthfulness and innocence of any deceit that -the rabble of soldiers went away and the shrine was saved. Early in -the nineteenth century the Mother Superior refused a most tempting -offer to purchase the shrine, replying, "We are poor, but the -greatest riches in the world would not tempt us to part with it." - -While the paintings on the shrine are the most famous of Memling's -works, they are not regarded by the critics as being his best. As Mr. -Rooses expresses it, "The artist seems to have been less intent on -perfection of detail for each figure than on the marvellous polychromy -of the whole." The hospital of St. Jean possesses three of the -master's greatest works--two triptychs entitled "The Marriage of St. -Catherine" and "The Adoration of the Magi," and the diptych -representing the Madonna and Martin Van Nieuwenhove. The museum at -Bruges contains still another masterpiece, a picture showing in the -centre St. Christopher, St. Maurus and St. Giles--the first bearing -the Infant Christ upon his shoulders--while the two shutters contain -the usual portraits of the donors. One of Memling's most important -works was a picture of "The Last Judgment" which was painted for an -Italian, Jacopo Tani, and placed on board ship to be sent to Florence -by sea. The ship was captured by privateers in the English Channel, -and as its owners were citizens of Dantzig it was presented by them to -the Church of Our Lady in that city, where it still remains. There -are several admirable works by this master at the museums of Brussels -and Antwerp, while others are scattered throughout Europe, and one -particularly fine example of his art was brought to America by the -late Benjamin Altman and now hangs in the Altman collection at the -Metropolitan Museum at New York. - -While the chief interest to the visitor at the hospital of St. Jean is -the remarkable collection of works by Memling, the old buildings -themselves merit more than a casual glance. Some of them date from the -twelfth century, and the view looking back at the ancient waterfront -from the bridge by which the rue St. Catherine here crosses the river -is particularly picturesque. The old brick structures go down to the -very water's edge, and sometimes below it, and the entire pile from -this side must look much as it did in Memling's day. - -Another artist whose work sheds lustre on the old town of Bruges was -Gheerhardt David. For nearly four centuries his name and even his very -existence were forgotten, his paintings being attributed to -Memling--in itself a high evidence of their merit. Recent studies by -James Weale and other scholars have given us quite a complete life of -this artist, who lived between 1460 and 1523, and a number of his -works have been identified. All of these seem to have been painted at -Bruges, and some of the more notable ones still remain there. The -municipal authorities commissioned him to paint two great pictures -representing notable examples of justice such as Van der Weyden had -done for the Hotel de Ville at Brussels. These depict the flaying -alive of the unjust Judge Sisamnes by Cambyses, King of Persia, and -are still preserved in the museum at Bruges. The museum also possesses -another masterpiece by this artist, "The Baptism of Christ." Others -that have been identified through painstaking study of the old -archives of the city and contemporary sources are located in the -National Gallery at London and in the museum of Rouen. - -The prosperity of Bruges was declining very fast while David was -painting the last of his religious pictures and the merchants were -steadily leaving the city for Antwerp, which was now rising into -importance. The artists, whose prosperity depended upon the wealth of -the burghers were also drifting to the new commercial metropolis on -the Scheldt and the famous school of Bruges was near its end by the -middle of the sixteenth century. The last artists who worked at -Bruges were of minor interest. Adriaen Ysenbrant, Albert Cornelis and -Jean Prévost belong to this period, and their most important works are -still preserved in the city where they were executed. "The Virgin of -the Seven Sorrows," in the church of Notre Dame, is attributed to the -first, a triptych in the church of St. Jacques to the second, while -the museum has several pictures by Prévost, including an interesting -"Last Judgment," and another striking representation of the same -subject by Pieter Pourbus, of which there is a copy in the Palais du -Franc. The masterpieces by Jean Van Eyck in this museum have already -been mentioned, and the small but exceedingly rich collection also -includes a fine production entitled "The Death of the Virgin," which -is now generally attributed to Hugo Van der Goes--one of the -comparatively few works by that master that have come down to us. -There are also several other works by P. Pourbus, and a powerful -allegorical picture by Jean Prévost representing Avarice and Death. -There is undoubtedly no collection of paintings in the world of which -the average value is so great as that of the little group in the -hospital of St. Jean, and the one in the Bruges museum--while it has -quite a few of minor interest and value--would also bring a very high -average if subjected to the bidding of the world's millionaire art -lovers. - -[Illustration: _An Illumination by Gheerhardt David of Bruges, 1498; -St. Barbara_] - -Bruges possesses another museum of great interest which dates from the -days of the last Dukes of Burgundy. This is the Gruuthuise mansion, of -which the oldest wing was built in 1420, and much of the finer portion -about 1470 by Louis, or Lodewyk, Van der Gruuthuise, who here -entertained Charles the Bold and his pretty daughter--becoming one of -the latter's chief advisers on the death of her father and one of the -two Flemish noblemen who witnessed her marriage. The stately old -palace is therefore rich with historic associations. As we entered its -broad courtyard, however, we were most unfavourably impressed by its -rough-paved surface with the grass growing thick between the stones. -Surely this must have looked very different in the days when knights -and fair ladies swarmed here like bees, and the city, which has so -carefully restored everything else, would do well to at least park -this otherwise very pretty little enclosure. The interior is both -pleasing and disappointing. The edifice itself is superb as a survival -of a nobleman's palace of the fifteenth century, and as an example of -Flemish interior architecture. The grand stone staircase, the massive -fireplaces, also in white stone, and one or two of the rooms in their -entirety give a fine impression of the splendour of the establishment -maintained by the great Lord of Gruuthuise in the days when he counted -King Edward IV of England and Richard Crookback among his guests, and -was engaged in collecting the marvellous library now in Paris. -Everywhere, over the fireplaces, and in various stone carvings, one -reads the proud motto of the powerful builders of this palace, _Plus -est en nous_. - -When the palace was in course of restoration some years ago the -workmen uncovered a secret chamber behind the great stone fireplace in -the kitchen, concealed within the masonry of the huge chimney, and -within it the skeleton of a man. A secret staircase was also -discovered here which led to two underground passages branching off in -opposite directions. Strangely enough neither of them has ever been -explored, but one is supposed to lead to the vaults beneath the -adjoining church of Notre Dame, and the other to some point outside -the city walls. Some have conjectured that it leads to the Château of -Maele, some four miles distant, but probably it went to the manor of -the Lords of Gruuthuise at Oostcamp. Within this mansion a modern Sir -Walter Scott could easily conjure forth a new series of Waverley -novels treating of the stirring days when Bruges was virtually the -capital of Flanders and Flanders was the brightest jewel in the -Burgundian crown. - -All this is most fascinating, and, as far as it goes, helps us to -reconstruct in fancy the great days of the past. The disappointing -feature about the palace is the museum itself, which, although -interesting and valuable, utterly spoils many of the fine rooms by -converting them into mere exhibition places. In a measure the -authorities have followed the admirable plan of the owners of the -Hotel Merghelynck at Ypres, and the immense kitchen, for example, -contains only kitchen utensils of the Middle Ages--a most complete and -interesting collection. The same is also true of the large dining-room -on the same floor, but as one proceeds farther the atmosphere of -antiquity becomes lost and it is all nothing but museum. The palace -contains a splendid collection of old lace, the gift of the Baroness -Liedts, but it seemed to us that it would have been much better to -have housed this and the various collections of antiquities in some -less famous and historic structure and endeavoured to restore all of -these rooms to approximately their condition when Charles the Bold -stalked through them. - -The period of Philip the Good and his terrible son was the one in -which mediæval Bruges took on substantially its present form. In -addition to the Gruuthuise Palace scores of important edifices, public -and private, were built or rebuilt at this time, while hundreds of -smaller houses were constructed--of which many remain in existence -to-day. The greatest and most famous edifice dating in large part from -this epoch is the cathedral of St. Sauveur whose grim, castle-like -tower dominates the entire city. The lowest part of the tower dates -from 1116-1127--as already related in the chapter on Bruges under -Charles the Good--when the church was rebuilt after a fire that -destroyed the primitive structure erected on the site a century or -more earlier. Between 1250 and 1346, or for almost a century, the men -of Bruges were slowly piling up a noble church in the early Gothic -style, but another fire in 1358 necessitated rebuilding the nave and -transept--a task which occupied the next ten or fifteen years. In 1480 -work was begun upon the five chapels of the choir and nine years later -the Pope, Innocent VIII, granted a special Bull of Indulgence in -favour of benefactors of this work, which appears to have been delayed -for lack of funds. Work of various kinds was continued until the -middle of the sixteenth century, but, in the main, the great church -was nearly as we see it now by the year 1511. The upper part of the -tower is comparatively modern, dating from 1846, and the spire from -1871. While it has been criticised by some as ungainly and cumbrous, -the effect of this tower, from whatever angle it may be viewed, is -very pleasing. The high lights and shadows on a sunny morning, or late -in the afternoon, make it far more beautiful than its sister of Notre -Dame, while against the grey cloud masses of a typical Flemish sky its -huge tawny mass stands out sharp and clear, the embodiment of majesty -and strength. - -The interior of the church is very large, measuring three hundred and -thirty-one feet by one hundred and twenty-five feet, with an extreme -width of one hundred and seventy-four feet across the transepts. Its -polychrome decorations and stained glass windows are modern. In -another place the wealth of art treasures in this church would merit a -chapter, but in Bruges they are so overshadowed by the many -masterpieces to be seen elsewhere that we felt somewhat satiated -after such a feast and spent very little time looking at the pictures -here. The most famous one is a "Martyrdom of St. Hippolytus," by -Dierick Bouts, which is interesting because so few examples of this -primitive master are in existence. It is a triptych, the central panel -showing the saint about to be torn to pieces by wild horses, on the -left an incident in the life of the saint, and on the right the -donors. The last picture has been attributed by many critics to Hugo -Van der Goes, and for many years the entire picture was thought to be -the work of Memling. Bouts delighted in unpleasant subjects, which he -depicted with great realism. - -[Illustration: "THE LAST SUPPER."--THIERRY BOUTS.] - -Dierick, or Thierry, Bouts settled at Louvain about the middle of the -fifteenth century. Beyond the fact that he came from Haarlem nothing -is known of his early life and training, but as Van der Weyden of -Tournai had done some important work at Louvain it is likely that -Bouts may have derived some of his inspiration from studying the -methods of that master. He was a contemporary of Memling. Two of his -paintings, "The Last Supper" and the gruesome "Martyrdom of St. -Erasmus," were executed for the wealthy brotherhood of the Holy -Sacrament and were hung in the church of St. Peter.[2] Bouts became -the official painter for the city of Louvain and produced a "Last -Judgment" for the hall of the échevins which has since been lost, and -two panels for the council-room of the Hotel de Ville representing -"The Judgment of Otho." These are now in the museum at Brussels. The -Queen having accused an earl of offending her honour, the latter is -decapitated. The head is then given to his Countess, together with a -glowing bar of iron. In the second panel she is shown triumphantly -holding both, the hot iron refusing to burn her and thereby -vindicating her husband's innocence. The result of the ordeal is shown -in the distance where the false Queen is being executed at the stake. -These pictures were ordered, in imitation of those painted by Van der -Weyden for the Hotel de Ville at Brussels, as part of a series of -panels designed to instill the love of virtue and justice into the -minds of the magistrates and people. The artist's death prevented his -completing two other panels that the archives of Louvain show had been -ordered. Besides this "Martyrdom of St. Hippolytus" a comparatively -small number of other works from his brush are listed in the -catalogues of various European museums. - -[Footnote 2: They were probably destroyed during the burning of -Louvain by the Germans.] - -Of the other structures in Bruges of to-day there are a score that -merit a visit from those who are interested in the city's splendid -past, and that date for the most part from the last years of the -Burgundian period. In the rue des Aiguilles there still exists a -fragment of the Hotel Bladelin, the town house of Peter Bladelin, who -was for many years Controller-General of Finance, Treasurer of the -Order of the Golden Fleece, and the trusted agent of the Dukes in all -manner of business and private affairs. Peter subsequently built the -town of Middleburg, for the church in which Van der Weyden painted one -of his most famous pictures. The Ghistelhof in the same street also -dates from this epoch, and was built by the Lords of Ghistelle. Then -there is the Hotel d'Adornes and the church of Jerusalem, which was -formerly the private chapel of the rich brothers Anselm and John -Adornes. There is still a fine mediæval atmosphere lingering about -this group of buildings, although much altered from what they were in -their prime. The church itself is most curious, and beneath the choir -is a crypt that leads to a reproduction of the Holy Sepulchre, said to -be a facsimile of the one in the garden of Joseph of Arimathea. It -would take a volume to cite all of the fine old structures of which -traces still exist in this, the most picturesque of all the Flemish -cities. The reader who desires to find them all cannot do better than -to take Ernest Gilliat-Smith's brilliant _Story of Bruges_ with him -and look for them, one by one. For those who cannot devote a week or -more to this delightful task a quicker way to see the Bruges of -Charles the Bold is to stroll slowly along the Quai Vert, the Quai des -Marbriers and the Quai du Rosaire and let the beautiful vistas of the -Vieux Bourg with its quaint red roofs and noble towers become engraved -upon the memory, for here, more completely than anywhere else, one can -see the Bruges of the past much as it looked in the day of its -greatest splendour when it was about to sink into its long sleep. - -Thus far Bruges has not suffered seriously from the war, and it is -profoundly to be hoped that no bombardment such as crumbled its fair -neighbour Termonde into utter ruin will create similar havoc amid -these indescribably beautiful scenes. A few hours would suffice to -destroy artistic and architectural treasures of a value that would -make the destruction of Louvain seem of little consequence in -comparison. - -[Illustration: QUAI VERT, BRUGES.] - - - - -CHAPTER XV - -MALINES IN THE TIME OF MARGARET OF AUSTRIA - - -Since this chapter was written the ill-fated city of Malines has been -swept with shot and shell for many days together, its once happy and -prosperous inhabitants driven far and wide--many of them into foreign -lands--and it is doubtful if a single one of the various ancient -edifices which we visited last June has escaped injury. -Notwithstanding these sad facts it has seemed best to retain the -chapter substantially as it was written, inasmuch as it affords a pen -picture of the old town as it looked on the very eve of its -destruction. Let us hope that when the war is over it will be found -that most, if not all, of its famous old structures can be restored -again. As the scene of some of the most stubborn conflicts of the -great war, it is likely that the city will be more generally visited -by tourists than was the case when its architectural and artistic -treasures were uninjured, save by the gentle hand of time. To those -who thus visit it the following account of the Malines that was may -prove interesting. - -Situated midway between Antwerp and Brussels, on a route formerly -traversed by scores of _rapides_ every day, the ancient city of -Malines--which is the French spelling, the Flemish being Mechelen--was -exceptionally easy to visit, yet during the three days that we spent -wandering along its entrancing old quays and streets and inspecting -its many "monuments" we saw not a single tourist. This was the more -remarkable because Malines is not only one of the very oldest cities -in Northern Europe, but was for centuries among the most famous. For a -considerable period it was the capital of all the Netherlands, and it -is still the religious capital of Belgium--the archbishop of its -cathedral church exercising authority over the bishops of Bruges, -Ghent, Liége, Namur and Tournai. - -No matter from which side one approaches the city the first object to -be seen is the vast square tower of the Cathedral of St. Rombaut, and -as this huge structure--the eighth wonder of the world, according to -Vauban--dominates the town, so the church itself has dominated the -history of the city on the River Dyle for more than eleven -centuries. According to tradition St. Rombaut, or Rombold, to use the -English spelling, sought to convert the savage tribes inhabiting the -marshes that extended along the river about the middle of the eighth -century, the date of his martyrdom being placed at 775. A Benedictine -abbey was shortly afterwards established near his tomb, which steadily -grew in importance and power until by the twelfth century it had -become one of the most important religious institutions in the region. -During the thirteenth century the prince-bishops of Malines became the -virtual sovereigns of the city, one of them--Gauthier Berthout, -sometimes called the Great--defeating the Duke of Gueldre, who -attempted in 1267 to assert his authority over that of the prelate. At -this period many of the religious institutions of Malines were -established under the patronage of Gauthier Berthout and his -successors. - -[Illustration: CATHEDRAL OF ST. ROMBAUT. MALINES.] - -Meanwhile the comparative immunity of the city from the ravages of the -wars that so often raged at that period between the various feudal -lords of the region caused great numbers of artisans to settle there, -particularly weavers, while the cloth merchants' guild came to be -recognised as entitled to a voice in the civil affairs of the -commune. Ships, according to the chronicles, came up the River Dyle in -such numbers as to make the commercial activity of the town rival that -of Antwerp--a statement that is hard to believe when one gazes at the -tiny River Dyle of to-day. However, the ships in those days were very -small, and the river, like so many others in Belgium, was no doubt -broader then than it is now that the marshes have all been drained. -The weavers and other artisans were a turbulent lot, and it soon -became evident that the bishops lacked the power to hold them in -check. - -This led to a series of alienations of the temporal power over the -commune to neighbouring princes whose armies were strong enough to -keep the unruly burghers in restraint. The first of these was effected -in the year 1300 between the prince-bishop, Jean Berthout, and Jean -II, Duke of Brabant. In 1303 the news of the great victory gained over -the nobility by the Flemish communes at Courtrai caused the citizens -to revolt against their new master, the Duke, who besieged the city -and finally reduced it by starvation. Until this time the Dyle had -never been bridged, its waters flowing over a broad marshy bed. This -made the siege the more difficult as the attacking forces were -separated by the river, and it was five months before the sturdy -burghers yielded. To this day an annual procession, called the -_peysprocessie_, perpetuates the memory of this famous siege. - -During the next half century the civil authority over the city became -a veritable shuttlecock of politics and war, shifting back and forth -between the Dukes of Brabant and the Counts of Flanders. It was bought -and sold like a parcel of real estate, but eventually rested with the -Counts of Flanders, who had first acquired it by purchase in 1333, and -were finally left in undisputed possession by a treaty signed in 1357. -Four years later a violent insurrection of the weavers and other -artisans broke out that was only mastered after the city had been in -their possession fifteen days, but with the advent of the Dukes of -Burgundy to the supreme power over all of Flanders, Brabant, Hainaut -and Holland, the unruly workmen were no longer strong enough to resist -these redoubtable princes. Great numbers of them emigrated to other -cities, and the cloth industry, after languishing for a time, finally -disappeared. - -Like most Flemish towns, Malines has its principal railway station -located on its very outskirts, and as far as possible from the Grande -Place. A tram car was standing in front of the station on the morning -of our first visit, but it seemed that it did not start for ten -minutes. A score of roomy two-seated carriages invited our patronage, -but we valiantly decided to walk. We soon regretted our decision as -the walk proved to be long and hot, with very little of interest to -see, as the houses in this part of the town are comparatively modern. -At the bridge across the Dyle we paused for a few moments to admire -the fine views that can here be had of the old Church Notre Dame au -delà de la Dyle to the westward and the equally picturesque Notre Dame -d'Hanswyck to the eastward. Just beyond the river is the entrance to -the Botanical Gardens, and as our first visit chanced to be on a -Friday we walked in unmolested and enjoyed the welcome shade and the -beautiful landscape effects of this charming little park. Later on we -learned that Friday is the only week-day on which admission is free, a -fee of ten cents being exacted on other days. - -As is the case in most Belgian cities, the street from the station to -the heart of the town, although continuous and straight, changes its -name more than once. At the outset it is the rue Conscience, then the -rue d'Egmont, and from the bridge across the Dyle to the Grande Place -it is named Bruul. Entering the Place from this side we paused to -admire the tremendous tower of the cathedral which here burst upon us -in all its majestic grandeur, although the edifice is situated a -little to the west of the Place itself. In front of us, on the right, -was a singularly dilapidated ruin, which we learned was the old Cloth -Hall. Part of it is used as a police station, part is vacant with its -window openings devoid of sashes or glass staring blankly at the sky, -while part is devoted to housing a small museum of municipal -antiquities. The first Cloth Hall at Malines was destroyed by fire in -1342, and the new one that was begun to replace it was never finished, -owing to the ruin of the cloth industry during the struggles between -the artisans and their overlords, and a belfry which it was proposed -to erect similar to that at Bruges was never begun. The museum -contains a number of pictures by Malines artists, of historical rather -than artistic interest, a "Christ on the Cross," by Rubens, and a -variety of relics of the city's famous past. Curiously enough, there -is not a single piece of lace in the collection, nor anything to -represent the great cloth weaving industry--the two branches of -manufacture to which the city owes so much of its former wealth and -fame. - -Adjoining the _Halle aux Draps_ to the north is a fine modern -post-office built from designs drawn by the great Malines architect of -the sixteenth century, Rombaut Keldermans, for a new Hotel de Ville, -which was never built. Unfortunately its principal façade overlooks -the narrow rue de Beffer instead of the Grande Place, and its -beautiful details cannot be seen as effectively as could be desired. -In the Vieux Palais, the ancient "Schepenhuis," or house of the -bailiffs, situated a little south of the Place, we were shown the -original design by Keldermans. It is kept in a sliding panel on the -wall and, although somewhat dim with age, can still be studied in -detail. The modern architects of the post-office have reverently -followed the plans of the great master so that at least this one of -his many brilliant architectural dreams has come true, and now stands -carved in imperishable stone just as his genius conceived it nearly -four centuries ago. - -To the ancestor of this architect, Jean Keldermans, is generally -attributed the honour of designing the tower of St. Rombaut, the -architectural glory of Malines and one of the most magnificent -structures of the kind in the world. There are a thousand places -throughout the city where the photographer or painter can obtain -attractive views of this masterpiece, but perhaps the best of all is -from a point some distance down the Ruelle sans Fin (Little Street -without End) where a quaint mediæval house forms an arch across the -narrow street, while behind and far above it rises the majestic tower. -From whatever standpoint one regards the great tower, whether gazing -up at its vast bulk from directly beneath--a point of view that the -camera cannot reproduce--or from any of the little streets that -radiate away from it, its grandeur and beauty are equally impressive. - -[Illustration: TOWER OF THE CATHEDRAL OF ST. ROMBAUT FROM THE RUELLE -SANS FIN.] - -Begun in 1452, work on the great tower advanced slowly. In 1468, -according to a memorial tablet near the southern side of the tower, -Gauthier Coolman was buried there. It was the custom in the Middle -Ages to thus recognise the _magister operis_, or creator of the work, -but it is generally acknowledged that Jean Keldermans is entitled to -share in the credit for this achievement. Jean was the first in a -family of famous architects, his brothers André, Mathieu and Antoine -I, following the same profession, and their skill being handed down -to later generations, of whom the most famous were Antoine II, Rombaut -and Laurent. At the beginning of the sixteenth century work on the -great tower was stopped, owing to lack of funds, after attaining a -height of three hundred and eighteen feet. The plans, of which -sketches are still preserved at Brussels, called for carrying the -spire upward to a total height of five hundred and fifty feet, and in -the ambulatory of the cathedral we found a plaster cast showing the -spire as it was proposed to erect it. The stones to complete the work -were already cut and brought to Malines, but were carried away between -1582 and 1584 by the Prince of Orange to build the town of -Willemstadt. Apart from its height, this tower is remarkable for its -great bulk, measuring no less than twenty-five metres in diameter at -the base. - -On each side for most of its height the architect designed a series of -lofty Gothic windows. Of these the lowest are filled in with masonry, -except for a tiny window in the centre. In the higher ones stone -blinds fill in the openings, while the topmost pair are wide open to -the sky. The well-known legend about the over-excitable citizen of -Malines who cried "Fire!" one night after seeing the full moon -through these windows gave the people of the town for many years the -nickname of _Maanblusschers_, or moon extinguishers, and also gave -rise to the slur in the last three words of the following Latin -distich in which an old monkish poet compares the six chief cities of -Belgium: - - _Nobilibus Bruxella viris, Antwerpia Nummis, - Gandavum laqueis, formosis Bruga puellis, - Lovanium doctis, gaudet Mechlinia stultis._ - - Brussels is renowned for its noble men, Antwerp for its money, - Ghent for its halters, Bruges for its pretty girls, - Louvain for its scholars, Malines (Mechelen) for its fools. - -This seems rather hard on Malines, and also on Ghent, the allusion to -that city referring to numerous occasions when its sovereigns humbled -the burghers by forcing them to plead for mercy with halters around -their necks. - -On the outside of the tower, close to its present summit, is a clock -the face of which is claimed to be the largest in the world. As the -same claim is made for the great clock on an industrial establishment -in Jersey City I will simply give the dimensions of the one at Malines -and let those interested make the comparison for themselves: Diameter -of face, 13.5 metres; circumference, 41 metres; length of hour hand, -3.62 metres; height of figures, 1.96 metres. The minute hands were -originally 4.25 metres long, but are missing on all four sides. This -renders the time-piece hardly one to be consulted if one is catching a -train, as the exact minute can only be estimated from the position of -the hour hand. Furthermore, the gilding on the hour hands and on most -of the figures has become so dim that only the strongest eyes can -distinguish the former, and some of the latter can only be made out -from their position. As the city appeared to be exceedingly proud of -the size of this clock it seemed strange that the authorities did not -authorise the expenditure of the small sum necessary to re-gild it. - -It is a hard climb to the top of the tower, but one well worth making, -not only for the fine panorama of the city that unfolds itself wider -and wider as one mounts higher, but for the opportunity thus afforded -of seeing the fine _carillon_, or set of chimes, and the curious -mechanism operating the clappers that strike the hours. Just before -reaching the floor upon which these are placed the guide conducts the -visitor to a trap door from which one can look down into the interior -of the cathedral--a thrilling experience to be enjoyed only by those -who are not inclined to be dizzy. The massive timber work supporting -the huge bells was constructed in 1662, but the oldest of the bells -dates from 1498, or six years after the discovery of America. The two -biggest bells are named Salvator and Charles, of which the larger one -weighs 8,884 kilos, or more than nine tons, and requires twelve men to -ring it. There are four other big bells and forty-five for the entire -_carillon_, most of which were cast by Pierre Hémony of Amsterdam, the -Stradivarius of bell founders, in 1674. Altogether they form four -octaves, the giants chiming in with the others as the music demands. -The keyboard which operates the little hammers is operated by both -hand and foot power, and the _carillonneur_ who operates it is worthy -of the splendid instrument at his command, being Josef Denyn, the son -of an equally famous _carillonneur_, and reputed to be the finest in -Europe. M. Denyn not only gives frequent concerts at Malines, but also -at Antwerp and Bruges, as well as in many European cities outside of -Belgium. - -We made a special trip to Malines one Monday afternoon in June solely -to listen to one of these concerts, which takes place on that day -between eight and nine in the evening, during the months of June, -August and September. The sleepy old town was thronged with -automobiles, for the renown of these famous concerts has spread far -and wide, and some of the cars, we were told, had come from points as -far away as Ostende, Blankenburghe and Heyst, while scores were from -Antwerp and Brussels. The crowd gathered quietly in the streets -surrounding the great tower and a great silence seemed to pervade the -entire city as the hour of eight approached. Then, faint and far at -first, came the first dulcet tones from this great organ of the sky, -until--as the music swelled and more of the larger bells began to -blend their notes in the harmony--the very air seemed vibrant with -celestial sounds. The selection, as we afterwards learned, was one of -the _Volksliederen_, or pieces of folk music for the rendition of -which M. Denyn is famous. As we listened we realised as never before -the part the ancient _carillon_ was meant to take in the daily life of -the people. It is, in truth, as a French author has beautifully -expressed it, the orchestra of the poor, giving expression through its -wondrous notes to their joys and their sorrows. On the occasion of -great fêtes its music is light and gay, in attune with the popular -rejoicing; in times of public grief the _carillon_ gives utterance to -notes of lamentation; when a famous citizen is being borne to his last -resting-place through the streets lined with silent mourners the -_carillon_ sends the deep notes of its funeral dirges across the city; -in time of war or sudden danger the great bells roar the wild tocsin -of alarm; in time of peace their softest notes breathe a sweet prayer -of peace and benediction at eventide. - -While we were visiting the tower we were shown the _tambour_ cast in -copper by means of which the clock strikes the hours, the half hours -and the quarters. This was cast in 1783, and two years were required -to make the sixteen thousand, two hundred square holes into which drop -the teeth that actuate the striking hammers. - -The interior of St. Rombaut, while majestic and imposing, is hardly as -masterly as the tower. On the occasion of our first visit a high mass -was being celebrated and we reverently joined the throng of -worshippers. In addition to the choir there was a body of some two -hundred young men in the centre of the cathedral who participated in -the singing, a curé beating time for them. Their strong manly voices -blended finely with the higher notes of the distant choir boys and -the deep tones of the organ. From the top of the choir long crimson -streamers were suspended, terminating at the back of the high altar -and giving a rich note of colour to the interior, while the light from -the stained glass windows overhead poured downward in many-coloured -rays upon the throng of black-robed priests, with a sprinkling of -higher dignitaries clad in purple. Truly a picture that filled the eye -with the pageantry of religion, even as the rolling notes of the -sonorous chants filled the ear! - -After the service was over, and the great cathedral, but now so -crowded, was deserted, we started on our tour of inspection. It would -be a tedious task to chronicle all of the objects of interest. The -carved stalls of the Gothic choir are far less elaborate in -workmanship than those at Amiens. The altar by Faid'herbe, a native of -Malines, is imposing, but not of remarkable merit. The carved pulpit -in the nave, however, is a veritable masterpiece of wood carving by -Michel Van der Voort of Antwerp, and dates from 1723. Below, St. -Norbert is shown flung from his horse by a thunderbolt, above is the -Crucifixion at the left, with the Virgin and St. John standing below -the cross, while at the right is shown a charming representation of -the Fall, with Eve offering the apple to Adam, both figures embowered -in a mass of foliage that twines up the stairway to the pulpit and -lifts its branches far overhead. The masterpiece of the paintings is -an altarpiece by Van Dyck representing the Crucifixion, a notable -representation of the gradations of grief in the faces of the Virgin -and Mary Magdalen. The attendant requires a franc to uncover this -picture. "The Adoration of the Shepherds," by Erasmus Quellen, in the -opposite arm of the transept, while less famous, is a noble piece of -work. - -As would be expected from its great religious importance, Malines has -numerous minor churches that contain much of interest to the visitor. -The largest of these is Notre Dame au delà de la Dyle, situated across -the River Dyle from the oldest part of the city, but dating from the -fifteenth century. Here the tourist usually asks to see "The -Miraculous Draught of Fishes," by Rubens, a highly coloured triptych -that is only uncovered when one pays a franc to the attendant. As this -master produced some seventeen hundred known works it would cost a -small fortune to see them all at a franc apiece, but this one dates -from the artist's best period and is fully worth the price charged to -see it. It is vigorous in treatment, and the Fishmongers' Guild, which -purchased it from the artist in 1618 for sixteen hundred florins, -certainly got very good value for their money. The wings are painted -on both sides. This church also contains the curious Virgin with the -Broken Back. According to the popular legend her sharp leaning to the -right is due to the fact that one day, when the sacristan of the -church failed to wake up in time to ring the angelus the lady -obligingly did it for him, but wrenched her spine in the effort. Her -smug smirk of satisfaction, as if over a duty well performed, no doubt -also dates from the same incident. - -Hardly less interesting is the ancient church of Notre Dame -d'Hanswyck, situated on the same side of the Dyle as the other Notre -Dame just described. A chapel was erected on the site of this church -soon after the country was converted from paganism by St. Rombaut, and -a large church was built near the end of the thirteenth century. This, -however, was pillaged by the iconoclasts in 1566, riddled by shot from -the cannon of the Prince of Orange in 1572, and finally completely -demolished eight or nine years later by the Gueux. It was not until -1663 that the present edifice was begun. It was designed by Luke -Faid'herbe, the famous sculptor of Malines and a pupil of Rubens, and -was built under his personal supervision. The church itself is a -veritable museum of the works of this master. The finest and most -famous of these are the two bas-reliefs in the dome, one showing "The -Nativity," and the other "The Saviour Falling Under the Burden of the -Cross." The pulpit, by Theodore Verhaegen, is a fine example of -Flemish wood carving. In this church the chief treasure, from the -standpoint of its priests and parishioners, is the miraculous statue -of the Virgin, which dates from 988, or earlier, according to some -authorities. It is made of wood, painted and gilded, and is life size. -Not the least miraculous feat of this interesting relic of the Middle -Ages is its escape from destruction, at the hands of the iconoclasts, -the Gueux, and the French revolutionists. At the period when the -church itself was destroyed the statue was hidden in a secret -subterranean passage for nearly a century; during the French -Revolution it was successively lodged in various houses in the rue -d'Hanswyck--each time being replaced in the church, after the danger -was over, amid great popular rejoicing. - -Another church that is a small art gallery is that of St. Jean, not -far from the cathedral. Here is the fine "Adoration of the Magi," by -Rubens, which many critics consider one of the four best of his -ceremonial works. It was painted in 1617, the year before "The -Miraculous Draught of Fishes," at Notre Dame de la Dyle, when the -artist was fresh from his studies in Italy, and before his success had -caused him to employ a throng of students to assist in the production -of his works. Furthermore, it was executed for this very church, which -still possesses his receipt for the final payment, written in Flemish, -dated March 24, 1624, and signed by the artist, "Pietro Paulo Rubens." -The price was eighteen hundred florins, but for good measure the -church obtained three small paintings by the great master to be hung -below the triptych. In 1794 these pictures were taken to Paris and the -"Adoration of the Magi" was not restored to its original position -until after the fall of Napoleon. Two of the small pictures, "The -Adoration of the Shepherds" and "The Resurrection," are now in the -museum of Marseilles--having never been returned--while the third, -"Christ on the Cross," after changing hands several times, was at last -purchased by an amateur who recognised its authorship and history and -restored it to the church of St. Jean. The two little pictures on -either side of it, often attributed to Rubens, are by Luc Franchoys -the younger. This church also boasts some marvellous Flemish wood -carvings. Around the two pillars of the transept where it intersects -the nave are some bas-reliefs, six altogether, by Theodore Verhaegen -and his pupils, that if there was nothing else to see would alone -justify a visit to St. Jean, while the pulpit by the same master, -representing "The Good Shepherd Preaching to His People," is one of -the most noteworthy of the numerous examples of pulpit carving to be -seen in Flanders. Below the organ are two more admirable bas-reliefs -carved in Flemish oak by Pierre Valckx, a pupil of Verhaegen. - -Of the many other churches in the old town it would be tedious to -speak. Nowhere in all Flanders did we see so many black-robed priests -walking solemnly about--although they do not lack in any part of the -country. All Belgium, in fact, is full of priests, monks and nuns, -owing to the expulsion of the religious orders from France some years -ago. We frequently engaged them in conversation to ascertain more -about the monuments we were visiting and invariably found them -courteous and well-informed, and not infrequently we were indebted to -them for suggestions or information of much value. At the same time, -it must be said that it seems to a layman as though there are far too -many for so small a country, but their fine spirit of devotion during -the war--when thousands of them shared cheerfully the hardships of the -soldiers--will never be forgotten. - -Of the civil edifices in Malines the most important is the Hotel de -Ville. Architecturally it is disappointing, save for the older -portion, which was called Beyaerd, and was purchased by the commune in -1383. The greater part of the edifice was reconstructed during the -eighteenth century. The many rooms in the interior are pleasing but -hardly notable, nor are the paintings and sculptures important save to -the historian. In the Vieux Palais, the room in which the Great -Council of the Netherlands held its sessions from 1474 to 1618, is -still preserved in its original state, while one of the ancient -paintings on the wall shows the Council in session. In this building -also is the curious statuette of the Vuyle Bruydegom called -"Op-Signorken," whose grinning face and quaint mediæval costume are -reproduced on many postcards. The history of this worthy is best -told in French--and in whispers! - -[Illustration: _IN HET PARADIJS_ AND _MAISON DES DIABLES_: TWO -FIFTEENTH CENTURY HOUSES, MALINES.] - -In our tramps around the narrow, crooked streets of the old town, and -along its picturesque quays, we found many fine examples of fifteenth -and sixteenth century architecture. On the Quai au Sel is the House of -the Salmon, the ancient guildhouse of the fishmongers, which dates -from 1530, and on the Quai aux Avoines we visited the little estaminet -entitled _In het Paradijs_, with its two painted reliefs of the Fall -and Expulsion from Eden, and the _Maison des Diables_--so called from -the carved devils that decorate its wooden façade of the sixteenth -century. The Grand Pont across the Dyle to these old quays itself -dates from the thirteenth century, as its grimy arches testify. - -After the defeat and death of Charles the Bold at Nancy his widow, -Margaret of York, transferred her residence to Malines, and here she -raised and educated the two children of her daughter, Marie of -Burgundy, Philip the Handsome and Margaret of Austria. Their father, -the Emperor Maximilian, was so occupied with affairs of state over his -widely scattered realm that he seldom came to the city, but from 1480 -onward the States General of the Netherlands often met here, and in -1491 Philip the Handsome presided at a chapter of the Order of the -Golden Fleece at the cathedral of St. Rombaut. On his premature death, -in 1506, Maximilian again became Regent, as Philip's eldest son -Charles was barely six years old. The following year Maximilian made -his daughter Margaret of Austria Governess-General of the Netherlands -and guardian of Philip's children. Margaret at once chose Malines, -where she had herself been educated, as her seat of government and -there she reigned as Regent until her death twenty-three years later. -This period was the golden age in the history of the city on the Dyle, -its brief day of splendour. - -In her infancy Margaret had been betrothed to the son of the King of -France, Louis XI--the cunning enemy of her house whose plots had -brought about the ruin of her grandfather, Charles the Bold. She was -only three, and the Prince Dauphin, afterwards Charles the Eighth, was -only twelve. Nine years later a more advantageous alliance caused him -to renounce this betrothal, and Margaret was subsequently married by -proxy to the son of the King of Spain. On her voyage from Flushing to -Spain a storm arose which nearly wrecked her ship, and after it had -somewhat subsided she and her companions amused themselves by each -writing her own epitaph. That composed by Margaret, then a sprightly -girl of eighteen, is well known: - - _Cy gist Margot la gentil' Damoiselle, - Qu' ha deux marys et encor est pucelle._ - -Eventually, however, she arrived safely at Burgos, but her young -husband, Prince John of Asturias, died suddenly seven months later of -a malignant fever. At the age of nineteen, therefore, Margaret had -already missed being Queen of France and Queen of Spain. After two -years at the Spanish court, where she was very popular, she returned -to Flanders, arriving in 1500, just in time to be one of the -godmothers at the christening of her nephew, Charles, at the church of -St. Jean in Ghent. The following year Margaret married Philibert II, -Duke of Savoy, surnamed the Handsome, who was the same age as herself. -This time her married life proved to be only a little longer than the -other, for her husband died in 1504. Left twice a widow while still in -the bloom of youth, the Duchess devoted herself to poetry and the -erection of a church at Brou in her second husband's duchy of Savoy. - -There, on the walls, woodwork, stained glass windows and tombs she -repeated her last motto: - - FORTUNE . INFORTUNE . FORT . UNE - -which has generally been interpreted to mean that Fortune and -Misfortune have tried sorely (fort) one lone woman (une). - -The palace of Margaret of York stood on the rue de l'Empereur, where -some vestiges of it still remain, but Margaret of Savoy and of Austria -found this edifice inadequate to the requirements of a Regent and -acquired the Hotel de Savoy opposite. This has been restored and is -now used as the Palais de Justice, but--apart from its pretty -courtyard and one fine fireplace--we found very little to recall the -glories of the period when the great men of all the Netherlands -gathered here. The edifice was largely reconstructed by Rombaut -Keldermans, and it was here that the boyhood of the future Emperor -Charles the Fifth was passed, watched over by his Aunt Margaret. At -the time of her accession as Regent Margaret was twenty-seven years -old--"a fair young woman with golden hair, rounded cheeks, a grave -mouth, and beautiful clear eyes," according to one observer. Her -father, the Emperor Maximilian, was very fond and proud of her, and -the greatest treasure in the library in the Vieux Palais is a -"graduale," or hymnbook, which he presented to her in recognition of -her services in educating his grandchildren. On one of the pages in -this book is an illuminated picture showing Maximilian himself seated -on a throne surmounted by the arms of Austria, with Margaret and the -youthful Charles and his sister forming part of the group gathered in -front of him. The other illustrations in this priceless volume, all of -which we were permitted to examine, consist of religious subjects. - -The events connected with the regency of Margaret of Austria belong to -the history of Europe. More than once she aided her father in solving -the great problems of government and diplomacy with which he was -confronted, notably in the prominent part she took in the negotiations -resulting in the League of Cambrai, which was directed against -France--the nation to which she always showed an unrelenting hostility -for the slight put upon her in childhood. In 1516 Charles became of -age, and two years later--while the new King of Spain was visiting his -Spanish subjects--Margaret was again proclaimed Regent of the -Netherlands. In 1519 Maximilian died, and five months later Charles -was elected King of the Romans, and was chosen Emperor the following -year, succeeding to the widest dominions ever ruled over by one man in -the history of Europe. In fact it is doubtful if any sovereign since -has exercised so vast a power, as the Kings and Emperors of later -years have had their authority more restricted, while that of Charles -was absolute. - -In 1529 Margaret brought about the negotiations that resulted in the -famous Ladies' Peace between the Pope, the Emperor Charles, and the -Kings of France, England and Bohemia. Margaret represented Spain, and -Louise of Savoy, her sister-in-law and the mother of Francis, the King -of France, represented that monarch. The result of the conferences was -a treaty that was highly advantageous to Spain, and a great diplomatic -victory for Margaret; but as all Europe was tired of war the terms -were accepted and peace proclaimed amid great popular rejoicings, the -fountains at Cambrai flowing wine instead of water. The splendid -mantelpiece in the Hotel de Franc at Bruges was erected to commemorate -this treaty, although it hardly does justice to the prominent part -taken by Margaret in negotiating it. The conclusion of the Treaty of -Cambrai marks the climax of Margaret's career and also that of the -House of Austria. In addition to the vast empire ruled over by -Charles, his brother Ferdinand was King of Bohemia, and his sisters -Eleanor, Isabel, Marie and Katherine, Queens of France, Denmark, -Hungary and Portugal respectively. All owed their brilliant positions -to the patience and skill of their Aunt Margaret who, as her -correspondence shows, was looking forward to the time when she could -hand over the government of the Netherlands to the Emperor and spend -her remaining days in quiet seclusion. - -Under her wise rule the Netherlands had attained the greatest -prosperity ever known. Industry and commerce flourished, peace and -safety reigned throughout her broad dominions. At her court in Malines -Margaret gathered a brilliant group of artists, poets and men of -letters. Mabuse (Jan Gossaert), Bernard Van Orley and Michel Coxcie -were among the famous Flemish artists patronised by the Duchess. -Rombaut Keldermans received many commissions as architect from the -great Lady of Savoy and her Imperial nephew for important edifices not -only at Malines but at Antwerp, Brussels, Ghent and throughout the -Low Countries. In 1451 the Pope, Nicholas V, had proclaimed a Holy -Year at Malines and enormous numbers of pilgrims visited the city in -consequence. Their lavish gifts made possible the rapid erection of -most of the splendid religious edifices with which the city is so -amply provided, and it was during the reign of Margaret that these -structures were completed and decorated. Among the beautiful buildings -executed during this period may be mentioned the Belfry at Bruges, the -tower of St. Rombaut, the Hotel de Ville at Ghent, the spire of the -cathedral at Antwerp, the cathedral of Ste. Gudule at Brussels, and -many minor churches throughout the Low Countries. - -Margaret displayed rare taste for works of art, and her palace was a -veritable treasure house of masterpieces, as an inventory prepared at -her direction shows. One of the most famous of these was the portrait -of Jean Arnolfini and his wife by Jean Van Eyck, which--after many -vicissitudes--has now found a permanent resting place in the National -Gallery at London, unless some militant suffragette adds another -chapter to its chequered history. Another treasure has been less -fortunate, namely the portrait of _La belle Portugalaise_, wife of -Philip the Good, which was painted by Jean Van Eyck under -circumstances already described in another chapter. This famous -picture disappeared during the religious wars and has never been -discovered. The inventory lists a great many other paintings, of which -some are still in existence and some have been lost. The descriptions -are often quaint and charming, and may have been dictated by the -Duchess herself, as for example: "_Une petite Nostre-Dame disant ses -heures, faicte de la main de Michel (Coxcie) que Madame appelle sa -mignonne et le petit dieu dort_," and "_Ung petit paradis ou sont -touxs les apôtres._" Other artists of note in the collection were -Bernard Van Orley, Hans Memling, Roger Van der Weyden, Dierick Bouts, -Jerome Bosch and Gerard Horembout. - -[Illustration: PORTRAIT OF JEAN ARNOLFINI AND HIS WIFE BY JEAN VAN -EYCK.] - -Among the men of letters whom Margaret gathered around her were Jean -Molinet, her librarian and a poet who often celebrated her charms; -Jean Lemaire de Belges, who became her historian; Erasmus, Nicolas -Everard, Adrian of Utrecht, Cornelius Agrippa, Massé, Rénacle de -Florennes, Louis Vivés, and many others. Her library was as choice as -her collection of paintings and included a Book of Hours and several -other illuminated manuscripts now in the Bibliotheque Royale at -Brussels, and many of the mediæval classics. History records few great -personages whose personality, considered from every aspect, is more -pleasing than that of this gracious lady, whose very pets are known to -us through the frequent references made to them by her literary -courtiers. Her career, though shaded by sadness and disappointment, -was a great and noble one, and, while she lived, the land over which -she ruled remained in almost uninterrupted peace and prosperity--the -wars of the Emperor being for the most part waged far away on the -plains of Italy or in France. - -On the last day of November, 1530, the Regent Margaret passed away at -her palace at Malines in the fiftieth year of her age and the -twenty-third of her regency. For forty-five days the bells of the -churches throughout the city tolled at morning, noon and night in -expression of the profound grief of the people at their great loss. -The dirges may well have been for the departure of the city's -greatness as well, for the death of its great patroness proved the -beginning of its decline. The new Regent, Marie of Hungary, removed -her court to Brussels, and although Malines, by way of compensation, -was made the seat of an arch-bishopric it never recovered its former -splendour and sank rapidly into the quiet town that it was when the -great war added a new and tragic chapter to its history. - - - - -CHAPTER XVI - -GHENT UNDER CHARLES THE FIFTH--AND SINCE - - -But for the great disaster at Nancy, it is altogether probable that -Charles the Bold would, before very long, have sought to chastise the -burghers of Ghent as he did those of Liége, but his unexpected death, -and the ruin of his plans, gave the citizens at least a brief period -of respite from the tyranny that had been pressing more and more -heavily upon them since the "bloody sea of Gavre." His daughter, -Marie, was only nineteen when her father's fall placed her at the -mercy of the turbulent communes, and at Ghent as well as Bruges she -was forced to grant a charter restoring the many privileges that -Charles and Philip the Good had taken away. She was even helpless to -save the lives of two of her most trusted counsellors, who were -accused by the men of Ghent of treacherous correspondence with their -wily enemy, Louis XI, and--in spite of her entreaties and tears in -their behalf in the Marché de Vendredi--were publicly beheaded in the -first year of her brief reign. - -Shortly after the untimely death of this princess whose popularity -might have held the communes in check, her husband, Maximilian, began -the long war that finally resulted in establishing his authority over -all of Flanders. This accomplished, he established his daughter, -Margaret of Austria, as Regent and during the twenty-three years of -her wise and gentle reign the country remained for the most part at -peace and its commerce and prosperity returned. - -It was during the struggle with Maximilian that the Rabot was -constructed at Ghent, in 1489. The previous year the Emperor Frederick -III, father of Maximilian, had threatened the city at this point, -where its fortifications were weakest, and the two famous pointed -towers were built as part of the protective works designed to render a -similar attack impossible. Although somewhat mutilated in 1860, the -twin towers still stand, and with the curious intervening structure -constitute one of the finest bits of military architecture of the -fifteenth century that has come down to us. Historically, they form a -monument of the victory gained by the commune over Frederick and his -son in their first attempt to curtail its liberties and privileges. - -On the 24th of February of the year 1500 the city of Ghent learned -that a baby boy had been born at the Cour de Princes, to its -sovereigns, Philip the Handsome and Joanna of Spain, who was destined -to become the most powerful monarch in the world. On the day when this -fortunate baby was baptised with the name of Charles, the city gave -itself up to rejoicings that might well have been tempered had it -known the fate that was in store for it at the hands of its -illustrious son forty years later. As it was, joy reigned, and at -night ten thousand flaming torches flared, the great dragon in the -belfry spouted Greek fire, and on a rope suspended from the top of the -belfry to the spire of St. Nicholas a tight-rope dancer performed -prodigies of skill for the cheering crowds that thronged the streets -below. - -Fifteen years later, when Charles was declared of age, it was at Ghent -that he was proclaimed Count of Flanders. The following year he became -King of Spain, and in 1520 Emperor; thus at the age of twenty ruling -over all the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Northern Italy, Spain and -the vast empire in the new world--then in course of conquest by -Pizzaro, Cortés and the other Spanish conquistadores. While the -city's most famous son was advancing to the zenith of human power and -wealth, its own fortunes were steadily declining. The long contest -with Maximilian and the competition of England had struck a death blow -to the cloth industry, which languished for a time and then gradually -decayed and disappeared. The Cloth Hall was therefore left unfinished, -which accounts for its insignificance as compared with similar -structures in other Flemish towns where the textile trade was far less -important than that of Ghent in the days of its greatest prosperity. -The city continued, however, to be the centre of the grain trade as -before, and the fine façade of the Maison des Bateliers (House of the -Boatmen's Guild), on the Quai au Blé, was built at this epoch, in -1534. - -[Illustration: Photograph by E. Sacré. MAISON DE LA KEURE, HOTEL DE -VILLE, GHENT.] - -A still more notable structure, the Hotel de Ville, dates in part from -the time of Charles. This edifice in reality comprises a group of -buildings erected at different epochs and for diverse purposes. -Architecturally the most beautiful of these is the Maison de la Keure, -which forms the corner of the Marché au Beurre and the rue Haut Port, -extending for most of its length on the latter somewhat narrow street. -This was designed and built by Dominique de Waghenakere of Antwerp -and the famous Rombaut Keldermans of Malines, and was erected between -1518 and 1534. The actual edifice represents only a quarter of the -fine design of the architects and lacks an entire story with various -decorative features which would have greatly improved its appearance -and made it one of the finest Hotels de Ville in Flanders. As it is, -this part is by far the best of the entire structure. The Maison des -Parchons facing the Marché au Beurre was built in 1600 to 1620 and is -in the Italian Renaissance style and vastly inferior to the fine -Gothic structure of a century earlier. The other portion of the -building comprises a Hall for the States of Flanders, in the ruelle de -Hotel de Ville, built in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries; the -grande conciergerie joining this to the earlier Gothic Maison de la -Keure and built in 1700; and a Chambre des Pauvres built by order of -Charles V in 1531, of which the present façade dates from 1750. - -The inner rooms of this collection of buildings, of different ages and -different architectural styles, are of relatively minor interest. The -Grande Salle de Justice de la Keure is somewhat imposing with its -large fireplace, but its lack of other decorations makes it rather -cold and gloomy and we were glad to leave it. Much more beautiful is -the Salle de l'Arsenal, built half a century later. In the Chapel of -St. John the Baptist, which adjoins the Salle de Justice in the most -ancient part of the edifice, and is now used as a Salle des Mariages, -is a fine picture representing Marie of Burgundy begging her people to -forgive Hugonet and Humbercourt, her two ministers who--despite her -tearful pleas--were executed in the Place Ste. Pharaïlde hard by. - -On the death of Margaret of Austria the Emperor appointed his sister, -Marie of Hungary, Regent of the Netherlands. The steady decline of its -trade and the increasing poverty of the people caused the city of -Ghent to seethe with discontent, and in 1539 an outbreak occurred that -gave the Regent great alarm. Under the leadership of a group of -demagogues the _Métiers_ or lower associations of artisans, overawed -the magistrates and seized Liévin Pyn, an aged and honourable member -of the Council and Dean of the _Métiers_ who was unjustly accused of -giving the Queen Regent a false report on the situation and of having -stolen the great banner of the city. This unfortunate old man was -subjected to fearful tortures in the Château des Comtes, but -resolutely refused to confess to any of the acts charged against him. -Nevertheless, he was finally executed on the Place Ste. Pharaïlde--one -of the most pitiful and unjust of the many cruel tragedies enacted -there. Broken and weakened from the tortures to which he had been -subjected, he had to be carried to the place of execution, where his -indomitable spirit was such that before bowing before the axe of the -executioner he sternly reproached his judges with their cowardice, and -predicted that the people would soon have occasion to regret the -fatuous course they were pursuing. - -The dying old man spoke the truth. The Emperor was then in Spain and -matters connected with the government of his world-encircling realm -demanded for the moment his attention, but he was none the less kept -well informed as to what was going on in his native city, where -affairs meanwhile progressed from bad to worse, until a veritable -state of anarchy prevailed. When Charles learned of the virtual -insurrection against his authority that prevailed, and of the death of -Liévin Pyn, he was furious and vowed to inflict upon the rebellious -city a vengeance that would deter all other cities in the empire from -ever following its example. Slowly, but with a deliberateness that -boded ill for the foolhardy rabble who for the moment guided the -destinies of the commune, the Emperor made his preparations for a trip -to the Low Countries. Two months after the execution of Pyn it became -known in the city that their puissant sovereign was on his way. The -news filled the mutineers with terror. No longer was Ghent in the -proud position she had occupied under the Counts of Flanders and the -first Dukes of Burgundy--the premier city of the realm and a foe to be -respected and even feared. The power of Charles V was too vast for -even the most ignorant to think of armed resistance to his authority, -now that he was about to assert it in person. Many of those -responsible for the period of anarchy fled, others went into hiding. - -Early in the year 1540 the Emperor arrived at Cambrai, proceeding next -to Valenciennes and Brussels. Meanwhile a strong force of German -soldiers entered the city--meeting with no resistance from its now -thoroughly terrified inhabitants, many of whom no doubt wished they -could restore the dead Doyen des Métiers, whom they had so cruelly -sacrificed, to life again that he might plead their cause with the -dreaded Emperor. They had good reason to tremble, for in a few days -the ring-leaders of the late troubles began to be arrested and all men -were forbidden, under penalty of death, to harbour them or aid them to -escape their sovereign's wrath. A few days later nine of the mutineers -were executed on the Place Ste. Pharaïlde where Liévin Pyn had -perished at their hands six months before. The magistrates were now -filled with terror and abjectly pleaded for mercy. The Emperor -haughtily replied that he knew how to be merciful and also how to do -justice, and that he would presently give judgment on the city "in -such a manner that it would never be forgotten and others would take -therefrom an example." - -This disquieting response was followed by the Emperor's famous visit -to the top of the cathedral tower in company with the Duke of Alva. It -was on this occasion that the latter, with the ferocity that -afterwards made his name a by-word for cruelty for future ages, -counselled his sovereign to utterly destroy the rebellious city. To -this the Emperor responded with the _bon mot_ that showed at once his -sense of humour and his moderation. Pointing to the wide-spreading red -roofs of the populous city he asked, "How many Spanish skins do you -think it would take to make a glove (_Gand_, the French spelling of -Ghent, also means glove) as large as this?" - -[Illustration: PORTRAIT OF THE DUKE OF ALVA BY A. MORO.] - -Meanwhile, under the direct supervision of the Emperor, a huge citadel -began to be erected on the site of the ancient little town surrounding -the Abbey of St. Bavon--a choice that involved the destruction of many -of the Abbey buildings. The Emperor, while this work was going on, -remained at the Princenhof where he held his court, but gave no sign -as to what the fate of the city was to be. It was not until April -29th, 1540, that he finally--in the presence of a great throng of -princes, nobles and the members of his Grand Council, with the city -magistrates on their knees at his feet--gave his long delayed -decision. In a loud voice the Imperial herald first read a list of -thirty-five crimes committed by the people of the city, declaring them -guilty of _dèsléalté_, _désobéyssance_, _infraction de traictés_, -_sedition_, _rébellion et de léze-magesté_. In consequence of these -crimes the sentence deprived them forever of their privileges, rights, -and franchises. It directed that the charters, together with the red -and black books in which they were registered, should be turned over -to the Emperor to do with them as he pleased, and it was forbidden -ever again to invoke or appeal to them. It pronounced the -confiscation of all the goods, rents, revenues, houses, artillery and -war material belonging to the city or to the _Métiers_. It confiscated -the great bell Roland and decreed that it must be taken down. It -further directed that three days later the magistrates, thirty members -of the bourgeois or middle class, the Doyen of the weavers, six men -from each _Métier_ and fifty "creesers" should beg pardon of the -Emperor and Queen. The suppliants on this occasion were dressed in -black, with heads and feet bare, and cords about their necks, and were -compelled to beg the pardon of the Emperor on their knees in the -market-place. Besides this public degradation the magistrates were -required to wear the cords about their necks thereafter during the -exercise of their functions. It is said, however, that before very -long the hemp was converted into a rich cord of gold and silk, which -they wore as a scarf--as if it were a badge of honour instead of one -of disgrace. - -The walls of the city were to be still further demolished, and the -sovereign reserved the right to specify later which towers, gates and -walls should be torn down to erect the citadel. Finally, a heavy money -indemnity was exacted, and the following day a new code of laws in -sixty-five articles was promulgated--the famous Concession -Caroline--which served as the basis of government until the end of the -old régime during the French Revolution. The city, no doubt, breathed -a sigh of relief that the Emperor exacted no further toll of human -life, but the conditions were none the less heavy enough. In brief, -these terms ended, once and for all, every vestige of self-government, -and swept away all of the privileges for which the burghers had fought -for so many centuries. The year 1540 marks the end, therefore, of the -long and brilliant history of the Flemish communes--for no other city -dared resist the Emperor's authority after this--and thereafter -Flanders became a mere province in the wide dominions of sovereigns -who seldom visited its cities and frequently did not even speak the -language of its people. - -Among the tombstones in the Cathedral of St. Bavon one that deserves -more than a passing glance is that of Bishop Triest. Designed by the -celebrated sculptor, Jerome Duquesnoy, it is a notable example of -Flemish sculpture, besides possessing an added interest by reason of -the fact that the artist sought to destroy it when complete. More -important, however, than the monument and its story is the fact that -Bishop Triest was the father of the art of horticulture for which -Ghent is so renowned today. It was in his gardens--which were famous -throughout the seventeenth century--that rare and exotic plants were -for the first time planted out of doors in Flanders and trained to -grow in the form of pyramids, arches, summer-houses, and a hundred -fantastic shapes. The "Belvedere Gardens" of the worthy prelate became -the model for other gardeners, and the seed, planted in fertile soil, -from which sprang a great industry. - -Not content with cultivating his own gardens the Bishop sought to -encourage in every way the humble gardeners of the city, giving them -his august protection, his friendly counsel, making loans to the -needy, and uniting them into a society under the patronage of St. -Amand and Ste. Dorothy. This noble example was speedily followed by -the city, which also encouraged the horticulturists. In 1640 William -de Blasère, an alderman of the city, constructed the first hothouse -ever seen in Europe. It was a hundred feet long, made of wood and -glass, heated with huge stoves, and sufficiently high to accommodate -the exotic plants that, in summertime, were set outdoors. This novelty -made a great stir and brought many visitors to Ghent. Soon afterward a -society of horticulturists was founded, and by the end of the century -a botanical garden was established. - -In the opening years of the nineteenth century this institution very -nearly came to an end. It was costly to keep up, produced little or no -revenue, and Napoleon, who was then First Consul and included Ghent in -his rapidly widening dominions, decided that it should be suppressed. -A friend of the garden skilfully took advantage of a visit of -Josephine to Ghent to enlist her aid in persuading her husband to -spare it. Inviting the future empress to visit the establishment, he -contrived that the plants and flowers should plead their own cause. -Between two palms at the entrance he had a huge placard suspended -bearing the words: "_Ave, Cæsar, morituri te salutamus_." Then, along -the different walks, each flower and plant bore a card proportionate -to its size and containing a verse alluding to its approaching -destruction. Naturally surprised at this outburst of poetry on the -part of the "nymphs" of the garden, as the flowers styled themselves -in their effusions, Josephine inquired the reason for it. This gave -her conductor his opportunity, and he pleaded for the preservation of -the garden with such ardour and eloquence that he won her assurance -that if her wishes had any weight his beautiful garden should be -preserved and its "nymphs" should not perish in exile. The event -proved that he had secured a powerful ally, for the edict of the First -Consul was rescinded and the garden was saved. - -To-day Ghent boasts of her title of "the City of Flowers." The -Botanical Garden is protected by a Royal Society, there are many -private collections that are worth going far to see, and more than -five hundred establishments, large and small, are engaged in -horticulture as an industry, the annual exports amounting to millions -of dollars. Bishop Triest can therefore be thanked for giving Flanders -one of its great industries. - -Speaking of Napoleon, it is not generally remembered that Ghent was, -for the brief space of one hundred days, the capital of France. When -Napoleon returned from Elba, and was received with open arms by the -very troops sent to attack him, Louis XVIII fled incontinently to -Ghent where he set up a feeble court at his residence on the rue des -Champs. Here Guizot, Chateaubriand, and his other ministers met -formally every morning to discuss with His Majesty the chances of his -ever getting back to Paris again--Paris where, by the way, the mob was -singing mockingly: - - "Rendez nous notre père de Gand - Rendez nous notre père!" - -It would take a satirist like Dickens or Thackeray to describe the -scene when the fat monarch sat down to his mid-day meal, in the -presence of whoever might wish to watch the curious spectacle. He -conquered enormous quantities of food, but depended on Wellington and -Blücher to conquer the army of Napoleon. The forms of sovereignty were -none the less carefully observed, as the little court waited day by -day for the great event that all men could see was drawing steadily -nearer. At last, as the thunder of Napoleon's guns startled the allies -from their dance at Brussels, and the tramp of his advancing squadrons -shook the fields of Waterloo, this fat little fly on the chariot wheel -of European politics prepared once more for flight. Coaches were made -ready to carry the entire court to Ostende, where an English vessel -awaited them if the battle went against the allies. All day long the -horses stood in the courtyard, the drivers whip in hand. History does -not record what gastronomic feats His Majesty performed that day, but -late at night the tidings came that the Grande Armée was in retreat, -and that King Louis could return to his kingdom. - -Ghent shares with Bruges the glory of being the birthplace of Flemish -painting. The famous "Adoration of the Lamb," by the brothers Van -Eyck, was ordered by a wealthy burgher of Ghent for the cathedral of -St. Bavon--where the greater part of the original work still rests. It -was at Ghent that Hubert, the elder brother, planned the masterpiece -and completed his share of it. But Ghent also had masters belonging to -the early Flemish school whose fame she does not have to share with -any other city. One of these was Josse or Justus, usually called -Justus of Ghent, who visited Italy in 1468 and there painted several -pictures. Another was Hugo Van der Goes who gave promise of becoming -as great a master as Jean Van Eyck when he suddenly gave up his chosen -profession and entered the Monastery of Rouge-Cloitre, near Bruges. He -was admitted to the Guild of Painters at Ghent in 1467, and left the -world of action in 1476--eventually becoming insane and dying six -years later. There is a story to the effect that he once painted a -picture of Abigail meeting David for a burgher of Ghent who lived in a -house near the bridge called the Muyderbrugge, and while engaged on -this work--which was painted on the wall above a fireplace--fell in -love with his patron's daughter. The painting proved a great success, -but the stern parents frowned on the suit of the young artist, and the -daughter, in despair, entered the convent of the White Ladies known as -the Porta Coeli, near Brussels. The house, which was said to have been -entirely surrounded by water, has long since disappeared, together -with the painting, but the story may be the explanation for the -abandonment by the artist of a promising career when he was still in -the prime of life. One of the finest pictures in the Modern Gallery at -Brussels is that by E. Wauters representing the madness of Van der -Goes. The painter is shown seated and staring eagerly at some phantasm -before him--perhaps a vision of the fair Abigail--while a group of -little choir boys are striving, under the leadership of a monk, to -exorcise the evil demon that possesses their famous brother by means -of sacred songs and chants. It is said that this method of cure was -indeed attempted while he was at Rouge-Cloitre, but without success. - -The best work of both of these artists is, unfortunately, far from -Flanders--being found in Italy, where Flemish painters were in their -day very highly regarded. "The Last Supper," which was the greatest -masterpiece of Justus, was painted as an altarpiece for the -brotherhood of Corpus Christi at Urbino and still hangs in the church -of Sant' Agatha in that Italian town. "The Adoration of the -Shepherds," which was the greatest work of Van der Goes, is in the -Uffizi Gallery at Florence. At Bruges there are two paintings -attributed to this master, "The Death of the Virgin," in the museum, -and the panel representing the donors in "The Martyrdom of St. -Hippolytus" in the church of St. Sauveur. The greater part of the -paintings by Van der Goes in Belgium were destroyed by the iconoclasts -in the sixteenth century, including several of which his -contemporaries and other early writers spoke in the highest terms. -Frequent mention is made of his skill as a portrait painter, and Prof. -A. J. Wauters, after a careful study of his known works throughout -Europe, ascribes to him the famous portrait of Charles the Bold in the -museum at Brussels. The early writers state that private houses at -Bruges and Ghent, as well as churches, were filled with his works. Let -us hope that some of these--hidden away during the religious wars or -at the time of the iconoclasts--may yet be discovered and identified. - -Ghent, during the fifteenth century, was the artistic centre of -Flanders, and the names, but not the works, of many of its painters -have come down to us. One of the most celebrated of these in -contemporary annals was Gerard Van der Meire, to whom tradition has -assigned the triptych of "The Crucifixion" in the cathedral of St. -Bavon. This artist rose to high rank in the Guild of St. Luke, to -which he was admitted in 1452, and a considerable number of paintings -in various European galleries are attributed to him. An Italian writer -ascribes to him one hundred and twenty-five of the exquisite -miniatures in the famous Grimani Breviary, now in the library of St. -Mark's at Venice. If this were true, Van der Meire was indeed a great -artist, but this book was illustrated after his death. - -[Illustration: "THE ADORATION OF THE SHEPHERDS."--HUGO VAN DER GOES.] - -According to the Royal Commission of Art and Archeology of Belgium, -Ghent contains more noteworthy antiquities than any other town in the -Kingdom. The Commission, it appears, divides the "antiquities" into -three classes, according to their relative importance, and credits -Ghent with thirteen of the first class, ten of the second and six of -the third--or twenty-nine in all. The figures for the other Flemish -cities are: Antwerp, seven first, five second, six third, total -eighteen; Bruges, four first, six second, six third, total sixteen; -Tournai, three first, six second, six third, total fifteen; Malines, -four first, eight second, two third, total fourteen. Many places are -credited with two or three each. We tried to get a copy of the Report -of the Commission giving the names of the antiquities in each class, -and the reasons for ranking them, but were unable to do so during our -stay in Belgium. It would have been a learned check on the list of -places we had found most interesting. Quite likely we would have found -that the Commission gave the first rank to some "antiquity" we did not -see at all, and maybe never heard of! However, we saw enough to occupy -every minute of our brief vacation, and the majority of those we -missed--wilfully at least--were churches, of which Flanders has enough -to fill three books like this were one to faithfully report them all. - -In Ghent there are, as at Bruges, many interesting private houses -scattered throughout the city. The Professor and I on our morning -walks looked up many of these, but the list would be tedious to -enumerate. One of the most famous is the "Arriére-Faucille," formerly -the home of a rich seigneur, but since 1901 used as a Royal -Conservatory of Music. Its castle-like tower is very picturesque, but -we saw nothing of interest in the interior. Near by are two very old -houses with typically Flemish gables, called the Zwarte Moor and -the Groot Moor. Built in 1481, or thereabouts, the Confrerie of St. -George had its headquarters here for many years. - -[Illustration: OLD GUILD HOUSES, QUAI AUX HERBES, GHENT.] - -The guilds have already been mentioned, and the façades of all of the -more famous of the guild houses have been carefully restored. These -include the Maison des Mesureurs de Blé and the Maison des Francs -Bateliers on the Quai aux Herbes, the Maison des Maçons and the Maison -des Bateliers non francs. The ancient Grand Boucherie, recently -restored, is another interesting "monument." It seems that the -Butchers' Guild at Ghent owed its prosperity to the fact that Charles -V chanced one day to fall in love with the pretty daughter of a Ghent -butcher. This young lady obtained for her son and his descendants an -imperial monopoly of the slaughtering and meat-selling business which -survived all the various dynastic changes till the French Revolution. -The butchers were called _Prinse Kinderen_, or Prince's Children, and -seem to have made a very good thing out of the blot on their family -escutcheon. Another old edifice is the Maison de l'Etape, or Staple -House, a granary dating from the thirteenth century, which stands -beside the guild houses on the Quai aux Herbes. In short, the tourist -can easily find enough of interest in this rare old Flemish city to -occupy many days of leisurely sight-seeing. Ghent, like Bruges, has -thus far been spared the destruction that has overtaken so many of the -smaller Flemish towns during the war and, as far as is at present -known, all of its twenty-nine monuments are still intact. - - - - -CHAPTER XVII - -AUDENAERDE AND MARGARET OF PARMA - - -It was on a pleasant morning in June that the Professor and I set -forth on a little expedition to the famous town of the tapestry -weavers, leaving the ladies to rest and shop at Brussels. The -poplar-trees that line the country roads and canals in all parts of -Belgium were in full bloom and their light cotton-clad seeds were -drifting like snow in every direction. Moreover, contrary to our -experience for some time past, the sun seemed likely to shine all day -and our old friend J. Pluvius was in complete retreat. Our route lay -for a considerable distance through a charming hop country, the plots -being much smaller than one sees in Kent or in Central New York State, -but very numerous, and, no doubt, aggregating a considerable acreage. -Farther along we passed through a superb stretch of hilly country -where many of the houses and barns had thatched roofs and were so -picturesque, both in themselves and in their surroundings, that we -would fain have descended at one of the little stations and spent the -day exploring and photographing this charming corner of Flanders. The -most beautiful spot of all bore the pretty name of Louise-Marie--the -thatch-roofed houses nestling cosily together upon a hillside. This -little station, by the way, is on the line from Blaton to Audenaerde -(in Flemish Oudenaarde), as we were approaching our destination from -the south instead of directly from Brussels. Presently the great tower -of Ste. Walburge loomed up ahead on our right, and we could even catch -a glimpse of the famous Hotel de Ville. Instead of stopping, however, -our train went on past the church, past the town, past everything, -until we began to fear that our faithful "_omnibus_" had suddenly gone -crazy and fancied itself a "_rapide_" bound for goodness knows where. -At last, however, the station came in sight, but we even sped past -that, coming to rest finally some distance down the railroad yard. As -we walked back toward the "_Sortie-Ausgang_" gateway we debated -whether we would drive back to the town in a cab or take a tram. -Emerging on the street we promptly decided to walk, since neither cab -nor tram-car could be seen. - -There was no danger of losing our way, for there, straight down the -long street before us, we could see the huge mass of Ste. Walburge -towering far above the little houses around it. After a leisurely walk -of five or six minutes we arrived at a large bleak-looking square, -called the Place de Tacambaro, at the centre of which stood a monument -that--had we been in a carriage or on a tram-car--we would have passed -without more than a passing glance. As it was, we paused to read the -inscriptions and found that, for Americans, they told a story of no -little interest. It appears that this is a memorial erected in honour -of the volunteers from Audenaerde who died in Mexico in the service of -the unfortunate Emperor Maximilian. The south side of the monument, -which represents a reclining female figure by the sculptor, W. Geefs, -bears the following inscription: - - "Ordre de Jour - - Officiers et Soldats! Vous avez pris votre part des travaux - et des luttes dans la guerre du Mexique, votre - valeur dans les combats, votre discipline - dans les fatigues des longues - marches ont honoré le - nom Belge. - - Au moment de vous rembarquer pour aller revoir votre - patrie recevez les adieux de vos frères d'armes du - corps expeditionaire français. - - Dans quelques semaines vous aurez revu les rivages de votre - patrie y conservez, je l'espère, bon souvenir de leux - qui ont soufert et combattu à vos cotes, - ainsi que du Maréchal de France - qui a eu l'honneur de - vous commander. - - Le Maréchal de France, Commandant en Chef. - - BAZAINE." - -Proceeding along the street, which still led straight toward the great -church, we discussed the strange fate that had led these valiant -Flemings to give their lives in a war of conquest so many thousands of -miles away--a futile sacrifice as the event proved, with this little -monument as their sole reward. - -Almost before we were aware of it we found ourselves at the Grande -Place with the Hotel de Ville right in front of us. We were on the -west side of the little structure, which on the rue Haute adjoins the -ancient Halle aux Draps. An old doorway gives on the rue Haute, but is -no longer used, the entrance being now through the Hotel de Ville. - -While the two principal churches of the town have suffered severely -from the fanatical ravages of the iconoclasts, or image breakers, the -Hotel de Ville can be seen in almost its pristine magnificence. -Architecturally this monument is generally considered as one of the -finest, not only in Flanders, but in the whole of Europe. Little it -undeniably is, although it towers up bravely above the low two-story -buildings surrounding it, but its very smallness gives its marvellous -façade the richness and delicacy of the finest lace. Begun in 1525, it -was completed twelve years later at a cost of "65,754 livres parisis, -16 sols, 2 deniers." Those who are curious can ascertain the modern -equivalent of the "Paris pound" of 1537, but even when we add the 16 -sols, 2 deniers, it seems as though the burghers got very good value -for their money. - -[Illustration: HOTEL DE VILLE, AUDENAERDE. Photograph by E. Sacré.] - -Late Gothic is the period to which this gem in the galaxy of splendid -Flemish town halls belongs. It is considered the masterpiece of its -architect, Henri Van Péde, who also designed the superb Hotel de Ville -at Brussels and that at Louvain. The many little niches on the front -once contained statues of the noble lords and dames of Flanders, -including no doubt several of the great house of Lalaing, the Count -Philippe de Lalaing having laid the corner stone. Unfortunately these -were all destroyed during the religious wars and the French Revolution -and have never been replaced. This seems a great pity, as Flanders -still possesses many stone-carvers of great skill, and the kindly -hand of time would soon mellow the new work to harmonise with the old. -As it is, every niche contains the iron projection that formerly held -its statue in place, so that the work of restoration would consist of -simply carving each of the little statues in the sculptor's own -atelier, wherever it might be, and afterwards placing them in -position. - -One of the original statues still remains in place, however, and is -entitled to the honour of being styled the oldest citizen of -Audenaerde. This is none other than Hanske 't Krijgerke, Petit Jean le -Guerrier, or Little John the Warrior, who, with his diminutive -standard bearing the arms of the city, stands on the topmost pinnacle -of the tower. His gaze is ever toward the South, with a far-away look -in his eyes, across the Grande Place and toward the distant hills. -During the three hundred and seventy-eight years that he has been -standing there, braving the winter rains and the summer sunshine, how -many changes have taken place in the great outside world while little -Audenaerde has stood still! - -Even without its statues the principal façade of the Hotel de Ville -merits more than a passing glance. In the admirable harmony of its -proportions, the delicate beauty of its details, in the excellence of -the stone carvings--almost perfectly preserved--that form wreaths and -festoons of stone about its Gothic windows, there is nothing finer to -be seen in all Flanders. The high pointed roof, with its tiny dormer -windows, is exactly as the architect intended it, and the charming -little tower seems as perfect as the day the last of the -sixteenth-century masons left it. - -The interior is worthy of the exterior. On the first floor a large -hall, called the Salle du Peuple--Hall of the People--extends from one -side of the building to the other. This contains a fine stone -fireplace surmounted by a splendidly carved Gothic mantelpiece with -statues of Ste. Walburge in the centre and Justice and Power on either -side. Below are the arms of Austria, Flanders, and of Audenaerde. This -masterpiece was carved by Paul Van der Schelden. The walls on each -side of the fireplace are decorated with modern mural paintings -depicting Liederick de Buck, the first Forester of Flanders, Dierick -of Alsace, Baldwin of Constantinople, and Charles the Fifth. Between -the windows overlooking the Grande Place are the Arms of Castile and -Aragon, while at the ends of each of the great beams that support the -ceiling are carved the arms of the various kingdoms and -principalities belonging to Charles V. - -Already we perceive that the shadow of the great Emperor rests heavily -on this little city of Audenaerde, and as we proceed further in our -explorations the more dominating and omnipresent does his personality -become. Even the very arms of the city bear a mute evidence to his -generosity and sense of humour. It is related that on a certain -occasion the Emperor and his stately train approached the city without -being perceived by the sentinel stationed in the tower of this very -Hotel de Ville to announce his arrival. On reaching the gates, -therefore, the Imperial cortège found no one to welcome the great -monarch. The Burgomaster and the members of the Council, who should -have been there in their robes of state, were conspicuous by their -absence. Had this happened to his ancestor Charles the Bold, whose -fiery temper brooked no discourtesy, even when unintended, it might -well have gone hard with the unfortunate officials. As it was, the -Emperor overlooked the slight, but not long afterwards he maliciously -inserted a pair of spectacles in the arms of the city, remarking that -in future they would thus be able to see more clearly the approach of -their sovereign. - -[Illustration: WOODEN DOORWAY, CARVED BY VAN DER SCHELDEN, HOTEL DE -VILLE, AUDENAERDE.] - -Adjoining the Salle du Peuple is a smaller chamber, the Salle des -Échevins, or the Council Chamber of the ancient commune. Here there is -another stone fireplace slightly inferior to the one in the larger -hall, but resembling it in general design. The statues here represent -the Virgin Mary in the centre, with Justice and Hope on either side. -The chief masterpiece in this room, however, is the wooden doorway -carved by Van der Schelden, who was instructed by the burghers to make -it as beautiful as possible. How faithfully the artist performed his -task the result shows. Around its top stand wooden cupids surmounting -a richly carved entablature containing the arms of Charles V in the -centre with those of Flanders and of Audenaerde on either side. The -first is supported by two griffins, the second by two lions and the -last by two savages. The panels of the door itself and of the -sidewalls forming the complete portal are richly carved, each design -being different from all the others. For this bit of wood-carving the -frugal burghers paid the sum of one thousand, eighteen livres parisis, -or nine hundred and twenty-three francs--something over $175--and the -artist furnished the wood! - -Formerly the walls of this room were decorated with tapestries of -Audenaerde, but at the time of Louis XIV these were all removed and -taken to Paris. Most of the tapestries in the town overlooked by le -Grande Monarque were subsequently taken away by Napoleon, so that the -Hotel de Ville of the city that gave these treasures to the world, and -that should possess the finest collection of them, has been stripped -completely bare. In their stead the Council Chamber at present -contains a collection of paintings of no special artistic merit but of -great historical interest. There is, of course, a portrait of Charles -V, wearing the insignia of the Order of the Golden Fleece. A portrait -of Louis XIV on horseback and bearing a marshal's baton, by Philippe -de Champaigne, forms a poor substitute for the tapestries filched by -His Majesty. This collection also comprises several portraits of -personages famous in later Flemish history. Of these the most -noteworthy is that of Margaret of Parma, which hangs close to that of -her father, the Emperor. - -Just across the Grande Place from the Hotel de Ville stands the Tower -of Baldwin, undoubtedly the oldest structure in the city, and erected -by Baldwin V, a Count of Flanders who died in 1067, making it date -from the Norman Conquest. The concierge of the Hotel de Ville -informed us that this little tower, which adjoins another ancient -edifice now used as a brewery, was the birthplace of Margaret, but -this does not appear to be altogether certain. Some authorities state -that the honour belongs to a little two-story house with a high, -steep-sloping roof that also faces the Place. If the walls of these -old houses had the ears that proverbially belong to all walls, and -were still further provided with lips to whisper the secrets they -overheard, they could no doubt settle this question; and at the same -time throw some additional light upon a famous bit of mediæval romance -and scandal. - -Of all the natives of the ancient town of Audenaerde the most famous -was Margaret, afterwards the Duchess of Parma, and for many years -Regent of the Low Countries, over which she ruled with an almost -imperial sway. Her father was the great Emperor, Charles V, who -dallied here for several weeks as guest of the Countess de Lalaing, -wife of the Governor of Audenaerde, while his soldiers were besieging -Tournai in the year 1521. The attraction that kept him so far from his -army was a pretty Flemish maiden named Jehanne or Jeanne Van der -Gheynst. According to the none too trustworthy Strada, this young -lady was a member of the Flemish nobility, but according to the city -archives it appears that she belonged to a family of humble tapestry -workers residing at Nukerke, a suburb of Audenaerde. At all events, -her pretty face attracted the attention of the youthful -Emperor--whether at a ball, as Strada says, or while she was serving -as maid of the Countess de Lalaing, as many writers assume, or perhaps -at a village Kermesse which Charles might well have attended -incognito. After the little Margaret was born the mother received an -annual income of twenty-four livres parisis from the Emperor. In 1525 -she married the Maître de Chambre extraordinaire of the Counts of -Brabant, and died in 1541. Charles took his little daughter and had -her brought up as a princess. In 1537, when she was only fifteen years -old, she was married by the Emperor to Alexander, the Duke of Urbin, a -cruel and dissolute Italian prince who, however, died the same year. -The following year she was married to Octavio Farnese, a grandson of -Pope Pius III, who was then only fourteen. She was herself strongly -opposed to this marriage, but the Emperor was obdurate and she finally -yielded. Her son, Alexander Farnese, was the famous Duke of Parma who -became the foremost military leader on the Spanish side during the -sanguinary war between Philip II and the Netherlands. On the death of -her father, Margaret was made Regent of the Low Countries by her -half-brother Philip II. She arrived at Ghent, July 25th, 1559, and on -August 7th the King presented her to the States General, saying that -he had chosen her as his representative because she was so close to -him by birth and "because of the singular affection she has always -borne toward the Low Countries where she was born and raised and of -which she knew all the languages." She retired from the Regency in -1567, but was called back once more in 1580 at the personal request of -the King. As her son Alexander was then at the zenith of his power, -and opposed to her resuming the regency, she finally declined the -honour which was reluctantly given to him. She died in 1586 at the age -of sixty-six. - -It was her fortune, or rather misfortune, to rule over the Netherlands -at a period when the seething forces of religious unrest and protest -were becoming too violent to be restrained. Had Philip II, her -half-brother, been less bigoted, less cruel, and less blind to the -best interests of the country and of his own dynasty, it is possible -that the great popularity of the Duchess--who was sincerely loved by -the majority of her subjects and respected by all--might have enabled -the Government to restrain the rising passions of the people. If, -instead of a policy of savage repression, the King of Spain had -authorised Margaret to pursue a policy of moderation and conciliation, -the fearful history of the next eighty years--the blackest page in -human history--might never have been written. Unfortunately, -moderation and conciliation were as foreign to the nature of that -sombre monarch as to Torquemada himself, and fanaticism fought -fanaticism with a fury that was as devoid of intelligence as it was of -mercy. - -The first act in the drama of blood was the sudden outbreak of the -frenzy of the iconoclasts, or image-breakers, which swept over the -greater part of the Spanish Netherlands in the month of August, 1566. -Scarcely a church, a chapel, a convent or a monastery, escaped the -devastation that resulted from these fanatical attacks. Paintings, -statuary, altars and chapels, even the tablets and monuments of the -dead--the accumulated art treasures of centuries--were torn to pieces -or carried bodily away. In some places the work of destruction was -completed in a few hours, in others organised bands of pillagers -worked systematically for days before the local authorities--taken -completely by surprise--recovered their wits and put a stop to the -work of desecration. The loss to art and civilisation effected by the -iconoclasts in Flanders is beyond computation. The Regent acted with -energy and decision, her spirited appeals to the magistrates finally -bringing them to their senses and resulting in a speedy restoration of -order. Philip, who had just cause for resentment, meditated vengeance, -however, and in 1568 replaced the too gentle Margaret by the Duke of -Alva. - -For the Professor the Hotel de Ville contained still another room of -inexhaustible interest. This was the museum of the commune which -occupies the entire second floor. For some reason--certainly not from -fear of the suffragette, which is a non-existent species in -Belgium--this is closed to the public, but we were admitted by -courtesy of the Secretary of the Commune. The collection is of the -utmost value to the historian and archeologist, but is rather badly -kept. Among the most interesting objects were four chairs once used by -Charles V; the ancient keyboard of the _carillon_ which formerly hung -in the belfry of the town hall but is now installed in the tower of -Ste. Walburge, and some water-colour designs for tapestries. A large -painting of the Last Judgment covered a considerable part of one wall. -This is attributed to Heuvick, and originally hung in the Salle des -Échevins. It was the ancient custom to have a painting of this -subject, covered by curtains, in the olden justice halls. When a -witness was about to be sworn the curtains were suddenly drawn back -and the sight of the picture, which represented with great vividness -the destruction of the damned, was intended to prevent false -testimony. The collection also included a variety of ancient arms and -coins, several curious mediæval strong boxes, and two huge snakes -which hung from the rafters overhead. There are no snakes in Belgium -to-day, but our guide assured us that a crocodile had once been taken -in the River Scheldt near Audenaerde, so the snakes may have been -natives after all--assuming, of course, that the crocodile story is -correct. - -Back of the Hotel de Ville proper is the still more ancient Cloth -Hall, dating from the beginning of the thirteenth century. Its small, -high windows were built slantingly, to prevent archers from sending -arrows directly into the interior. At some comparatively recent -period two large windows were cut through, the walls on each side, -but a goodly number of the earlier windows still remain, and the beams -that support the high, pointed roof are still as sound as the day they -were laid in position. - -[Illustration: CHURCH OF STE. WALBURGE, AUDENAERDE.] - -To the west of the Grande Place, and scarcely a stone's throw from -Baldwin's Tower, rises the vast grey mass of Ste. Walburge, with ten -or twelve tiny fifteenth or sixteenth century houses nestling snugly -up against it. This splendid church dates from the very foundation of -the city, an early chapel erected on this site having been sacked and -burned by the Norsemen in 880. Twice after this the church was -destroyed in the wars between Flanders and France, but in 1150 was -begun an edifice of which some portions still remain. When John the -Fearless, Duke of Burgundy, chose Audenaerde as his Flemish place of -residence the burghers determined to enlarge and beautify their church -and erected the semi-circular portion of the choir in 1406 to 1408. -Soon afterwards the great nave was begun, but was not completed for -fully a century, in 1515. The tower, one of the finest in the world, -advanced still more slowly and was not entirely finished until 1624. -Its original height was three hundred and seventy-three feet, but in -1804 the wooden spire was struck by lightning and burned. It has -never been rebuilt, and the present height of the tower is two hundred -and ninety-five feet. As it is, it dominates the little city and -commands a wide view across the broad valley of the Scheldt in every -direction. It was a stiff climb, up a perpetually winding stone -stairway, to the top, but the view well repaid us for the exertion. - -The interior of the edifice suggests a great metropolitan cathedral -rather than the chief church of a small provincial town. The choir, -which suffered severely from the ravages of the iconoclasts, has -recently been restored with great skill, and is now one of the most -beautiful in Europe. This church contains several paintings by Simon -de Pape, a native of Audenaerde, whose father was the architect of the -spire burned in 1804, also an "Assumption of the Virgin Mary" by -Gaspard de Crayer, a follower of Rubens, who painted more than two -hundred religious pictures. This, like all the others, is of mediocre -merit. To the student of history and of ancient art one of the most -interesting treasures of the church is its collection of tapestries of -Audenaerde. Three of the more important ones represent landscapes--in -fact the majority of Audenaerde tapestries that I have seen may be -thus described--with castles, churches, and farmhouses in the centre -and roses, tulips and other flowers in the foreground. Like most -Audenaerde tapestries also they are crowded with winged -creatures--birds flying or singing in the trees and hens, turkeys and -pheasants strolling in the grass. A tapestry of a different genre is -one belonging to the Confrerie de la Ste. Croix, which shows an -Oriental landscape with Jerusalem in the distance, and at the four -corners the figures of Herod, Pilate, Anna and Caiphas. - -Tapestry weaving was introduced into Flanders during the time of the -Crusades, the reports of the returning crusaders regarding the -splendid carpets and rugs of the Orient arousing a desire on the part -of the Flemish weavers to imitate them. Castle walls, however thick -and strongly built, were apt to be damp and cold and a great demand -speedily sprang up for the new productions for wall coverings. -Starting at Arras and Tournai, the manufacture of tapestries spread to -all the cities in the valley of the Scheldt and received a -particularly important development at Audenaerde, which soon became -the leading tapestry centre of Flanders. The weavers adopted Saint -Barbara as their patron, and in 1441 were organised into a -corporation. In their original charter it was stipulated that each -apprentice must work three years for his first employer. Despite the -severity of this regulation the manufacture of tapestries expanded -with such rapidity that in 1539 no less than twenty thousand -persons--including men, women and children--were employed as tapestry -weavers at Audenaerde and its environs. - -Among the famous Flemish artists who painted designs for the tapestry -weavers of Audenaerde may be mentioned Floris, Coxcie, Rubens, David -Teniers, Gaspar de Witte, Victor Janssens, Peter Spierinckx, Adolphus -de Gryeff, and Alexander Van Bredael, while there were a host of -others. Gradually, however, the artisans began to be discontented with -their rate of pay, which the master tapestry makers kept at a low -figure, and the advent of the religious wars found them eager to join -any movement of revolt. After the outburst of the iconoclasts and the -arrival of the Duke of Alva many fled to the Dutch provinces and to -England, never to return. This emigration continued well into the -seventeenth century, as various decrees passed by the magistrates -between 1604 and 1621, confiscating the possessions of such emigrants, -testify. - -[Illustration: A FLEMISH TAPESTRY OF THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY.] - -Another cause that contributed to the ruin of the tapestry industry at -Audenaerde was the active effort made by the Kings of France, Louis -XIII and Louis XIV, to induce the best weavers and master-workmen to -emigrate to Paris. Philippe Robbins, one of the most celebrated -master-weavers of Audenaerde, was invited to come to France in 1622 -and was afterwards proclaimed at Beavais to be the _Chef de tous les -tapitsers du Roy_. Many of the weavers who went to Paris and Brussels -on their own account established ateliers where they manufactured what -they proclaimed to be _veritables tapis d'Audenaerde_, and this -competition still further injured the industry which soon afterward -disappeared entirely from the city that gave its name to this type of -tapestry and has never since been re-established there. With the -departure of its weavers the little city on the Scheldt rapidly -declined in importance, and for the past two centuries has been the -sleepy little market-town that it is to-day. - -On the other side of the River Scheldt, which flows through the town -and is crossed by several bridges, is the interesting Church of Notre -Dame de Pamela, which dates from the thirteenth century, having been -constructed in the remarkably short space of four years and completed -in 1239. It thus belongs to the transitional period between the -Romanesque style and the pure Gothic and is of interest to the student -of architecture as one of the most perfect examples of this period in -Flanders. The general effect of the interior, especially when viewed -from the foot of the organ loft, is noble and imposing in the highest -degree. Our visit was during a sunny afternoon, and the effect of the -long beams of light falling from the lofty windows of the nave across -the stately pillars below was indescribably beautiful. Truly this -masterpiece of stone expresses in its every line the truth of -Montalembert's beautiful remark that in such a church every column, -every soaring arch, is a prayer to the Most High. - -One of the most curious of the paintings in Notre Dame de Pamela is a -triptych by Jean Snellinck, a painter of Antwerp and a forerunner of -Rubens who was greatly in vogue among the tapestry weavers of -Audenaerde. This work represents the "Creation of Eve" in the central -panel, the "Temptation" at the left and the "Expulsion from Eden" at -the right. The figures are all finely painted, especially those in the -left wing, and the entire work is an admirable example of early -Flemish art. The church also possesses an interesting work by Simon -de Pape representing the invention of the cross. Beneath the organ -loft were three tapestries of Audenaerde workmanship which the -caretaker obligingly spread out on the church floor for our -inspection. All were in a poor state of preservation. One represented -a woodland scene with three peasants on their way to market in the -foreground. The second had a curious group of fowls in the foreground, -while the third showed a sylvan scene with a mother and three -daughters, each of the girls bearing a basket of flowers. - -Both Ste. Walburge and Notre Dame de Pamela suffered severely from the -fury of the iconoclasts, although the storm broke in Audenaerde at a -later period than in the larger cities farther to the eastward. The -curé of Ste. Walburge and four priests of Notre Dame de Pamela were -thrown by the rioters into the Scheldt and drowned October 4th, 1572, -while both churches were sacked. - -On our way back from visiting the smaller church we paused on the quay -named Smallendam to admire the superb view of Ste. Walburge across the -river. A bit further on we entered a quaint little estaminet bearing -the inviting name of _In der Groote Pinte_ which we freely translated -as "the big pint." Apparently our Flemish was inexact, for the -beverage with which we were served was not notable for quantity. It -proved, moreover, to be exceedingly sour and unpleasant, and we left -our glasses unfinished. In the course of a tour around the town we -inspected what remains of the ancient Château de Bourgogne, the early -residence of the Dukes of Burgundy. The principal building is now used -by a Justice of the Peace, and we found little of interest save some -old walls and a massive inner courtyard. At the hospital of Notre -Dame, opposite the great tower of Ste. Walburge, we found two more -Audenaerde tapestries in an admirable state of preservation, while a -dozen fine mediæval doorways in different parts of the town attracted -our attention. For so small a place there are a great many religious -institutions, many of them of great antiquity. Among these may be -mentioned the Convents of the Black Sisters (Couvents des -Soeurs-Noires), the Abbey of Maegdendale, the Convent of Notre Dame de -Sion, and the Béguinage--the last an especially charming little spot -with a delightful street entrance dating from the middle of the -seventeenth century. - -It is hard to believe, as one wanders about the half-deserted streets -of this sleepy old Flemish town, that in its day of greatness it was a -city of no mean power, holding its own sturdily against the greatest -princes in the world. Of its ancient walls and towers not a single -trace remains, yet those vanished ramparts four times in less than two -centuries defied the armies of the neighbouring--but, alas, not always -neighbourly--city of Ghent, even the redoubtable Philip Van Artevelde -retiring from in front of them discomfited in 1382. Three centuries -later, in 1684, Louis XIV was beaten off from an assault on these same -walls, but in revenge he ordered the bombardment of the city. This -resulted in a conflagration from which it had not fully recovered half -a century later. In 1708 the Duke of Marlborough and Prince Eugene of -Savoy won a great victory over the French under the walls of -Audenaerde. To this day along the frontier between France and Flanders -the peasant women lull their babies to sleep with a crooning ballad -which begins: - - Malbrook s'en va't en guerre, - Mirlonton, mirlonton, mirlontaine; - Malbrook s'en va't en guerre, - Dieu sait quand il reviendra. - Il reviendra à Pâques, - Mirlonton, mirlonton, mirlontaine, - _Il reviendra à Pâques, - Ou à la Trinité. (bis)_ - -Small wonder that even the nursery songs tell of war and chant the -name of the great Duke two hundred years after the Battle of -Audenaerde, for during three centuries the Flemish plains were the -battlefield of Europe. Happily the present war has not as yet smitten -Audenaerde with any serious damage, although Le Petit Guerrier, from -his perch on the belfry of the Hotel de Ville, has no doubt looked -down upon long lines of marching men and gleaming bayonets. - - - - -CHAPTER XVIII - -OLD ANTWERP--ITS HISTORY AND LEGENDS - - -While Bruges and Ghent were in their prime as centres of Flemish -commerce and industry a rival that was destined ultimately to supplant -and eclipse them both was slowly growing up along the banks of the -River Scheldt at a point where that important stream, which flows -entirely across Flanders, becomes a tidal estuary. From the most -ancient times the prosperity of Antwerp--which in French is called -Anvers, in Flemish Antwerpen--has been closely connected with the -river. According to the legends a giant named Antigonus once had a -castle where the city now stands and exacted a toll of all who passed -up or down the river. Evasion of this primitive high tariff was -punished by cutting off both the culprit's hands. Of course this giant -just had to be killed by the hero, whose name was Brabo, and who was -said to have been a lieutenant of Cæsar. Brabo cut off the dead -giant's right hand and flung it into the river in token that -thenceforth it should be free from similar extortions. The visitor -will find this legend recalled in the city's arms--which has two hands -surmounting a castle--and in many works of art. Brabo is said to have -become the first Margrave of Antwerp, and to have founded a line of -seventeen Margraves, all bearing the same name, but the deeds and even -the existence of these princes is as mythical as those of their -ancestor--or the famous legend of Lohengrin, which belongs to this -period of Antwerp's history. - -Like London, Antwerp is situated sixty miles from the sea. In olden -days commerce was rather inclined to seek the more inland ports, as -being safer from storms and less exposed to sudden attacks. The size -of ocean-going ships was, moreover, slowly but steadily increasing -from generation to generation, and this increase favoured Antwerp, -which had a deep, sure channel to the sea, as against its early rival -Bruges, whose outlet, the little River Zwyn, was gradually silting up. -The fact that the town was situated just outside of the dominions of -the Counts of Flanders probably helped its early growth, for the -jealous men of Bruges might otherwise have obtained from the Counts -decrees restricting, and perhaps prohibiting, its expansion. As it -was, the great Counts ruled all of the left bank of the Scheldt from -Antwerp to the sea, and also the waters of the river as far as one -could ride into it on horseback and then reach with extended sword. - -The Tête de Flandre, opposite the centre of the older part of the -city, marks the end of Flanders proper in this direction. As already -explained by the Professor, however, Antwerp is none the less -essentially a Flemish city in its art and architecture, its language -and literature, and for many centuries of its brilliant history, and -for these reasons deserves a place in this book. - -Like the County of Flanders, the region surrounding Antwerp was an -outlying "march" or frontier district of the Empire, and its rulers -therefore derived their feudal title from the Emperor. About the year -1100 the Emperor bestowed the march on Godfrey of the Beard, Count of -Louvain and first Duke of Brabant. To the Dukes of Brabant it -thereafter always belonged until that title, with so many others, -became merged in those acquired by the Dukes of Burgundy and united in -their illustrious descendant, Charles V. On the whole, the Dukes, -being absentees, were easy rulers--the shrewd burghers seizing upon -their moments of weakness to wrest new privileges from them, and -relying upon their strength for protection in times of danger. From -time immemorial the burghers claimed a monopoly right to trade in -fish, salt and oats. Other trading privileges followed, and by the -time of the first Duke of Brabant the town was already an important -one, with a powerful Burg, or fortress, surrounding five acres of land -and buildings. Among the latter was the Steen, or feudal prison, a -part of which still stands close to the river and is used as a museum -of antiquities. - -The early Dukes greatly extended the commercial rights and privileges -of the town, Henry III granting a charter that allowed its citizens to -hold bread and meat markets and trade in corn and cloth. Duke John I -granted rights in his famous Core van Antwerpen, dated nearly five -hundred years before the Declaration of Independence, that were -remarkable for wisdom and liberality. "Within the town of Antwerp," -the charter read, "all men are free and there are no slaves. No -inhabitant may be deprived of his natural judges, nor arrested in his -house on civil suit." In 1349 Duke John III granted a charter that not -only confirmed all of its ancient privileges, but gave exceptional -rights and liberties to foreigners--causing many of them to come and -settle there. Among these was the right granted to any dweller within -the city to sue: citizens according to local customs, foreigners -according to the laws of their own lands. As at Bruges and Ghent all -these precious charters were kept in a box having many locks, of which -the keys were kept by delegates of the Broad Council of the city. -"This box," said Mr. Wilfred Robinson, in his valuable historical -sketch of Antwerp, "might only be opened in the presence of all the -civic authorities, while they stood around it bareheaded and holding -lighted tapers in their hands. Truly it must have been a quaint and -solemn scene!" - -Some fifty years prior to the charter last mentioned Duke John II -married one of the daughters of Edward I, King of England, and gave -that monarch the city of Antwerp as a fief. Edward III used the city -as a naval base, and in 1339 signed there with Jacques Van Artevelde a -treaty of alliance with the communes of Brabant and Flanders. The -Kings of England did not, however, retain their suzerainty over -Antwerp very long, for it next passed--once more by marriage--to the -daughter of Louis of Maele, Count of Flanders. The city sought to -resist, and Count Louis was obliged to besiege it and punished the -burghers severely for their disobedience. On his death it passed to -Philip the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, along with the entire County of -Flanders of which it was then a part, and thereafter remained under -the Burgundian Dukes and their successors. - -In 1446 Philip the Good--whose policy had proved so disastrous to -Bruges and Ghent--laid the foundation for the commercial greatness of -Antwerp by a liberal charter which he granted to the Merchant -Adventurers of England. The English merchants had already left Bruges, -where the River Zwyn was fast silting up, and now came to Antwerp and -established there a most extensive trade. They were followed by the -merchants of the other nations, and in less than seventy-five years -after the granting of the charter the population of the city had -doubled twice--from less than seventeen thousand to over forty--four -thousand inhabitants. - -It was during this period that many of the most interesting structures -of "old Antwerp"--the portion of the city between the Steen and the -cathedral and north of the Hotel de Ville--were built. We spent -several interesting mornings tramping these quaint old winding -streets, some of which are still as mediæval in aspect as any to be -seen in Europe. The _Vielle Boucherie_, recently restored, dates from -the reign of Louis of Maele. In its time it contained stalls for -fifty-three butchers. The streets surrounding this quaint structure of -ragged brick are well nigh as ancient and interesting as the -"monuments" which one encounters here and there while exploring them. -The Steen itself dates, as we have seen, from the very earliest period -of the city's history, but is only a remnant of what it was. In the -days of the Spanish Inquisition this grim old structure became a place -of dread, and its gloomy dungeons--which the cheerful and smiling -guide showed us by candlelight, for two cents a head--were in constant -use for the entertainment of guests of the Margraves and their -successors, the Burgundian Dukes, for nigh on to eight centuries. - -[Illustration: THE _VIELLE BOUCHERIE_, ANTWERP.] - -In 1485 the rivalry between Antwerp and Bruges reached the point of -open war. The men of Bruges built a fort commanding the River Scheldt -at a point near Calloo, mounting on it no less than sixty cannon. The -Antwerp burghers met this challenge by building a similar fort at -Austruwel, and then attacked and captured the Flemish fort on April -23--St. George's Day. A yearly procession still commemorates this -victory in the long contest to maintain the freedom of the river. A -fleet of forty-nine merchant vessels that the Flemings had detained -came triumphantly up the river, and the conflict for supremacy between -the old sea gateway of the Netherlands and the new was settled once -for all--as far as poor Bruges was concerned--in favour of Antwerp, -the new maritime queen of the North. - -The river itself seemed to favour the prosperity of Antwerp, as if -proud and eager to become the handmaiden of so valiant and beautiful a -city, for the western entrance of the Scheldt gradually deepened at -about this period--from causes that in those days no one tried to -understand. This gave the port a deep channel to the sea to -accommodate the growing draught of ocean-going ships. The discoveries -of Columbus and Vasco da Gama helped the port also. Until then Venice -had enjoyed a monopoly of the sugar trade of the East. Now it came -sea-borne to Antwerp, and the formerly profitable overland sugar trade -between Venice and Germany was ruined. This caused the Portuguese to -establish a factory at Antwerp. The Spaniards followed, while the -English and Italians enlarged their warehouses. Several great German -trading houses opened premises in the city, although the Hanseatic -League did not abandon Bruges for Antwerp until 1545--being the very -last to go. - -While the decline of Bruges led the painters of that city to desert it -for its fast-growing rival on the Scheldt, Quentin Matsys, the -greatest of the early Antwerp artists, does not seem to have derived -much of his inspiration from the masterpieces of the Bruges school. -The early chronicles give a most romantic account of the life of this -painter, who was born at Louvain about 1466. According to these more -or less legendary stories he was at first a blacksmith, and changed to -a painter through love for a damsel whose father was a great patron -and admirer of that art. Another account has it that he took up -painting owing to illness, first colouring images of the saints such -as were then given to children during the carnival. Blacksmith he -certainly was, as his father had been before him, and the wonderful -cover for the well in front of the cathedral is his handiwork. It -seems probable, however, that he first learned the art of painting at -Louvain, probably as an apprentice to the son of Dierick Bouts. At -Antwerp he soon fell in love with a beautiful girl, who may have been -the model for some of his charming Madonnas. The story is told by one -old chronicler that the maiden's father opposed the match because the -young suitor was not a sufficiently skilful artist. On a certain -occasion Matsys, finding his intended father-in-law out, painted a fly -on one of the figures in a painting belonging to him. On his return -the owner of the painting started to brush the fly off and, seeing his -mistake, heartily admitted that the young artist who had painted it -merited all praise and gave his consent to the nuptials. - -The museum at Antwerp is rich in masterpieces by Matsys, including his -greatest work, "The Entombment." This is a triptych, the panels -showing Herod's banquet with the head of John the Baptist lying on the -table, and St. John in the boiling oil. The "Madonna," in the same -museum, is one of the sweetest faces ever painted among the hundreds -of Madonnas that abound in mediæval art, and one cannot but feel that -it is the very face that won the heart of the artist and caused him to -adopt painting as his profession. Its resemblance to the face of the -Madonna now in the Berlin museum strengthens this theory. At Antwerp -also there are to be seen "The Holy Face," a companion painting to the -"Madonna" just mentioned, and the gruesome yet appealing "Veil of -Veronica," showing the livid face of the Saviour with drops of blood -from the cruel crown of thorns trickling down across it. The museum at -Brussels possesses another masterpiece, and the oldest dated picture -by this artist, "The Legend of St. Anne," which was completed in 1509 -for the brotherhood of St. Anne at Louvain. He also painted several -strong and striking portraits, of which the best is that of Erasmus at -the Städel Institute at Frankfort. Matsys was one of the first Flemish -artists to present subjects of every-day life as well as religious -episodes and characters. "The Banker and his Wife," at the Louvre in -Paris, is the finest example of this kind. There are authenticated -works by this master in a number of European museums, while a -considerable number of his pictures have become lost or have not as -yet been identified. - -[Illustration: "THE BANKER AND HIS WIFE."--MATSYS.] - -Matsys is the greatest name in the history of Flemish art between the -masters of Bruges and the school of Rubens. It was his success that -made Antwerp the Florence of the North. Among Matsys' successors Frans -de Vriendt, better known as Frans Floris, was one of the most notable. -He was a member of the Antwerp guild of St. Luke at the age of -twenty-three, and produced a vast number of works, many of which can -still be seen scattered among the churches and art collections of -Flanders. He had over one hundred pupils, of whom Martin de Vos -achieved the greatest fame. As this painter worked after the -destruction of the image-breakers many of his religious subjects -survive to this day. The Antwerp museum contains no less than -twenty-three of his works, as against only four by his master. Both of -these artists, however, were profound admirers of the Italian school, -and the work of Floris especially--though vastly admired in his -day--is now looked upon as more Italian than Flemish, more imitative -than original. - -This cannot be said of the next really great painter to appear in -Flanders, Peter Breughel the Elder. Born at the little village of -Breughel, near Breda in Brabant, about 1526, this artist studied for a -time in Italy--as did all of his contemporaries--and then settled at -Antwerp. Here he obtained the themes of many of his most famous -compositions. "In the port, in the tavern, in the fairs of -neighbouring villages," says Prof. A. J. Wauters, "meeting now a young -couple in the giddy dance, or a drunkard stumbling in his path, he -sought the humble spectacle of homely things, the noisy mirth of -rustic festivities, and was always in quest of every-day subjects, -which earned for him, at the hands of posterity, the surname of -'Breughel of Peasants.'" He later removed to Brussels, where he -received many commissions, particularly from the Emperor Rudolph II, -who greatly admired his work. Several of his chief masterpieces are -therefore in the Imperial Museum at Vienna, but the Royal Museum at -Antwerp contains four of his works, while several others are scattered -about Europe. - -[Illustration: "WINTER."--PETER BREUGHEL.] - -To the lover of Flemish paintings Breughel is one of the most -characteristic and charming of them all. His art is distinctively -Flemish, in subject, treatment and inspiration. Somewhat influenced -perhaps by Jerome Bosch, a Brabant painter of the previous century -renowned for his weird and eccentric conceptions, Breughel is never -conventional. His work is that of a humourist, a satirist who sees the -follies of the world but laughs at them. His pictures are admirable in -their colouring, execution and the grouping of the figures, and they -are especially interesting in their vivid portrayal of the every-day -Flemish life of the times in which he lived. - -The visitor to Antwerp cannot fail to observe the images of the -Virgin placed at the corners of nearly every street in the older -quarter of the city. These are said to be due to the Long Wapper, a -somewhat humorous but none the less grim and terrifying fiend who was -wont, many centuries ago, to play weird pranks upon the good people of -Antwerp after nightfall. He used to lie in wait for wayfarers upon -deserted by-streets in the uncanny hours between midnight and dawn. -Pouncing upon his terrified victims, he would carry them off, -sometimes never to return. Now and then he assumed the form of a lost -baby, to which, being found by some charitable mother, the breast was -given. Presently the good woman discovered to her horror that the -foundling was swelling and becoming heavy, and when she put it down -the Wapper assumed his own shape and ran off shrieking. At times he -peered into church windows and howled and gibbered at the worshippers, -and afterwards frightened them terribly as they went homeward, or, -stretching his body to an incredible length, he peered into the upper -windows of people's houses. Men feared to speak evil of the Long -Wapper, for something terrible was certain to happen to those who did. -At last it was found that he would never pass an image of the Virgin, -and that is why so many were erected that finally the evil fiend had -no more streets left in which to play his mad pranks and left Antwerp -for the lonely moors and dunes along the seacoast where he is still -said to be seen. - -The place most frequented by the Long Wapper was a little stream which -came to be called the Wappersrui in consequence, and a bridge across -it the Wappersbrucke. Here he often strode out of the water with his -long thin legs extending far down into its dark depths like two black -stilts. Once he had reached the embankment he shrank instantly to a -diminutive size--usually taking the form of a schoolboy. These first -appearances were generally between daylight and dark, when the -twilight made it difficult to distinguish faces clearly, and he always -took the place of some boy who happened to be absent. A favourite game -of the boys, who were then returning from school, was called -shove-hat. In this game one boy tossed his hat on the ground and the -others shoved and kicked it about with their feet while its owner -sought to regain it. When it came the turn of the Long Wapper to throw -down his hat the first one to give it a kick broke his wooden shoe to -pieces and fractured his toes, for the hat proved to be a heavy iron -pot. Then the street echoed with a jeering "Ha, ha, ha!" but the -Wapper had disappeared. - -His pranks upon grown-up people were apt to be far more serious in -their consequences than those just described. Often he paused at some -tavern door and joined the party seated there in a game of cards, -which invariably resulted in a violent quarrel in the course of which -one or more of the players was usually killed. On another occasion he -appeared in broad daylight selling mussels. Encountering four women -sitting outside their door at work he opened a mussel and offered it -to one of them. She tasted it, but it turned into dirt in her mouth. -Apologising, he opened another, which all could see was a sound, fine -mussel, and offered it to another of the women. No sooner was it in -her mouth than it turned into a huge spider. The women thereupon set -upon him, but he defended himself so rudely that two of them were -nearly killed, when he suddenly vanished, leaving only an echo of wild -laughter. - -In the country to the east of Antwerp there are many quaint legends -still told at the peasants' firesides on stormy winter nights about -the Kaboutermannekens who in ancient times frequented that -neighbourhood. Near the village of Gelrode there is a small hill on -the sides of which are many little caves which were formerly the -abode of these fairies, the hill being called the Kabouterberg -to this day in consequence. There is a similar hill, called -Kaboutermannekensberg, between Turnhout and Casterle. They were also -called Red Caps or Klabbers, and were usually clad in red from head to -foot, and often had green hands and faces, according to those who were -so fortunate as to see them. These little gnomes or elves seem to have -resembled their kind as reported in the folk-lore of other northern -countries, being the willing and loyal slaves of those who treated -them kindly, and the bitter, and sometimes dangerous, enemies of those -who misused them. - -Still another local sprite--this time a spirit of evil resembling in -some respects the Long Wapper--was known as Kludde. This fiend was -often met with after dark in many parts of Flanders, and even in -Brabant. At times Kludde would appear to the peasants as the dusk of -twilight was deepening into the intense darkness of night on the -Flemish plains, in the guise of an old, half-starved horse. If a -farmer or stable-boy mistook him for one of his own horses and mounted -on Kludde he instantly rushed off at an incredible speed until he -came to some water into which he pitched his terrified rider headlong. -This accomplished to his satisfaction he vanished, crying "Kludde, -Kludde!" as he went away, whence came his name. - - - - -CHAPTER XIX - -THREE CENTURIES OF ANTWERP PRINTERS - - -The joyous entry of the boy prince who was afterward to become Charles -V was the signal for ten days of rejoicing by the citizens of Antwerp. -This was early in the year 1515; and, in truth, the city prospered -mightily under the rule of the great Emperor, who favoured it on many -notable occasions. The bankers and merchant princes of Antwerp became -renowned the world over for their wealth and magnificence. Anthony -Fugger, who was the banker of Maximilian and Charles V, left a fortune -of six million golden crowns, and it is said that his name survives to -this day as a synonym for wealth--the common people calling any one -who is extremely rich a _rykke Fokker_, a rich Fugger. It is related -that another rich Antwerp merchant, Gasparo Dozzo, on being privileged -to entertain the Emperor in his house, cast into the fire a promissory -note for a large loan he had formerly made to his sovereign. - -This period of wealth and prosperity continued till the very end of -the reign of the Emperor, but under his successor, Philip II, the city -was plunged into misfortunes and miseries as swift and as appalling as -those that befell in the terrible Fall of 1914. In 1556 Philip opened -a chapter of the Knights of the Golden Fleece at St. Mary's, afterward -the cathedral, in Antwerp--thereby recognising the supremacy of this -town over the others in his Flemish dominions. Among the new knights -to whom he gave the accolade were William the Silent and the Count of -Horn. Little men thought on that day of festivity and good will what -the future held in store for them all! - -On August 18, 1566, the miraculous statue of the Blessed Virgin was -taken from its place in St. Mary's church and carried through the -streets of the city in a solemn procession--as it had been for nearly -two hundred years. This time there were murmurs of disapproval from -the crowds that lined the streets, some stones were thrown, and the -procession hastily returned to the church. The next day a small mob, -composed for the most part of boys and men of the lowest class, -entered the church and destroyed the statue and the entire contents of -the sacred edifice, including some seventy altars, and paintings and -statues almost without number. The organ, then the wonder of Europe, -was ruined, and the rabble dressed itself in the costly vestments of -the clergy and carried away the treasures of the church and even the -contents of the poor boxes. This was the beginning of the work of the -image-breakers, as they came to be called, which spread throughout -Flanders until scarcely a religious edifice had escaped the -destruction of its movable contents, while a few here and there were -burned. As noted in the chapter on Audenaerde, Margaret of Parma was -Regent at this time and acted resolutely to suppress the -disorders--which were largely due to the supine attitude of the local -magistrates at the beginning. - -She had all but succeeded in restoring peace and quiet throughout -Flanders when Philip suddenly decided to send an army there, and -selected the Duke of Alva to command it. The story of the eighty -years' war that followed is familiar to every American through -Motley's account of it, although that brilliant writer is more -concerned with the details relating to the Dutch provinces than those -regarding the portion of the Netherlands that remained subject to -Spain. Two events, however, in the long war were so directly -concerned with Antwerp, and loom so large in its history, that they -cannot be passed over here. Both have a renewed interest in view of -the history of Antwerp's latest siege in 1914. These are the Spanish -Fury, and the great siege of the city by the Duke of Parma. - -Alva, who superseded the gentle Margaret of Parma as Regent of the -Netherlands, quickly took stern measures for the repression of further -disorders at Antwerp, which he regarded as a hot-bed of heresy. A huge -citadel was built at the southern end of the town, near the Scheldt, -in 1572, in the centre of which Alva erected a bronze statue of -himself. On the marble pedestal the inscription related how "the most -faithful minister of the best of Kings had stamped out sedition, -repelled the rebels, set up religion, and restored justice and peace -to the country." So far were these boasts from being true that only -the following year, in 1573, Alva stole away to Spain secretly, his -government a failure, his army mutinous, and half of the country he -had been sent to rule in open and successful revolt. War with England -had ruined the commerce of Antwerp, Alva's fiscal policy and incessant -taxes had half beggared the people of the entire country, while -thousands of the noblest and bravest in the land had met death on the -scaffold or in the torture chambers of the Inquisition. - -Requesens, the next Regent, was unable either to stem the rising tide -of revolt or to pay his soldiers--King Philip failing to send funds -until the pay of the Spanish veterans was at one time twenty-two -months in arrears. The sudden death of Requesens in 1576 left matters -in a nearly chaotic condition. The veterans who had been fighting in -Zeeland against the Dutch mutinied and returning to Flanders captured -the town of Alost, where they forced the citizens to give them food -and shelter. On November 4th, 1576, the mutineers marched to Antwerp, -some two thousand strong, where they joined the Spaniards and -mercenaries in the citadel. They were under the command of an -_Eletto_, or elected leader. Jerome Roda, a Spaniard, had proclaimed -himself the commandant of the fortress until the new Regent, Don John -of Austria, should arrive in Flanders. Under these two worthies the -combined forces in the citadel, some five thousand men in all, -proceeded to attack the city. The citizens, on their side, had for -some time feared such an attack and should have been able to repel -it. There were fourteen thousand armed burghers, four thousand -Walloons and an equal number of German troops--twenty-two thousand in -all. It may have been that they felt unduly secure against an attack -on that day because it was Sunday. It is certain that they were badly -commanded. - -Shortly after noon the Spaniards rushed from the citadel and across -the broad open esplanade cleared a few years before by Alva, shouting -their war cry, _Sant Jago y cierra España_. The _Eletto_ was the first -to fall, but the rush of furious soldiers was not to be stopped by a -single volley. The Walloons put up a brave fight but part of the -Germans treacherously lowered their pikes and let the Spaniards pass -down the rue St. Georges. On the Place de Meir the defenders made -another stand, but were swiftly swept back in a confused and -disorganised mass by the Spanish cavalry. At the Hotel de Ville the -burghers fought fiercely until the mutineers set fire to the edifice. -In the conflagration that followed not only this noble structure, one -of the finest in Europe, but the adjoining guild houses and some -eighty other buildings were consumed. Of the Hotel de Ville only the -blackened walls remained. By nightfall the Spaniards and the German -mercenaries, most of whom had joined the victors in order to share in -the spoils, were masters of the doomed city. - -That night the scenes of pillage and rapine as the savage and half -drunken soldiers swept through the streets and ransacked the houses of -all who did not instantly pay a stiff ransom, exceed the descriptive -powers of the contemporary historians. One of the burgomasters was -stabbed to end a quarrel as to his ransom. Many burghers were killed -near the town hall, or were burned within it like rats. For three days -the city was given up to be sacked. The number who were killed, -including women and children, has been variously estimated at from -seven thousand to seventeen thousand of the citizens and defenders of -the city, and from two hundred and fifty to six hundred of the -Spaniards. The loss in property amounted to many millions, but no -accurate estimate could be made of it, as many who suffered most in -this respect lost their lives as well. Cartloads of plunder were sent -out of the city, while much of it was actually sold by those who did -not care or dare to keep it in a temporary market-place at the Bourse. -Some were said to have concealed their wealth by having sword hilts -and breastplates made of solid gold. Like the ill-gotten gains of the -Spaniards in America, however, none of this booty--the reward of -treachery, of assassination, of cruelty and the sudden setting free of -all the basest elements in human nature--profited its captors very -greatly. In a few days after the arrival of Don John, the new Regent, -the mutinous soldiers were paid off and marched away to Maestricht and -presently to other battlefields, from Flanders to Lombardy, where, no -doubt, most of the golden breastplates and sword hilts fell--in due -time--to other conquerors. Such was the Spanish Fury--until 1914 the -worst blot on civilisation that history records. - -Soon after the Spaniards left the city permission was given to the -people to destroy the citadel that the tyrant Alva had built to -overawe the town. The entire population flocked to this welcome -task--men, women and children, each taking a shovel, a basket or a -barrow. It is related that even the great ladies of the city took part -in the work of demolition--so hated had the grim fortress become. The -statue of the cruel Duke that he had so vaingloriously erected in the -centre of the citadel only five years before was torn down and dragged -through the streets by a cheering throng. Charles Verlat has given the -world a vivid picture of this incident which hangs in the Antwerp -museum. - -[Illustration: "DRAGGING THE STATUE OF THE DUKE OF ALVA THROUGH THE -STREETS OF ANTWERP."--C. VERLAT.] - -Six years later the Duke d'Alençon, who had been made nominal -sovereign over the Low Countries by William the Silent, planned to -treacherously attack and sack the city with his French soldiers, some -three thousand, five hundred strong. This time, however, the citizens -were not caught napping and when the tocsin in the cathedral called -the alarm the burghers rushed out in thousands. The French -swashbucklers proved to be less stubborn fighters than the Spanish -veterans and soon were driven back in a confused mass to the city -gates, most of them being killed and the cowardly Duke only saving -himself by flight. This episode has been derisively called the French -Fury. It happened January 17, 1583. - -The following year Alexander Farnese, the Duke of Parma--and the son -of the Duchess of Parma, whose career as Regent of the Netherlands -was briefly described in the chapter on Audenaerde, her -birthplace--determined to besiege Antwerp, which, since the Spanish -Fury, had fallen into the hands of the revolted Provinces. -Unfortunately for its defenders, William the Silent had just died at -the hands of an assassin and his plans for the protection of the city -by flooding all of the marshes surrounding it were not followed. The -butchers opposed flooding all of their pasture lands and the important -Kowenstein Dyke was not cut. The Prince of Parma, who was the greatest -military leader of his age, swiftly captured the forts on the Flemish -side of the river, seized the Kowenstein Dyke--which extended on the -Brabant side from a point opposite Calloo to Starbroeck--and began to -build a bridge across the river itself. This daring project, if -successful, would completely isolate Antwerp from the sea and its -Dutch allies and render certain its ultimate subjection by starvation. - -The bridge was built partly on piles, as far out as the water was -sufficiently shallow, then the intervening gap was spanned by means of -thirty-two large vessels anchored at both ends and lashed together by -chains and heavy cables. The structure was completed in February, -1585, to the amazement of the besieged burghers and the great joy of -the Prince's army. It would seem a small affair to the pontoon bridge -builders of to-day, being two thousand, four hundred feet long and -twelve feet wide, but at that time it was deemed one of the most -notable achievements ever known. The defenders of the city sent huge -fireships down the river to destroy the bridge. One of these actually -exploded against the structure and another off Calloo, destroying more -than eight hundred Spanish soldiers and endangering their intrepid -leader himself. The bridge was wrecked, but Farnese repaired it before -the people at Antwerp learned of the success of their attempt. - -A tremendous attack was next made on the Kowenstein Dyke, with a view -to cutting it--a feat that could have been done without any trouble if -the Prince of Orange's counsels had been followed a few months -earlier. A fleet of one hundred and fifty Dutch ships joined in the -battle from the sea side, while a strong force of Flemings, English -and Dutch from Antwerp attacked the dyke from the land side. After a -fierce struggle it was cut, the waters rushed through and one vessel -loaded with provisions for the beleaguered city made its way past. -That night Antwerp rejoiced, but in the darkness the Prince of Parma -made another furious assault and finally drove back the allies, -capturing twenty-eight ships of the Dutch fleet and filling in the -dyke once more. This victory--which as a feat of arms was one of the -most brilliant of the war--sealed the fate of the city, which finally -capitulated August 17th. So important was this success to the -Spanish, cause that Isabella, the daughter of King Philip, was -awakened by her father during the night by the tidings, "Antwerp is -ours!" Its fall settled approximately the extent of the region that -was left to the Spanish Crown out of the wreck of its former empire in -the Low Countries. Thenceforth all of the provinces to the west and -south of Antwerp--the region now comprised in the Kingdom of -Belgium--remained subject to the King of Spain and his Austrian -successors until the great French Revolution. The remaining provinces -became the Dutch Republic and now form the Kingdom of Holland. - -The Spanish Fury and the great siege had together well-nigh destroyed -the commerce of the port, and the heavy fine imposed by the conquerors -upon the city for its rebellion completed its ruin. Packs of wild dogs -are said to have roamed unmolested through the outlying villages, -which stood deserted, while even wolves were seen. Grass grew in the -once crowded streets of the city, and famine added to the miseries of -its fast declining population. It would hardly be conceivable that a -quarter of a century of hideous misrule could have so utterly -obliterated the prosperity of this once opulent city, but for the -fearful object lesson afforded in 1914 that war is still as potent a -breeder of destruction and despair as it was in that dark age. - -Enough, however, of wars and sieges and the sack of cities. Antwerp's -past includes many pleasanter stories as well--stories of progress and -achievement. To those who are interested in the noble art of printing, -and the various branches of the fine arts that serve as handmaids to -the printer, Antwerp possesses one of the rarest treasure-houses in -the world. This is the Museum Plantin-Moretus, for three centuries the -head office and workshop of the great printing-house whose name it -bears. - -Christopher Plantin, the founder of this famous establishment, was by -birth a Frenchman--having first seen the light of day in the vicinity -of Tours in the year 1514. Fleeing from the plague with his father to -Lyons, he went from there to Orleans, to Paris, and finally to Caen in -Normandy, where he learned the art of printing from Robert Mace. Here -also he met Jeanne Rivière, who became his wife in 1545 or 1546. The -couple soon went to Paris, where Plantin learned the art of -bookbinding and of making caskets and other articles of elegance from -leather. In 1549 he came to Antwerp and the following year was -enrolled as a citizen and also as a member of the famous guild of St. -Luke with the title of printer. He does not appear to have followed -this profession, however, but speedily gained much renown for his -exquisite workmanship as a bookbinder and casket maker, finding -several wealthy patrons and protectors-among them Gabriel de Çayas, -Secretary of Philip II, then the most powerful monarch in Christendom. - -In the year 1555, while on his way to deliver in person a jewel-case -he had just made for this client, he met with an adventure that -changed the course of his career. It was quite dark before he had -completed his errand, and as he made his way along the narrow, ill-lit -streets of the old city he was set upon by a party of drunken -revellers who mistook him, with the casket under his arm, for a guitar -player against whom they had some grievance. One of the party ran the -unfortunate casket-maker through the body with his sword, and he had -barely strength enough to drag himself home, more nearly dead than -alive. Skilful medical and surgical aid finally saved his life, but -left him unable to do any manual work. He therefore gave up his -casket-making and resumed the trade of printer, which he had learned -at Caen. Instead of a misfortune, as it no doubt seemed at the time, -this sword thrust proved the turning point in his career, for in his -new profession he was destined to achieve undying fame. - -There were at this time no less than sixty-six printing establishments -in the Low Countries, of which thirteen were at Antwerp, some of the -latter rivalling the best printers of Paris, Basel and Venice in the -beauty of their productions. Plantin's first book was issued the year -of his accident, in 1555, and was entitled "_La Institutione di una -fanciulla nata nobilmente_." During the next seven years his presses -turned out a limited number of works, but in 1562 his office was -raided by order of the Regent, Margaret, the Duchess of Parma, and -three of his workmen seized and condemned to the galleys for a -heretical book they had printed unknown to him, entitled "_Briefve -instruction pour prier_." Plantin fled to France, and to avoid -confiscation he had some of his friends, acting as creditors, sell and -buy in his printing plant. The following year--having convinced the -Government of his orthodoxy--he returned to Antwerp and organised a -company consisting of himself and four partners, including some of his -pretended creditors. While this arrangement lasted, from 1563 to -1567, more than two hundred books were printed, and forty workmen kept -constantly employed. His work was already considered notable for the -beauty of its type and excellence of the paper used. - -Soon after the partnership was dissolved Plantin undertook what was -destined to be the greatest work of his career, and one of the most -notable in the history of printing, the famous _Biblia Regia_. This -was an edition of the Bible in four ancient languages, Latin, Hebrew, -Greek and Chaldean. The Hebrew type was purchased from a Venetian -printer, while the last two were cast expressly for this book. His -friend Çayas interested Philip II in the project and that monarch sent -the great scholar Arias Montanus from Alcala to supervise the work. At -the suggestion of Cardinal Granville, Syriac was added to the other -texts, so that, including French, there were six languages in all. The -first volume of this "Polyglot Bible," as it came to be called, -appeared in 1569 and the eighth and last in 1573. The work proved to -be exceedingly costly, and to help meet the expense the King of Spain -advanced 21,200 florins, and granted Plantin a monopoly for its sale -throughout the Spanish dominions for the period of twenty years. A -similar monopoly was granted by the Pope, the Emperor, the King of -France and the Republic of Venice. In spite of all this, the book -brought its printer no profits, but kept him in debt for the rest of -his life. Pensions promised by Philip II to himself and his -son-in-law, Raphelingen, were never paid. - -Between the editor of the great Bible and its printer a strong -friendship sprang up. "This man," wrote Arias on one occasion, "is all -mind and no matter. He neither eats, drinks, nor sleeps." And again, -"Never did I know so capable and so kindhearted a man. Every day I -find something fresh to admire in him, but what I admire the most is -his humble patience towards envious colleagues, whom he insists on -wishing well, though he might do them much harm." - -Besides the _Biblia Regia_ Plantin, now at the height of his fame, -managed to turn out a vast quantity of printed matter. High in royal -favour by reason of this worthy work, he had no difficulty in -obtaining for himself and his heirs a profitable monopoly for printing -and selling missals and breviaries throughout Spain's wide dominions. -While the largest printers at Paris rarely employed more than six -presses, Plantin kept twenty-two constantly at work, had agents at -Paris and Leyden, and sent a member of his family every year to attend -the fairs at Leipzig and Frankfort. In 1575 his office is said to have -had seventy-three kinds of type, weighing over seventeen tons. - -In 1570 he was appointed by Philip to the newly created office of -Prototypographer in the Netherlands. Masters and men in the printing -trade had to apply to him for certificates as to their fitness, while -he was also required to draw up a list of forbidden books. In this, -curiously enough, one of the earlier products of his own press found a -place--a rhyming version of the Psalms in French by Clement Marot. -This office does not seem to have paid much salary, if any, or to have -given its first possessor anything but a lot of worry. - -The Plantin Press was located at various places about the city until -1576, when it was established on the rue Haute near the Porte de St. -Jean. Three years later Plantin purchased from the owner of this -property the premises occupied by the present museum and extending -from the rue Haute through to the Friday Market, with a large gateway -opening into the latter. Plantin had been only eight months in this -new location when the Spanish Fury broke out. He was away on a -journey himself, but his son-in-law, Moretus, had to pay a heavy -fine to save the printing-office from pillage. The next few years were -full of trouble and anxiety. For a time Plantin had to leave Antwerp, -going to Leyden, where he met Justus Lipsius and was made printer to -the University. During the great siege of Antwerp he fled, with many -other Catholics, to Cologne, where he thought for a time of -establishing his chief printing-office. After the siege he hurried -home, but a short time later his health began to fail. - -[Illustration: COURTYARD OF THE PLANTIN MUSEUM, ANTWERP.] - -It was in the house on the Friday Market that the dying printer -gathered his family about him. His only son had died in infancy, but -his five daughters had all lived to be married, three of them to men -associated with him in the printing office. The eldest, Margaret, -married Francis Raphelingen, the chief proof-reader and an able -linguist; while the second, Martina, married Jean Moretus, the father -of a long line, of which the eldest sons bore the same name so that -they came to be distinguished by numbers, the first being Jean Moretus -I--like a line of kings. This son-in-law was Plantin's business -manager. The third daughter aided the mother, who ran a linen business -in the frugal way that many Flemish housewives have of helping their -husbands. A fourth, Magdalen, when only a child, corrected proofs on -the _Biblia Regia_ in five languages, and later married her father's -Paris agent. The fifth married a brother of Jean Moretus I, who became -a diamond-cutter. - -Plantin had from a very early date adopted the motto "_Labori et -Constantia_," together with the emblem of a hand holding a pair of -open compasses, which may be seen over the Friday Market gateway to -the museum. This emblem, with the motto entwining it in the form of a -scroll, or appearing above, below or across it in a hundred -variations, is the mark by which connoisseurs can distinguish the -products of the Plantin Press. It must have been constantly in the -mind of the great printer himself, for on his deathbed he composed the -following French couplet, which expresses and describes his own -character better than any epitaph could do: - - "Un Labeur courageux muni d'humble Constance - Resiste à tous assauts par douce Patience." - -On July 1, 1589, this "giant among printers" breathed his last, and -was buried in the ambulatory of the cathedral, his friend Justus -Lipsius writing the inscription for his tombstone. While his name is -not associated with the earliest beginnings of the art of printing, -and the products of his press do not therefore command the almost -fabulous prices paid for the rarest productions of some of the first -printers, Christopher Plantin was not only the greatest printer of his -age, but one of the greatest in the history of the art. Almost from -the first he knew how to gather about him the foremost scholars and -artists of his time, making his establishment not merely a -printing-office but an institution of learning, a home of the fine -arts. Arias Montanus, editor of the _Biblia Regia_, aided by a host of -the most learned churchmen of Europe; Justus Lipsius, lecturer before -Princes at the Universities of Leyden and Louvain; Mercator and -Ortelius, the geographers, from whom the world learned the right way -to make maps and atlases; Crispin, Van den Broeck, Martin de Vos, and -a score of the foremost Flemish artists, who were employed by Plantin -to illustrate his books; these and many more no doubt were frequent -visitors at the printing-house during the lifetime of its founder. - -These noble traditions were fully maintained under his successors. -Jean Moretus I ruled over the destinies of the house until his death, -in 1610, leaving it to his two sons, Jean II and Balthazar I. The -latter was the greatest of the dynasty of printers after Plantin and -Jean Moretus I. He was a warm friend of Rubens, who illustrated many -of the publications of the house during this period. In the fourth -generation, represented by Balthazar III, who ruled for half a -century, from 1646 to 1696, the family was ennobled, but after this -period the house confined its output and commerce to missals and -breviaries, under the monopoly granted by Philip II for the countries -under the rule of Spain. This business was completely destroyed by an -edict prohibiting the importation of foreign books into the Spanish -dominions, and in 1800 the printing office ceased operations. It -resumed activity on a small scale once or twice during the nineteenth -century, but finally closed in 1867, after an existence of three -hundred and twelve years, and in 1876 the last representative of the -house, Edouard Moretus, sold the entire establishment, with all its -priceless collections and furnishings, to the City of Antwerp for the -sum of 1,200,000 francs, to be maintained as a museum. - -During the splendid period of activity in the first half of the -seventeenth century, the throng of famous men in the libraries and the -corrector's room of the old establishment surpassed that of the days -of Plantin and Jean Moretus I. Rubens, Van Dyck, Erasmus Quellin and a -host of other artists; Lævinius Torrentius, bishop and poet, Kiliaen, -the lexicographer, and scores of other learned men; Princes and Dukes -innumerable, the patrons and protectors of the house--all these and -many more were constant visitors. To the student the museum of to-day -recalls these great names with a freshness and vividness that the -ordinary museum fatally lacks, for here are countless mementoes of -their presence in the very proofs and prints they handled and -corrected, in the letters they wrote, in the sketches drawn by the -greatest artists of Flanders and engraved by the foremost engravers of -the time. - -As a detailed description of the Plantin Museum can be found in all -the guidebooks, while an excellent handbook regarding its treasures by -Max Rooses, its renowned curator, can be purchased for a franc, it -would be unnecessary as well as tedious to recount them here. To those -who have but a little time at their disposal a liberal honorarium to -the attendant in each room--all of whom are garbed in brown with a -quaint cap of the same colour, as the printers of the house were wont -to be dressed in the great olden days--will bring forth a wealth of -curious and interesting information not to be found in any book, -anecdotes of distinguished visitors, bits of lore about this or the -other treasure, that will make the trifling investment well worth -while. In our case we made our first visit in this way, roaming about -the splendid old rooms and dipping into this case or that at -random--like butterflies amid a bower of roses. Visitors were few that -day and we had each attendant to ourselves. Later on we made another -visit, armed with letters of introduction to M. Denucé, the learned -assistant curator, and through his courtesy revisited each room once -more. A single book--one of the marvellous collections of early -Bibles--was, according to the attendant in that room, made the object -of an offer of a million francs, or maybe it was a million dollars, by -a well-known American millionaire. The collection in its entirety, if -dispersed by auction, would doubtless fetch many millions--but it -belongs exactly where it is. Like the collection of Van Eycks and -Memlings in Bruges, it would be a world calamity to despoil it or -disperse it. Even the very furnishings of the chambers up-stairs are -associated with the house of Plantin, were used by the family for -many years; the paintings that crowd the walls like an art gallery are -for the most part by Rubens--portraits of leading members of the -family. Then there are numberless drawings, prints and engravings that -represent the work of half of the greatest artists of the Flemish -school during the century of its greatest splendour--an inimitable, -indescribable collection! - -Among other pictorial treasures we saw a collection of views of old -Antwerp that the Professor said he would gladly have spent a month in, -if only his vacation were a little longer. Then there were the -books--and again words fail to convey an adequate idea of the richness -and interest of the collection. There are nearly a score of early -German Bibles, including a fine copy of Gutenberg's _Bible latine_ of -1450; rare German and Italian incunabula, choice examples of the work -of the early Flemish printers, including _Les dicts moraulx des -philosophes_, printed by Colard Manson at Bruges in 1477. There are -examples of early French, Dutch and Italian printing; there are -Aldines, Estiennes, Elzevirs; books from the first printing presses of -Switzerland, Spain and Portugal. Truly the historian of the early art -of printing might come here and complete his work within these charmed -walls--he would need no other materials! Naturally the collection of -books printed by the house itself is large, though not complete, and -there are a great many products of other Antwerp presses. Most -valuable of all is the collection of manuscripts, which includes a -huge Latin Bible completed in 1402 and ornamented with the most -marvellous miniatures. Here are also several superb Books of Hours and -many other books with choice miniatures. - -The printing-rooms also deserve all the time the tourist can spare. -The proofreaders' room is a gem, architecturally, artistically, and -from its historic associations with one of the world's finest arts. A -few old proof sheets are still lying on the high desks, near the -stained glass windows with their tiny panes. The typeroom has still -some of the old fonts of type and original matrices, while the -composing and pressroom has two presses of the sixteenth century, and -many quaint and curious devices then in use. All these rooms, together -with the large state rooms, which contain the manuscripts and choicest -examples of early printing, surround a charming courtyard which is -still kept bright with flowers as it was in the days of the -founders of the great house. The City of Antwerp is justly proud of -this noble monument to its great family of great printers, which -serves to keep green the memory of their achievements and of their -fine artistic taste and skill as no other form of memorial could do. - -[Illustration: ANCIENT PRINTING PRESSES AND COMPOSING CASES, PLANTIN -MUSEUM, ANTWERP.] - - - - -CHAPTER XX - -ANTWERP FROM THE TIME OF RUBENS TILL TO-DAY - - -If there is one name more honoured in Flanders than any other--more -often employed as the name of hotels, restaurants or cafés; more -frequently on the lips of guides, caretakers and sacristans; more -constantly in the mind of every tourist, be he or she American, -English or Continental--it is the name of the greatest of Flemish -painters, Peter Paul Rubens. No book on Flanders, and most assuredly -no work touching on Antwerp, would be complete without some reference -to the life and work of this prince among painters, yet no task can be -more superfluous, since nothing can be said that will add in the -slightest degree to his fame. He ranks in the history of art with the -greatest masters in the world--with Michael Angelo, Leonardo, -Rembrandt, Raphael, Titian and Velasquez--and it is probable that more -books have been written about him than about Antwerp itself. - -Occasional references have been made in previous chapters to -notable paintings by Rubens to be seen in various churches throughout -Flanders--particularly to "The Miraculous Draught of Fishes" at -Malines, which is said to have been saved from the destruction of that -city, having been carried away before the first of its many -bombardments. It is at Antwerp, however, that the tourist who desires -to study the work of Rubens will find him at his best and in greatest -profusion. And the most famous spot enriched by his unrivalled art is -the cathedral. Here hang his two greatest devotional works, "The -Elevation of the Cross" and "The Descent from the Cross." The former -was painted in 1610 and gave the young artist--he was then only -thirty-three--instant and enduring fame. The companion work was -completed the following year. Neither was originally painted for the -cathedral. "The Elevation of the Cross," the earlier and inferior of -the two, was intended to be the altarpiece for the church of Ste. -Walburge, while the other was painted for the Society of Arquebusiers, -to adjust a difficulty that had arisen over apportioning the cost of a -wall separating Rubens' house from that of the guild. Both, however, -are in an ideal location where they now are, and form an admirable -starting point from which to see, first the cathedral, and then the -work of Rubens as a whole. - -[Illustration: "THE DESCENT FROM THE CROSS."--RUBENS.] - -The Cathedral of Notre Dame is without doubt the most beautiful Gothic -church in Belgium, and has thus far happily escaped the ravages of the -present war--passing unscathed through the furious German bombardment -of the city. Begun in 1352 it was, like other churches of its size, -centuries in reaching completion. The exquisite lace-work in stone of -the north tower was completed during the sixteenth century, but was -not wholly finished when the iconoclasts ravaged the interior of the -edifice. Originally the church of St. Mary, it became the Cathedral of -Notre Dame in 1560. The nave and transepts were not vaulted until -1611-16, or the very period when Rubens was painting the famous -pictures that now hang in the south transept. Work on the south tower -was discontinued in 1474, which seems a pity, as its completion would -have made the cathedral one of the most perfect specimens of Gothic -architecture in the world. As it is, the single tower dominates the -old part of the city and is a familiar feature of its sky line. The -chimes of the cathedral are famous, and are often played by Jef Denyn -of Malines. There are forty bells of various sizes, of which the -greatest was named Charles V, and requires the strength of nineteen -men to swing it. This bell was founded some eight years before the -young Duke Charles made his joyous entry into Antwerp, and no doubt -rang lustily on that occasion. - -The interior of the cathedral is very vast, comprising six aisles, but -is too well known to require description. Among the numerous paintings -with which the chapels are adorned is one, a "Descent from the Cross," -by Adam Van Noort, the teacher of Jordaens, and said to be the first -who taught Rubens how to handle a brush. In the second chapel on the -south is an interesting "Resurrection" by Rubens, which was painted in -1612 for the tomb of his friend Moretus, of the famous printing-house -of Plantin. The fourth chapel on the same side contains the tomb of -Christopher Plantin, with an inscription by his colleague and friend, -Justus Lipsius, and several family portraits. The visitor will find -many other points of interest in this vast church, which is a -veritable museum of art, architecture, history and human progress. The -high altarpiece is another famous Rubens, an "Assumption"--a subject -which he painted no less than ten times. There are half a dozen other -notable paintings by other artists, but the majority are of minor -artistic importance. The rich Gothic choir stalls, however, are worth -more than a passing glance, for the wood-carvings here are very fine, -although modern--having been begun in 1840, and completed forty years -later. The elaborately carved pulpit was made in the eighteenth -century by the sculptor Michel Vervoort, and was intended for the -Abbey of St. Bernard. - -After the completion of the two great masterpieces now in the -cathedral Rubens was by universal acclaim acknowledged to be the -foremost painter in Flanders and of his time. His studio was besieged -by artists desirous of becoming the pupils of the brilliant master. As -early as 1611 he wrote that he had already refused more than a hundred -applicants. In 1614 he painted "The Conversion of St. Bavon," now in -the cathedral of St. Bavon at Ghent; in 1617 "The Adoration of the -Magi" in the church of St. John at Malines, and "The Last Judgment," -now in the Pinacothek of Munich; in 1618 "The Miraculous Draught of -Fishes" at Malines; in 1619 "The Last Communion of St. Francis," now -in the museum at Antwerp, and, according to Fromentin, his greatest -masterpiece; in 1620 the "Coup de Lance," now at the museum of -Antwerp, and his finest work according to some other authorities. In -1622-23 he produced the twenty-four superb paintings of the Galerie -des Medicis. The "Lion Hunt," and the "Battle of the Amazons," now in -the Pinacothek at Munich, belong to this decade, together with the six -paintings of the history of Decius in the Liechtenstein Gallery, and -thirty-nine pictures for the church of the Jesuits, of which all but -three were destroyed at the burning of the church in 1718. The three -are in the museum of Vienna. - -[Illustration: "COUP DE LANCE."--RUBENS.] - -Here, in the space of a little over ten years, were nearly a hundred -masterpieces--works of such magnitude that two or three would have -sufficed to immortalise any other painter. Yet in addition to these -labours he designed for the tapestry-workers of Brussels the life of -Achilles in eight parts, the history of Constantine in twelve, and -many other cartoons of extraordinary merit. His friend, Moretus, in -accordance with the high traditions of the house of Plantin, came to -him for designs for many books, and he drew borders, designs, -title-pages and vignettes, and illustrated himself a book on cameos. -He even painted triumphal arches and cars for ceremonial processions, -and these works in his hands acquired a permanence of artistic value -that is in itself one of the highest tributes to his genius. The fine -portraits of Albert and Isabella, now in the museum at Brussels, were -painted for a triumphal arch in the Place de Meir--yet they are -masterpieces of portraiture, perfect and splendid down to the minutest -detail! - -According to a report made in 1879, by the _Commission Anversoise -chargée de réunir l'ouevre de Rubens, en gravures ou en -photographies_, there are altogether no less than two thousand, two -hundred and thirty-five pictures and sketches by this amazingly -prolific artist, and four hundred and eighty-four designs--a total of -two thousand, seven hundred and nineteen known works. At Antwerp alone -there are upwards of one hundred pictures, of which more than a score -are masterpieces of world-wide renown and incalculable value. Besides -the great trio at the cathedral, and the family portraits in the -Plantin Museum, the museum catalogues more than thirty subjects of -which the "Spear Thrust" (_Coup de Lance_), "Adoration of the Magi or -Wise Men," the "Last Communion of Saint Francis," the "Christ on the -Straw" (_à la Paille_), "The Prodigal Son," and "Virgin Instructed -by Saint Anne" are among the more notable. Both here and at the -Plantin Museum the student of Rubens can find many interesting prints, -sketches and minor examples of the great master's work. At the museum -also is the interesting Holy Family known as "_La Vierge au -Perroquet_" (Virgin with the Parrot) which was presented by Rubens to -the Guild of St. Luke when he was elected President of that famous -organisation in 1631. Near the Place de Meir is the house of Rubens, -largely a replica of the original built in the eighteenth century--few -vestiges of the building in which the great painter held his almost -royal court remaining. It is worth a visit, but is far inferior to the -Plantin Museum as a memorial and in the interest and importance of its -contents. - -[Illustration: "_LA VIERGE AU PERROQUET._"--RUBENS.] - -On his death in 1640--"twenty years too early"--the artist was buried -in the church of St. Jacques, an edifice rivalling the cathedral in -size and interest. It was the burial-place of many of the wealthiest -families in Antwerp. The Rubens chapel is in the ambulatory, behind -the high altar, and contains a picture of the "Holy Family" which, -according to the critics, is one of the worst of the artist's -pictures. Several of the faces are those of his own family, which -probably was the reason why his widow placed it here. - -Besides the paintings in various churches and museums in Flanders -there are twenty-three by Rubens in the museum at Brussels, -seventy-seven in the Pinacothek at Munich, ninety at Vienna, sixty-six -at Madrid, fifty-four in the Hermitage at St. Petersburg and the same -number in the Louvre at Paris, sixteen at Dresden, thirty-one at -London, while a considerable number can be seen in various public and -private art collections in the United States. "He is everywhere," -writes Prof. Wauters with justifiable enthusiasm, "and everywhere -triumphant. No matter what pictures surround him, the effect is -invariable; those which resemble his own are eclipsed, those that -would oppose him are silenced; wherever he is he makes you feel his -presence, he stands alone, and at all times occupies the first -place.... He has painted everything--fable, mythology, history, -allegory, portraits, animals, flowers, landscapes--and always in a -masterly way.... Is he perfect? No one is. Has he faults? Assuredly. -He is sometimes reproached with having neither the outline of Raphael, -the depth of Leonardo da Vinci, the largeness of Titian, the -naturalness of Velasquez, nor the chiaroscuro of Rembrandt. But he -has the outline, the depth, the largeness, the naturalness and the -chiaroscuro of Rubens; is not that enough?" - -To appreciate fully the magnitude of this greatest of all Flemings it -is necessary to recall, for a moment, the times in which he lived. -Fourteen years after the capture of Antwerp by the Prince of Parma, -Philip II determined--when on his deathbed--to give the Spanish -Netherlands partial independence by transferring the sovereignty over -the loyal provinces possessed by the Crown of Spain to his daughter -Isabella and her husband, the Archduke Albert. The arrival of the -Archdukes, as they were called, in 1599, was made the occasion of a -joyous entry that, on the whole, was justified by their -Government--which was a great improvement over anything that had -preceded it since the days of the unspeakable Alva. To be sure, the -war with the States of Holland still dragged on, and the Scheldt was -closed. But the burghers wisely sought to replace the loss of their -sea trade by encouraging industries. Silk and satin manufactures -during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries gave employment to -upwards of twelve thousand hands, and diamond-cutting became an -industry of growing importance. While the commercial stagnation was -severely felt, the city did not decline like Bruges, but held much of -its population and recovered some of its former wealth. - -The Archdukes, who were relieved of the paralysing necessity of -referring every important act to Madrid, did their best to heal the -terrible wounds of the early years of the war and restore some degree -of tranquillity and prosperity to their dominions. Religious -persecutions ceased. Eager to win the love of their subjects, the -Archdukes welcomed Rubens to Antwerp when he returned to his native -city on the death of his mother in 1608, and in order to keep him from -returning to Italy made him their court painter in 1609. During the -remainder of his lifetime their favour never ceased, and on many -occasions Rubens was sent as a special ambassador of the Government on -important diplomatic missions. His courtly manners and stately -appearance favoured him, as well as his now tremendous artistic -reputation. He was knighted by Charles I, while on a visit to England, -and created a Master of Arts by the University of Cambridge. Among his -friends he numbered--besides his royal patrons, Moretus, the printer, -and Rockox, the burgomaster--many of the most famous scholars and -statesmen of his time. He was interested in literature and science as -well as art in all its branches and wrote a vast number of letters on -an astounding variety of subjects--one calculation places the total -number at eight thousand! - -[Illustration: PETER PAUL RUBENS.] - -As if his own achievements were not enough, the genius of Rubens was -the torch that set aflame a renaissance of Flemish painting that made -the later Flemish school, which justly bears his name, the peer of any -in the long history of art. Of his many pupils the greatest is Anthony -Van Dyck, who was born at Antwerp in 1599 and entered the studio of -the master at the age of fifteen. In the little church of Saventhem, -not far from Brussels, is the most famous of Van Dyck's early -paintings which shows his precocious talent. Rubens had urged his -promising pupil to visit Italy, and not only gave him a letter of -introduction but provided funds for the long journey. The youth set -forth, but in a little village on the way there happened to be a -kermesse into the merriment of which he entered heartily. Among others -with whom he danced was a beautiful country girl with whom the artist -fell so deeply in love that he was unable to proceed any further, but -devoted himself for days to courting her. Meanwhile his funds ran -out, and he bethought himself with horror, when it was too late, that -this meant the abandonment of the trip to Italy. In his extremity he -applied to the parish priest and offered to paint an altarpiece for -the village church on very moderate terms. It is related that the -priest smiled indulgently at the youth's pretensions that he was a -historical painter and put him off, saying that there were no funds. -Van Dyck, however, persisted, and offered to paint the picture if -provided only with the canvas, and leave the matter of the price to -the curé's liberality. - -These terms could hardly be refused, and the young artist set to work -with such energy that in a few weeks the picture was finished. The -priest admired the work greatly, particularly the beautiful figure of -the Saint--the subject selected having been Saint Martin dividing his -Cloak among the Beggars--and sent for a connoisseur from Brussels to -decide if he should keep the picture. The verdict was favourable, and -the price paid to the artist enabled him to proceed on his journey to -Italy. It is not reported whether the future painter of kings and -courtiers ever returned to visit his fair inamorata of the kermesse, -but this pretty story, which is told in a rare little book, "Sketches -of Flemish Painters," published at The Hague in 1642, was written by a -contemporary, and may quite possibly have been true. At any rate, -there is the painting itself to prove it. - -On his return to Antwerp in 1625 Van Dyck left behind him in Italy -more than a hundred paintings, in itself a prodigious achievement. He -now began to work in his native city with a rapidity and perfection -resembling his master's and produced the altarpieces that are among -the master works of Flemish churches. Here also he painted a -marvellous galaxy of portraits of the great artists of his time and of -the Flemish, French and Spanish nobility. His marvellous etchings also -belong to this period, so that Antwerp is associated with much of his -finest work in two great branches of art. In 1632 the artist went to -London, which he had visited on one or two previous occasions, and -became painter to the court of Charles I. Here he remained for the -rest of his lifetime, painting more than three hundred and fifty -pictures portraying the royal family and nobility of England. He died -in 1641, or only a year after his master, leaving a record of varied -achievement comprising more than one thousand, five hundred works. The -museum at Antwerp possesses twelve of his paintings, of which one of -the most interesting is the "Christ on the Cross" painted for the -Dominican nuns in recognition of the care and tenderness with which -they had nursed his father during the old man's last illness. The -catalogue of the museum somewhat conceals the artist's name under the -Flemish form, Antoon Van Dijck, which hardly suggests the brilliant -and debonnaire Sir Anthony of Whitehall and the beauties of England -under Charles the First. There are sixty-seven works by this master in -Vienna, forty-one at Munich, thirty-eight at St. Petersburg, -twenty-four at the Louvre, twenty-one in Madrid and nineteen in -Dresden, but England possesses the largest collections of his -productions, most of those he painted at London still remaining in the -public and private galleries of that country. - -It would be a tedious task to recount the names and works of the -throng of lesser artists who studied at the feet of Rubens and Van -Dyck during the fruitful years when those masters were giving their -talents to the world with such amazing prodigality. Erasmus Quellin I, -the Elder, was one of the first--a sculptor who founded a family of -notable sculptors and painters who lived and gained renown at -Antwerp for more than a century. Faid'herbe, whose work abounds at -Malines, was another sculptor of the highest rank who was a direct -pupil of Rubens; Dusquesnoy, Grupello and Verbrugghen were renowned -sculptors who owed much to his influence. - -[Illustration: "AS THE OLD BIRDS SING THE YOUNG BIRDS PIPE."--JACOB -JORDAENS.] - -After Rubens and Van Dyck the greatest name in the Flemish school of -this brilliant period was that of Jacob Jordaens, who learned his art -under Rubens' old master, Adam Van Noort, and married his teacher's -beautiful daughter Catherine, who posed for many of his pictures. The -numerous family gatherings depicted by this master are famous, one of -the most characteristic of them all being the well-known "As the Old -Birds Sing the Young Birds Pipe" in the Antwerp museum. His satyrs and -peasants and rural scenes are among the finest products of the Flemish -school. The religious pictures of Gaspard de Crayer and Gerard -Zeghers, the portraits of Cornelius de Vos, and the animal pictures of -Francis Snyders and John Fyts all belong to this epoch when Antwerp, -although sinking in commercial and political importance, was making -herself for all time one of the art capitals of the world. - -In pictures of homely Flemish life David Teniers, who belongs to the -next generation of Antwerp artists, achieved a fame that places him in -a sense in a class by himself, for none of the earlier masters -surpassed him in his particular field. He, too, was prolific--one -catalogue enumerating no less than six hundred and eighty-five of his -works. Of the same genre is the work of Adrian Brauwer, whose early -death prevented him from leaving so great a legacy to posterity. -Besides these masters of the first rank, Antwerp boasts an almost -innumerable throng of minor artists--pupils of Rubens, Van Dyck and -their successors--much of whose work is of excellent merit. Any -half-dozen of these would have rendered another city notable in the -history of art, but here their achievements are lost as are the heroic -deeds of the private soldiers in a great army. The mind cannot retain -so many names, cannot appraise and classify so bewildering a mass of -productions. - -For this reason the tourist who is a philosopher will not regard too -seriously the dicta of the learned as to which of these lesser -paintings is or is not of the first rank in the order of merit. What -of it if the guidebook does not indicate by its little stars that this -is a picture for one to go into raptures over, if the sacristan or -guide passes it coldly by? If it appeals to us by all means let us -pause and admire it, let us study it, find out about it, learn -something of its history and that of the unknown artist who painted -it. Indeed, if on such closer inspection it still appeals to us, let -us buy it if we can--but at all events let us enjoy it to the utmost, -for of such joys Flanders is full. In out of the way corners -everywhere one can find genre pictures like those of Tenier, -brilliantly coloured groups suggestive of Rubens, scenes of bucolic -feasting in imitation of Jordaens. And here and there, who knows, -perhaps one may yet discover an original by one of these greater -artists or their rare predecessors, and retire on the proceeds! Who -knows? - -The visitor to the Royal Museum of Fine Arts at Antwerp should not -leave without devoting at least a day to the modern paintings. To an -American, accustomed to museums where long walls filled with dreary -mediocrities are illuminated only at rare intervals with something -altogether fine and satisfactory, these modern galleries are a treat. -Picture after picture, room after room--all are beautiful and worthy, -many are splendid. The collection of modern paintings is not large as -European galleries go, some five hundred and fifty altogether, but -the general average of quality is exceptionally high--much superior in -this respect it seemed to us than the far larger collection at -Brussels, though it is not so regarded by the critics. The interiors -of Henri de Braekeleer, and his charming Nursery Garden, for example, -what could be finer? The "Ancient Fishmarket" at Antwerp by Frans -Bossuet, a native of Ypres; the "Lull before the Storm," by P. J. -Clays, of Bruges, one of whose paintings is in the Metropolitan Museum -at New York--all these are notable. So are the historical pictures of -Baron Leys, Guffens, Louis Gallait and Charles Verlat--but the list is -too long. These pictures are not to be described, they must be seen. -Individually the savants may quarrel as to their merits, but, taking -them all together, these paintings--for the most part by Flemish -artists--prove that the great traditions of Rubens and Van Dyck, -Jordaens and Teniers, have not been forgotten in their native land and -that modern Flemish art is a worthy successor to the greatness of the -past. - -The lover of the beautiful has yet another treat in store for him when -he visits the famous old Hotel de Ville. It had hardly been -completed, in 1565, by Cornelis de Vriendt when it was partially -destroyed during the Spanish Fury. Rebuilt a few years later in its -present form, it contains some of the most beautiful rooms to be seen -in all Europe. The vestibule and grand staircase are richly decorated -with coloured marble, while imposing frescoes depict the zenith of -Antwerp's commercial and artistic splendour. The great reception-room -is decorated with four superb historical frescoes by Baron Leys, while -the exquisite Salle des Mariages is completely surrounded with -allegorical paintings portraying the history of the marriage ceremony -by Lagye, a pupil of Leys. In the rooms of this edifice the history of -the famous old city lives again, while in its splendid fireplaces and -minor decorations one can see examples of every branch of Flemish art. - -[Illustration: HOTEL DE VILLE, ANTWERP.] - -While the Hotel de Ville is most gratifying to the eye and the -imagination, it is not, however, intimately associated with many -important events in the history of the city. Albert and Isabella, -while they ruled, were virtually independent sovereigns, but on the -death of Albert without issue, in 1621, the country reverted to Spain. -Thereafter, for more than two centuries, the city, together with -Flanders, Brabant and the other loyal provinces of the Netherlands, -became the football of European politics, and Belgium received its -sinister name of "the cockpit of Europe." The people, as a whole, took -little interest in the great wars of the Spanish and of the Austrian -Successions that were fought largely to decide who should rule over -them, since there seemed no likelihood of their in any event ever -being able again to rule over themselves. Marlborough, after his great -victory at Ramillies, occupied the city with English troops in 1706, -and in 1715 the Hotel de Ville was the scene of the signing of the -treaty that ended the war. By this treaty the Spanish Netherlands were -ceded to Austria, becoming subject to the Emperor Charles VI. Thirty -years later the French victory at Fontenoy made them masters of the -city, and Louis XV had a joyous entry the following year. Two years -later, in 1748, the country was handed back to Austria and Charles -made a joyous entry in turn, the people apparently welcoming any -change of government with complete impartiality. The Empress Maria -Theresa was popular in her Netherlands dominions, but her son Joseph -II made Austrian rule so odious that there was a revolt, and in 1790 -Antwerp was taken by the patriot army, to the immense joy of its -citizens. The Austrians soon crushed the revolution and reoccupied the -city, but the great victory of the French republicans, under -Dumouriez, at Jemappes destroyed the power of Austria in the -Netherlands, and in 1792 the army of the _sans-culottes_ entered -Antwerp. The defeat of Dumouriez at Neerwinden resulted in the -Imperial forces again occupying the city in 1793, but the French -victory at Fleurus the following year turned the tables again and -Antwerp once more became subject to the republic. - -All these years the Scheldt had been firmly closed, Joseph II having -made a feeble attempt to free the river, which had collapsed at the -first shot from the Dutch forts. In 1795 the free navigation of the -river was decreed by the French, and a ship came up and was received -in state by the delighted burghers. It is stated that the value of -real estate in the city increased tenfold in consequence of this -decree. On the other hand, the _sans-culottes_ very nearly rivalled -the image-breakers in the vigour with which they destroyed the city's -religious monuments. The cathedral and churches were despoiled, and it -was even proposed to tear down the cathedral, because (they said), "it -cannot be reckoned a monument of any value except for the lead, iron, -copper and timber it contains." Fortunately Napoleon seized the reins -of power at Paris at about this time, and put an end to such nonsense. -In 1803 the First Consul visited Antwerp, which--as he afterwards -said--was "like a loaded pistol pointed at the heart of England." -Filled with this idea, he systematically sought to revive the commerce -of the port and erected great docks there for his war vessels, -portions of which still remain. In 1814, after the Emperor's defeat -and abdication, Antwerp, under Gen. Carnot, was the last French -stronghold in the Netherlands to yield. - -After the second defeat of Napoleon at Waterloo Antwerp succeeded in -recovering most of the paintings that had been carried away to France -by the republicans in 1794. The treaty that followed the last -Napoleonic war gave all of what is at present Belgium to the King of -Holland, William I, who favoured Antwerp in many ways. As the Scheldt -still remained free the commerce of the port was considerable and -prosperity seemed to be returning. In 1830 began the revolution that -resulted in the independence of Belgium. One of its first events was -the bombardment of the city of Antwerp by the Dutch troops holding -the citadel. The following year Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha -was elected by the National Congress as King of the Belgians under the -title of Leopold I. The war with Holland was not yet over, however, -and in 1832 the English, French and Belgian troops began a siege of -the citadel at Antwerp, which was still in the hands of the Dutch. The -fortress had one hundred and forty-three guns, and the besiegers two -hundred and twenty-three, and it is stated that sixty-three thousand -projectiles were fired against it. The fortress was a mass of ruins -before its sturdy defenders capitulated. - -From 1832 until 1914 Antwerp and the liberty-loving Flemings of -ancient Flanders remained free, happy and increasingly prosperous -under the wise and moderate rule of their chosen Kings. Leopold I -reigned until his death in 1865, and proved to be one of the wisest -monarchs in history. For Antwerp his greatest achievement was the -final freeing of the River Scheldt in 1863, after more than ten years -of diplomatic negotiations, from the tolls which the Dutch had -insisted in levying since 1839. Under his successor, Leopold II, one -of the most efficient chief executives it was possible for a nation to -have, the fine Belgian public service system was developed and the -prosperity of its cities and citizens promoted in every practical way. -In the two decades following the freeing of the Scheldt the commerce -of the port of Antwerp increased six-fold, while that of its rivals, -London and Liverpool, doubled and that of Hamburg and Rotterdam -tripled. Since then the business of the port has advanced even faster, -and the imposing modern business buildings that now line the Place de -Meir, one of the handsomest commercial streets in the world, afford -abundant testimony to its prosperity and wealth--as do the fine -residences of its merchants to be seen in drives through the outskirts -of the city. Under Albert I the wise policies of his predecessors were -continued, and the little country was enjoying peace and contentment -such as never came to it during the centuries of foreign oppression -and tyranny that began with the acquisition of Flanders and Brabant by -the Dukes of Burgundy. It is the greatest moral issue in this war -whether Belgium, after being free for less than eighty-five years, -shall once more pass into the hands of a foreign power. Its people -have demonstrated conclusively that under the limited monarchy they -have chosen they are capable of governing themselves far better than -the best of their self-appointed masters ever did in the bad old days -that, they had hoped, had forever passed away. - - - - -CHAPTER XXI - -WHERE MODERN FLANDERS SHINES--OSTENDE AND "LA PLAGE" - - -Our last stopping place in Flanders was the one that many tourists -visit first, the gay watering place of Ostende. Here a little fleet of -fast Channel steamers convey the traveller to Dover in four or five -hours, while an excellent service of through express trains connect -the Dover end of the water route with London, and the Ostende end with -Brussels, Berlin and half the capitals of Europe. Our stay in -Flanders, however, was drawing to a close, and we were headed for -Liverpool, where the new _Aquitania_ was waiting to bear us home. - -The tourist who expects in Ostende to find much that is reminiscent of -the Flanders of the sixteenth century, of which so much has been said -in the other chapters of this book, will be disappointed. To be sure, -it is not a young city, being mentioned in the chronicles of Flanders -as far back as the eleventh century. In the Eighty Years' War between -Spain and her revolted Dutch colonies Ostende was for a long time held -by the Dutch, who beat off two severe attacks by the Spaniards in 1583 -and 1586, the former led by the all but invincible Farnese, Prince of -Parma. In the year 1600 the Battle of the Dunes took place at -Nieuport, in which the troops of the Archduke Albert were defeated by -a Dutch army under Maurice, Prince of Nassau. This victory, while it -gave great encouragement to the enemies of Spain by demonstrating that -the renowned Spanish soldiers were not invincible, was otherwise -barren of results, and in 1601 the Archdukes determined to besiege -Ostende, which was the last stronghold of the Dutch in Flanders. - -Prior to the war with Philip II Ostende had been little more than an -obscure fishing-village, but since it had been fortified by the Dutch, -and had so successfully maintained itself against all assaults, the -place was fast becoming a "thorn in the foot" to the government of the -Archdukes. Queen Elizabeth, whose defeats of Philip's armadas had made -England mistress of the seas, was determined that Spain should not -regain so important a strategic base, and had kept an English garrison -there under an English commander. Since Albert's accession the town -had been greatly strengthened by new ramparts, bastions and -fortifications of every type, then known in the engineering art of -warfare. To protect Flanders against this hostile fortress in its very -midst the Archdukes were obliged to erect eighteen forts around -Ostende and keep them constantly garrisoned and supplied. This cost -ninety thousand crowns a month and kept the rich province in a state -of perpetual war. Towns in the vicinity were compelled to pay tribute -in order to escape pillage, and commerce--then, as always, dependent -upon peace--languished. - -The Estates of Flanders under these direful conditions offered the -Archdukes three hundred thousand florins a month as long as the siege -to rid them of this menacing stronghold might last, and three hundred -thousand florins additional as a bonus to be paid in instalments--a -third when the city was invested, a third when a breach was made in -the fortifications, and the balance when the place was taken. These -terms are curiously similar to those employed in drawing building -loans at the present day and show that the Flemings had lost none of -their ancient caution. - -On July 5th, 1601, the Archduke Albert arrived before Ostende and -formally began its investment. The Infanta Isabella came with him, -and often shared camp life with her husband during the weary months -that followed. The siege from the very first developed into a contest -of engineers and military strategists on the taking and the defence of -fortified places the like of which had never before been known in -Europe. In fact nearly all Europe was directly engaged in the -conflict. On the Archdukes' side were Spaniards, Italians and -Walloons; on the ramparts of the defenders were lined up side by side -English, Dutch, French, German and Scotch forces. The fortress was -commanded by Sir Francis Vere. The operations of the siege consisted -of mining and counter-mining, the erection and destruction of -batteries, storming of outlying works--all the devices of attack and -defence known to the military science of the day. Never before had the -world seen such cannons and engines of destruction. The siege became -Homeric, epic, a seventeenth-century Siege of Troy. - -The great difficulty of the besiegers was their inability to cut off -the town from receiving new provisions and supplies, and a constant -stream of reinforcements, by sea. The Dutch, English and French ships -came and went almost at will. All the summer and fall of 1601 the -siege dragged on, and through the cold winter that followed. In 1602 -Sir Francis Vere and a large part of the garrison were relieved and a -new commander and garrison installed without the Archdukes being able -to prevent the manoeuvre. In 1603 Ambrose, the Marquis Spinola, a -young scion of a rich Genoese family, offered to take charge of the -siege of Ostende and to capture the city. As the Archduke Albert had -made a complete failure of the job, and was unpopular besides among -his troops, whom he had not been able to pay with any regularity, he -welcomed this offer and Spinola assumed the command. His wealth -enabled him to pay and feed his soldiers, while his youth and ambition -made him a wary and energetic commander. Day and night he took part in -person in supervising the mines, assaults, trenches and erection of -new positions. Gradually, under his vigorous leadership, the besiegers -began to burrow their way into the town. Maurice of Nassau, unable to -pierce Spinola's network of entrenchments around the town created a -diversion by besieging and capturing Sluys. In spite of this, however, -Spinola clung doggedly to his prey and on September 13th, 1603, Sand -Hill, after a resistance of three years, was captured. Seven days -later the Governor, who now controlled nothing but the heart of the -town, capitulated and on September 22nd, the garrison marched out with -all the honours of war. Hardly a soul of the former population of -Ostende remained at the time of its capture, and it is said that the -Archduchess Isabella "wept at the sight of the mound of earth, all -that remained of the city which she had been so anxious to capture." -It was estimated that the place, which had been little more than a -village, cost the besiegers one hundred thousand lives and the -defenders sixty thousand. The siege had lasted three years, two months -and seventeen days, but the "thorn" had at last been extracted. - -For several years after this Ostende remained a city without -inhabitants, the Archdukes rebuilding the place but population coming -to it but slowly. In 1722 The East and West India Company of the -Austrian Netherlands was founded at Ostende, chiefly by Antwerp -capitalists and merchants, who were deeply interested in the -enterprise. Factories were established in India, but the Emperor -Charles VI dissolved the company in 1731 in order to secure English -and Dutch support for his Pragmatic Sanction. The next century was one -of stagnation, the town reverting to a fishing-place, but almost at -the moment of Belgian independence--or from about 1830--it began to be -renowned as a watering-place. It owes much of its present prosperity -to Leopold II, who made it a place of royal residence during the -summer, and whose royal palace still looks down upon the _Digue_ not -far from the racetrack. The coming of the cross-channel steamers still -further stimulated its growth, and at present it is one of the most -beautiful and picturesque of all the Flemish cities. - -Our visit was unfortunate--as we regretfully told one another at the -time--in that it came in July, before the season had really opened. -August is the time to come, the waiters and hotel porters all assured -us, for then the Grand Dukes come from Russia, the long special trains -from Germany roll in one after another loaded to capacity, the Channel -steamers arrive three times a day with decks black with English -tourists, and Ostende's many kinds of gaiety are in full swing. -However, the opening of the August season in 1914 was conducted under -circumstances that made us rather glad we were there in July. The -Germans came, to be sure, but the gaiety departed. - -No one in Ostende foresaw a bit of the terrible future when we were -there in July. The long curving beach was crowded with people, -little people for the most part, and most of the queer little -beach-houses--summer cottages on wheels--were gradually getting -rented. The beach is splendidly broad and smooth, but the slope -seaward is so slight that at low tide one must needs go very far out -to get into the water at all. This did not seem to trouble anybody -very much, for we saw few who ever went near the water, most of the -pleasure-seekers staying on the warm, dry sand up near the big sloping -sea wall of the _Digue_. For families with small children the little -summer-houses seemed rather attractive, as papa and mamma could sit -within, sheltered from sun or rain, while the youngsters rollicked all -day long in the deep sand. - -The _Digue_ just mentioned is a high artificial seawall or embankment, -faced with sloping stone on the sea side and surmounted by a broad -boulevard--the Esplanade. It slopes gradually on the landward side, -one row of stately hotels and lodging-houses facing directly on the -Esplanade, while on the side streets the buildings drop each below the -other until they reach the level of the town, which is some forty or -fifty feet lower than the summit of the embankment. Here the -fashionable crowds promenade at the proper times, while the -unfashionable promenade all day long and far into the night. Even in -July the sight is a most fascinating one, and the Bohemianism of the -crowd and its diversity of national types most interesting. Here, as -everywhere in Belgium, the cafés and hotels place their tables and -chairs far out into the roadway, so that we can sit outdoors in the -manner that the Madame so much enjoys and eat our dinner, or sip our -coffee and cognac, while watching the ever-changing crowds go by. - -At Ostende the scale of expenses for everything, rooms, meals, -service, pleasure, cigars, tips, and even for the English newspapers, -increases or falls according to the proximity or remoteness of the -_Digue_. If you are on top of it--look out! To Americans the -charges, even in the finer big hotels, do not seem particularly -excessive--though in August they are usually much higher than in -July--but there is a constant succession of incidental expenses that -make the voyager as a rule hurry more than once to the banker where -his letter of credit can have another illegible notation made on it. -Externally the hotels are very imposing and stately--making a brave -show as one looks down the long line that extends for several miles -from the harbour entrance westward to Westende and beyond half way to -Nieuport. Within they are pretty much like all Belgian hotels of the -better class. For the novelty of the thing we thought of renting one -of the tiny _apartements meublés_, that, each with a charming broad -window--usually open all day long like a piazza--look out directly -upon the sea. The price was a thousand francs a month, which seemed -too much for what was after all little more than one big room with an -alcove. The landlady informed us that she attended to all the details -of the _ménage_, cooking and serving the meals and providing maid -service, but that messieurs must provide the provisions, both solid -and liquid. - -The great show place of Ostende is, of course, the Kursaal, a huge -structure of glass, iron and stone belonging to no particular school -of architecture, but in the main making a pleasing impression and -serving very well indeed for the somewhat diversified uses for which -it is intended. In the daytime the Kursaal is a place of relatively -little interest, although well-dressed people flock through it at all -hours. At night it is the scene of much animation, and is, as it was -meant to be, the centre of the gay life of the town. A large -orchestra gives a concert every evening in a very pretty concert hall, -which, when we were there, contained numerous little tables for -refreshments, although I have seen pictures in which the room was -filled with seats in solid rows, like a theatre. It was much more -comfortable the way we found it, and the concert was very enjoyable. -At the intermission, however, we observed that nearly everybody rose -and flocked off into an anteroom leading out of the concert hall. The -Professor and I decided that there appeared to be "something doing" in -that direction and followed the crowd, leaving the ladies to look -after our wraps, and promising to return and get them if we found -anything worth while. - -I fear that the narrative of our experience may sound a bit like an -extract from _Innocents Abroad_, but I will relate the thing as it -happened and make no pretence that we were a bit more sophisticated -than we really were. The crowd seemed to be headed through a long and -handsome corridor toward a distant room. We followed along, passing on -the way what looked more or less like the office of a hotel, with a -register book and two or three clerks, to which we paid no attention. -Arrived at the end of the corridor we found ourselves in a large -circular room around which were a number of small tables on which -visitors were rolling balls down toward a group of pockets--some such -a game as one sees at Coney Island or any popular American amusement -resort. The price was two francs for three shots, and barkers were -shouting lustily to all comers to try their luck. On one side a -doorway was heavily curtained with velvet draperies and here -occasional groups of the guests were silently disappearing. We -approached this mysterious passageway and sought to pass like the -others when two tiny lads in brilliant livery demanded our cards. On -our replying that we had none, a large man, also in livery, appeared -from somewhere behind the draperies and courteously informed us that -special membership or admission cards were required from all who -wished to proceed further. - -We thereupon returned to the ladies and reported what we had seen, and -took our turn at looking after the wraps while they visited the -circular room. They likewise returned, reporting that admission beyond -the curtains had been refused. After the concert was over we decided -to make another attempt--as both the Professor and I surmised what -attraction lay beyond the mysterious portal. Pausing at the hotel -office we had previously noticed, we asked bluntly how admission to -the hidden room could be secured, and were told that a card would be -given each of us on the sole formality of registering. This we -accordingly did, giving our names, hotel address, home address and one -reference. This done, we each received a card admitting two and -departed to find the Madame and Mrs. Professor. - -Arriving at the doorway armed with the cards we had received, we were -ushered at once into a very handsome room where perhaps three hundred -people were gathered about half a dozen roulette tables. No one paid -the slightest attention to us, nor did any employé appear to care -whether we played or contented ourselves with merely looking on. -Practically every one in the room, however, was playing--with all the -tense earnestness that this game of chance seems to impress upon its -devotees. White chips, we observed, cost five francs, reds twenty, -round blues a hundred--or twenty dollars. There were, in addition, a -large ovalshaped blue, marked five hundred and an oblong one marked -one thousand. In less than three minutes one player lost eight of the -thousand franc chips, and then, this being apparently enough for -the evening, lit a cigar and started for home. While he was playing we -observed an over-painted young woman who had just lost her last stake -solicit a loan from him. He tossed the girl a hundred-franc chip and -left without pausing to see whether she won or lost with it. We were -more curious. She lost. - -[Illustration: THE "SALLE DES JEUX" IN THE KURSAAL, OSTENDE.] - -At about this period of the evening the Madame raised a commotion by -discovering that her reticule was open and a piece of money had fallen -out onto the thick carpet. The Professor and I instantly got down to -look for it, and even the croupiers at the adjoining gaming table -paused to take in the incident. Two or three attendants and waiters -hurried up to help when the Madame spied her lost coin and -triumphantly seized it. It was a one centime piece--worth a fifth of a -cent! I have never seen a more disgusted-looking group of attendants, -and doubt if so small a coin had ever been seen before in this -northern Monte Carlo. The Madame, however, was serenely indifferent to -their opinion. This was the nearest, I may add, that we came to losing -any money there. - -At the end of the Esplanade is the Estacade, a pier that extends well -out to sea. Pleasure steamers start here for short trips along the -coast, and turning to the right at this end of the town one comes to -the harbour and the broad basin where hundreds of little brown-sailed -shrimp fishing-boats congregate. Several of these came in while we -were there and sold their cargoes, almost as soon as they were tied -up, to groups of eager market-women with big baskets. Several girls -sat along the quay wall mending huge nets also used in the shrimp -fishery. The little back streets in this vicinity, and around the -quaint fish-market, are the oldest in the town--and the most crooked. - -The principal business street of the little city is the rue de Flandre -and its continuation, the rue de la Chapelle, which together take one -from the Digue de Mer straight to the railway and boat stations. On -one side of this street is the Place d'Armes, where a military band -played every evening, and facing which is the Hotel de Ville. Our last -day was spent poking about this part of the town in a pouring rain, -with an occasional peep into huge cafés designed to accommodate a -thousand guests, but which were then almost deserted. The rain ceased -suddenly toward nightfall and we returned to the Digue for a farewell -look at the crowds and the long beach. It was night before we had -seen enough, and then, after ordering and enjoying to the utmost our -last Flemish dinner, we made our way to the Gare Maritime to take the -night boat for Dover. As we steamed out past the long Estacade and -looked back upon the gleaming lights along the Digue we saw the moon -rising redly above the masts in the little harbour. This was our last -view of Flanders, and, as we regretfully saw the lights of the city -sink out of sight behind the tossing waves that gleamed brightly under -the moonbeams, we knew that our pilgrimage was over. - - - - -CHAPTER XXII - -THE SPELL OF FLANDERS - - -In this little book the author has endeavoured to portray as clearly -as his limited powers of expression permitted, some of the many -elements that make the spell that Flanders lays upon the minds and -hearts of those who know it and love it well. It is a complex -influence, composed of many and widely diverse factors. If in the -narrative a thread of history has been permitted to obtrude itself, -sometimes perhaps at undue length, it is because before all else -Flanders is a land whose interest lies in its long and romantic -history, and in the marvellous manner in which its artists and -sculptors have portrayed its famous past. As Mr. Griffis in "Belgium, -the Land of Art," has well expressed it, "No other land is richer in -history or more affluent in art than is Belgium. In none have devout, -industrious, patriotic and gifted sons told their country's story more -attractively. By pen and in print, on canvas, in mural decoration, in -sculpture, in monuments of bronze and marble, in fireplaces and in -wood-carving, the story may be read as in an illuminated missal. -Belfries, town halls, churches, guild houses, have each and all a -charm of their own." If these pages have caught ever so little of that -charm they have served their purpose. - -To the student of history, of art and architecture, of tapestry and -lace-making, of the origin of the great woollen and linen industries, -of guilds and the organisation of labour, of the commune or municipal -republic in its earliest and finest development, and--before all -else--of liberty in its age-long conflict with tyranny and oppression, -Flanders is a land of endless interest and inspiration. Nowhere else -in the world can there be found within so small a compass so many -monuments of the past, so many of the milestones of human progress. -That some of these relate to a past so remote as to be all but -forgotten, while others are hidden away in spots where few tourists -ever penetrate, only enhances the pleasure of those who are so -persevering or so fortunate as to find them. - -Like rare wine, Flanders has mellowed with age, the storms and -sunshine of succeeding centuries touching its fine old houses, its -noble churches and splendid town halls and guild houses but -lightly--imparting the majesty of antiquity without the sadness of -decay. Its dramatic and tragic history--some of which was so terrible -in the making--lives again, without the old-time rancour and hatred, -as the foundation upon which artists with chisel, brush or pen have -created some of the finest of the world's masterpieces. - -That to-day Flanders has once more, as so often in the past, become -the battleground of warring Europe gives an element of inexpressible -sadness to these feeble attempts to sketch its glories as they were -only a few short months ago. Already some of the splendid monuments -described in these pages have been shattered by engines of war more -destructive than all those of all former wars taken together. The -noble Hotel de Ville at Ypres, the fine old church of St. Nicholas at -Dixmude, the incomparable cathedral of Malines--we know that these at -least have suffered fearfully, that they may have been injured beyond -any hope of restoration. - -In this last sad chapter of Flemish history, it is a pleasure to be -able to record the fact that the people of the United States have for -the first time entered its pages--and in a work of mercy. To the -American people have been given the opportunity, the means and the -disposition to play a noble part in this later history of much -troubled Flanders--to feed the starving, care for the widowed and -orphaned non-combatants of the great war, to help bind up the nation's -wounds and restore hope and courage to its fearfully afflicted people. -This is our part in the history of Flanders--our duty to the people of -the brave nation of which Flanders forms so important and so famous a -part. May all of those on whom the spell of Flanders falls do their -share, however small, to help in this great work so long as the need -lasts! - -And when the great war is over let no American tourist omit Flanders -from his or her European itinerary. Its churches and town halls, its -quaint crooked streets and sixteenth-century houses, have received a -new and greater baptism of fire that has made them, one and all, -shrines to which every lover of liberty should make a pilgrimage. Even -the pleasant Belgian fields, with their bright poppies and corn -flowers, have a more profound interest now that so many of them have -been stained with a deeper red than the poppies ever gave. - - -THE END - - - - -BIBLIOGRAPHY - - - ALLEN, GRANT: Belgium: Its Cities. - - ALTMEYER: Des Causes de la Décadence du Comptoir hanséatique - de Bruges. - - ARMSTRONG, EDWARD: Emperor Charles V. - - - BALAU, S.: Soixante-dix Ans d'Histoire contemporaine de Belgique. - - BOULGER, DEMETRIUS C.: Belgian Life in Town and Country. - -- Belgium of the Belgians. - -- The History of Belgium. - - BUMPUS, T. F.: Cathedrals and Churches of Belgium. - - - CHARRIANT, H.: La Belgique Moderne. - - CHRISTYN, J. B.: Les Délices des Pays-Bas. - - CONSCIENCE, HENRI (or HENDRYK): De Kerels van Vlaanderen - (The Lion of Flanders). - -- Many of the other works of this great Flemish author have - been translated into English, French or German. - - CONWAY: Early Flemish Artists. - - CROWE, SIR J. A. and CAVALCASELLE, C. B.: The Early Flemish - Painters, Notices of their lives and work. - - - DE FLOU, CHARLES: Promenades dans Bruges. - - DELEPIERRE, OCTAVE: Annales de Bruges. - -- Chasse de Ste. Ursule. - -- Histoire de Charles le Bon. - -- Histoire de Marie de Bourgogne. - -- Galerie des Artistes Brugeois. - -- Old Flanders, or Popular Traditions and Legends of Belgium. - -- Sketch of the History of Flemish Literature. - - DESTRÉE, J. and VAN DEN VEN, P.: Tapisseries des Musées - Royaux du Cinquantenaire à Bruxelles. - - DESTRÉE, OLIVER GEORGES: The Renaissance of Sculpture in - Belgium. - - DUCLOS, AD.: Bruges, Histoire et Souvenirs. - - - EDWARDS, GEORGE WHARTON: Some Old Flemish Towns. - - - FRIS, VICTOR: Histoire de Gand. - - FROISSART, SIR JOHN: Chronicles of England, France, Spain - and the Adjoining Countries. - - FROMENTIN, EUGÈNE: The Old Masters of Belgium and Holland - (Les maîtres d'autrefois). - - - GÉNARD, P.: Anvers à travers les Ages. - -- La Furie Espagnole, in Annales de l'Académie d'Archéologie - d' Anvers. - - GEFFROY, GUSTAVE: Les Musées d'Europe: La Belgique. - - GILLIAT-SMITH, ERNEST: The Story of Bruges. - - GORDON, PRYSE L.: Belgium and Holland. - - GRIFFIS, W. E.: Belgium the Land of Art. - - - HAGGARD, A. C. P.: Louis XI and Charles the Bold. - -- Two Great Rivals (François I and Charles V). - - HAVARD, HENRY: La Flandre a vol d'oiseau. - - HOLLAND, CLIVE: Belgians at Home. - - HYMANS, HENRI: Anvers, in Les Villes d'Art célèbres. - -- Bruges et Ypres, in same series. - -- Gand et Tournai, in same series. - - - JAMESON, MRS. ANNA BROWNELL: Sacred and Legendary Art. - -- Legends of the Madonnas. - -- Legends of the Monastic Orders. - - - KERVYN DE LETTENHOVE: Huguenots et Gueux. - -- La Flandre pendant les trois derniers Siècles. - - KINTSCHOTS, L.: Anvers et ses Faubourgs. - - KIRK, J. F.: History of Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy. - - KLINGENSTEIN, L.: The Great Infanta Isabel. - - - MAC DONNELL, JOHN DE COURCY: Belgium, her Kings, Kingdom - and People. - - MICHIELS, A.: Rubens et l'École d'Anvers. - - MOTLEY, JOHN LOTHROP: The Rise of the Dutch Republic. - -- History of the United Netherlands. - - - NAMÉCHE: Histoire Nationale de la Belgique. - - - OMOND, GEORGE W. T.: Brabant and East Flanders. - -- Belgium. - - - PIRENNE, H.: Histoire de la Belgique. - - - REIFFENBURG: Mémoire sur le Commerce des Pays-Bas au XVe - et au XVIe Siècle. - -- Histoire de l'Ordre de la Toison d'Or. - - ROBERTSON, WILLIAM: History of the Reign of the Emperor, - Charles the Fifth. - - ROBINSON, WILFRID C.: Antwerp, an Historical Sketch. - - ROOSES, MAX: Art in Flanders. - -- Christophe Plantin, Imprimeur anversois. - -- Catalogue du Musée Plantin-Moretus. - -- Geschiedenis de Antwerpsche schilderschool. - - ROYAL ACADEMY OF BELGIUM: Biographie Nationale. - - - SCHAYES, A. G. B.: Histoire de Architecture en Belgique. - - SCOTT, SIR WALTER: Quentin Durward. - - SCUDAMORE, CYRIL: Belgium and the Belgians. - - SINGLETON, ESTHER: Art of the Belgian Galleries. - - SKRINE, FRANCIS HENRY: Fontenoy and the War of the Austrian - Succession. - - SMYTHE, C.: The Story of Belgium. - - STEPHENS, F. G.: Flemish Relics. - - STRADA, FAMIANO: De Bello Belgico (in French, Histoire de - la Guerre de Flandre). - - - THORPE, BENJAMIN: Netherlandish Traditions, in his Northern - Mythology. - - TREMAYNE, ELEANOR E.: The First Governess of the Netherlands, - Margaret of Austria. - - - VAN DE VYVERE, PAUL: Audenaerde et ses Monuments. - - VILBORT, JOSEPH: Renaissance de la Littérature flamande, les - Romans non traduits de Henri Conscience. - - - WAAGEN: Handbook of Painting in the German, Flemish and - Dutch Schools. - - WAUTERS, PROFESSOR A. J.: The Flemish School of Painting. - - - ZIMMERN, H.: The Hansa Towns. - - - - -INDEX - - - A - - Aardenburg, 59. - - Adornes, Anselm and John, of Bruges, 309. - - Adrian of Utrecht, 341. - - Agincourt, Battle of, 220. - - Agrippa, Cornelius, 341. - - Aire, seized by Philip Augustus, 135. - - Albert, Archduke, and Regent of Spanish Netherlands, defeated in - Battle of the Dunes, 96-98; - portrait by Rubens, 441; - arrival at Antwerp, 447; - welcomes Rubens, 448; 457; - siege of Ostende, 465-469. - - Albert I, King of the Belgians, makes headquarters at Furnes in the - Great War, 87; - continues wise policies of predecessors, 462; - peace and contentment under reign of, 462-463. - - Alençon, Duke of, 419. - - Alfred the Great, taught by Judith, afterwards Countess of Flanders, - 26; - daughter Alfrida marries Baldwin II, 24; 182. - - Alfrida, daughter of Alfred the Great, 34; 182. - - Allen, Grant, "Belgium, its Cities," cited, 235. - - Allowin, afterwards St. Bavon, 181-182. - - Alost, seized by Spanish mutineers, 415. - - Alsace, revolts against tyranny of Charles the Bold, 289. - - Alva, Duke of, recommends destruction of Ghent, 352; - made Regent of Spanish Netherlands, 381; 386; - policy a failure, 414-415; 416; - citadel and statue demolished, 418-419; 447. - - Amiens, repulses Charles the Bold, 289; 326. - - Angelo, Michael, Virgin and Child at Bruges, 51; - compared with Rubens, 438. - - Antigonus, legend of, 393-394. - - Antoing, village near Fontenoy, 253; 255-256. - - Antwerp, an experience in, 8-11; - crippled by closing of the Scheldt, 18-19; - first view of, 20-21; 71; 170; 228; - "_Ville d'Art_," 268; - painting by Van der Weyden at, 272; - works by Memling at, 299; - merchants leave Bruges for, 300; 312; - "renowned for its money," 320; 323; 324; - Cathedral spire completed, 339-340; - "monuments" classified, 363; - legend of Antigonus and Brabo, 393-394; - Scheldt displaces the Zwyn as a highway of commerce, 394-395; - under Dukes of Brabant, 395-397; - under Dukes of Burgundy, 397-398; - _Vielle Boucherie_ and Steen, 399; - new trade routes favour city, 399-401; - Quentin Matsys, 401-403; - other early Antwerp painters, 403-405; - legends of the Long Wapper, Kludde, etc., 405-410; - prosperity under Charles V, 411; - outbreak of the iconoclasts, 412-413; - failure of the Duke of Alva, 414-415; - the "Spanish Fury," 415-418; - citadel and statue of Alva demolished, 418-419; - the "French Fury," 419; - the great siege, 419-422; - ruin resulting from the Fury and the siege, 422-423; - the great printing house of Plantin-Moretus, 423-437; - home of Rubens, 438-439; - Cathedral, description of, 439-442; - life and achievements of Rubens, 442-447; - mild government of Archdukes, 447-448; - Van Dyck, 449-452; - Quellin, Jordaens, David Teniers and lesser Antwerp artists, - 452-455; - Royal Museum of Fine Arts, 455-456; - Hotel de Ville, 456-457; - later history from the Archdukes to the Great War, 457-463. - - Archery contests in Belgium, 105-110. - - Ardennes, 130. - - Arenburg, Duke of, 211. - - Arnolfini, Jean, and wife, portraits of, by Jean Van Eyck, 340. - - Arnulph the Great, strengthens Flemish cities, 35; - founds St. Donatian's at Bruges, 35. - - Arras, Treaty of 1191, 189; - Treaty of 1435, 222-223; - tapestry workers organised, 230; - tapestries of, 278-279; - starting point otapestry weaving, 385. - - Artois, Count of, besieges Furnes, 90; - leads French at Battle of the Spurs, 157; - death, 159; 160; - County of Artois ceded to France, 189. - - Audenaerde, tapestries, 5; - guildsmen from at Battle of the Spurs, 157; 202; - siege of by Philip Van Artevelde, 208; - besieged bPhilip the Bold, 218; - besieged by men from Ghent, 225; - Louis XI drives tapestry weavers from Arras to, 278; - tapestry ateliers specialise in pastoral scenes, 279; - country around, described, 367-368; - monument to volunteers who died in Mexico, 369-370; - description of Hotel de Ville, 370-376; - birthplace of Margaret of Parma, 377; - communal museum in Hotel de Ville, 381-382; - Cloth Hall, 382-383; - church of Ste. Walburge, 383-385; - tapestry weaving at, 385-387; - church of Notre Dame de Pamela, 387-389; - Château de Bourgogne, 390; - many religious institutions of, 390; - sieges and battles of the past, 391-392; 413. - - Austria, War of the Austrian Succession, 250; - Austrian troops at Fontenoy, 251; - arms of, at Audenaerde, 373; - Flanders during Warof the Austrian Succession, 458; - under Austrian Empire, 458-459. - - Auxerre, marriage of Baldwin I and Judith in 863, 26. - - - B - - Baldwin of Constantinople, Count of Flanders, 129-139; - painting of, at Courtrai, 152; 153; 162; 189; 197; - portrait of, 373. - - Baldwin of the Iron Arm, first Count of Flanders, 26; - remains of old Bourg, 27; - traces of chapel, 28; 55-56; 57; 218. - - Baldwin II, marries Alfrida, 34; - fortifies Flemish towns, 34-35; 182. - - Baldwin V, Count of Flanders, tower of, at Audenaerde, 376. - - Baldwin VIII, signs Treaty of Arras, 189. - - Basina, marriage to Childeric at Tournai, 246-247; 265. - - Basinus, King of the Thuringians, 246. - - Battle of the Spurs, 58; 119; - account of, 156-160; 177; 191; - effects of, 192-193; 196; 224; 314. - - Bazaine, Marshal of France, 370. - - Beaconsfield, Lord, quoted, 251. - - Beaune, painting by Van der Weyden at, 271. - - Beauvais, repulses Charles the Bold, 289; 387. - - Béguinage, at Bruges, 33-36; - origin of institution, 34-35; - Grand Béguinage at Ghent, 35; - description of, 209-213; - Petit Béguinage at Ghent, 210; - at Audenaerde, 390. - - Belfry, at Bruges, built above the Boterbeke, 27; - history and description of, 63-67; - at Courtrai, 147-148; - at Ghent, 184; - description of, 195-198; - at Tournai, description of, 262-263; - at Bruges, completed under Margaret of Austria, 340. - - Belgian coast, 16; - Belgian barbers, 44-46; - Belgian State Railway train service, 79-83; - Belgian popular sports, 105-115; - Belgian thrift, 216-217; - Belgian State Railway, working peoples' trains, 242-245. - - Bellegambe, 274. - - Bergues, canal from Nieuport to, 104. - - Berthout, Gauthier, Bishop of Malines, 312. - - Berthout, Jean, Bishop of Malines, 314. - - Bertulph, Provost of St. Donatian, 37; - executed at Ypres, 40-41. - - Bicycle racing in Belgium, 111-112. - - _Billets d'abonnement_, 3; 79; - for working-people, 242-243. - - Biloque (or Biloke) Hospital at Ghent, 209. - - Bladelin, Peter, town house at Bruges, 309; - founder of Middleburg, 309. - - Blankenberghe, from the sea, 16; - part of the Franc of Bruges, 59; 324. - - Blasère, William de, constructs first hothouse at Ghent, 356. - - Blaton, 368. - - Blondeel, Lancelot, 61. - - Blücher, 359. - - Bosch, Jerome, 341; 405. - - Botanical Garden at Malines, 316; - at Ghent, 356-358. - - Boterbeke River, intersection with the Roya, 26; - subterranean channel of, 27. - - Boulger, "History of Belgium," quoted, 293. - - Bouts, Dierick, life and principal works, 307-309; 341; 401. - - Bouvines, Battle of, 136. - - Brabant, Duchy of, 137; - united to Flanders by marriages of Cambrai, 218-219; - Philip the Good becomes Duke of, 221; - Duke of, at siege of Tournai, 249; 286; - Dukes of, contend with Counts of Flanders for Malines, 315; - Dukes of, rule over Antwerp, 395-397. - - Brabo, legend of, 393-394. - - Braekeleer, Henri de, "Nursery Garden" in Antwerp Museum, 456. - - Braine-le-Comte, Flemish name for, 150. - - Brauwer, Adrian, 454. - - Breidel, John, Dean of Butchers' Guild at Bruges, 154; - at the Matin de Bruges 155-156; - at the Battle of Courtrai, 157-160. - - Breughel, Peter the Elder, principal works and characteristics, - 404-405. - - _Brioches_, 46. - - Britto, Jean, printer at Bruges, 58. - - Broederlam, Melchior, early painter of Ypres, 230-231. - - Broel Towers at Courtrai, 164. - - Brou, in Savoy, 335-336. - - Bruges, repels Philip the Good in 1437, 4; - murder of Charles the Good, 4-5 and 36-42; - lace makers at, 5; - the first capital of Flanders, 13; - first visit to, 24; - founding of, 26; - derivation of name, 26-27; - _Vieux Bruges_ (old Bruges), 27-28; - more tourists than formerly, 30; - some quaint old streets, 31; - lacemakers on rue du Rouleau, 32; - fortified by Baldwin II, 34; - from Charles the Good to Marie of Burgundy, 52-53; - charter granted by Philip of Alsace, 55; - description of Hotel de Ville, 57-59; - Belfry and chimes, 65-67; - _Halles_, description of, 67-68; - period of greatest commercial activity, 68-70; - silting up of the Zwyn, 70-71; - Baldwin of Constantinople holds court at, 137; - artisans from Ypres move to, 145; - revolt against the French, 154; - visit of King of France, 155; - the Matin de Bruges, 155-156; - guildsmen from Bruges at Battle of the Spurs, 157; 171; - superseded by Ghent as capital of Flanders, 189; 190; 192; 197; - influence of Jacques Van Artevelde in, 200; - capital of Louis of Maele, 205; 210; - Philip the Good establishes Order of the Golden Fleece, 221-222; - the Bruges Vespers, 223-224; - the "Great Humiliation," 224-225; - Guild of St. Luke organised, 229-230; - Jehan de Bruges, 230; - "_Ville d'Art_," 268; 277; - principal capital of Charlesthe Bold, 287; - marriage of Maximilian and Marie of Burgundy, 294; - Memling at Bruges, 294-299; - Gheerhardt David, 299-300; - other early Flemish painters, 300-302; - the Gruuthuise Palace, 302-305; - Cathedral of St. Sauveur, 305-307; - other fine old mediæval buildings, 309-310; 312; - "renowned for its pretty girls," 321; 323; - Treaty of Cambrai, 338-339; - Belfry completed under Margaret of Austria, 340; 344; - paintings by Van der Goes, 362; - "monuments" classified, 363; 366; 393; 394; 397; 398; - attempt to close the Scheldt, 399-400; 401; 434; 448; 456. - - Brunehault, rival of Fredegonda, 247-248. - - Brussels, 9; - relation to Flanders, 12-13; - more French than Flemish, 13; - weather at, 22-23; - passage through, 24; 150; 170; 219; - Hotel de Ville built by Philip the Good, 228; - tapestry workers organised, 230; - part of the "Adoration of the Lamb" in Museum, 238; 243; - work of Van der Weyden at, 271; - "Abdication of Charles V," by Gallait at, 273; - Stallaert's "Death of Dido" at, 274; - tapestry weavers of Arras driven to, 278; - extorts privileges from Charles the Bold, 287; - works by Memling at, 299; - works by Dierick Bouts at, 308; - "renowned for its noble men," 321; 324; 339; - Cathedral of Ste. Gudule erected, 340; - manuscripts of Margaret of Austria in Bibliotheque Royale, 342; - Marie of Hungary removes capital to, 342; 351; 359; - "Madness of Hugo Van der Goes" in the Modern Gallery, 361; - portrait of Charles the Bold by Van der Goes, 362; 367; 368; - Henri Van Péde architect of Hotel de Ville, 371; - "Legend of St. Anne," by Quentin Matsys, 403; 443; 444; - Modern Gallery compared with Royal Museum at Antwerp, 456; 464. - - Burgundy, Dukes of, 4; 17; 174; - the marriages of Cambrai, 218-219; - power extended by Treaty of Arras, 222-223; - further extended at Péronne, 288; - defeated by Swiss at Granson, Morat and Nancy, 290-292; - Kingdom of Burgundy almost established, 293; 315; 351; - early château at Audenaerde, 390; 395; - acquire Antwerp, 398; - tyranny of, 462. - - Byzantine Emperors, coins of, found at Tournai, 265. - - - C - - Caen, Normandy, Plantin learns art of printing in, 423; 424. - - Cæsar, Julius, 245; 393. - - Calais, siege of by Philip the Good, 223. - - Calloo, 399; 420; 421. - - Calvinists, partially destroy Abbey of St. Bavon, 184; - propose to present "Adoration of the Lamb" to Queen Elizabeth, - 237. - - Cambrai, 61; - Marriages of, 218-219; - League of, 337; - Treaty of, 338-339; 351. - - Campin, Robert, early painter of Tournai, 270; 273; 274. - - Carnot, Gen., defence of Antwerp, 460. - - Cassel, captured by Philip Augustus, 135. - - Castle of the Counts (Château des Comtes), at Ghent, 170-179; - stormed by Jacques Van Artevelde, 200; - birthplace of John of Gaunt, 201; 233; 262; - Liévin Pyn tortured at, 349. - - Caxton, William, learns printing at Bruges, 228. - - Çayas, Gabriel de, patron of Christopher Plantin, 424; - interests Philip II in _Biblia Regia_, 426. - - Chapel of the Holy Blood at Bruges, crypt of St. Basil, 27-28; - receives relic from Dierick of Alsace, 55-56; - Procession and _Confrerie_, 56; - ruined during French Revolution, 56-57; - restoration, 57; 58. - - Charlemagne, breaking up of empire of, 26. - - Charles the Bald, creates title of Count of Flanders, 26. - - Charles the Bold, 3; - tomb at Bruges, 51-53; - betrothal at Damme, 75-77; 124; 271; - meteoric career and death, 285-294; 295; 302; 305; 310; 333; 344; - portrait of, 362. - - Charles I, King of England, knights Rubens, 448; - employs Van Dyck as court painter, 451-452. - - Charles V, the Emperor, 52; 62; - statue at Courtrai, 152; - destroys Abbey of St. Bavon, 183-184; - orders bell Roland removed, 197; - captures Tournai, 249; - "Abdication of," painting by Louis Gallait, 273; 292; - christened, 335; - educated by Margaret of Austria, 336; - becomes King of Spain, 337; - elected King of the Romans, 338; - chosen Emperor, 338; - rejoicings at Ghent over birth of, 346; - vast extent of dominions at age of twenty, 346-347; 348; - revolt of Ghent in 1539, 349-350; - withdraws all the city's ancient privileges, 350-355; - origin of Butchers' Guild of Ghent, 365; - portrait of, at Audenaerde, 373; - many reminders of, at Audenaerde, 374; - inserts spectacles in arms of Audenaerde, 373; - statue of, 375; - portrait of, 376; - father of Margaret of Parma, 377-378; 381; 395; - aids prosperity of Antwerp, 411; 412; - great bell at Antwerp named for, 441. - - Charles the Good, murder of, 4-5 and 36-42; - rebuilds Cathedral of St. Sauveur, 47; - erects part of church of Notre Dame, 50; - Bruges in the days of, 52-53; 54; 305. - - Charles VI, Emperor of Austria, 458; 469. - - Charles VI, King of France, sacks Courtrai, 161-162; - wins battle of Rosbecque, 207; 218. - - Charles VII, King of France, concludes Treaty of Arras, 222-223. - - Charles VIII, King of France, 334. - - Charolais, Count of, 233. - - Chateaubriand, minister of Louis XVIII, 358. - - Childeric, marriage with Basina at Tournai, 246-247; - incidents in life of, carved on portal of the Cathedral, 260; - relics of, discovered, 264-265; 281. - - Chilperic, King of the Franks, 247; - besieged at Tournai, 248; 281. - - Chimes, at Bruges, 65-67; - at Malines, 322-325; - at Audenaerde, 381; - at Antwerp, 440. - - Christus, Petrus, early painter of Bruges, 240. - - Claire, Lord, at Battle of Fontenoy, 254. - - Clauwaerts, partisans of Flemish independence, 154; - Jacques Van Artevelde, leader of, 199. - - Clays, P. J., 456. - - Clovis, King of the Franks, 247. - - _Concession Caroline_, promulgated by Charles V in 1540, 355. - - Columbus, discovery of America helps Antwerp, 400. - - Condé, defeats French under Turenne, 95. - - Conscience, Hendryk, Flemish novelist, 36. - - Conynck, Peter de, Dean of Weavers at Bruges, 154; - leader at the Matin de Bruges, 155-156; - at Battle of Courtrai, 157-160; 193. - - Coolman, Gauthier, 319. - - Cornelis, Albert, early painter of Bruges, 301. - - Cortés, 347. - - Counts of Flanders, rule over part of France, 12; - origin of County, 25; - the first Count, Baldwin of the Iron Arm, 26; - model of first castle, 28; - Emperor makes title hereditary, 34; 54; 151; - castle of, at Ghent, 170-179; - foster Abbey of St. Bavon, 182; - make Ghent their capital, 189; - decline in power of, 190; - weakness after Battle of the Spurs, 192-193; - obtain temporal power over Malines, 315; 351; - Scheldt their frontier, 394-395. - - Courtrai, linens, 5; - fortified by Baldwin II, 34; 58; - destroyed by Philip Augustus, 136; - lace makers at, 141; 146; - Belfry, 147-148; - Hotel de Ville, 151-153; - Battle of Courtrai, 152-160; - churches of, 161-163; - Broel towers at, 164; 193; 314. - - Coxcie, Michel, 237; 238; 339; 341; 386. - - Coxyde, dunes at, 92-93; - _pêcheurs de crevettes_, 93. - - Crayer, Gaspard de, 384; - religious pictures of, 453. - - Crécy, Battle of, 203. - - Crispin, 431. - - Crowe and Cavalcaselle, "The Early Flemish Painters," cited, 235. - - _Cuches au beurre_, 46-47. - - Cumberland, Duke of, defeated at Fontenoy, 251-255. - - - D - - Damme, receives charter from Philip of Alsace, 55; - birth of Van Maerlant (mural painting), 59; - period of prosperity and present aspect, 72-75; - betrothal of Margaret of York by Charles the Bold, 76-77; - destroyed by Philip Augustus, 135; - rallying place for Clauwaerts before the Matin de Bruges, 155; - destroyed by Philip the Bold, 219. - - Danes, invasions of, 34. - - Daret, Jacques, early painter of Tournai; 270; 273. - - David, Gheerhardt, life and principal works, 299-300. - - Davis, Thomas Osborne, poet, "Battle of Fontenoy" quoted, 253-255. - - Delbeke, Louis, 123. - - Deledicque, Antony, 139. - - Delvin, Jean, 93. - - Dendermonde (Termonde), 202; 310. - - Denucé, assistant curator of Plantin Museum, 434. - - Denyn, Josef, official bell ringer at Malines, 323-324; 440. - - Denys, Gérard, Dean of Weavers at Ghent, 204. - - Devreese, Godefroid, sculptor of Courtrai, 165. - - Dierick of Alsace, Count of Flanders, 54; - wise rule, 54-55; - brings Holy Blood from Jerusalem, 55-56; 59; 129; 171; - besieges ancient castle at Ghent, 177; - portrait of, 373. - - Dierick, Lord of Dixmude, legendary hero, 179. - - Dijon, capital of Burgundy, 148; - paintings by Melchior Broederlam at, 230-231; - "The Last Judgment" by Van der Weyden, at Beaune, 271; 287. - - Dinant, 277; 286. - - Dixmude, at time of the Crusades, 13; - part of the Franc of Bruges, 59; - history of, 83; - church of St. Nicholas, 84-85; - _gâteaux d'ames_, 85; - ravages of the war, 86; - Yser River and canal, 103-104; - church of St. Nicholas destroyed by the Germans, 482. - - Dozzo, Gasparo, rich Antwerp merchant, 411. - - Dumery, George, 65. - - Du Guesclin, 70. - - Dumuriez, general of first French Republic, 459. - - Dunes, viewed from the sea, 15; - at Coxyde, 92-93; - Battle of the Dunes, 96-98; 465. - - Dunkerque, receives charter from Philip of Alsace, 55; - canal from Nieuport to, 104. - - Duquesnoy, Jerome, 241; 355; - influenced by Rubens, 453. - - Dyle, river, at Malines, 312; 314; - views from, 316; 317; - _grand pont_ across, 333; 334. - - Dyver, at Bruges, 27; - view of Notre Dame from, 50. - - - E - - Eccloo, part of the Franc of Bruges, 59. - - Edward I, King of England, obtains Antwerp as a fief, 397. - - Edward III, King of England, 198; - treats with Jacques Van Artevelde, 200; - wins Battle of Sluys, 201; - welcomes Flemish weavers, 204-205; - besieges Tournai, 248-249; - at Antwerp, 397. - - Edward IV, King of England, guest of the Lord of Gruuthuise, 303. - - Egmont, Count of, "Last Honours to" and "Last Moments of" by Louis - Gallait, 273-274. - - Eleanor, Queen of France, 339. - - Elizabeth, Queen of England, 237; - sends English garrison to Ostende, 465-466. - - Epinoy, Christine, Princess of, heroic defence of Tournai, 249; - statue of, 262; - painting of, 274. - - Erasmus, 341. - - Erembald, house of, 37; - murder of Charles the Good, 38; - besieged in church of St. Donatian, 39; - flung from church tower, 41; - house nearly annihilated, 42. - - Erembald, blacksmith at Bruges, 65. - - Ethelwolf, King of Wessex, 26. - - Eugene, Prince of Savoy, 391. - - Everard, Nicholas, 341. - - - F - - Faid'herbe, Luke, sculptor of Malines, 326; - designs church of Notre Dame d'Hanswyck, 329; - pupil of Rubens, 453. - - Farnese, Octavio, Duke of Parma, 378. - - Ferdinand of Aragon, 62. - - Ferdinand, King of Bohemia, 339. - - Ferdinand of Portugal, Count of Flanders, 122; 135-136. - - Féré, Pierrot, tapestry maker of Arras, 279. - - Ferrand, Count of Flanders, 190. - - Flanders, location of, 1 and 12-13; - historical interest of, 3-5; - Bruges first capital of, 13; - plan of chronological tour of, 14; - climate, 22-24; - travel hints, 23; - origin of the County, 25; - just misses becoming independent, 192-193; - "the cock-pit of Europe," 250-251; 286; - end of independence in 1540, 355; - arms of, at Audenaerde, 373; - the Scheldt its Eastern boundary, 394-395. - - Flemish architecture, 3; - art, 6; - inns, 7-11; - language, 12-13; - coast, 15-16; - cleanliness, 43-44; - language in West Flanders, 99-100; - Belgium bi-lingual, 149-150; - Flemish dinners, 213-215. - - Fleurus, Battle of, 459. - - Floris, Corneille, 261. - - Floris, Frans, 386; - life and chief works, 403-404. - - Flowers in Belgium, 165-166; - fondness of people for, 284; - Bishop Triest encourages horticulture at Ghent, 355-356; - first hothouse, 356; - Botanical Gardens at Ghent, 357-358. - - Flushing, 17; 334. - - Fontenoy, Battle of, 250-255; - battlefield and monument, 256; 458. - - Franchoys, Luc, 331. - - Francis I, King of France, 62; - loses Tournai, 248; - concludes Treaty of Cambrai, 338-339. - - Fredegonda, Queen of the Franks, 247-248. - - Frederick II, Emperor, offers crown to Charles the Bold, 285; 294; - defeated by burghers of Ghent, 345. - - Froissart, 148; - eulogy of Ghent, 169; - description of "Mad Margery," 208-209; - describes siege of Tournai, 249. - - Fugger, Anthony, fame of his wealth, 411. - - Furnes, at time of the Crusades, 13; - receives charter from Philip of Alsace, 55; - history, 86-87; 90; - the Procession of, 87-89; - principal buildings, 90-92. - - Fyts, John, animal pictures of, 453. - - - G - - Galeswintha, sister of Brunehault, 248. - - Gallait, Louis, "Last Honours to Counts Egmont and Horn," 273; - other notable works, 273-274; - in Antwerp Museum, 456. - - Gavre, Battle of, 225-227; 344. - - Geefs, W., sculptor, 369. - - George II, King of England, 251. - - Gertrude, Countess of Flanders, 87. - - Ghent, fortified by Baldwin II, 34; - receives charter from Philip of Alsace, 55; - attack on Nieuport in 1383, 95; - repulsed at Ypres, 144; - artisans from Ypres move to, 145; - loyal to French in 1302, 156; - greatness in the Middle Ages, 169-170; - Château des Comtes, 170-179; - Abbey of St. Bavon, 181-185; - château of Girard the Devil, 185-186; - church of St. Nicholas, 186-188; - cathedral of St. Bavon, 188; - rapid growth in power, 189-191; - takes popular side after Battle of the Spurs, 194; - guilds, 194-195; - Belfry, 195-198; - Cloth Hall (Halles), 197; - the Mammelokker, 198; - Jacques Van Artevelde, 199-204; - expulsion of weavers, 204-205; - Philip Van Artevelde, 206-207; - resists Philip the Bold, 218; - rebels against Philip the Good, 225; - crushed at Gavre, 226-227; 228; - Guild of St. Luke organised, 229; 230; 233; - "the Adoration of the Lamb," 234-238; 262; - "_Ville d'Art_," 268; - extorts concessions from Charles the Bold, 287; - denounced by Charles, 289; 312; - "renowned for its halters," 321; - Hotel de Ville completed, 340; 344; - the Rabot, 345-346; - rejoicings over birth of Charles V, 346; - decline of cloth industry, 347; - Hotel de Ville, description of, 347-349; - outbreak of 1539, 349; - execution of Liévin Pyn, 350; - Emperor withdraws liberties and privileges, 350-355; - Bishop Triest and beginnings of horticulture, 355-357; - Botanical Garden, 357-359; - Louis XVIII at, 358-359; - Justus of Ghent and Hugo Van der Goes, 360-362; - Gerard Van der Meire, 363; - ranks first in "monuments," 363; - some of its minor monuments, 363-366; - Margaret of Parma presented as Regent at, 379; 391; 394; 397; 442. - - Ghistelle, Lords of, 309. - - Gilliat-Smith, Ernest, "Story of Bruges," cited, 310. - - Gilliodts, archevist of Bruges, quoted, 66-67. - - Girard the Devil (Girard le Diable), château of, 185-186; 195; 197; - 241. - - Godfrey of the Beard, Duke of Brabant, 395. - - Godfrey of Bouillon, 187. - - Gordon, Pryse L., cited, 180. - - Gossaert, Jan (or Mabuse), painting by, at Tournai, 274; - at court of Margaret of Austria, 339. - - Granson, Battle of, 271; 290; 291; 294. - - Granville, Cardinal, 426. - - Gravelines, 55. - - Griffis, "Belgium, the Land of Art," quoted, 480. - - Groeninghe, Abbey of, 159; - Flemish name for Battle of the Spurs, 164. - - Grupello, sculptor of Rubens school, 453. - - Gruuthuise, Louis (or Lodewyk) Van der, 302; 303. - - Gruuthuise Palace, 68; 302-305. - - Gryeff, Adolphus de, 386. - - Gueldre, Duke of, 313. - - Gueux, 328; 329. - - Guffens, Godefroid, fresco at Ypres, 124; - at Courtrai, 152. - - Guido Gezelle, poet, 163. - - Guilds, at Bruges, 64 and 70; - the 400 guilds of Ypres, 128; - guild leaders in 1302, 154; - at Battle of Courtrai, 157; - power of, 192-193; - guild houses in 14th century, 194-195; - slaughter of the fullers, 202; - slaughter of the weavers, 204; - expulsion of weavers, 204-205; - at Malines, 313-315; - house of Boatmen's Guild at Ghent, 347; - fine guild houses of Ghent, 365; - origin of Butchers' Guild, 365. - - Guizot, minister of Louis XVIII, 358. - - Guy of Dampierre, Count of Flanders, 122; 153-154; - grants Ghent a new _Keure_, 191. - - Guy of Namur, 193. - - - H - - Hachette, Jeanne, heroine of Beauvais, 289. - - Hacket, Châtelain of Bruges, 37; 42. - - Hainaut, County of, 130; - united to Flanders by marriages of Cambrai, 218-219; - Philip the Good becomes Count of, 221; 243; - Count of, at siege of Tournai, 249. - - Hal, baptismal font at, 277. - - Hanseatic League, 58; - at Bruges, 69; - abandons Bruges for Antwerp, 71; 401. - - Hay, Lord, at Battle of Fontenoy, 254. - - Hémony, Pierre, 323. - - Hennebicq, painter of Tournai, 274. - - Hennequin, painter of Tournai, 274. - - Henry III, Duke of Brabant, grants privileges to Antwerp, 396. - - Henry V, King of England, wins Battle of Agincourt, 220. - - Henry VIII, captures Tournai, 249; - tower of, 266-267. - - Herkenbald, "Justice of," painting by Van der Weyden, 271. - - Heuvick, early painter of Audenaerde, 382. - - Heyst, 16; 324. - - Hiéronimites, 186. - - Horembout, Gerard, 341. - - Horn, Count of, "Last Honors to," 273; 412. - - Hugonet, minister of Marie of Burgundy, 349. - - Humbercourt, minister of Marie of Burgundy, 349. - - Hundred Years' War, 70; 143; 198. - - - I - - Iconoclasts (or "Image Breakers"), at Malines, 328; 329; 370; - outbreak of, 380-381; - at Audenaerde, 389; - at Antwerp, 412-413; 440. - - Innocent VIII, 305-306. - - Inquisition, meeting-place at Furnes, 91; 415. - - Isabella of Castile, 62. - - Isabel, Queen of Denmark, 339. - - Isabella, Queen of France, 155. - - Isabella, Regent of the Netherlands, 422; - portrait by Rubens, 444; - arrival at Antwerp, 447; - encourages Rubens, 448; 457; - at siege of Ostende, 467; - weeps at ruin of the town, 469. - - Isabel of Portugal, marries Philip the Good, 221; - portrait of, 238; - picture of, in collection of Margaret of Austria, 340-341. - - - J - - Jacqueline, Countess of Hainaut and Holland, 176-177; - forced to abdicate, 221. - - Jansenius, Bishop of St. Martin at Ypres, 125-126. - - Janssens, Victor, 386. - - Jean II, Duke of Brabant, 314. - - Jeanne d'Arc, 221. - - Jeanne of Constantinople, Countess of Flanders, 122; 132; 135; - 136-139; - founds first Béguinage at Ghent, 210. - - Jehan de Bruges, early painter, 230. - - Jehan de Hasselt, early painter, 230. - - Jemappes, Battle of, 459. - - Joanna of Spain (Jeanne de Castile), 62; 346. - - John, Prince of Asturias, 334-335; - sudden death, 335. - - John, Don, of Austria, Regent of the Netherlands, 415; 418. - - John of Bavaria, 234. - - John I, Duke of Brabant, grants the _Core van Antwerpen_, 396. - - John II, Duke of Brabant, gives Antwerp to Edward I, 397. - - John III, Duke of Brabant, extends rights of foreigners at Antwerp, - 396-397. - - John the Fearless, Duke of Burgundy, 220; - court painter of, 231; 233; 383. - - John of Gaunt (Ghent), Duke of Lancaster, birth of, 201; 221. - - John, King of England, alliance with Ferdinand of Portugal, 136. - - Jordaens, Jacob, "Adoration of the Magi" at Dixmude, 84; - characteristics, 453; 455; 456. - - Joseph II, Emperor of Austria, 237; - revolt against, 458-459. - - Josephine, Empress of France, saves Botanical Garden at Ghent, - 357-358. - - Judith, first Countess of Flanders, 26; - traces of her chapel, 28; 34. - - Justus of Ghent, early Flemish painter, 360-362. - - Justus Lipsius, meets Christopher Plantin, 429; - writes his epitaph, 430; 431; 441. - - - K - - Kaboutermannekens, legends of, 408-409. - - Karls, refuse allegiance to feudal overlords, 37; - support the Erembalds, 38; - receive _Keurbrief_ from Philip of Alsace, 60-61. - - Katherine, Queen of Portugal, 339. - - Keldermans, André, Antoine I, Antoine II, Jean, Laurent and Mathieu, - all architects of Malines, 319-320. - - Keldermans, Rombaut, architect of Malines, 318; 320; - rebuilds Hotel de Savoy, 336; - receives many commissions from Margaret of Austria, 339-340; - designs _Maison de la Keure_ at Ghent, 348. - - Kerel van Yper, painter of Ypres, 141. - - Kermesse, its antiquity, 115; 378; 449. - - Keyser, Nicaise de, 160. - - Kiliaen, the Flemish lexicographer, 433. - - Kipling, quoted, 29. - - Kludde, legends of, 409-410. - - Knocke, 16. - - - L - - _Lac d'Amour_, Bruges, see Minnewater. - - Laevinius Torrentius, 433. - - Lagye, Victor, 457. - - Lalaing, Countess of, 377; 378. - - Lalaing, Philippe, Count of, 371. - - Lannoy, Charles de, 62. - - Larks in Belgium, 166-168. - - Legend of Baldwin of Constantinople, 130-133; - of siege of Ghent in 930, 179-180; - of St. Nicholas, 187; - of the Mammelokker, 198; - concerning the wealth of the Flemish burghers, 207-208; - of the marriage of Childeric and Basina, 246-247; - of Memling's wound at Nancy, 295-296; - of the "Vuyle Bruydegom" at Malines, 332-333; - of Antigonus and Brabo at Antwerp, 393-394; - of Lohengrin, 394; - of Quentin Matsys, 401-402; - of the Long Wapper of Antwerp, 405-408; - of the Kaboutermannekens, 408-409; - of Kludde, 409-410; - of Van Dyck at Saventhem, 449-451. - - Lemaire des Belges, Jean, 341. - - Leopold I, King of the Belgians, - first welcomed to Belgium at Furnes, 87; - elected King, 461; - frees the Scheldt in 1863, 461. - - Leopold II, King of the Belgians, - an efficient chief executive, 461-462; - Palace at Ostende, 470. - - Leys, Baron Henri, 456; - paintings in Hotel de Ville at Antwerp, 457. - - Liederick de Buck, portrait of, 373. - - Liedts, Baroness, lace collection at Bruges, 304. - - Liége, 106; 286; - insurrections at, 287-288; - city sacked, 288; 312; 344. - - Lieve, river, at Ghent, 169; 172. - - Liliaerts, partisans of France, 154; 189; 191; 194. - - Lille, destroyed by Philip Augustus, 136; - Baldwin of Constantinople executed at, 138-139; 207; - fêtes held by Philip the Good at, 227; 280. - - Lissweghe, 59. - - Lombartzyde, 95; - statue of the Virgin, 104-105. - - Longfellow, quoted, 67. - - Long Wapper of Antwerp, legends of, 405-408. - - Louis of Maele, Count of Flanders, 59; 175; - besieged at Ghent, 178; 183; 204; - marriage of daughter, 205-206; - defeated by Philip Van Artevelde, 206; - death, 207; - wealth of Ghent during reign of, 207-208; 218; - court painter of, 230; 397. - - Louis of Nevers, Count of Flanders, 124; 194; 198; - vainly resists popular party, 199-200; - hires assassination of Jacques Van Artevelde, 202-203; - death at Crécy, 203. - - Louis the Fat, King of France, 41-42. - - Louis XI, King of France, lives at Furnes while Dauphin, 90; - drives tapestry weavers from Arras, 278; - implacable foe of Charles the Bold, 286; - foments insurrection at Liége, 287-288; - stirs up German resistance to Charles, 289; - causes downfall of Charles, 293; 294; 334; 344. - - Louis XIII, King of France, 387. - - Louis XIV, captures Tournai, 250; 265; - removes tapestries from Audenaerde, 376; - portrait of, 376; 387; - bombards Audenaerde, 391. - - Louis XV, King of France, at Battle of Fontenoy, 251-255; - Joyous Entry at Antwerp, 458. - - Louis XVIII, King of France, at Ghent, 358-359. - - Louise of Savoy, 338. - - Louvain, 219; - Hotel de Ville, 228; - Guild of St. Luke organised, 230; - work of Van der Weyden at, 271; - Dierick Bouts at, 307-308; 310; - "renowned for its scholars," 321; 371; 395; - birth-place of Quentin Matsys, 401; 403. - - Lyon, Jean, Dean of Boatmen's Guild, 188. - - Lys, river, 146; - superior for retting flax, 147; 158; 164; 169; 204; 206. - - - M - - Mabuse, see Jan Gossaert. - - Mace, Robert, teaches art of printing to Christopher Plantin, 423. - - Maele, Château of, near Bruges, 303. - - Mahaut, Countess of Flanders, 122. - - Malfait of Brussels, 124. - - Malines, lace makers at, 5; - centre of Flemish architecture, art and learning, 12; - "_Ville d'Art_," 268; - extorts privileges from Charles the Bold, 287; - terrible destruction in the Great War, 311; - situation and importance, 312; - early history, 312-315; - Cloth Hall and museum, 317; 318; - Cathedral of St. Rombaut, 318-323; - chimes, 323-325; - interior of Cathedral, 325-327; - "renowned for its fools," 321; - Notre Dame au delà de la Dyle, 327-328; - Notre Dame d'Hanswyck, 328-329; - church of St. Jean, 330-331; - Hotel de Ville, 332; - Vieux Palais, 332-333; - some fine old houses, 333; - Margaret of Austria, early life, 333-336; - her court at Malines, 336; 342; - death,342-343; - "monuments" classified, 363; 439; 442; - Cathedral sadly injured, 482. - - Mammelokker, bas relief and legend of, 198. - - Manson, Collard, printer at Bruges, 228; 435. - - Margaret of Austria, Regent of the Netherlands, 61-62; - childhood and early life, 333-336; - Palace at Malines, 336; - Regent of the Netherlands, 337; - negotiates the "Ladies' Peace," 338-339; - brilliant court, 339; - taste for art and literature, 340-342; - untimely death, 342-343; 345; 349. - - Margaret, Countess of Flanders, 122; 132; 135; 136; 153. - - Margaret, daughter of Louis of Maele, 183; 205-206; 218. - - Margaret of Parma, portrait at Audenaerde, 376; - birth and marriages, 377-378; - Regent of the Netherlands, 379; - popularity, 379-380; - suppresses outbreak of the Iconoclasts, 380-381; - superseded by Duke of Alva, 381; 413; 419; 425. - - Margaret of York, betrothal to Charles the Bold at Damme, 75-77; - resides at Malines, 333; 336. - - Maria Theresa, Empress of Austria, 458. - - Marie of Burgundy, tomb at Bruges, 51-53; - statue, 62; 293; - marries Maximilian, 294; - children of, 333; 344; 345; 349. - - Marie of Champagne, Countess of Flanders, 133; - dedicates Cloth Hall at Ypres, 134; - death in Syria, 134; 162. - - Marie, Queen of Hungary, 339; - Regent of the Netherlands, 342-343; - insurrection at Ghent during reign of, 349-350; 354. - - Marlborough, Duke of, captures Tournai, 250; - wins Battle of Audenaerde, 391; - recalled in peasant nursery song, 391-392; - takes Antwerp after Battle of Ramillies, 458. - - Marot, Clement, 428. - - Marvis Towers at Tournai, 265. - - Massé, 341. - - Matsys, Quentin, life and principal works, 401-403. - - Matthew, Duke of Lorraine, 122. - - Maurice, Count of Nassau, wins Battle of the Dunes, 96-98; 465; - captures Sluys, 468. - - Maximilian, Emperor, 51; - statue of, 62; - conflict with Bruges, 71; - marriage to Marie of Burgundy, 294; 333; - Regent of Flanders, 334; - fondness for daughter, Margaret of Austria, 337; - death, 338; 345; 347; 411. - - Maximilian, Emperor of Mexico, 369. - - Memling, Hans, at Bruges, 295-296; - works of, in Hospital of St. Jean, 296-298; - other notable paintings, 298-299; 307; - in collection of Margaret of Austria, 341. - - Mercator, 431. - - Merghelynck Museum at Ypres, 139-140; 304. - - Meunier, Constantin, statue of _pecheur des crevettes_, 93; - painting at Courtrai, 160. - - Michelle, first wife of Philip the Good, 183; - death of, 233-234. - - Middleburg, paintings by Van der Weyden at, 309. - - Minnewater, 33; - view of Notre Dame from, 50; - formerly chief harbour of Bruges, 71-72. - - Molinet, Jean, 341. - - Mons, capital of Hainaut, 130; - Flemish name for, 150; 219; - Hotel de Ville, 228; 243; 252. - - Montalembert, quoted, 388. - - Montanus, Arias, supervises _Biblia Regia_, 426; - opinion of Christopher Plantin, 427; 431. - - Morat, Battle of, 291. - - Moretus, Balthazar I, 432. - - Moretus, Edouard, sells Plantin-Moretus museum to city of Antwerp, - 432. - - Moretus, Jean I, marries Martina, daughter of Christopher Plantin, - 429; 431; 432; - tomb in the Cathedral, 441; - employs Rubens, 443; - friend of Rubens, 448. - - Moretus, Jean II, 431-432. - - Montereau, murder of John the Fearless at, 220. - - _Morte d'Ypres, la_ (the Death of Ypres), 117; 122; 123; 144. - - Motley, cited, 413. - - - N - - Nancy, siege of, 291; - death of Charles the Bold before, 292; 295; 333. - - Namur, 312. - - Napoleon, saves Chapel of the Holy Blood, 56; 94; 282; 330; 358; - 358-359; - removes tapestries from Audenaerde, 376; - at Antwerp, 460. - - Nauwelaerts, official bell ringer of Bruges, 66. - - Neerwinden, Battle of, 459. - - Nicholas V, Pope, 340. - - Nicholas de Verdun, 277. - - Nieuport, at time of the Crusades, 13; - receives charter from Philip of Alsace, 55; - some famous sieges of, 95; - Battle of the Dunes, 96-98; - Chambers of Rhetoric, 99; - Tower of the Templars, Cloth Hall and church of Notre Dame, - 99-101; - the Yser River, locks and canals, 103-104; 465; 473. - - Norsemen, anarchy resulting from invasions of, 36; - capture Tournai, 248; 256; 259; - burn church at Audenaerde, 383. - - Notre Dame, Cathedral of, at Antwerp, 20; 228; - well cover made by Quentin Matsys, 401; - description of, 440-442. - - Notre Dame de Pamela, church of, at Audenaerde, 387-389. - - Notre Dame, church of, at Bruges, 50-53; - remains of Charles the Bold placed in, 292; 303; 306. - - Notre Dame, church of, at Courtrai, 162-163. - - Notre Dame au delà de la Dyle, church of, at Malines, 316; - description, 327-328. - - Notre Dame d'Hanswyck, church of, at Malines, 316; - description, 328-329. - - Notre Dame, Cathedral of, at Tournai, 245; - description, 255-262. - - - O - - Order of the Golden Fleece, 58; 172; 175; - established by Philip the Good, 221-222; - fêtes at Lille, 227; - Tournai tapestries ordered for, 279; - chapter at Malines, 334; - at Antwerp, 412; - portrait of Charles V wearing insignia of, 376. - - Ostende, part of the Franc of Bruges, 59; 102; - canal from Nieuport to, 103; 324; 359; - on main tourist routes, 464; - great siege of 1601-1603, 465-469; - renown as a watering place since 1830, 470; - description of the _Digue_, the Esplanade and the beach, 471-472; - summer prices at, 472-473; - the Kursaal, 473-477; - the Estacade, 477-478; - last glimpses of, 478-479. - - Orleans, Duke of, 220; 233. - - Ortelius, 431. - - Oudenaarde, Jan van, 72. - - - P - - Pape, Simon de, early painter of Audenaerde, 384; 389. - - Parma, Duke of, captures Ypres, 144; - besieges Tournai, 249; - son of Margaret of Parma, 378; - Regent of the Netherlands, 379; 414; - siege of Antwerp, 419-422; 447; - siege of Ostende, 465. - - Pauwels, Ferdinand, 121-122. - - Pavia, Battle of, 62. - - Pembroke, Duke of, 70. - - Péronne, 138; - Louis XI visits Charles the Bold at, 288; 293. - - Péterinck, François, maker of fine porcelains at Tournai, 280. - - Philibert II, Duke of Savoy, 335. - - Philip of Alsace, Count of Flanders, grants charters to many Flemish - cities, 55; 59; - grants the _Keurbrief_, 59-61; 87; 129; - builds Spuytorre at Courtrai, 164; - erects Château des Comtes at Ghent, 171; 173; 189. - - Philip Augustus, King of France, 135-136; 138; 153; - Treaty of Arras, 189; - annexes Tournai, 248; - painting of, at Tournai, 274. - - Philip the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, 90; 124; - removes clock at Courtrai, 148; - rebuilds Spuytorre at Courtrai, 164; - marries Margaret of Maele, 183; - significance of this event, 205-206; - acknowledged as Count of Flanders, 218; - arranges the marriages of Cambrai, 218-219; - death, 220; - court painter of, 230-231; 397. - - Philippe de Champaigne, 376. - - Philip the Fair (Philippe le Bel), King of France, 153; - annexes Flanders, 154; - at Bruges, 155; - rage over the Matin de Bruges, 156; - defeated at Courtrai, 157-160; - sheriffs of, besieged at Ghent, 177. - - Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, 4; 58; 90; 175; 176; - becomes Count of Flanders, Hainaut and Holland, and Duke of - Brabant, 220-221; - founds Order of the Golden Fleece, 221-222; - siege of Calais, 222-223; - repulsed at Bruges (Bruges vespers), 223-224; - humbles Bruges, 224-225; - crushes Ghent at Gavre, 225-227; - holds fêtes at Lille, 227; - divergent estimates of character, 228-229; 231; - visits studio of Jean Van Eyck, 235-236; - orders portrait of Isabel of Portugal, 238; - orders tapestries at Tournai, 279; 287; 305; 340; 344; - grants liberal charter to Antwerp, 398. - - Philip the Handsome, Duke of Burgundy, 51; 62; 91; - education, 333; - premature death, 334; 346. - - Philip II, King of Spain, 91; 236-237; 249; 292-293; - unwise policy provokes revolt, 379-380; - sends Duke of Alva to punish iconoclasts, 381; 412; 413-415; - rejoices at fall of Antwerp, 422; 424; - aids Plantin to publish _Biblia Regia_, 426; 427; 432; 447; 465. - - Philip of Valois, King of France, 201-202. - - Pierre de Beckère, 52. - - Pius II, 378. - - Pizarro, 346. - - Plantin, Christopher, early life, 423-424; - establishes printing house at Antwerp, 425; - issues the _Biblia Regia_, 426-427; - extent of business, 427-428; - moves to Friday Market, 428-429; - death, 429-430; - extent of achievements, 431; - tomb in the Cathedral, 441. - - Plantin-Moretus Museum, at Antwerp, 423; 432-437; - portraits by Rubens, 444; - sketches by Rubens, 445. - - Pourbus, Pieter, 301. - - Prévost, Jean, 301. - - Procession of the Holy Blood at Bruges, 56; - Procession at Furnes, 87-89; - _Peysprocessie_ at Malines, 315. - - Pyn, Liévin, execution of, 349-350; 351; 352. - - - Q - - Quellin, Erasmus, "The Adoration of the Shepherds" at Malines, 327; - 433; - founds family of sculptors and painters, 452-543. - - "Quentin Durward" by Sir Walter Scott, cited, 288. - - - R - - Rabot at Ghent, 345-346. - - Raeske, Richard de, 37. - - Ramillies, Battle of, 458. - - Raphelingen, Francis, chief proof-reader of Christopher Plantin, - 427; - marries Margaret, eldest daughter, 429. - - Rénacle de Florennes, 341. - - _Reparation invisible_, 215-216. - - Requesens, Regent of the Netherlands, 415. - - Richard, Duke of Gloucester, later Richard III, King of England, - 303. - - Rivière, Jeanne, wife of Christopher Plantin, 423; - aids husband with a linen business, 429. - - Robbins, Philippe, master tapestry weaver of Audenaerde, 387. - - Robert the Frisian, Count of Flanders, 141. - - Robert II, Count of Flanders, 87-88. - - Robinson, Wilfrid, "Antwerp, an Historical Sketch," quoted, 397. - - Rockox, burgomaster of Antwerp, 448. - - Roda, Jerome, 415. - - Roland, the great bell at Ghent, 196-197; - inscription on, 196; - taken down by Charles V, 354. - - Rooses, Max, Director of Plantin-Moretus Museum, quoted, 239-240; - 298; - description of Plantin Museum, cited, 433. - - Rosbecque, Battle of, 162; 163; 207. - - Roya, at Bruges, 26; 27; 52. - - Rubens, Peter Paul, "St. Bavon withdrawing from the World" at Ghent, - 241; - "Christ on the Cross" at Malines, 317; - "Miraculous Draught of Fishes" at Malines, 327-328; - "Adoration of the Magi" at Malines, 330; 386; 433; - rank among the masters, 438; - two masterpieces in Cathedral at Antwerp, 339-440; - "Resurrection" in the Cathedral, 441; - at height of fame, 442-444; - enormous productivity, 444-445; - death, 445; - Prof. Wauters' estimate of, 446-447; - patronised by the "Archdukes," 448; - diplomatic missions, 448; - letters, 449; 455; 456. - - Rudolph II, Emperor of Austria, 405. - - - S - - St. Amand, early missionary, 181. - - St. Basil, crypt of, at Bruges, 27-28; - restoration, 57; 171. - - St. Bavon, Abbey of, at Ghent, 181-185; 189; - destruction of, by Charles V, 353. - - St. Bavon, Cathedral of, at Ghent, 172; - crypt, 188-189; - altar-piece by the Van Eycks, 234-238; - other works of art in, 240-241; 355; 360. - - St. Brice, church of, at Tournai, 263-264. - - St. Donatian, church of, at Bruges, 35; - scene of murder of Charles the Good, 38; - besieged by foes of the Erembalds, 39-41; - Erembalds flung from tower, 41; - destroyed in French Revolution, 42; - relics and approximate site, 42-43; 292. - - St. Eleuthereus, statue of, on portal of Cathedral, 260; - _Chasse_ of, 276-277; - life of, depicted on tapestry in Cathedral, 279. - - St. George, church of, at Nancy, 292. - - St. Ghislain, 252. - - Ste. Gudule, Cathedral of, at Brussels, 340. - - St. Jacques, church of, at Antwerp, 445-446. - - St. Jean, Hospital of, at Bruges, legend of nursing Memling, - 295-296; - Shrine of St. Ursula, 296-298; - other works by Memling at, 298; - description of, 299; 301. - - St. Jean, church of, at Ghent, name changed to St. Bavon in 1540, - 188. - - St. Jean, church of, at Malines, 330-331. - - St. Luke, Guild of, first organised in Flemish towns, 229-230; - admits brothers Van Eyck at Bruges, 234; - at Tournai, 270-271; - at Ghent admits Van der Meire, 363; - admits Frans Floris at Antwerp, 403; - admits Christopher Plantin at Antwerp, 423; - elects Rubens President, 445. - - St. Martin, church of, at Courtrai, 161-162. - - St. Martin, church of, at Ypres, 125-126. - - St. Mary, church of, at Antwerp, 412; - becomes Cathedral of Notre Dame in 1560, 440. - - St. Michel, church of, at Ghent, 181. - - St. Nicholas, church of, at Dixmude, 84-85; 482. - - St. Nicholas, church of, at Ghent, 186-188. - - St. Omer, seized by Philip Augustus, 135. - - St. Peter, monastery of, at Ghent, 181-182; 189. - - St. Peter, church of, at Louvain, 307-308. - - St. Piat, martyrdom at Tournai, 245; - statue of, on portal of Cathedral, 260; - life of, depicted on tapestry in Cathedral, 279. - - St. Rombaut, Cathedral of, at Malines, 312; 313; - first view of, 317; - the tower and its builders, 318-323; - the chimes, 323-325; - interior and art treasures, 325-327; 328; - tower completed, 340. - - St. Sauveur, Cathedral of, at Bruges, 47-50; 305-307; 362. - - Ste. Ursula, Shrine of, 296-298. - - Ste. Walburge, church of, at Audenaerde, 368; 369; 382; - description of, 383-385; 389. - - Ste. Walburge, church of, at Furnes, 88 and 92. - - Saventhem, 449-451. - - Savoy, Duchess of, see Margaret of Austria. - - Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, Leopold, Prince of, elected King of the Belgians, - 461. - - Saxe, Maurice, victor at Fontenoy, 251-255. - - Scheldt, estuary, 17; - "the greyest of grey rivers," 18; - history of navigation on, 18-19; - view from, 19-20; - river traffic on, 20; - Antwerp from, 21; - monument on Place Marnix, 19; 169; - at Tournai, 266; 300; - snakes in, 382; - at Audenaerde, 387; 389; - legend of Brabo, 393-394; - displaces the Zwyn as highway of commerce, 394-395; - fight for mastery of, 399-400; - deepens as commerce grows, 400; 401; 414; - closed during reign of the Archdukes, 447; - opened to navigation in 1795, 459; - docks erected by Napoleon, 460; - free under the Dutch, 460; - freed permanently by Leopold I in 1863, 461; - growth of commerce since, 462. - - Scott, Sir Walter, "Quentin Durward," cited, 288; 304. - - Seghers, Daniel, 51. - - Shelley, "Ode to the Skylark," quoted, 167-168. - - Sigebert, brother of Chilperic, 248; 281. - - Sluys, part of the Franc of Bruges, 59; - landing place of Margaret of York in 1468, 76; - Battle of, 201; - captured by Maurice of Nassau, 468. - - Snellinck, Jean, "Creation of Eve" at Audenaerde, 388-389. - - Snyders, Francis, animal pictures of, 453. - - Spanish Fury, the, 415-418. - - Spierinckx, Peter, 386. - - Spinola, Ambrose, Marquis of, captures Ostende, 468-469. - - Stallaert, "Death of Dido," 274. - - Steen, 396; 398; - description of, 399. - - Strada, the historian, cited, 378. - - Swerts, Jean, mural paintings at Ypres, 125; - at Courtrai, 152. - - - T - - Taillebert, Urban, 84. - - Tancmar, Lord of Straten, 37. - - Tani, Jacopo, 298. - - Tapestry, 5; - workers organised into a guild, 230; - in church of St. Brice at Tournai, 264; - weaving at Tournai, 278-280; 376; - at Audenaerde, 384-390. - - Templars, Tower of, at Nieuport, 95; 99; - House of, at Ypres, 140-141. - - Teniers, David, 7; 386; - master of scenes of homely Flemish life, 453-454; 455; 456. - - Tournai, tapestries, 5; - forest of, 134; - besieged by Edward III, 202; - Guild of St. Luke organised, 229; - tapestry workers organised, 230; - oldest city in Belgium, 242; - _Turris Nerviorum_ of Cæsar, 245; - capital of Merovingian Kings, 245-248; - many sieges, 248-250; - Battle of Fontenoy, 250-255; - Belfry, 262-263; - Roman houses and church of St. Brice, 263-264; - relics of King Childeric, 264-265; - Marvis Towers, _Pont des Trous_, and tower of Henry VIII, 265-267; - _Ville d'Art_, 268-269 and 281-282; - Robert Campin, Jacques Daret and Van der Weyden, 269-272; - Cloth Hall and Museum of Fine Arts, 272-275; - later artists, 274-275; - sculptors at, 275-276; - gold and silversmiths at, 276-277; - coppersmiths at, 277-278; - tapestry weavers, 278-280; - porcelains of, 280-281; - manufactures of stained glass, 281-282; - manufacture of fine carpets, 282; 312; - "monuments" classified, 363; 377; - tapestry weaving at, 383. - - Trajan, "the Just Emperor," painting by Van der Weyden, 271. - - Triest, Bishop, tomb in Cathedral of St. Bavon at Ghent, 241; - encourages horticulture at Ghent, 355-356; 358. - - Turenne, defeated by Condé near Nieuport, 95. - - Turin, Exposition of, Tournai carpet shown at, 282. - - Turnhout, lace makers at, 5; - fairy hill near, 409. - - - U - - Urbin, Duke of, 378. - - - V - - Valckx, Pierre, sculptor, 381. - - Valenciennes, 134; 137; - lace made at Ypres, 141; 219; - tapestry workers organised, 230; 351. - - Van Artevelde, Jacques (or Jacob), besieges Louis of Maele at Ghent, - 178; - rise to power, 199-200; - alliance with Edward III, 201; - Battle of Sluys, 201-202; - assassination, 202-204; 248-249; 397. - - Van Artevelde, Philip, brief career, 206-207; - big cannon of, 208; - at siege of Audenaerde, 391. - - Van Bredael, Alexander, 386. - - Van den Broeck, 431. - - Van Dyck, Anthony, "The Raising of the Cross" at Courtrai, 162-163; - "The Crucifixion" at Malines, 327; 433; - pupil of Rubens, 499; - "Saint Martin dividing Cloak among the Beggars," 499-451; - at Antwerp, 451; - court painter of Charles I, 451; - chief works, 451-452; 456. - - Van Eyck, Hubert, tombstone at Abbey of St. Bavon, 184; - discovery of art of painting with oils, 231-233; - in service of Philip the Good, 233-234; - plans and begins "The Adoration of the Lamb," 234-235; - death, 234; - monument, 241; 269; 270; 295; 360. - - Van Eyck, Jean, colours statues for Hotel de Ville at Bruges, 58; - 59; - discovery of art of painting with oils, 231-233; - enters service of Philip the Good, 233-234; - completes "The Adoration of the Lamb," 235; - later paintings, 238-239; - death, 240; - monument, 241; 269; 270; 295; 301; - "_La Belle Portugalaise_" at Malines, 341-342; 360. - - Van der Gheynst, Jehanne (or Jeanne), 377-378. - - Van der Goes, Hugo, 273; 301; 307; - life and principal works, 360-362. - - Van Maerlant, Jacob, Flemish poet, 59; - statue at Damme, 73-74. - - Van der Meire, Gerard, painter of Ghent, 363. - - Van Nieuwenhove, Martin, painting of, by Memling, 298. - - Van Noort, Adam, teacher of Rubens, 441. - - Van Orley, Bernard, 339; 341. - - Van der Paele, George, painting of, by Jean Van Eyck, 239-240. - - Van Péde, Henri, 371. - - Van der Schelden, Paul, sculptor, 373; - wooden doorway at Audenaerde, 375. - - Van Severdonck, 274. - - Van de Walle, burgomaster of Bruges, 224; 225. - - Van der Voort, Michel, sculptor of Antwerp, 326. - - Van der Weyden, Rogier (Roger de la Pasture), 270-272; 273; - influence of sculpture on, 275; 280; 300; 307; 308; 309; 341. - - Vauban, military engineer, constructs walls of Ypres, 142; - fortifies Tournai, 250; 312. - - Verbanck, Georges, 241. - - Verbruggen, P. H., sculptor, 241; 453. - - Vere, Sir Francis, English commander at Ostende, 467-468. - - Verhaegen, Theodore, sculptor, 329; - fine carvings at Malines, 331. - - Verlat, Charles, 418-419. - - Vervoort, Michel, 442. - - Vivés, Louis, 341. - - Voisin, Belgian historian, 160. - - Vos, Martin de, many works of, at Antwerp, 404; 431. - - Vriendt, Albrecht and Julian de, frescoes at Bruges, 58-59; - at Furnes, 91. - - Vriendt, Cornelius de, 456-457. - - Vos, Cornelius de, portraits of, 453. - - Vydts, Jodocus, 234. - - - W - - Waghenakere, Dominique de, architect, 348. - - Walloon provinces, 13; 24. - - Walter of Straten, 37. - - Waterloo, Battle of, 94; 158; 250; 359; 460. - - Wauters, Prof. A. J., "History of Flemish Painting," cited, 229; - attributes portrait of Charles the Bold to Van der Goes, 362; - on Peter Breughel the Elder, quoted, 404-405; - eulogy of Rubens, quoted, 446-447. - - Wauters, Emile, painting of the madness of Hugo Van der Goes, 361. - - Weale, James, cited, 299. - - Westende, 473. - - White Hoods, 188; - destroy castles of Liliaert nobles, 200. - - William of Dampierre, Count of Flanders, 153. - - William I, King of Holland, 460. - - William of Juliers, Provost of Maestricht, 154; 193. - - William the Silent, Prince of Orange, 320; 328; 412; 419; - death, 419; - plans for defence of Antwerp disregarded, 420-421. - - Winders, sculptor, 19. - - Witte, Gaspar de, 386. - - Wolsey, Cardinal, 249. - - Wordsworth, quoted, 168. - - Wynandael, 53; 132. - - - Y - - Yperlée, tributary to the Yser, 104. - - Ypres, at the time of the Crusades, 13; - fortified by Baldwin II, 34; - execution of Provost of St. Donatian at, 40-41; - receives charter from Philip of Alsace, 55; - stubborn defence in the Great War, 116-118; - _Halle aux Draps_, or Cloth Hall, 118-125; - church of St. Martin, 125-126; - Grande Place, 126-129; - Musée Merghelynck, 139-140; - rue de Lille and ancient city walls, 141-143; - causes of decline, 143-145; - language spoken at, 159; - guildsmen of, at Battle of the Spurs, 157; 190; 192; 198-199; - influence of Jacques Van Artevelde in, 200; 202; - Melchior Broederlam, early painter of, 230-231; 304; - Hotel de Ville destroyed by the Germans, 482. - - Ysenbrant, Adriaen, early painter of Bruges, 301. - - Yser Canal, limit of the German advance, 94; - the locks, the river and the three canals, 103-104. - - - Z - - Zee-Brugge, from the sea, 16. - - Zeghers, Gerard, religious pictures of, 453. - - Zwyn, ancient channel to Bruges, 16-17; 59; - silting up of, 70-71; - replaced by the Scheldt, as channel of commerce, 394-395; 398. - - - -***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SPELL OF FLANDERS*** - - -******* This file should be named 41830-8.txt or 41830-8.zip ******* - - -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: -http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/4/1/8/3/41830 - - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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