Cambridge Antiquarian Society. Octavo Publications. No. XXIV. 
 
 JOURNAL 
 
 OF A TOUR THROUGH PART OF 
 
 FLANDERS AND FRANCE 
 
 IN AUGUST, 1773, 
 
 BY 
 
 JAMES ESSEX, F.S.A. 
 
 EDITED BY 
 
 W. M. FAWCETT, M.A, 
 
 JESUS COLLEGE. 
 
 DEIGHTON, BELL & CO. ; MACMILLAN & BOWES. 
 LONDON: G. BELL AND SONS. 
 
 1888. 
 
 Price 6s. 
 
JOUKNAL 
 
 OF A TOUR THROUGH PART OF 
 
 FLANDERS AND FRANCE 
 
 IN" AUGUST, 1773. 
 
PRINTED BY C. J. CLAY, M.A. AND SONS, 
 AT THE UNIVERSITY PRESS. 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 in 2013 
 
 http://archive.org/details/journaloftourthrOOesse 
 
JOUKNAL 
 
 OF A TOUR THROUGH PART OF 
 
 FLANDERS AND FRANCE 
 
 IN AUGUST, 1773, 
 
 BY 
 
 JAMES ESSEX, F.S.A. 
 
 EDITED BY 
 
 W. M. FAWCETT, M.A. 
 
 JESUS COLLECxE, 
 
 DEIGHTON, BELL & CO. ; MACMILLAN & BOWES, 
 LONDON: G. BELL AND SONS. 
 
 1888. 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 The original manuscript of the journal here printed is in 
 the possession of Miss Marian Hammond, a lady connected by 
 marriage with the writer's family, as will be explained below. 
 It was very kindly lent to me by her a short time ago, with 
 permission to print it or not, as I thought desirable. As all 
 descriptions of buildings on the Continent written before the 
 French Revolution are of special interest, I read some ex- 
 tracts from the MS. to the Society, and, shortly afterwards, 
 the Council asked me to prepare the whole for publication. 
 In order to do this as thoroughly as possible, I made Belgium 
 the scene of one of my holidays, that I might note what 
 changes had been made in the buildings described since the 
 journal was written \ It was not without difficulty that I 
 settled how far to record these changes. I felt that to enter 
 into particulars would not only far exceed my bounds, but, if 
 done at all completely, would turn a document which is of 
 considerable interest in itself into a mere architectural guide- 
 book. I determined therefore to confine my observations 
 within the smallest possible compass, and not to attempt to 
 describe anything which had not been noticed by the author. 
 
 I also felt some difficulty about the spelling and punc- 
 
 ^ His friend and fellow-traveller, the Rev. Michael Tyson, Fellow of 
 Corpus Christi College, also kept a journal. Writing to Gough, 21 Octo- 
 ber, 1773, he says : "Essex and myself returned liome delighted with 
 Popery and Popish Churches... you shall, some time or other, peep into my 
 journal." Nichols, Literary Anecdotes^ viii, 607. I regret to say that Mr 
 Tyson's journal cannot now be traced. 
 
 C. A. S. Octavo Series. XXIV. b 
 
vi 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 tuation, but decided that unless the MS. were written over 
 again in modern English, the transcript must be kept close 
 to the original ; and, though it may be felt that if Mr Essex 
 had printed it himself, he would have made certain correc- 
 tions, readers can now settle for themselves what varieties 
 from modern English are due to the date of the MS., and what 
 are due to its being written out as a mere memorandum, 
 without any idea of its being printed. 
 
 I felt the same difficulty also with regard to the illus- 
 trations. They are merely drawn with the quill pen with 
 which Mr Essex wrote the MS., and not set out accurately as 
 architectural drawings. If one attempted to finish them, and 
 draw them out with care, they would certainly lose the character 
 he put into them; a character which is not without interest, 
 for some of them shew the state of his mind very clearly, and 
 the difficulty he felt in distinguishing between the Romanesque 
 capitals with vertical foliage of which he had seen but few 
 examples in this country, and the Corinthian Order which had 
 been a study of his life. All these illustrations have therefore 
 been inserted as pure facsimiles. 
 
 To these sketches I have added two other illustrations : one 
 a very good portrait of Essex, which was found among Bowtell's 
 MSS. in Downing College \ and which the Master and Fellows 
 kindly allowed me to reproduce ; the other a silhouette of 
 himself, his wife, and his daughter, the property of Albert 
 Hartshorne. Esq., of Bradbourne Hall, Wirksworth, near Derby, 
 which he kindly placed at my service. For both of these I wish 
 to express my hearty thanks. Mr Hartshorne mentions that 
 the silhouette is a very interesting specimen, as silhouettes 
 are seldom found of so early a date, and this one is drawn in 
 
 ^ It is stated in Cooper's Annals, iv. 413, that this portrait was drawn 
 by Essex's son-in-law, the Rev. John Hammond. The inscription at the 
 foot of the drawing merely says that it is "from an original mini^tiire 
 in the possession of J. Hammond, M A.'* 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 vii 
 
 Indian ink on cardboard, and not cut out in paper and pasted 
 on to cardboard as later specimens almost invariably are. 
 
 I am also indebted to M. Genard, Archivist at Antwerp, 
 who very courteously shewed me several drawings of buildings 
 now destroyed, and gave me much information that I could 
 not have obtained without his help ; and to M. Max Rooses, 
 Keeper of the Plan tin Museum, who kindly looked over my notes 
 and explained several difficulties. My thanks are due also to 
 J. H. Hessels, M.A. for the kind interest which he has taken in 
 my work, and for obtaining M. Max Rooses' assistance for me. 
 
 I will now give a short biographical account of Mr Essex, 
 for he was a well-known man in the middle of the last 
 century, and was deservedly held in high esteem, both on 
 public and private grounds \ He was the son of a Cambridge 
 builder, or, as he is usually designated, a " joyner," evidently 
 a man of distinction in his trade, for we find him employed on 
 many important works. The father executed the sash-windows 
 and wainscot in the Senate House (1724-25), and apparently 
 designed the latter, for it was ordered, 20 July, 1725, 'that 
 Mr Essex be employ'd for the Wainscot, and that Articles 
 be drawn between the University and him according to the 
 Proposals given in by Mr Essex, and alter'd by Mr Gibbs 
 he ' beautified ' the chapel of Trinity Hall, and rebuilt the 
 hall (1729-42) ; fitted up the Regent House, now the 
 catalogue-room of the University Library, for the reception 
 of Bishop Moore's books (1731-34) ; and transformed the 
 hall of Queens' College, under the direction of Mr Burrough, 
 1732-34. In the course of the above-mentioned work at the 
 Library he apparently designed the book-cases, which are re- 
 
 1 A notice of the architectural career of Essex is given in the Archi- 
 tectural History of the Urdversity of Cambridge, by Professor Willis and 
 Mr J. W. Clark, vol. iii., pp. 540 — 546, and a chronological list of the works 
 executed by himself and his father will be found in the Index. It will 
 therefore be understood that I am quoting from that work unless reference 
 is made to some other authority. 
 
Vlll 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 markably beautiful specimens of that class of woodwork; for no 
 other name than his occurs in the University accounts for the 
 years during which the work was proceeding. The following 
 are the entries referring to it : 
 
 " 1731. For work in the Old Senate House. 
 
 To Mr Essex towards Flooring and Classing the s'' 
 
 Room for the reception of the King's Books 200 00 00 
 
 1732. I Similar entry] 200 00 00 
 
 1733. Mr Essex. P*^ more to him for Joyners' and Car- 
 
 vers' Work done in the library . . . 100 00 00" 
 
 He died in February, 1749, and was buried in S. Botolph's 
 churchyard, 17 February. 
 
 James Essex, the subject of my memoir, was born in 
 Cambridge in August, 1722. He was ''put to Scheie for 
 grammatical Learning," as his friend the Rev. William Cole 
 has recorded, " under Mr Heath, Fellow of King's College, 
 the Master of the College Scheie kept in the new Brick 
 Building at the S. E. end of the ChapeP." Whatever Mr Cole 
 may have understood by the term "grammatical learning," 
 the system there pursued might be thought to have failed 
 in imparting orthography, if we are to judge by the journal 
 before us ; but it should be stated on the other hand that 
 the large series of Essex's note-books preserved in the British 
 Museum does not exhibit the same glaring faults. It has been 
 suggested, with much probability, that the constant sight of 
 King's College Chapel may have determined his taste in favour 
 of Gothic Architecture ^ To this conjecture I would add 
 another : that he may have been admitted, as a boy of promise, 
 to some share in the society of the Fellows, and thus have laid 
 the foundation of tastes and acquirements, hardly to be ex- 
 pected in one who began life as a master-builder, and which 
 
 1 MSS. Cole "Athense Cantabrigienses." Add. MSS. Mus. Brit. 5868, 
 p. 72. 
 
 2 Remarks on Modern Gothic Architecture, by E. J. Willson, p. xvi. 
 prefixed to Pugin's Specimens, London, 1821. 4to. 
 
TNTllODUCTION. 
 
 IX 
 
 enabled liim, in after-life, to associate on terms of equality 
 with men of letters. We shall find that he wrote a good 
 English style, both in his reports, and in his papers contri- 
 buted to the Archwologia ; while in the numerous letters 
 addressed to him, or in which he is mentioned, there is no 
 trace of condescension, or any suspicion that his correspondents, 
 while making use of his talents, regarded him as an inferior. 
 On leaving school, "he studied regular architecture, with 
 great attention, under Sir James Burrough^;" but, while 
 studying architecture, the practical business of a builders 
 profession was not neglected, for in September, 1749, about 
 six months after his father's death, we find him building 
 the wooden bridge at Queens' College ; and, from that time, 
 to the end of his life, he was employed almost continuously on 
 more or less important works, both in building and carpentry. 
 These I will briefly enumerate, but, before I do so, another 
 matter must detain us for a few moments. 
 
 In 1748 Essex became involved in a controversy with the 
 Reverend Robert Masters, Fellow and Bursar of Corpus Christi 
 College, respecting the authorship of a plan for adding a new 
 court to the college. A dispute so petty, and, to one of the 
 parties, so discreditable, would not be worth recording, did 
 it not exhibit the straightforwardness and independent spirit 
 of Essex in a peculiarly favourable light. Most young trades- 
 men, dependent on University custom for their livelihood, 
 would probably have passed over in silence the misdeeds of 
 a man holding the dignified social position that Masters did. 
 Essex, on the contrary, did not hesitate for a moment to assert 
 his rights, and the opinion of competent judges seems to have 
 been wholly on his side. 
 
 In December, 1747, Mr Masters, then engaged upon the 
 history of his college, the first part of which he published 
 
 ^ This valuable piece of information occurs in the notes to a paper by 
 the Rev. Michael Tyson, printed in the Archceologia, vol. xvi. p. 306. 
 
X 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 in 1753, had employed Essex to measure the ground available 
 for building purposes, and to draw a plan for a new court, 
 which he had had printed, and circulated among his friends as 
 his own. This, we may imagine, came to Essex's ears, for 
 in September, 1748, he published the following advertisement^: 
 
 "Cambridge, Sept. 20, 1748. 
 
 Proposals /or Engraving and Printing hy Subscription, 
 
 A Perspective View and Geometrical Plan of an intended Addition to 
 Corpus Christi College in Cambridge ; According to a Design made in 
 December, 1747, for the Rev. Mr Robert Masters, B.D., Fellow and Bursar 
 of the said College. By James Essex, Jun. of Cambridge. 
 
 I. The whole will be contained in One Copper Plate, 18 Inches by 12, 
 engraved in the best manner, and printed on the best Paper that can be 
 procured. 
 
 II. The Price to Subscribers will be Two Shillings and Six Pence, to 
 be paid at the time of subscribing. 
 
 III. The Draught being already finished, will be put into the Engraver's 
 Hands immediately, and finished as soon as possible. 
 
 Subscriptions are taken in by Mr Thurlbourn, Bookseller in Cambridge, 
 Mr Craighton, Bookseller in Ipswich, and Mr Gleed, Bookseller in Norwich." 
 
 Mr Masters replied as follows ; 
 
 " Cambridge, Oct. 3, 1748. 
 
 VihevQ^^ James Essex, Jun. of this Place, has lately publish'd Proposals 
 for Engraving and Printing by Subscription at the Price of Two Shillings 
 and Six-pence, a Plan of an intended New Building in Corpus Christi 
 College, without the Consent or Approbation of the Society, and likewise 
 insinuated that it was of his Designing : This is to inform the Publick, that 
 the Original Draught of it by Mr Masters's own Hand, with the several 
 Alterations and Additions which have been since made, may be seen by 
 any one at his Chambers in the said College, and that Essex was no other- 
 wise employ'd therein than copying out his Design. 
 
 N.B. Mv Masters has already printed a suflacient Number for Presents 
 to his Friends, which was all he first intended, but if Essex should persist 
 in his Scheme, will think himself obhged to print more very soon, which 
 will be sold for One ShiUing each." 
 
 Mr Masters no doubt expected that this advertisement 
 would silence the audacious youngster who dared to question 
 
 1 This and the two following advertisements are printed at the end of 
 the pamphlet described below. 
 
INTRODIK^TION. 
 
 XI 
 
 his proceedings ; but it had a contrary effect, for on the very 
 next day Essex replied : 
 
 "Cambridge, Oct. 4, 1748. 
 
 Whereas Mr Masters of Corpus Christi College^ has hxtely publish'd an 
 Advertisement, wherein he pretends to inform the Publick, That the Original 
 Design of an intended New Building in Corpus Christi College was made by 
 his own Hand ; and that this Design, Avitli the several Additions and Altera- 
 tions which have been since made, may be seen by any one at his Chambers 
 in the said College: and that Essex was no otherwise employ'd therein than 
 in copying out his Design, This is to desire the said Mr Masters to produce 
 the Plan and Elevation of his pretended Design, with the Copy thereof, to 
 publick View, so that they may be compared ; and the said Essex will not 
 only make it api)ear that it is his own Design, but that the said Mr Masters 
 is incapable of making such a one ; and that the Prints he has publish'd are 
 incorrect Copies of the rough Drawings made by the said Essex, which has 
 {sic) been copy'd without his Consent or Approbation. 
 
 N.B. As the said Essex is determin'd to persist in his Scheme, he pro- 
 poses to publish some Remarks on Mr Masters' s Original Design, wherein 
 he shall find Occasion to observe how little he is acquainted with the Duo- 
 decim Nessaria {sic), which Remarks will be givGw gratis to the Subscribers, 
 if the said Mr Masters persists in his Scheme of selling his Prints for One 
 Shilling each." 
 
 It is evident, from a passage quoted below, that Masters 
 did publish his plan, and in consequence the following pamphlet 
 appeared early in 1749. It consists of fourteen octavo pages, 
 and is dated "Cambridge Feb. 20, 1748-49." 
 
 " Mr James Essex's Letter to His Subscribers to the Plan and Elevation 
 of An intended Addition to Corpus Christi College in Cambridge. 
 
 Good name in Man or Woman, 
 
 Is the immediate Jewel of our Souls. 
 
 Who steals my Purse, steals Trash; His something, nothing, 
 ^Twas mine, 'tis his, and has heen Slave to Thousands : 
 But he that filches from me my good Name, 
 Robs me of that which not enriches him 
 And inakes me Poor indeed. Shakes?. Othel. 
 
 Cambridge: Printed by R. Walker and T. James, 1748-9." 
 
 In this performance Essex submits his adversary's plan to a 
 detailed examination, and points out, with almost savage exul- 
 
Xll 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 tatioii, the blunders which are to be found in nearly every part 
 
 of it. Mr Masters had apparently failed to fulfil his promise of 
 
 exhibiting his original plan, for Essex remarks (p. 3) : 
 
 " As I have been depriv'd (as well as others) of the Happiness of seeing 
 Mr Masters Original Design,...! shall take the Liberty to supply the Want 
 of it, by pubHshing some Remarks on a Print which he has lately publish'd; 
 being the same winch in my Answer to his Advertisement I declar'd to be 
 an incorrect Copy of my rough Drawings : to explain which it will be proper 
 to inform you that I made two different Plans of the Design before he could 
 fix on any Thing particular, and setting aside the Mistakes which he has 
 made for want of understanding it, his Print may be allow'd to be taken 
 from my two Plans." 
 
 He next points out a number of obvious blunders. In the 
 
 first place Mr Masters had placed the Old Court too near the 
 
 street ; an error which, on his own shewing, must have been his 
 
 own, for he had stated in the advertisement above quoted, 
 
 that Essex had been "no otherwise employ 'd therein than 
 
 copying out his Design ". The Hall is too wide ; the Master's 
 
 Lodge is not only too wide, but the staircase has been left out ; 
 
 and there is a remarkable gap in the references, which is thus 
 
 accounted for : 
 
 " Mr Masters, without Doubt, has some very learned Reasons for 
 leaving the Letter I out of the References, though he could have none 
 extraordinary for leaving the Combination Stairs out of the Plan, which in 
 mine is mark'd with this Letter." 
 
 Lastly, after pointing out other mistakes, which I have no 
 space to examine in detail, he exclaims (p. 13) : 
 
 " But the greatest Mistake of all is, that the Plan and Elevation do not 
 agree in their Measures, which could proceed from nothing else but his 
 Ignorance of the Design, or his Ignorance of Geometry, or both." 
 
 It is extremely difficult, at this distance of time, to form an 
 independent opinion on this curious controversy, even when we 
 have both the plans before us\ On the whole, it appears 
 
 1 The plan by Masters is published as a frontispiece to his History ; 
 that by Essex, dated 1748, is extremely scarce, but I have had the good 
 fortune to see one copy of it, in my friend Mr J. W. Clark's collection. It 
 is quite different from the second plan which he published in 1773. 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 Xlll 
 
 most probable that Essex (whose uprightness and modesty 
 are frequently held up to admiration in after-years by his 
 friends) was in the right ; and it is strong evidence in his 
 favour that Gough in his British Topography (1780), speaking 
 of Masters' History, says: ''He has annexed a plan of a new 
 building, copied by P. Stephens from a larger design by Mr 
 Essex, engraved by Mr West 1739^"; and that Cole, writing to 
 Gough from Milton, 17 December, 1780, remarks: "I under- 
 stand my rough neighbour is much offended at some expres- 
 sions relating to him in your excellent book. . . . The great thing 
 ... which has offended him is reviving the accusation of plagiar- 
 ism. In short, Mr Essex could give other proofs of it ; and 
 more could be produced, if necessary. However, upon the 
 whole, I wish it had been forgotten : though really what you 
 say, I think, may easily be excused^". 
 
 I will now proceed to give a list of the more important 
 works executed by Essex in Cambridge. The date appended to 
 each denotes the completion of the work. 
 
 1750. Builds bridge at Queens' College (Btheridge Architect). 
 
 1751. Fits up " Square Room" or " Dome Room " at Library for MSS. 
 1754. Rebuilds Great Bridge. 
 
 1757. Designs and builds Ramsden building at S. Catharine's College. 
 
 1758. Repairs and alters Nevile's court at Trinity College. 
 1760. Designs and builds new range at Queens' College. 
 
 „ Builds Doctors' Gallery in Great S. Mary's Church (Burrough 
 Architect 
 
 1764. Repairs and alters hall at Emmanuel College. 
 
 1766. Designs and builds bridge at Trinity College. 
 
 1 British Topography, i. 233. Mr Gough makes two mistakes : the 
 date was 1748, and the engraver W. H. Toms, as shewn in the list of 
 Essex's designs given below. 
 
 Nichols, Lit. Anecd. i. 687. Mr Masters was at that time rector of 
 the neighbouring parish of Landbeach. That he was not unwilling to 
 profit by the labours of others without acknowledgement has been pointed 
 out in the notes to Josselin's Historiola Collegii Corporis Christi (Octavo 
 Publ. No. XVII. p. 54). 
 
 3 For this date see Arch. Hist. iii. 538, note. 
 
XIV 
 
 INTKODUCTION. 
 
 1768. Completes west end of Senate-House. 
 
 1769. Ashlars quadrangle of Christ's College. 
 
 „ Completes chapel at Clare College after death of Burrough. 
 
 1771. Is commissioned to buy site and design buildings for Downing 
 College. 
 
 1775. Rebuilds combination-room of Trinity College. 
 
 „ Designs and builds west front of Emmanuel College. 
 
 1776. Designs and sets up altar-piece, etc. at King's College. 
 „ Alters south side of first court of S. John's College. 
 
 1778. Provides book-cases for library of Sidney Sussex College. 
 
 1782. Designs and builds new chapel of Sidney Sussex College. 
 
 1784. Builds Guildhall. 
 
 In the transformation of older structures which Essex was 
 instructed to carry out, as well as in his original works (except 
 in the altar-piece at King's College), he adopted the debased 
 Italian style then in fashion, which he had no doubt learnt 
 from Burrough ; but, though compelled to follow the taste of 
 the day, he was in reality an enthusiastic admirer of the then 
 despised Gothic style, and has been well characterised as ' the 
 first professional architect whose works displayed a correct taste 
 in imitations of ancient English architecture \' His real pre- 
 dilections are forcibly exhibited in the following passage from 
 his Observations on Lincoln Cathedral, read to the Society of 
 Antiquaries in 1775. After noticing the vexed question of the 
 rival merits of the cathedrals of York and Lincoln, and quoting 
 a letter dated 9 July, 1740, in which Lord Burlington's opinion 
 in favour of Lincoln is stated, he proceeds : 
 
 " Lord Burlington had a taste for architecture, and was as capable of 
 deciding this question as any person ; but the merit of Gothic architecture 
 was then but little noticed, and the distinctions of style but little known. 
 It was the fashion to apply the name of Gothic to every irregular or dis- 
 proportioned building ; and, strange as it must appear, the noblest of our 
 old cathedrals, and other ingenious works, have been no better esteemed 
 than the productions of a rude people, who were ignorant of all the prin- 
 ciples of designing, and the art of executing. But, under whatever deno- 
 mination the conductors of these noble fabricks may be placed, whether 
 we call them Goths or Free-masons, we must acknowledge that the style 
 
 ^ Remarks on Modern Gothic Architecture, ut supra, p. xvi. 
 
INTllOJ)UCTI()N. 
 
 of building- which they used was brought to a more perfect system by 
 them, tliau the Greek or Roman has been by modern architects ; and that 
 the principles on which it was founded were unknown to the greatest 
 professors of architecture since the Reformation, is evident from the 
 attempts of Inigo Jones, Sir Christopher Wren, Mr Gibbs, Mr Kent, and 
 many others of inferior abilities since their time, who have endeavoured to 
 imitate it without success. But we are not to conclude, that the con- 
 ductors of these stately fabricks had no principles to direct them, because 
 these great men did not discover them ; for if any one, who is properly 
 qualified, will divest himself of his prejudices in favour of the mode of 
 building which fashion has made agreeable, and impartially examine the 
 merits of those Gothic buildings which are perfect, he must acknowledge, 
 that the ancient Free-masons were equal to our modern architects in taste 
 for designing (agreeable to the mode of their times), and superior to them 
 in abilities to execute ; that they perfectly understood the nature and use 
 of proportions, and knew how to vary them when they wanted to produce 
 a striking effect^." 
 
 This passage was written, it will be remembered, while 
 Essex was constructing his own altar-piece at King's College ; 
 and it is impossible to resist the inference that it was present to 
 his mind when noticing unsuccessful endeavours to imitate the 
 Gothic style. That altar-piece, however, is a very meritorious 
 work, having regard to the time when it was executed, though 
 its faults justify the remark of Pugin, " that the works of Essex 
 in the Gothic style are deficient in boldness, and spirit of 
 design, and his details too often meagre ^" 
 
 Much, however, as Essex admired the work he attempted to 
 imitate, he could never quite shake off the effects of his early 
 training, and, so late as 1764, he could give the following strange 
 advice respecting the treatment of Gothic ornamentation : 
 
 "In repairing the Ornaments about the Church, either of Wood or 
 ytone, some Regard should be had to the Uniformity of the Work : but it 
 is not necessary to restore every Ornament that was broken : for as there 
 is generally a Superfluity of Ornaments in Gothic Architecture, the Uni- 
 formity will often be better preserved by taking away a remaining Part, 
 than by restoring that which was lost : and this may be done sometimes 
 
 1 Archceologia, Vol. iv. p. 158. 
 
 - Remarks, etc., ut supra^ p. xvii. note. 
 
XVI 
 
 INTIIODUCTION. 
 
 without Offence to the most judicious Eye : and very often it will be an 
 Improvement to the Beauty of the Work, rather than a Defect : so 
 that, by observing this Rule, much Time and Expence may be saved in 
 beautifying the Church. For where the Proportions of the Parts are 
 just, the Ornaments will never be missed ; and where they are not, too 
 great a Profusion of Ornaments will disgust the Admirers of Simplicity 
 and Proportion, without concealing the Want of it^" 
 
 Moreover, though a devoted archaeologist, and second to none 
 in his reverence for antiquity, he could occasionally advocate 
 the removal of parts of ancient structures, in order to carry out 
 his own ideas of what was beautiful and correct. This course 
 he pursued both at Ely and Lincoln. 
 
 His works at Ely Cathedral are thus summarized by 
 Bentham : 
 
 "The upper part of the outward Eastern Front had given way, and 
 hung out of the perpendicular, near two Feet ; but was restored to it's 
 first state under the direction of Mr Essex ; who also gave the Design for 
 the new Roofing over the whole of the Eastern part of the Church, lately 
 finished and contrived with great judgment to strengthen the Stone Walls, 
 which give it support. To the same judicious Architect likewise is owing 
 that strength and security which are seen in the whole Wood-work of the 
 Dome and Lantern ; which through long inattention were brought into a 
 dangerous condition ; the main Supporters being rotted, and the whole 
 threatening ruin by it's own weight. This dangerous work was taken in 
 hand in 1757, and a compleat reparation eff'ected in five yearsl" 
 
 Further particulars of what Essex did, with extracts from 
 
 the report^ which he submitted to the Dean and Chapter in 
 
 July, 1757, will be found in the essay On the Architectural 
 
 History of Ely Cathedral, by the Rev. D. J. Stewart, who 
 
 gratefully records that 
 
 " in executing repairs absolutely essential to the safety of the building, 
 Mr Essex showed great professional skill, and unusual respect for the 
 workmanship of an earlier period. He took all possible pains to save 
 every fragment of the old timber that could be kept in its original place, 
 
 1 Report to the Dean and Chapter of Lincoln, August, 1764. Add. 
 MSS. Mus. Brit. 6772. 
 
 •2 Bentham's Ely (ed. 1812) p. 284. 
 
 3 Copied by Cole, MSS. Cole, xli. fol. 170-172. Add. MSS. Mus. 
 Brit. 5842. The original is in the Muniment Room of Ely Cathedral. 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 XVll 
 
 and can fairly claim the credit of having carried out his work in a purely 
 conservative spirit ^" 
 
 In strange contradiction to this meritorious conduct he ad- 
 vised the Dean and Chapter to take down the west porch, as 
 "neither ornamental nor useful", and "to apply the materials to 
 the use of other parts of the church^;" and in 1759 advocated 
 the removal of the choir from its original position under the 
 lantern to the east end of the presbytery, with the altar placed 
 against the east wall. This change, though agreed to in 1759, 
 was not carried out till 1770, probably from lack of fundsl But 
 even in this subversion of ancient arrangements his respect for 
 old work was apparent, for he took care to preserve, in the west 
 face of the organ-screen which he constructed, some fragments 
 of an arcade, of delicate workmanship and good design, of earlier 
 date than the stallwork, evidently the remains of some im- 
 portant structure in the church which had been destroyed 
 
 Essex was sent for to advise the Dean and Chapter of 
 Lincoln in September, 1761, the Cathedral, like that at Ely, 
 being in need of substantial repair. He sent in a very clear and 
 business-like report, pointing out what was necessary to be 
 
 ^ On the Architectural History of Ely Cathedral. By the Rev. D, J. 
 Stewart (London, 1868. 8vo), pp. 74, 125 — 127. 
 ' Stewart, p. 54. 
 
 3 Benthani, p. 285; Stewart, p. 43. A letter to solicit subscriptions, 
 signed The Dean and Chapter^ was issued Nov. 24, 1759, on a large folio 
 sheet. It embodies Essex's chief reasons for the removal, and is sur- 
 mounted by a beautiful ground-plan of the choir in its new position, and 
 an elevation shewing the effect of the stalls, screens, etc., drawn by himself. 
 In his letter to the Dean and Chapter, dated 14 June, 1759, recommending 
 this alteration (MSS. Cole xli. fol. 172 b— 173. Add. MSS. Mus. Brit. 5842) 
 he says: "Having been informed that an eminent Architect has declared 
 it his Opinion that the Removal of the Choir will spoil the Church, I hope 
 if he thinks so, that he will produce his Reasons, and I will endeavour to 
 answer them." It would be interesting to know who this architect was. 
 
 ^ A7\'h. Hist, of the University and Colleges of Cambridge, iii. 546, note. 
 This fact was communicated to the Editor by the Rev. D. J. Stewart. The 
 arcade is shewn in History and Antiquities of the Cathedral CJiurches of 
 Great Britain, by J. Storer (Lonrl. 1 816. 8vo), " Ely", PI. v. 
 
XVlll 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 done ill order to prevent further mischief to the roofs, walls, &c. 
 These works were carried out in subsequent years, as funds 
 would permit. Three years later he addressed to them a 
 second report (dated August, 1764), in which he went over the 
 same ground again, and pointed out the necessity for further 
 repairs of a similar character. These works having been com- 
 pleted, the interior was taken in hand, and in the original 
 works there executed Essex is seen at his best. 
 
 A few years before he was called in, the w^estern towers had 
 been supported internally by walls of great thickness, pierced 
 with narrow arches and round openings in the most debased 
 classical style. Essex enlarged the opening in the wall which 
 crossed the iiave, and inserted an arch of wide span, copied (it 
 must be admitted) from the nave pier-arches, but of so excellent 
 a design that until it is closely examined, it might easily pass 
 for a piece of original work. He also renewed the paving 
 throughout, repaired the choir-screen, and designed an altar- 
 piece in stone. It consists of a central canopy, flanked by 
 lateral canopies, and Avas probably suggested by the tomb of 
 Bishop William de Luda in Ely Cathedral. It is easy to object 
 that it is deficient in dignity, and meagre in detail ; but, these 
 defects having been granted, it must be felt to have consider- 
 able merit, even when contrasted, as it is perpetually, with the 
 consummate beauty of the Angel Choir. The Bishop's throne, 
 of wood, a wholly satisfactory composition, was also designed by 
 Essex \ Here, as at Ely, he advised the removal of the choir 
 
 1 In all these works Essex was much assisted by a skilful local carver, 
 named James Pinke. All the carving about the altar is his work ; and he 
 also restored the stone organ-screen and the arched doorways at the west 
 end of the choir aisles. Mr Pinke died in 1810, aged 75. For this record, 
 and for much kind help respecting the connection of Essex with Lincoln 
 Cathedral I am indebted to the Rev. E. Venables, Canon and Precentor. 
 Those who wish for further information should consult his Architectural 
 History of Lincoln Cathedral in the Archwological Journal, vol. xl. pp. 
 159—192, 377—418. 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 xix 
 
 to the extreme east end of the church, but with commendable 
 hesitation, as he admitted that the difficulties would be great 
 and the cost enormous; and further, he suggested the destruction 
 of "parts which it would be better to remove than to repair," in 
 other words, of the screens between the transepts and the chapels 
 on their eastern sides. 
 
 Essex also designed the beautiful stone cresting which 
 crowns the central tower. This tower had been surmounted by 
 a lofty spire of timber covered with lead, which was blown 
 down in a violent storm, 81 January, 1548. In 1773 the then 
 Dean (James Yorke, afterwards Bishop of St David's, 1774-79), 
 conceived the idea of restoring the spire in stone. He con- 
 sulted Essex, who wrote to him as follows, 14 September, 
 1774, discountenancing the scheme: 
 
 " 1 find by my Notes taken when I survey'd the Church some Years ago, 
 that the upper j^art of this Tower was not designed by the Architect who 
 built it to bear a Spire of Stone in the Center, and as no preparation was 
 made for it in the Building it is incapable of supporting one. The old 
 Spire was timber cover'd with Lend, and such might be built; but, when I 
 consider'd the height which such a Spire ought to have in proportion to 
 the Diameter and height of the Tower, I found it would greatly exceed the 
 highest we have in England, and consequently be too high for a situation 
 so expos'd as that at Lincoln. I have therefore sent your Lordsliip a 
 Drawing of a Designe with four Spires and open Battlements, such as I 
 conceive agreable to the other parts of the Tower. I have made an Esti- 
 mate of the Expence of Building these with Lincoln stone, and find... the 
 whole [will cost] £1961" 
 
 The Dean's reply has not been preserved, but it is evident 
 from Essex's next letter, dated 8 March, 1775, that the idea of 
 restoring the spires had been favourably received, for he gives 
 further reasons for adopting that scheme. The suggestion of 
 painting the spires to imitate stone is a delightful illustration 
 of the state of architectural taste at that period: 
 
 "As the timber and lead of these Spires are very sound, and may last a 
 great many Years when the Stonework which supports them is properly 
 repair'd, I beg leave to propose for your Lordship's consideration, whether 
 
XX 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 by restoring the open battlements, gilding the vanes, (and if thought 
 proper, painting tlie lead Spires of a stone Colour) the Tower will not 
 appear to be properly finished ? If it will, then full halfe the expence 
 may be saved, the tower will appear as finish'd, and when these timber 
 Spires want rebuilding, they may be made of Stone 50 or 60 years 
 hence." 
 
 The battlement was put up in the same year, and, as Canon 
 Venables remarks, "if not faultless in detail, and somewhat 
 coarse in workmanship, it is an admirable finish to a mag- 
 nificent design, for which, considering its date, we can hardly 
 be too gratefuP." 
 
 I have already quoted Pugin's criticism on Essex's reredos 
 at Lincoln, but before leaving the subject of his works there, it 
 will be only fair to quote that of his friend and contemporary, 
 the Reverend William Cole, written in 1771 : 
 
 " In December 1770, Mr Essex of Cambridge lending me his MS Surveys 
 of the Cathedral of Lincoln, on Bp. Thomas and the Dean and Chapter's 
 generously appropriating a Tenth Part of their Income from the Church 
 to the Repairs and Ornaments of it, about 10 years ago, when his 
 Judgment was thought necessary to take a general View and Survey 
 of it, I tliouglit them so curious and judicious, that, with his Leave, 
 I took a Copy of them: the first was made in 1761: the last in 1764. 
 Since which Times he has built them a new Altar Peice, from a Design 
 of his own, which is universally approved of : he knowing more of Gothic 
 Architecture than anyone 1 have heard talk of it ; and by his Works 
 of this Sort, will convince the World, that many People who have wrote 
 on the Subject, are but Dabblers in the Science, and know not what 
 they are about. His Altar Peice for King's College Chapel, now going to 
 be erected within these 2 or 3 months, will satisfy the Curious that what I 
 have advanced is no mistake^." 
 
 His works at Lincoln gave so much satisfaction to his em- 
 ployers that on their conclusion he was presented with a silver 
 salver, bearing the following inscription : 
 
 ^ Architectural History of Lincoln, ut supra, p. 410. 
 2 MSS. Cole, xLi. p. 164. Add. MSS. Mus. Brit. 5842. The original 
 reports are in the Muniment Room of Lincoln Cathedral. 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 xxi 
 
 Voted 
 In the Year 1784 
 By the Dean and Chapter of Lincoln 
 To Mr James Essex, Architect, 
 In token of their respect for his Abilities, 
 And in acknowledgement of his assistance, 
 
 Which he so readily lent. 
 In settling the mode of the new Pavement 
 And other Repairs 
 Op the Cathedral Church of Lincoln. 
 
 Besides these important works, it may be mentioned that 
 Essex restored the tower of Winchester College Chapel, made 
 considerable alterations to the Hall at Madingley, near Cam- 
 bridge, and built the steeple of the church at Debden in Essex. 
 I am indebted to Mr J. E. Foster for the following inscription, 
 now removed to the vestry. "This Steeple was erected in 1*786, 
 from a design of the ingenious Mr Essex, Architect, late of 
 Cambridge, deceased." His connection with the Cross to com- 
 memorate Catherine of Arragon, Queen of Henry VIII, erected 
 in the park at Ampthill in 1773 by the Earl of Ossory, is shewn 
 by the following correspondence in the British Museum \ which 
 I think is worth reproducing. 
 
 On June 22, 1771, Horace Walpole wrote to Mr Cole : 
 
 "At present I will only beg another Favour, and with less Shame, as 
 it is of a Kind you will like to grant. I have lately been at Lord Ossory's 
 at Ampthill. You know Catherine of Arragon lived some Time there. 
 Nothing remains of the Castle, nor any marks of Residence but a very 
 small Bit of her Garden. I proposed to Lord Ossory to erect a Cross to 
 her Memory on the Spot ; and he will. 
 
 I wish therefore you cou'd from your Collections, or Books, or Memory, 
 pick out an authentic Form of a Cross, of a better Appearance than the 
 common Run. It must be raised on two or three Steps, and if they were 
 Octagon, wou'd it not be handsomer. Her Arms must be hung like an 
 Order, upon it. Here is something of my Idea. The Sheild appendant to 
 a Collar. We will have some Inscription to mark the Cause of Erection. 
 Adieu ! 
 
 Your most obliged 
 Arlington Street Hor. Walpole. 
 
 June 22, 1771." 
 
 1 MSS. Cole, Vol. XLiv. Add. MSS. Mus. Brit. .584.5, pp. 13—15. 
 
 C. A. S. Octavo Series. XXIV. 
 
 C 
 
XXll 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 A small sketch of the sort of cross he thought suitable is 
 given in the margin of the letter. Cole replied, without date : 
 
 " As I knew my own Inability to draw out a proper Cross for this Purpose, 
 I applied to Mr Essex, Architect, who w\as thoroughly skilled in these 
 Affairs, for his Assistance, who sent me, after the Commencement at Cam- 
 bridge was over, the following Letter, with an admirable neat Drawing in 
 Indian Ink which I shall disgrace by my Copy on the opposite page^." 
 
 The next letter is from Essex himself : 
 " To the Rev'^ Cole at Milton. 
 
 Cambridge July 3, 1771, 
 
 Dear Sir 
 
 I have enclosed the Sketch of a Cross : the Style is suited to 
 the Age of Henry 8, but as near as possible to M' Walpole's Design. I have 
 made it as simple as possible, without making it too mean for the Person it 
 is intended to commemorate. I have made no Scale to the Drawing, not 
 knowing the Height intended to make it : but when a Height is deter- 
 mined, the Person who executes it may make a Scale to the given Height, 
 which will serve to measure all the other Parts. I should recommend the 
 keeping exactly to the Proportions in the Drawing, as they are set out 
 agreeable to the Principals (sic) of Gothic Architecture. I think the whole 
 Height, including the Steps, should not be less than 16 Feet. I beg you 
 will present my Respects to M' Walpole, and Compliments to Miss Cole, 
 and am 
 
 Sir, your obed' humb. Serv' 
 
 Jam : Essex." 
 
 The correspondence concludes with the following letter from 
 Mr Walpole : 
 
 "Strawberry Hill, Oct. 12. 1771. 
 
 Dear Sir, 
 
 Lord Ossory is charmed with Mr Essex's Cross, and wishes much to 
 consult him on the Proportions.... He is determined to erect it at Ampthill, 
 and I have written the following Lines to record the Reason. 
 
 In Days of old here Ampthill's Towers were seen. 
 The mournful! Refuge of an injur'd Queen. 
 
 1 The cross is figured in Cough's Camden, ed. 1789, i. 329, from the 
 original drawing by Essex (Nichols, Illustration.^, vi. 287). 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 XXlll 
 
 Here flow'd lier pure, but unavailing Tears ; 
 Here blinded Zeal sustain'd her sinking Years. 
 Yet Freedom hence her radiant Banners wav'd 
 And Love aveng'd a Realm by Priests enslav'd. 
 From Cath'rine's Wrongs a Nation's Bliss was spread, 
 And Luther's Light from Henry's lawless Bed. 
 
 I hope the Satire on Henry 8th will make you excuse the Compliment 
 to Luther, which, like most poetic Compliments, does not come from my 
 Heart. I only like him better than Henry, Calvin, and the Church of Rome, 
 who were bloodthirsty Persecutors. Calvin was an execrable Villain, and the 
 worst of all : for he copied Those whom he pretended to correct. Luther 
 was as jovial as Wilkes, and served the Cause of Liberty without canting. 
 
 most sincerely. 
 
 HoR. Walpole." 
 
 A marginal note records : 
 
 This Cross cost L"^ Ossory considerably above an 100^ 
 
 Besides these works Essex is commonly credited with a 
 survey of Canterbury Cathedral. This however is a mistake. 
 He does not appear to have examined it more critically than 
 any other ancient buildino^ that he happened to visit, and in a 
 letter to Gostling he expressly says : 
 
 " I believe we shall agree in other Particulars relating to that Cathedral ; 
 tho' the short Time I had to view it, did not furnish me with all the 
 Materials necessary to support my Opinion i." 
 
 In a private account-book extending from 1769 to 1775 
 several items of interest occur, shewing the amounts that Essex 
 received from time to time for his work. The following are a 
 selection : 
 
 £ s. d. 
 
 Apr. S 1769. ReC^ of D' Marriot for Surv^ Sen^ h" ^ . . 70 
 „ „ ReC^ of D" University bills . . . . 58 18 
 
 1 Add. MSS. Mus. Brit. 6771. 
 
 2 These abbreviations probably stand for " Senate House". Dr Marriott, 
 Master of Trinity Hall, was Vice-Chancellor 1767-68, when the W. end of 
 the Senate House was finished {Arch. HiM. iii. 711 
 
 c2 
 
XXIV 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 In some cases he seems to have advanced money, and in 
 others, as at Clare Hall, to have carried out a portion of the 
 work as agent for the College. 
 
 £ s. d. 
 
 May 11. Of Cath Hall 2 y'Mnterest due at Lady . . 80 
 Sep 1. Clare Hall Chapel acc^ 100 
 
 1770 
 
 May 7. Rec<> of Clare Hall, all due to me . . . 600 
 1771 
 
 July 5. Rec^ of Cath Hall 2 y" intrest due at Lady day . 80 
 Oct 12. Rec*^ of Cath Hall the i y"^ intrest of their bond, 
 
 & y" whole princip' remains due on their ac' ^ '^^mlle) 
 £100, & the interest from Michaelmas . 
 
 1772 
 
 Feb 11. Rec"^ of Mr Barker of Queens his bill . . . 84 10 
 Dec 19. Rec"^ one y" intrest on Cath Hall Bond for £700 
 
 due at Mich^mass last 28 
 
 Dec 29. Rec^ of Mr Knig' ' of Trin Hall for surv*^ Gerards 
 
 Hostle Bridge 26 13 
 
 1773 
 
 April]. Rec^ of Mr Pindar Bursar of Kings College . 85 
 Nov 19. ReC^ of Christs College in full . . . . 94 7 3 
 Dec' 20. ReC' of Cath Hall intrest of 700 due at Mich'mass 28 
 
 1774 
 
 Nov 10. Rec** of Cath Hall intrest due Michmass . . 28 
 Dec' 23. Rec^ for Surveying Triny Coll^ new buildings . 223 4 
 
 1775 
 
 Jany25. Rec^ of Dr Richardson for Em' Coll . . . 70 
 
 Aug 24. Rec' in full of Emman' CoU^^ 80 
 
 Dec 1. Rec' of Queens' ColL 40 
 
 „ 8. Rec* of Kings Coll 80 
 
 Cath Hall intrest 1 Q' and the 700^ principal . 7 
 
 It is evident from this account that his practice was of con- 
 siderable extent, and not altogether unremunerative, as in 1779 
 he schedules his property in his private accounts as follows, and 
 shews himself to be worth upwards of £15,000, while living in a 
 small house of which the annual value was only £14. Os. Od. 
 
INTliUDlJCTlON. 
 
 XXV 
 
 Acc' of lleiits & interest due to me tliis y' 1779 takeu May 26 
 
 £ 
 
 
 £. 
 
 s. 
 
 d. 
 
 1000 
 
 on T. Hattons mortgage at 4 p' c' due in feb'' . 
 
 40 
 
 
 
 
 
 1000 
 
 on Mr Keens mort^" being the remain' of 2000 due in 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 40 
 
 
 
 
 
 1446 
 
 Bank stock due Lady day & Mich' Div° 
 
 79 
 
 4 
 
 
 
 2000 
 
 Bridge office Westminster due Lady day & Mich" at 
 
 
 
 
 
 41 c' 
 
 90 
 
 
 
 
 
 5500 
 
 New four p' c'' due Lady day & Mich' 
 
 220 
 
 
 
 
 
 700 
 
 Old fours due Lady day & Mich' 
 
 28 
 
 
 
 
 
 1200 
 
 3 p' c'' reduced due Lady day & Mich' 
 
 36 
 
 
 
 
 
 1100 
 
 on Burnt fen due Mid"^ & at 5 p' c' 
 
 55 
 
 
 
 
 
 400 
 
 at 4 p"^ c' Edw*^ Mills due June 
 
 16 
 
 
 
 
 
 200 
 
 
 9 
 
 
 
 
 
 5000 
 
 Cotton & Humfreys bond 4 p'' c' due .... 
 
 20 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Cogans neat rent due at Lady day .... 
 
 55 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 25 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 14 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 727 
 
 4 
 
 
 
 
 paid to mother . 
 
 30 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 neat income this year 
 
 697 
 
 4 
 
 
 
 He gives a careful detail also of his expenses for the same 
 year, which is finally summarised in the following result : 
 
 
 £. 
 
 s. 
 
 d. 
 
 End of 4'" Q-^ 
 
 48 
 
 9 
 
 10 
 
 3"^Q' 
 
 51 
 
 6 
 
 4 
 
 2"^' 
 
 66 
 
 15 
 
 
 
 r'Q' 
 
 78 
 
 17 
 
 10| 
 
 
 245 
 
 9 
 
 01 
 
 Expences to, at or from Margate, exclusive of 
 
 
 
 
 
 27 
 
 3 
 
 
 Money paid in London for sundries . 
 
 8 
 
 
 
 
 
 Ditto in Margate & Deal for Do. 
 
 8 
 
 13 
 
 3 
 
 Expence of Chaise & Horses & man while out 
 
 12 
 
 14 
 
 7 
 
 Keeping one horse from April to Dec' 
 
 17 
 
 
 
 
 
 Expences for Chaise & duty .... 
 
 17 
 
 6 
 
 
 
 
 £336 
 
 
 
 7 
 
 If these two accounts be compared, it will appear that he 
 was laying by more than half his income. 
 
XXVI 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 Essex resided in one of the houses which stood between the 
 corner of S. Botolph's Church and the corner of Benet Street 
 before the new court of Corpus Christi College was built. 
 The position of his house may be defined approximately from 
 Cole's usual way of addressing letters to him : " For Mr Essex 
 opposite Catharine Hall." According to the same authority 
 " he married [Elizabeth] a Daughter of Mr Thurlbourne late 
 Bookseller in Cambridge, Sister to Mrs Hales, wife of Mr Hales, 
 Surgeon, also in the same Place They had two children ; 
 James, who died an infant in 1757; and Millicent, the 
 daughter who accompanied him on the tour here printed. She 
 married, 10 May, 1785, the Reverend John Hammond, M.A. 
 sometime Fellow of Queens' College, and died in January, 1787^ 
 without issue. Her husband had been for a short time curate 
 of S. Botolph's Church, and afterwards lecturer at Trinity 
 Church, in this town, where his popularity was so great that in 
 1784 (on the death of the perpetual curate, Mr Therond) the 
 parishioners did their best to induce the Bishop of Ely to 
 appoint him instead of Mr Simeon. In 1787, after the death of 
 his wife, he resigned the lectureship, and travelled on the 
 Continent for three or four years, part of which were spent in 
 Germany, where he made himself thoroughly acquainted with 
 the language, theology, and University life. On returning to 
 England he did not resume the profession of a clergyman, in 
 consequence of difficulties respecting the doctrine of the Trinity, 
 but passed the rest of his life as a country gentleman at 
 Fenstanton, near Cambridge, where he had previously bought 
 an estate. In politics he was a staunch Whig, and in religious 
 opinions what is termed by his biographer a Unitarian Christian. 
 Soon after settling at Fenstanton he married again, and became 
 
 1 Add. MSS. Mus. Brit. 5868, p. 72. The account was written in 1776. 
 The Register of S. Botolph's Church records that James Essex was 
 buried 6 May, 1757 ; and Millicent Hammond 26 January, 1787, aged 30. 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 XXVll 
 
 the father of several children, from one of whom the lady who 
 lent to me Essex's MS. is descended \ 
 
 Essex died suddenly, of a paralytic stroke, 14 September, 
 1784, in the sixty-third year of his age. His mother, Mrs 
 Bridget Essex, had died, aged eighty-four, only four months 
 before her son, 18 May, 1784; his widow survived him six 
 years, dying 23 September, 1790, aged fifty-nine. He was 
 buried in S. Botolph's Churchyard, on the south side of the 
 church, with his father, mother, wife, son, and daughter. The 
 inscription on his tomb runs : 
 
 This Tomb was erected by M" Martha Hayles 
 in Memory of James Essex Sen' and Bridget his Wife; 
 James Essex Jun' & Eliz. his Wife; 
 and two Children of James, and Eliz. Essex, 
 James, who died an Infant, 
 And their Daughter Millicent Hammond, 
 who are all buried in a Vault Beneath. 
 Eliz. Essex the last Survivor, died Sep. 23, 1790, Aged 59. 
 A marble tablet in the north aisle of the church bears 
 the following inscription : 
 
 In a Vault, 
 On the South side of this Church, 
 Lie sleeping in a state of death. 
 Until that Time, when Jesus of Nazareth, 
 Whom God hath exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour, 
 And appointed for our final Judge, 
 Shall come again, 
 According to the Scriptures, 
 To raise the dead both small and great, 
 And to reward the righteous 
 With eternal life. 
 James Essex. A.S.S. Eminent for his Skill in Architecture 
 
 and Antiquities who died Sept. 14, 1784. Aged 63. 
 James, only sou of James and Elizabeth Essex, who died 
 
 May 3, 1757. Aged 2 Years and 10 Months. 
 Meliscent, only daughter of James and Elizabeth Essex, 
 and wife of the Rev. John Hammond. A.M. who died 
 Jan. 22, 1787. Aged 30. 
 
 1 An interesting life of Mr John Hammond will be found in The 
 Monthly Repository for 1830, p. 475. See also Life of Simeon, by Carus, 
 (ed. 1847), pp. 40—65. 
 
xxviii 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 The feelings with which his contemporaries deplored his 
 loss, are well summed up in the following passage, written by- 
 Mr Gough : 
 
 "Those who have made Gothic Architecture their study, as well as 
 those who on a superficial view cannot help being struck with its stu- 
 pendous efforts, will for ever regret the irreparable loss of this great 
 master of that science, whose modesty was equal to his abilities..,. He was 
 preparing further remarks on the rise and progress of his favourite science, 
 in its various parts, which death intercepted^." 
 
 The principal architectural works which Essex designed 
 or superintended have been already mentioned, but, before I 
 conclude, I must say a few words about his literary and anti- 
 quarian pursuits. He lived, as has been already mentioned 
 incidentally, on terms of intimacy with several well-known 
 antiquaries, among whom were Tyson, Kerrich, Gough ^ Ben- 
 tham, and Cole^, who made him his executor. The house in 
 which Cole resided at Milton, which still exists almost in the 
 state in which he left it, was built for him by Essex, as we 
 learn from the following curious letter'^ : 
 
 " For Mr Essex opposite Catharine Hall in Cambridge. 
 
 Milton. Sat. July 24, 1779. 
 
 Dear Sir, 
 
 I hope you and the Ladies got safe Home on Thursday, and are 
 well. I wish you a good journey to Margate, and all the good Efibcts of 
 it. I was not well enough yesterday to be a Venison Eater, and thought 
 it best to be quiet at Home. 
 
 * -x- * 
 
 If I am underground at your Return (for I expect to go off suddenly 
 and wish for it) as a Friend look at the spot and as you contrived me 
 
 1 Nichols, Lit. Anecd. vi. 625. 
 
 2 Several letters from Essex to Gough are printed by Nichols, Illus- 
 tration.'^, vi. pp. 284 — 310. 
 
 ^ Cooper (^w?^«/5,iv. 413) adds to these Sir J. Burrough, Sir J. Cullum, 
 Dr Richardson, Dr Farmer, Dr Lort, Horace Walpole, Mr Nasmith, and 
 Dr Colman. 
 
 4 Add. MSS. Mus. Brit. 5842, p. 344. Printed by Nichols, Illustrations, 
 vi. 297, note. 
 
\ 
 
 INTRODUCTION. xxix 
 
 u neat riaco here for a temporary Dwelling so I beg you to recomuiciid it 
 to my Executor to desire you to ornament my longest home. 
 
 Adieu. Wm. Cole." 
 
 Essex was elected Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries, 23 
 January, 1772, an honour which he accepted with much pleasure, 
 and gratitude to his friend Gough, to whose kind intervention 
 on his behalf he believed it to be due\ This position gave 
 him an opportunity of writing several papers on antiquarian 
 subjects, of which a list is given below. They must be read 
 with reference to the time at which they were written, and, 
 when this is kept steadily in view, I think it will be con- 
 ceded that they have considerable merit. Not only was Essex 
 the first architect who reproduced the so-called Gothic style 
 with success, but he was the first architectural historian. He 
 pursued the method which was subsequently brought to such 
 rare perfection by Professor Willis : in other words, he did 
 his best to collect all the historical references to a building, 
 and then compared the structure with the recorded facts. 
 1 cannot claim for him any conspicuous success in these in- 
 vestigations ; in his attempt to write the architectural history 
 of the Cathedral of Lincoln, and in his theory respecting 
 the Saxon Cathedral at Ely, he has fallen into grievous errors; 
 but the method he employed was a sound one, and it was 
 his misfortune, rather than his fault, that he did not make 
 better use of it. So early as 1756 he issued 'Proposals"' for 
 engraving views, plans, and sections of King's College Chapel, 
 "being so remarkable a structure as to be admired and held 
 in the highest esteem by all that have seen it;" in other words, 
 he proposed to publish a regular architectural history of the 
 building. The scheme of this work, with several of the plates, 
 is among the MSS. which, after Essex's death, passed into the 
 hands of his friend the Rev. T. Kerrich, Fellow of Magdalene 
 
 1 Tyson to Gough, 28 January, 1772. Nichols, Lit. Anecd., viii. 578. 
 - Printed by Gough, British Topography, i. 237. 
 
XXX 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 College and Proto-bibliothecarius of the University \ by whom 
 they were bequeathed to the British Museum The plates are 
 so accurate, and so beautifully drawn, and the scheme^ is 
 so excellent, that I subjoin it, in the hope that some one may 
 be induced to complete it : 
 
 1, 2. A plan of the Chapel with the vaultings throughout. 
 
 3. Elevation and section of a tower above the battlements. 
 
 4. Plans of do. to a large scale. 
 
 5. Plan and elevation of the basement of a tower with the moldings to 
 a large scale. 
 
 6. 7. Section of the east end with the window and intended altar- 
 piece. 
 
 8, 9. Section from east to west. 
 10, II. South side. 
 
 12. Section of the whole from north to south, shewing the abutments 
 of the vaulting. 
 
 13. The west end within. 
 
 14. The west end without. 
 
 15. The west gate to a large scale. 
 
 16. The south gate. 
 
 17. 18. A tabernacle at the east [north ?] gate to a large scale, with the 
 plans of their sofEtes. 
 
 19, 20. Do. of the south gate, and soflStes, etc. 
 
 21, 22. Sections, etc. of one division of the great vault to a large 
 scale. 
 
 23. Sections, etc. of the timber roof, etc. 
 
 24. The tracery of one large window described. 
 
 25. The tracery of the several sorts of windows. 
 
 26. Elevation and proportions of a finial. 
 
 27. 28. General plan of the college. 
 
 29. The great bell-tower, from the original designe in the Museum^. 
 
 The " general plan of the college " is laid down according 
 to the directions contained in the Will of King Henry the 
 
 1 Mr Kerrich held the office of Proto-bibliothecarius, united in 1845 
 to that oi Bibliothecarius, from 1797 to his death, 10 May, 1828. 
 
 2 Add. MSS. Mus. Brit. 6761—6773, 6776. 
 
 3 Ibid. 6772, fol. 6. 
 
 ^ An accurate copy of this design, on a reduced scale, by Nash, is in 
 Lysons' Cambridgeshire, t^. 116. The date is criticised in the Architec- 
 tural History, ut supra, i. 553. 
 
INTRODUCTlOiV. 
 
 XXXI 
 
 Sixth, a careful digest of which may be seen in one of Essex's 
 note-books. It is drawn with his usual neatness, and its accu- 
 racy has been specially commended by Professor Willis \ 
 
 Essex also contemplated a history of Ecclesiastical Archi- 
 tecture, or as he called it "Gothic Architecture," the MS. of 
 which, nearly completed, together with a number of the illus- 
 trations, is in the British Museum He proposed to trace the 
 history of the plan of churches and of their component parts, 
 from the pagan temples, through the earliest known examples, 
 to the latest developments of the Gothic style. The illustra- 
 tions shew single bays of churches in different styles, windows 
 of all periods, etc. Like other writers on this subject, he had 
 his theory on the origin of the pointed arch, and it is curious to 
 notice that he believed, as Dr Whewell did long afterwards^, 
 that it was discovered by experiment, by builders who had to 
 make longitudinal and transverse vaults intersect each other. 
 Moreover, he held that the subdivision of a Gothic cathedral 
 into pier-arches, triforium, and clerestory resulted from a direct 
 imitation of ancient buildings, such, for instance, as the amphi- 
 theatre at Verona, in which we find two or three tiers of 
 arches, one above the other. In this theory, though he expresses 
 it crudely, and without having had the opportunity of examin- 
 ing ancient buildings, he was no doubt in the main correct, as 
 Professor Willis has shewn in his Observations on the Archi- 
 tecture of the Middle Ages, and far in advance of the age in 
 which he lived. His friends set a high value upon his pro- 
 
 1 Arch. Hist, ut supra, 1. 368, note. 
 
 ^ Add. MSS. 6762. The drawings are in the same series, 6766. 
 
 3 Architectural Notes on German Churches, ed. 1842, p. 52. Essex's 
 theories are detailed in the notes to Some Observations on the Gothic 
 Buildings abroad, particularly those in Italy, and on Gothic Architecture 
 in general," by T. Kerrich, M.A. Archceologia, xvi. pp. 292 — 325. Tyson, on 
 the other hand, treated his friend's views about the origin of the pointed 
 arch with goodhumoured ridicule : "as to Mr Essex's hypothesis of the 
 cross-ribbed vaulting, it is too refined to bear talking about" (To Gough, 
 29 March, 1779, Lit. Anecd. viii. 640). 
 
xxxii 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 jected history, but were unsuccessful in their attempts to induce 
 him to complete and publish it. Tyson, writing to Gough, 
 4 December, 1779, says, after mentioning Gothic architecture, 
 
 " I cry when I think that Essex's materials must be lost to the world in 
 ii few years, and with them all real knowledge of that singular art ; for no 
 one alive understands the technical part but himself. Can't you beg, 
 borrow, or steal them ?" 
 
 A week later (10 December) the subject is renewed : 
 
 " Essex is pleased to honour me, by saying : ' Cambridge grows every 
 day more dull and disagreeable to me ; when you left it, I lost the only 
 acquaintance, the only friend with whom I could enjoy a pleasing and im- 
 proving conversation. I have but few acquaintance out of my own family, 
 and not one who has a taste for the same amusements as myself.' On this 
 occasion I strongly recommended it to liim by way of employment, and 
 consequently amusement, to finish his Gothic Architecture, that it may not 
 remain in scattered papers, intelligible only to himself — so far I may have 
 done good, both to poor Mr Essex and to future Antiquaries." 
 
 To which Gough replied on the next day : 
 
 "I join my tears with yours, when I think of Gothic Architecture. 
 These tears have been falling ever since you shewed me Walpole's Letter to 
 Cole on the subject. Had my influence availed, the system might have 
 risen into existence ten years ago, and all the concerned have been now 
 sharing the profits. But, alas ! to use the emphatical words of Lord George 
 Gordon, / can't pay the jnper. — Essex is afraid to lie out of his money — 
 the Society had rather give 170/. for the Great Harry ^ — the College don't 
 care two pence about Prints, while they have the original — and, in the 
 mean time, money and credit, like the Nation, grow worse and worse^." 
 
 I subjoin a list of Essex's works, which includes, I believe, 
 all those which he acknowledged ; but Cole, recording the gift 
 of his Remarks on the Antiquity and different Modes of Brick 
 and Stone Buildings, observes that he had "formerly printed 
 several small Peices without his Name^" 
 
 1 A plate engraved in the ArchcGologia, Vol. vi. PI. xxii. It was copied 
 from a drawing in the Pepysian Library by Mr Kerrich (Nichols, Illustra- 
 tions., vi. 813, note). 
 
 2 Nichols, Lit. Anecd. viii. 656. Walpole's letter of advice is printed in 
 the same work, iv. 707. 
 
 3 Add. MSS. Mus. Brit. 5868, p. 72. 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 XXXIU 
 
 1. Proposals for engraving and printing ... a ... plan of an intended 
 addition to Corpus Christi College, Cambridge .... 
 
 Cambridge, Sept. 20, 1748. 
 
 2. Advertisement beginning "Whereas Mr Masters," printed above, 
 p. xi. 
 
 Cambridge, Oct. 4, 1748. 
 
 3. Mr James Essex's Letter to his subscribers to the plan and eleva- 
 tion of an intended addition to Corpus Christi College in Cambridge. 
 
 20 February, 1748 49. 
 
 4. Proposals for engraving views, plans, and sections of King's College 
 Chapel, dated Cambridge, Oct. 1, 1756. 
 
 Printed by Gough : British Topography (4to. London, 1780), i. 287. 
 
 5. Letter from the late ingenious Mr Essex to Dr Ducarel, containing 
 Observations on Canterbury Cathedral. 
 
 Cambridge, Feb. 1, 1768. 
 Printed by Nichols, Bibl. Top. Brit, i. p. 470— p. 472. 
 
 6. Plan of the original Cathedral Church of Ely, with an Account of 
 the several Additions and Alterations. The Plan drawn by Mr Essex, the 
 Account written by Mr Bentham, and enlarged upon by Mr Essex. 
 
 Bentham's Elij, 1812, Addenda, p. 1— p. 8. 
 
 7. Account of the old Conventual Church [at Ely]. 
 Bentham's Ely., 1812, Addenda, pages 9 and 10. 
 
 8. Remarks on the antiquity and the different modes of brick and 
 stone buildings in England. By Mr James Essex, of Cambridge. Read 
 at the Society of Antiquaries, Dec. 8, &c. 1774. London: printed by 
 W. Bowyer and J. Nichols, 1775. [4to. pp. 37, 1 plate.] 
 
 From Archceologia, iv. 73. 
 
 9. Some observations on Lincoln Cathedral. By Mr James Essex, 
 of Cambridge. Read at the Society of Antiquaries, March 16, 1775. 
 London: Printed by W. Bowyer and J. Nichols, 1776. [4to. pp. 13, 
 1 plate.] 
 
 From Archwologia, iv. 149. 
 
 10. Observations on the origin and antiquity of Round Churches ; 
 and of the Round Church at Cambridge in particular. By Mr James 
 Essex, F.A.S. Read at the Society of Antiquaries, May 24, 1781. London, 
 1782. [4to. pp. 16, 1 plate.] 
 
 From Archwologia., vi. 163. 
 
xxxiv 
 
 INTKODUCTION. 
 
 11. Observations on Croyland Abbey and Bridge. 
 Bibliotheca Topographica Britannica, No. xxii. 
 
 London, printed by and for J. Nichols, 1784. [4to. p. 177 — p. 204, 1 
 plate ; Prefiice, pages xv and xvi, 1 plate. These two pages and plate are 
 to replace the corresponding pages and plate in No. xi.] 
 
 12. A description and plan of the ancient Timber Bridge at Rochester, 
 collected from two MSS. published in Lambarde's Perambulation of Kent. 
 By Mr Essex. Read March 17, 1785. [4to. p. 395— p. 400, 1 plate.] 
 
 From ArchcGologia, vii. 395. 
 
 13. A description and plan of Denny Abbey, Cambs. "extracted from 
 Mr Essex's MSS. in the possession of the Rev. T. Kerrich," and printed in 
 Lysons' Magna Britannia (Cambridgeshire), 4to. 1808, p. 272 — p. 274. 
 
 The name of Essex is also connected with six engraved 
 designs : 
 
 1. A large engraving lettered : 
 
 " This East Prospect of Kings College in Cambridge, as in- 
 tended to be finish'd, is humbly Inscrib'd to the Worshipful Andrew 
 Snape DD. Provost, The Vice Provost, Fellows, and Scholars, of the 
 same, by their most humble Servant, Jam: Essex, Jun'. 
 
 Jam'. Gibbs, Arch. Jam'. Essex Jun' Delin. 1741. Published 
 according to Act of Parliament. P. Fourdrinier Sculp." 
 
 23|x 19|in. 
 
 A bird's-eye view of the quadrangle, to explain an ambitious scheme 
 for laying out the court and gardens, on the supposition that the three 
 buildings designed by Gibbs were completed. These, together with the 
 chapel, are drawn in perspective, as they would appear to a person 
 looking down upon them from a distance. Essex proposed "to lay out 
 four grass-plots of equal size in the quadrangle, separated by broad gravel 
 walks ; and two similar grass-plots between the new building and the 
 river. The bridge was to be moved to its present position, and the ground 
 beyond to be planted with trees in regular lines, round a rectangular lake 
 or basin communicating with the Cam. A circular temple, with a domical 
 roof, was to be built on a central eminence westward of the lake." Arch. 
 Hist. i. 571. The original drawing from which this plate was engraved 
 is preserved in the Provost's Lodge of King's College. It would be in- 
 teresting to know whether Essex was assisted in any way by Gibbs or 
 Burrough in the preparation of this important design. It seems hardly 
 likely that a young man of nineteen would produce such a work without 
 some extraneous assistance. 
 
INTKODUCTION. 
 
 XXXV 
 
 2. "Aulfe S'^*'^ Trinitatis Cantab: ab Occidente. The West 
 Front of Trinity Hall in Cambridge. 
 
 Jac. Burrougli Arch. 1743. Jac. Essex jim' Delineavit. W. H. 
 Toms Sculp." 
 24 X 12-1- in. 
 
 The hall and butteries at Trinity Hall were rebuilt by Burrough in 
 1743. It was then contemplated to pull down the Master's Lodge and the 
 Library, and to erect a new court, so arranged that the cupola over the 
 entrance from the older court would have been in the exact centre of the 
 east side of the new court {Arch. Hist. i. 229). This design was probably^ 
 circulated with the view of shewing what was intended, and so obtaining 
 subscriptions. 
 
 3. " The Plan and Elevation of an intended Addition to Corpus 
 Christi College in Cambridge. Designed by James Essex junior. 
 Jac' Essex jun'. Delineavit 1748. Publish 'd According to Act of 
 Parliament. W™ Hen. Toms. Sculp." 
 
 161 X 9 in. 
 
 This is evidently the plan published by subscription of which an ac- 
 count was given above. 
 
 4. ''A Design for the Publick Library at Cambridge, made by 
 the late S"" James Burrough, in the Year, 1752. 
 
 Jac' Essex delin* 1752. P. Fourdrinier Sculp." 
 Ill X 161 in. 
 
 An elevation, with plan of the ground-floor and first-floor, of the 
 west front of the Library, proposed by Burrough after the " attachment 
 scheme " of Gibbs had been abandoned. The whole question is fully dis- 
 cussed, and the rival designs described, in the Architectural History, iii. 
 pp. 47 — 69. The date, 1752, can only denote the year in which the design 
 was drawn, for Burrough, who is described as " the late," did not die until 
 1754. Cole, writing in 1780, says: "Mr Essex has printed within these 
 4 or 5 years a View of Sir James Burrough's Design" {Arch. Hist. iii. fiS). 
 It may be concluded therefore that the print was published in 1774 or 
 1775. 
 
 5. " Elevation of the New Front design'd for Emanuel Collejre 
 Cambridge. Jac. Essex desig* et del. P. S. Lamborn sculp." 
 
 10| X 4| in. 
 
 The print is not dated, but the audit-book of the College shews that it 
 was printed in February, 1770 {Arch. Hist. ii. 715 note). 
 
XXXVl 
 
 INTKODUCTION. 
 
 6. "The West Prospect of Corpus Christi College Cambridge. 
 Jac' Essex desig* et deP 1773. Major sculp*." 
 16|x8fin. 
 
 The final scheme by Essex, which contemplated the removal of the 
 whole of the ancient buildings of the College, and the erection in their 
 stead of a single quadrangle open to Trumpington St. measuring 200 feet 
 from north to south, by about 125 feet from east to west {Arch. Hist. \. 
 300). 
 
 In conclusion, I have to express my obligations to my friend 
 Mr J. W. Clark, who has been for some time engaged in col- 
 lecting materials for a life of Essex, and has kindly written for 
 me the greater part of this Introduction. 
 
 W. M. FAWCETT. 
 
Journal of a Tour through part of Flanders and 
 France. Made in Aug^. 1773 in Company with 
 THE Rev^. Mr Tyson, Miss Wale, Mill'' Essex 
 and my selfe. 
 
 We set out from Cambridge in the Fly at 7. o clock in the 
 morning on Monday the 16^^ of Aug* 1773 and got to London 
 about 5 in the evening, nothing material or worthy notice 
 
 happen'd to us in our journey : Miss W and my daughter 
 
 lay that night at M^ Lidiard's a Jeweler in Paul's churchyard, 
 and M"" T — n and my selfe at the Queens head in Greys Inn 
 Lane. 
 
 Aug: 17. 
 
 Places being taken for us in the Brumpton Fly, we set off 
 this morning for Rochester with 5 passengers and a young child; 
 we took in another passenger on the road and as the day 
 proved very hot we found it very inconvenient Traveling, we 
 found but little entertainment from our fellow travelers, but 
 were much pleased with the fine prospects which the Hills 
 between Dartford & London afforded us, on one side we had the 
 River Thames with the ships sailing some to & others from 
 London, on the other hand fine hills coverd with woods, and 
 large inclosiers filled with hop vines which appeard like groves 
 planted with trees at regular distances from each other. We 
 
 C. A. S. Octavo Series. XXIV. 1 
 
2 
 
 TOUR IN FLANDERS. 
 
 dined at Dartford which is a neat pleasant Town well paved 
 and appears very lively on account of the number of Carriages 
 pass through it between London and the City of Canterbury, 
 Dover and other Towns in the East of Kent, we reached 
 Rochester between 4 & 5 in the Afternoon and were set down 
 at the Crown, but the house being full we found no accomoda- 
 tion there, we therefore took a post coach which carried us to 
 Sittingbourn, where we lay that night at the Red Lyon, but 
 were much disturbed all night by the chaises and coaches which 
 were going from thence or coming in at all hours. 
 
 Aug: 18"^ 
 
 As soon as we had breakfasted this morning we set out for 
 Canterbury in the same Coach we took at Rochester, and came 
 to Canterbury where we stopt at the Red Lyon no longer than 
 we could change our carriage and get fresh horses which carried 
 us to Dover where we arrived about J an hour after 12. and set 
 up our bagge at the City of London Inn, but the day proving 
 very wet and windy we lost all the pleasure of seeing Dover & 
 the Castle and were almost determined to return without pro- 
 ceeding on our intended journey, but having a letter for M"^ 
 Fector an eminent Banker and Master of several vessels which 
 carry the mail & passengers between Dover and Calls, he en- 
 couraged us to proceed and gave us a list of the principal places 
 which we should take into our route, we soon determined to set 
 off next morning if the wind served for Calls. M"" Fector to 
 whose civility we were greatly obliged called upon us the same 
 evening and gave us a recomendatory Letter to some principal 
 Gentlemen at Calls, Dunkirk and all the principal places we 
 intended to visit recommending us to their particular regarde & 
 desiring them to do us any services we might have occasion to 
 ask, and a Letter of Credit to draw upon him for any sum we 
 might have occasion for. 
 
CALAIS. 
 
 3 
 
 Aug: lO^'^ 
 
 The wind being fair for Calis and the tide being high 
 enough to carry us out of the harbour we set off from Dover 
 about 11 o'clock in the morning but the vessel being too far 
 from the warfe for us to get into it, we were obliged to be rowed 
 cross the harbour in a small boat out of which we were obliged 
 to clime up the side of the vessel which was in constant motion, 
 and it raining all the time made our setting out rather disagre- 
 able, as soon as we came on board we went down into the Cabin 
 in which we found 8 or 10 beds and in them as many people 
 all sick at heart and cascading as if they were discharging their 
 entrails, the sight of them drove us up again and we determined 
 if possible to continue on deck if the weather would permitt us 
 during the rest of the voyage, but unluckily for us the rain 
 increased which made it impossible for us to continue long 
 there without being wet to the skin and run^ the hazzard of 
 getting cold, I therefore prevailed on my daughter to go down 
 and Captain Weller was kind enough to lend her his Cabin on 
 which she lay down and I seated myself by her during the 
 whole voyage but we were both extremely sick all the time, so 
 were all the passengers on board (being about twenty) except 
 M"" T — n. as the wind was pritty brisk and the tide was with 
 us we reach'd the harbour of Calis in four hours & a halfe and 
 providentialy for us, just in time to get over the bar before the 
 tide was too low, by which we escap'd a dreadful! storm which 
 came on just as we came over it, and continued all that night 
 as soon as we landed we were conducted to the Hotel d'Angle- 
 terre, an excelent Inn where we got each of us a bason of hot 
 broth to heal our stomachs, and ordered a Dinner, but we had 
 not been long sit before news was brought of a small smugling 
 vessel with 4 men being drove on shore and all drowned, as we 
 observed this vessel behind us during great part of our voyage 
 we were the more sensible of the danger w^e had been in our- 
 
 1—2 
 
4 
 
 TOUR IN FLANDERS. 
 
 selves, and were inwardly thankfull to providence who had 
 delivered us from the danger, and suffered us to get safe on 
 shore, our dinner consisted of two courses & a Desert, after 
 dinner our baggage was brought us from the Custom house 
 where it was carried when we landed, we sent our keys and 
 every thing was returned without being displaced, the storm 
 continuing we had no opportunity of walking out, we therefore 
 continued at the Hotel and consulted what we should do for our 
 future accommodation and agreed to enquire for a valet d' place, 
 & Mon. Desin recommended Jean d' Grave as a proper person, 
 being a sober honest man who could speak y^ English, French 
 and Flemish Languages, we agreed with him for a Guinea 
 a week, and took him into our service the next day. 
 
 The Captain of the vessel now called upon us to enquire 
 how we did, and to recieve his pay for our passage, we paid him 
 halfe a guinea each, and gave one Guinea among the crew, and 
 as the Captain had behaved with great civility during the 
 voyage, we invited him to sup with us which he did. & I took 
 y® opportunity of writing Home that day, and gave the letter to 
 him, who carried it to Dover next day. 
 
 We had an excellent good supper and our voyage had 
 created an appetite for that as well as our dinner, we were 
 accommodated with excelent good beds in this House, which is 
 one of the best Hotels in France : the apartments are large and 
 elegantly furnished, and in it there are every convenience for 
 accoiiiodating Travelers, and there are few articles wanted 
 in traveling which they cannot be immediately supplied with, 
 here are forty or fifty carriages always ready if wanted at a 
 minute's warning, here is a fine garden neatly kept up and a 
 handsom Theater where Travelers who lodge in the Hotel may 
 find entertainment while detained by contrary winds, without 
 going out for it. 
 
 As we intended returning by Calls we did not trouble our- 
 selves about anything we might see in it ; but ordered a car- 
 
CALAIS TO DUNKIRK. 
 
 5 
 
 raige to be ready to carry us the next day to Dunkirk, while 
 we were here we had a visit from one of the mendicant monks 
 who without any cerimonie come into the room where any 
 strangers are soon after they arrive & ask there charity for the 
 Convent, we gave him a small matter and he departed with 
 civility. 
 
 Aug : 20^^. 
 
 The morning proved very fine after the proceeding night's 
 storm and we got up prety soon that we might dress and pre- 
 pare for pursuing our journey, and being all ready by halfe an 
 hour after ten we left Calls and took the road towards Dunkirk 
 in a coach with 6 horses, and our valet on horseback, our Coach 
 was a very good one, and had in it every convenience that we 
 could possibly have occasion for ; at the bottom was a box in 
 which we might carry victuals and drink if we wanted it, but 
 our equipage was by no means of a piece with the carriage : we 
 had six horses not of the largest size, which were harnessd with 
 cart ropes hardly strong enough to bear the draft had we gone 
 through deep clay roads, & we had two postilions whose boots 
 were as bigg as butter-churns ; with this equipage we traveld 
 at the rate of near 3 miles & J in an hour and baited our horses 
 every six miles. We were stopt as we were going out of the 
 Gates of Calls by the Customehouse Officers who wanted to 
 search our baggage, but seeing a 12 sou piece in our valets 
 hand, they turned their attention that way & suffered us to 
 pass. We traveled through a sandy road with a prospect of the 
 sea on our left hand on the right a flat Country as well culti- 
 vated as the soil would permitt. 
 
 On the sea which often appeared between the high banks of 
 sand, we could see ships sailing at a Distance and in several 
 places on the sands we could discover others which were driven 
 on them the night before, their masts & rigging broaken to 
 pieces and the sea driving its waves over their hulks, some of 
 
6 
 
 TOUR IN FLANDERS. 
 
 which were set fast on the sands. After traveling about 9 miles 
 we came to Gravelin a small City situated on the sea coast on 
 the banks of the river d'Aa, it is well fortified having several 
 large ditches filled with water and fine bastions faced with 
 stone. The Town is neat & clean and the streets are well paved. 
 The Church which is dedicated to S*. Willebrord is but a mode- 
 rate building in it there are five large Altars rather gay than 
 rich and it being Fair time the Reliques which had been carried 
 in procession on the Sunday before were then exposed in the 
 Church, we presented a small matter for the benefit of the 
 Souldier who guarded them and departed, though this is not 
 a modern church it is built entirely of Brick, <Ss has a Tower and 
 a Spire pierced on all sides with windoius. This was our first 
 Stage and here we dined at the table royal and changd Horses, 
 our dinner consisted of two courses and a Desert every thing 
 was good in its kind and well drest, and the people who kept 
 the House extreemly civel, every one striving who should 
 oblige us most : our Carriage being ready we left Gravelin well 
 pleased with the place, the Civility of the people and the 
 accomodation we found there, and proceed on with our journey 
 through a Country not much unlike Brandon heath in Suffolk 
 but far more pleasant, for here we had on one side the Sea 
 which afforded a pleasing prospect, on the other we saw many 
 prity villages, in those we passed through we were much 
 troubled with the children of the Cottagers who ran after us 
 begging for Alms but though they were poor they appeared 
 much cleaner, more healthy and better cloathed than the people 
 of that Class do in England : having traveled about 9 miles 
 from Gravelin we arrived at Dunkirk about \ after 6. when we 
 came to the first Barrier about halfe a mile from the City we 
 were stopt by the Custom house Officer and paid 6'^ to avoid a 
 search, when we entered the Gates we were stopt by the Guard 
 and obliged to write our names and the place of our abode 
 wliich was sent to the Governer. our Valet conducted us to the 
 
DUNKIRK, 
 
 7 
 
 Hotel de Catherine in March de pome where we refresh'd 
 our selves with Coffee and having orderd our supper and beds 
 we took a walk into the Town. This place which affords such 
 a fund of dispute to our Coffee house politicians and abuse to 
 City patriots is a fine Town well defended on all sides with 
 strong & regular^ Fortifications wide Ditches filled with water 
 and thick walls faced with Brick. The Harbour which is 
 capable of receiv^ 200 men of war was defended by strong forts 
 placed at the enterence of the canal which runs from the sea to 
 the Town and others on both sides of it, but since the last 
 peace those forts which defended the Harbour have been 
 demolished and the Harbour itselfe is greatly choaked up & 
 for want of proper imbanking on both sides the Canal which 
 leads to it from the sea, the banks are constantly washing into it. 
 
 The Streets are perfectly regular and the houses well built 
 with bricks in a uniform manner, the market place is a handsom 
 large oblong square with several spacious streets leading to it 
 from different parts of the Town every place seems clean & neat 
 and the people decently dress'd most of the men in light 
 Cloaks of white cloth the women in long riding Cloaks with 
 hoods to them, the sailors are not suffered to make any fires 
 on board their ships in the harbour, but there are large fire 
 places made on the outside of the City wall next the harbour 
 in which they make fires, and there we saw some boiling others 
 frying their victuals. There are several monastries in this 
 Town which we did not visit, but the parish church which is 
 dedicated to S*^ Eloi is an antient Gothic building mostly built 
 with Brick, The Tower now stands at a distance from the 
 entrance the space between having been burnt 3 or 4 arches 
 have been taken from the length of it but what remains makes 
 a large handsom Church, there are in it many rich and elegant 
 
 1 By the treaty of Utrecht in 1715 the French had to destroy the forti- 
 fications, &c. but they rebuilt them in 1740, and this seems to have formed 
 a fruitful theme for minor politics in Essex's time. 
 
8 
 
 TOUR IN FLANDERS. 
 
 Altars adornd with some exceeding good picturs\ The east end 
 is terminated with a halfe polligon with an Aile runing round 
 it in which are several fine Chapels and in all of them there are 
 large & magnificent Altars richly ornamented and finely painted, 
 the high Altar is intirely of marble of roman Architecture 
 rising in several stories & adorned with many fine figurs, above 
 the first order is a gallery to which the priest assends to give 
 the Benediction, on the steps assend" to the Altar are two 
 Candlesticks of brass Gilt not less than 12^ high in which are 
 fixt large wax Candles, the arches on each side & in the front 
 of the Altar are inclosed with an elegant iron railing and those 
 in the rond point with ballustrades of fine marble, the whole 
 is sometimes finely illuminated with a vast number of wax 
 tapers many of them 5 or 6 feet high in silver candlesticks, 
 besides several lamps which hang from the vaulting and other 
 candles placed on the top of the iron railing between the Arches. 
 
 We had orderd our supper to be ready at J after 8 for 
 four people at 15^ a head and found it ready at the time we 
 fixt ; it consisted of two fowls boild, a Duck roasted a very 
 fine codling, a dish of artichoks and a fine sallad, these were 
 replaced by a dish of Tarts, a plate of Apricots 2 plates of 
 maccaroons with other confectionary's. at supper we settled 
 our mode of Traveling the next day, and determined to go to 
 Bruges partly by water, and partly by land, because the barge 
 from Dunkirk set out in the morning before daylight, we 
 therefore agreed to take a coach from Dunkirk to Nieuport 
 and the Barge from thence to Bruges, having excelent good 
 beds we slep well and got up the next morning at 5 o'clock. 
 
 Aug*, y^ 21^*. 
 
 We got our break fast in half an hour and were in the 
 
 Coach a Quarter before 6, we set out with 4 horses but had 
 
 not rode J a mile before one of our cart ropes break, but it 
 
 ^ The pictures have mostly perished and the altars have been removed 
 from the Side Chapels of the Nave. 
 
NIEUPORT. 
 
 9 
 
 was soon mended with a strong knot, soon after one of our 
 horses fell sick and we were obliged to sit in the Coach on 
 the sea beach about halfe an hour 'till another was brought 
 us, we then set forward and traveld fifteen miles at the rate 
 of 3 miles an hour on the sea beach and as the day proved very 
 fine the sea afforded us a fine prospect and the tide coming in 
 frequently washt our horses feet and the wheels of our Coach, 
 after we left the sea shore we traveld about 3 miles through 
 a deep sandy Country & reach'd Nieuport about 12 o'clock, 
 when we enter'd the Town all the Bells were tolling in a 
 solemn manner, as soon as we could get out of our Coach we 
 enquired what was the occasion of it, and were told a very 
 rich Lady was dead' and they were going to bury her that 
 morning, as the Church was not far off (we left our Valet to 
 take care of our baggage and order a dinner,) and walk'd into 
 it, where we had not been many minutes before there appeard 
 at the entrance of the Church a solemn procession preceeded 
 by a long train of men bearing banners of different sorts, 
 carried on Long poles, after these singing men & boys in 
 short surplices & wax tapers singing a solemn dirge these 
 were followed by all the priests belonging to the Church in 
 their proper habits, next came two Carmelites in white habits, 
 and after them the corps supported by six monks of the same 
 order, when they came into the Choir the Corps (in a Coffin 
 made like a florence wine chest) was placed in the midle 
 before the steps of the high Altar cover'd with a pall of black 
 velvet embroiderd with a cross of silver, and the attendants 
 standing round it with wax tapers in their hands, and the 
 high Altar which is very handsom was on this occasion deco- 
 rated with a great number of wax tapers, they continued 
 chanting some time after they were in the Church and then 
 the priests went up to the Altar and began the mass, but as 
 we were obliged to go to dinner we were deprived of the 
 remaining part of the Cerimonie. 
 
10 
 
 TOUR IN FLANDERS. 
 
 This Church is dedicated to Notre Dame it is built with 
 Bricks is large and has 4 ailes, there are several fine Altars 
 in it richly ornamented with paintings & Carving espescialy 
 the high Altar. 
 
 This Town is clean & well paved and being the first 
 Town of consequence in the Empress Queen's Dominions is 
 regularly Fortified, and here we met with some trouble from 
 the Custom house Officers who in our absence open'd every 
 part of our baggage & tumbled all our things in a disagreable 
 manner, here we were obliged to change our French silver 
 
 Coin into Flemish. when we set down to dinner we were 
 
 much disapointed at not being served as usual with several 
 sorts of dishes, there being nothing provided but soupe meagre 
 and two or three sorts of fish dress'd in a plain way, we en- 
 quired of Jean how this happend, he told us it was meagre 
 day on which no body eate flesh meat in that Country, 
 and he told us we must fare in the same manner the next 
 week for fridays and Saturdays were both meagre days. 
 After dinner we sent our baggage down to the head of the 
 Cannal which runs from thence to Bruges and followed it on 
 foot, being just without the walls of the Town, where we did 
 not waite long before the Barge from Dunkirk arived and we 
 went on board with our baggage. This barge is made like a 
 large passage boat or rather like some of the barges belonging 
 to the Companies in London, with a Deck on the top on which 
 if the weather is fine it is very pleasant sitting, in this barge 
 there are two divisions for passingers the prices of which are 
 different, one is neatly fitted up with seats & a table to dine 
 at, it is neatly wainscoted and the windows sashd, here is 
 likewise a kitchen and a Larder from which you may have 
 a very good dinner for \b^. and the price of a passenger in the 
 best appartment is likewise 15^ we here met an English 
 Gentleman & his Lady named Frear, an Augustine Frior who 
 was very chatty in broaken English & French, and two secular 
 
BRUGES. 
 
 11 
 
 priests, with some other Gentlemen & Ladies one of whome 
 sung pritty well, before we came to Bruges we were obliged 
 to change our barge there being too little water in the Cannal 
 for us to pass the Lock, this barge was rather disagreable 
 under Deck having been used for carrying salt-fish, but the 
 weather being fine and being but few miles from Bruges we 
 sit on deck where M''^ Frear produced a Tea-pot with Tea & 
 sugar and the Captain soon produced a Tea Kitchen with fire 
 & water and bread and butter, the top of a tub served us for 
 a table and we drank tea very merrely. It would be much 
 pleasanter traveling through these cannals if the banks were 
 not so high which in many places hinder the fine prospects of 
 the country, but we passed by several very pritty villages, 
 which lay on both sides of us, and had a very good prospect 
 of Ostend at about 2 miles distance, we met in these cannals 
 several large merchant ships some of 400"^^ burthen returning 
 from Bruges towards Ostend. 
 
 We arived at Bruges about 8 o'clock in the evening & were 
 conducted to the Hotel d' Comerce, where we took our lodgings 
 and as M'" & M""* Frear were in the same house we made but 
 one Company while we staid there, we passed the Guards & 
 custom house officers very well at our coming into the Town, 
 but we had hardly supp'd before a book was brought into the 
 room in which we were obliged to write our names as in other 
 places. 
 
 Sunday Aug^ 22'^. 
 
 We got up very earley this morning being disturbed by the 
 clanofingr of Bells in several Churches & the Chimes in the 
 Town House and other places which are very Harmonius, we 
 breakfasted with our Company and dressed as soon as we could 
 the place being large and many things to be seen, we had no 
 time to loose. M"" Frear though a protestant has a Son who 
 boards in the Jesuit's College at Bruges for Education, he 
 
12 
 
 TOUR IN FLANDERS. 
 
 seems to be about 7 years old but had been there only twelve 
 months, in which time his mother had not seen him, and when 
 his father introduced him to her at breakfast she thought him 
 so much altered that she would not be persuaded that he was 
 her own Child until she had open'd his shirt collar and dis- 
 coverd a mark by which she could not be discieved, and as 
 soon as she was satisfied she fell on the child's neck and was 
 sometime unable to speak, at last she burst into tears and cried 
 out it is my own Child ! and immediately recovering from her 
 surprise she wish'd her Husband and those who advised him to 
 send the Child there all at the Devil for they had made the 
 handsomest child in the world so plain and ordinary that she 
 did not know him : this Tragi-comic Scene being over we left 
 our company to see what was worthey our notice in the Town. 
 
 The first place that took our attention was a large Church 
 near our Hotel dedicated to S*. James, we went into it and were 
 surprised with the richness of the Altars and the vast number 
 of fine pictures ; that of the high Altar represents the Mar- 
 tyrdom of S*. James \ the Altar itselfe is all marble with 
 wreathed Colloms ; and is a good designe well executed, from 
 this Church we went to the Cathedral of S*. Donas where we 
 saw high Mass performed the Ceremony was very solemn and 
 the musick extremely Grand. 
 
 This Church^ was first founded by Baldwin surnamed Iron 
 Arm Earl of Flanders about the year 865. Wether any part of 
 the fabrick is of that age may be doubted but it is probable 
 that the transepts & all the Eastern parts beyond it were built 
 in the tenth Centurie but the west end seems of later date 
 (though not modern) which may account for the crookedness of 
 
 1 The picture at the High Altar now is the Adoration of the Magi by 
 I. van Bockhorst The Martyrdom of St James and many of the others 
 have perished. 
 
 2 This Church was swept completely away at the revolution in 1800. 
 A picture of it remains in one of the smaller rooms of the Hotel de Ville. 
 St Saviour's is now the Cathedral. 
 
BRUGES (!ATHEDRAL. 
 
 13 
 
 Bay adjoining Apse in Cathedral of St Donas. 
 
14 
 
 TOUR IN FLANDERS. 
 
 the Naife. there is a corbil table which runs round the upper 
 & lower ailes on the out side of the East part which shews it is 
 antient and is of this sort 
 
 from the west end of the Church there are 4 pointed arches 
 with high pillars at the intersection of the Transept there are 4 
 semicircular arches on square pillars with small shafts, bej^ond 
 the Transept the organ takes up one single division of three 
 tier Arches the lowest is pointed, the next semicircular divided 
 into tw^o, above are two niches the backs are circular between 
 the Organ & Altar there are three divisions of two arches as in 
 the sketch above, the upper tier has a large window between 
 two niches, the arch of the window is semicircular and filled 
 with modern tracery but what they were originally, does not 
 appear. The East end of the Church is semicircular, with the 
 ailes run^ round behind the Altar, & several Chapels which 
 open into it. the arches in the round part are high and pointed 
 the windows above have round arches the whole church is 
 vaulted with a semicircular vault & cross ribbs moulded 
 thus ^^^^ the double arches are plane, and the ribbs which 
 spring from the pillars of the Tribuna and forme a halfe 
 dome abutt against a semicircle in the center, the transept 
 projects no farther than the side Ailes having only one arch on 
 each side. There is one thing remarkable in this Church, if a 
 line is drawn through the center of the Choir it will cutt 
 through the South west angle of the naife. 
 
 On the north side of this Church there is a very large and 
 antient Cloister and in it an Altar, the sides of this cloister 
 next the aria are formed of small narrow arches with little 
 pillars, some round and some octangular standing on a wall 
 about 4^ high — the roof is wood covered with Lead. 
 
 The principal Altar in this Church is of marble and well 
 
BRUGES. 
 
 15 
 
 executed there are three picturs occasionaly placed on the 
 Altar — one represents the adoration of the Magi, another the 
 
 The Cloister on the North side of the Cathedi-al at Bruges. 
 
 Resurrection of our Lord and in the third are the angels and 
 
 fathers of the old and new Testament in adoration before the 
 
 holy sacrament besides these above the stalls in the Choir 
 
 there are 8 large pictures representing different passages of 
 
 scripture relating to the Life of our Saviour. 
 
 The Church of S*- Saviour is a good Gothic building and 
 
 very spacious the screen which separates the naife from the 
 
 Choir is a fine piece of Architecture entirely of marble, in the 
 
 upper part of the front is a very fine figure of God the Father 
 
 surrounded with clouds cut out of one block of white marble 
 
 finely executed, there are a great many fine Altars in this 
 
 Church with many fine picturs that of the high Altar is a 
 
 Resurection finely painted in the manner of Van Dike\ 
 
 1 There are still many fine pictures, but that over the High Altar was 
 painted by John Jansens. 
 
16 
 
 TOUR IN FLANDERS. 
 
 The Church of S* Walburge^ is an antient building in which 
 there is nothing remarkable but the pillars which are all 
 cylendrical and the Capitals have two tier of leaves in imita- 
 tion of the Corinthian and the pillars 
 not much out of proportion the arches 
 they support are pointed. 
 
 In the Church of the Dominicans^ we 
 find the same sort of Capitals many of 
 which have been alterd in the forme of 
 the Dorick & some in the lonick. this 
 Church was founded in the year 1233 the principal Altar in 
 this Church is of marble the picture which is a good one re- 
 presents the adoration of the Magi. 
 
 Our time from breakfast until dinner was taken up in 
 visiting a great number of Churches, in which the devotion 
 of the people was not less striking, than the richness of the 
 Altars, about which the quantity of Gold, silver and fine marbles 
 are astonishing, and the painting & statuary beyond descrip- 
 tion, we dined about two o'clock with M"^ & M''^ Frere their 
 son and another little boy from England who is at the same 
 college for Education, we made as short a dinner as we could, 
 and making the best apology we were able for leaving our 
 Company so soon, we set out again to visit as many Churches 
 & monastries as we could. The first we called at was an English 
 Nunery of penitents formerly of Nieuport, but as their Vespers 
 was not begun, we went from there to the English Nunery of 
 Augustine, here we attended Vespers and were entertained 
 with the singing and musick of the Nuns who form'd a small 
 band among themselves, one playing the organ, another the 
 volincello & others violins, while one stood by with a light cane 
 (at the end of which was a bunch of white ribbon) beating time. 
 
 1 The present Church of S. Walburge is a 17th century building, and 
 bears no resemblance to Mr Essex's description. 
 
 2 There is no Church now answering to this description. 
 
BRUGES. 
 
 17 
 
 Their Church is a modern buildinof of a Cfood desimie, in the 
 center is a Dome well lighted, the Altar was brought from 
 Rome & is made of marble and jasper, but the designe is 
 rather heavey, the nuns Choir which faces the Altar is inclosed 
 with a handsom iron Grating, above it is a Gallery for the 
 boarders, with a neat Iron raleing in the front of it. 
 
 After the service was over we enquired for M''^ Hudlestone, 
 Aunt to a Gentleman of that name near Cambridge, and were 
 desired to walk into a parlour where having waited about a 
 Quarter of an hour the Curtain behind the Grate was drawn 
 back and discover'd two Ladies dressed in white Cloth (the 
 habit of their Order) and black Veils which hid great part of 
 their faces, one was an elderly Lady, the other appeard to be 
 about 30 years of age. 
 
 After acquainting them from whence we came and answer- 
 ing such questions as they ask'd relating to the family in 
 Cambridgeshire M'"^ H asked us to drink tea or coffee but as 
 our time was short we excused our selves, but accepted of a 
 glass of wine and piece of Cake, and took leave of these Ladies 
 to return to the Nunery of English penitents, but being too 
 late for their Vespers ; we went into their Chapel which is 
 new and very neat though small, the Altar is an Elegant 
 designe, executed in wood painted, the Decorations above the 
 Table and the frontal T long and high are solid silver, 
 finely chaced with the Arms of a Lady whose name is Seymour 
 who gave these ornaments and a new Organ, on one side of 
 this chapel is a small monument on which is an Urne contain^ 
 the hearts of a Duke & Dutchess of Norfolk, Here one of the 
 lay-sisters very cively shew us all the curiosities containd in 
 the Sacristary : The habit of the nuns is blue Cloth with white 
 vails. — from this nunery we went to the Church of the Jesuits, 
 Here is a good picture at the high Altar representing Jesus 
 Christ recieveing his Mother into heaven. 
 
 The Church belonging to the Hospital of Black Sisters is an 
 
 C. A.S. Octavo Series. XXIV. 2 
 
18 
 
 TOUR IN FLANDERS. 
 
 Antient building — at the altar is a good picture it represents 
 the Crucifixion with Virgin Mary, Mary Magdalen & Jn". 
 These nuns are habited in black with a white head dress of a 
 peculiar form, they are imployed in taking care of the sick 
 in the Hospital of Jn° very near them. 
 
 Bruges is surrounded with deep ditches & strong walls 
 fortified with Towers, the form of it is Eliptical there runs 
 through't several streems over which are a great number of 
 Bridges, The streets are regular but not all streight for some 
 of them follow the course of the out works. The Great Market 
 place lays on the side of a hill which risese with an easey 
 assent well paved and neatly kept : on one side is a large 
 Gothic building with a high Tower built with brick, the stile 
 is antient haveing circular intersect^ Arches in this tower there 
 is a very harmonious set of Chimes : on another side of this 
 square is a fine Gothic building of Great extent, which was 
 built^ for a public warehouse where the merchants deposit their 
 goods, we were told that it is built over a cannal in such a 
 manner that large vessels can pass under it, and take in their 
 lading or discharge it. In a large sq''^ opposite the Cathedral 
 is the Town house this is a beautiful Gothic building of the 
 richest stile adorned with a Great number of rich tabernacles 
 in which are placed the Statues of the antient Counts & 
 Countesses of Flanders it was began in 1376. near the Town 
 house is another build of rich Gothic Archif^ called the Chapel 
 of Basle, in this square is the Bishops pallace and other 
 publick buildings. There are many Large Gothic houses in 
 this Town ornamented with Tabernacles and Statues & other 
 ornaments which were built by the merchents of other nations 
 when the trade of this place was in a flourishing state. 
 
 1 This building perished in 1793, but a picture of it may be seen in one 
 of the smaller rooms of the Hotel de Ville. 
 
BRUGES. 
 
 19 
 
 August 23. 
 
 We got up this morning pritty early and breakfasted as 
 soon as we could, intending to go with the Barge to Ghent, 
 in our way to the head of the Cannal we stopt at the Church 
 of Notre-Dame on purpose to see a famous piece of Sculpture 
 the work of Michel Angelo Buona-Roti, it is a figure of the 
 Virgin Mary sitting, with the Child Jesus standing between 
 her knees, it is an admirable piece of workmanship, and the 
 finest piece of Sculpture in this Country, (it is said that L*^ 
 Orford offered 30000 florins for it.) 
 
 before the high altar in this Church there are two beauti- 
 fiill Monuments^ of Black marble ornamented with many coats 
 of arms enamel'd on bra£s. on the southern lays a fine figure 
 of brass finely Gilt represent^ Charles the Bold ; Duke of 
 Burgundy, he is dress'd in a Coat of Mail and over it a 
 Robe with a Collar of the Order of the Golden Fleece on his 
 head is a Radiated Crown and at his feet is a Lyon couchant... 
 (this monument was made in 1550) The other is for Maria 
 his Daughter and Heiress who died in 1482, on it is her 
 Effigies dress'd in the habit of the times, these monuments 
 are kept covered with cases and are so well preserved that 
 they appear as if they had been made but a year or two. 
 
 This Church is a very antient Gothic building founded in 
 the year 1091, and notwithstanding it appears to have under- 
 gone many changes in different parts of it there is enough left 
 to shew the original form of it, and though some of the arches 
 are now pointed it is plain to be seen that they were at first 
 all round the arches are supported by sq^ piers against which 
 are fixt halfe round pillars from the Caps of which the ribs 
 of the vaulting spring, those which are next the ailes have 
 Corinthian Capitals^ and the shafts very well diminished, and 
 
 1 Now removed to a Chapel on the South side. 
 
 2 The Corinthian capitals are really Romanesque. 
 
 2—2 
 
20 
 
 TOUR IN FLANDERS. 
 
 of a tolerable good proportion : there can be no doubt as to its 
 being the original Church and as it is a very remarkable spesci- 
 men of the Stile of building used in that age I made a slight 
 sketch of one arch with the pillars as they appear next the 
 ailes. 
 
 it is common to pile up the skulls (which are dug out of the 
 burial places) round a large Crucifix in the Church Yard, but 
 to prevent any Idolitrous use being made of them the following 
 
BRUGES. 
 
 21 
 
 inscription' is frequently wrote under them — as in the Great 
 Church at Ostend 
 
 Effigiem Domini Christi pronus honora ! 
 
 at non Effigiem, sed quern demonstrat adora ! 
 
 Translated 
 
 Christ's image to respect, do thou consent ! 
 To worship Him (not it) be thou intent. 
 
 Most of the Churches and Houses in this City are built 
 with bricks, and we find here every Stile of 
 Gothic Architecture in that material we find 
 the circular intersecting arches and small 
 pillars in the Great Tower in the market 
 place and there are several houses which 
 have round arches and windows divided with 
 little pillars. 
 
 Some have pointed Arches and others with all the variety of 
 tracery found in different Ages on many 
 there are dates of the 15^^ & 16^^ Centy. 
 the fronts of the Houses in general are 
 finished with a Gable rising in steps 
 like the section of an Egyptian piramid 
 and the windows decreace in number as 
 they rise. 
 
 We went on board the Barge ^ and set 
 off for Ghent about 9 o'clock, the morn- 
 ing being fine & the company all on 
 deck, I took the opportunity of making 
 a sketch of it as near as I could without being particular in 
 the measures of it. 
 
 1 No remains of this exist. 
 
 2 No Barges of course run now. 
 
TOUR IN 
 
 a. 
 
 FLANDERS. 
 
 a) The States room hung with 
 
 Damask 
 b. b. b) passage from end to 
 
 end 
 
 c) a common room with 2 
 tables, open to passage 
 
 d) another common room with 
 benches only 
 
 e) a privey 
 
 f) a common room open to y® 
 Kitchen on one side & to y^ 
 passage on the other 
 
 g. g) Store rooms & Larder &c 
 
 h) the Kitchen 7' Sq^'^ 
 
 i) the scullery 
 
 k) the pump & sink 
 1) the best room for passen- 
 gers 11 feet wide 13* long 
 m. m) Beds & cubbards 
 n. n) Stairs 
 o) a beaufet 
 p. p. p) Chimnies 
 q) Stoves in the Kitchen 
 
 The whole length of the 
 Barge is about 52 feet the 
 Cabins are all neatly fitted up 
 & the windows with Slid^ 
 sashes the Deck is very plea- 
 sant in Summ^ or fine weather 
 and over the States room is 
 raised and Covered with an 
 awning which keeps off the 
 Sun or rain from those who 
 like to sit there, it being 30 
 
BRUGES TO GHENT. 
 
 23 
 
 miles from Bruges to Ghent we dined in the Barge and had 
 an Elegant dinner provided for only twelve people, who dine 
 together in the best room, our dinner consisted of 2 hot courses. 
 5 dishes each and a Desert of fruite & biskets. for the 
 
 first course 
 Beef Boiled 
 Peas stewed 
 Soupe 
 French beans stewed 
 Herrings pickled on Greens. 
 
 Sec^. Course 
 Mutton Roasted 
 Veal 
 Fowls 
 Soals 
 Veal stewed. 
 
 Desert 
 Apricots — Plumbs 
 Pears 
 
 biskits — Crumplins 
 filberts 
 Butter Cheese 
 
 This dinner was dressed in the Barge and served in as neat 
 and elegant a manner as it could be in the best London Tavern, 
 and at far less expence being no more than fifteen pence each 
 person without the extra charge of bread beer &c., so commonly 
 charged by the Inn keepers in England, the charge of each 
 person for his passage is the same as the dinner, so that the 
 whole expence of a Journey from Bruges to Ghent which is 
 about 30 miles does not exceed two shillings & sixpence. The 
 day being very fine it was pleasant Traveling along this fine 
 Canal which for several miles is planted on both sides with tall 
 
24! 
 
 TOUR IN FLANDEES. 
 
 trees, behind which we had the pleasing prospects of neat 
 villages & Farm houses, with meadows of the most beautiful 1 
 verdure coverd w^ith Catle, and Fields well stockd with corn, 
 some stand^ in shocks and others ready to cutt down, These 
 beautifull Cannals are not only advantagious to the Trade & 
 Comerce of the Country but for Agriculture, by these they 
 drain the Country which being a large levil was subject to 
 inundations, and when the seasons are dry they water their 
 meadows by means of sluces, the water in the cannals being 
 often higher than the ground on either side of them, and is 
 kept up by a number of well constructed locks for y® Conveni- 
 ence of Navigation & for the Convenience of the Villages laying 
 on both sides of these Cannals there are a Great many bridges, 
 over which Carriages can pass from one side to the other, 
 these Bridges are extreemly well built & so well contrived that 
 a boy can turn them with ease, when a vessel wants to pass by 
 them. 
 
 We arrived at Ghent about hall'e an hour after five in 
 the evening, but the place we intended to Lodge at being 
 at some distance from the place where we landed we took 
 a Coach which carried us and our baf^orage to the Hotel de 
 Sebastian, but were stopt at the Gate by the Custom house 
 officers to examine our baggage and by the Guard to give 
 in our names to be sent to the Governor. The Hotel de 
 Sebastian is an Elegant large house built originaly for some 
 Gentleman of fortune and is situated in a large square well 
 planted with trees between which are pleasant walks in this 
 square are two high poles at which the members of the Society 
 of S* Sebastian shot with bows and arrows at little wooden birds 
 fixt on the top of them. 
 
 When we had chose our rooms and drank coffee we ordered 
 our supper and took a walk into the City, and when we 
 returned found our table sett out in a genteel manner, our 
 supper consisted of 2 hot courses of five dishes each and after 
 
GHENT. 
 
 25 
 
 it a Desert of fruit and biskits with ice cream and our wine 
 was served in Ice. our lodging was a piece with our supper 
 having exelent beds fine clean sheets and everything answer- 
 able to them, but in this as in all other places where we baited, 
 we eat drank and slept in the same room. 
 
 August 24^^ 
 
 We rose this morning at 6 o'clock and got our breakfast as 
 soon as possible, having many things to see, but before we 
 set out engaged a man to conduct us to the places most worthy 
 our notice. 
 
 The first place we viseted was the Church of the Jesuits^ 
 in this Church there are several fine Altars, and at most of 
 them a good picture. At the high Altar is a fine picture 
 representing the martyrdom of Lievin on one side of this 
 Church is a fine Chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary which 
 with a rich Altar is entirely of fine marble, at the top of 
 the Altar is represented the three persons of the Trinity 
 surrounded with Angels in Glory, and on each side is a fine 
 picture the Adoration of the Shepherds in one, and of the 
 Magi in the other. 
 
 The Altar on the right hand of the high Altar is of Marble 
 the Coll™ are Composite, at the top is a fine Statue of S^ Igna- 
 tius & S*^ Peter and S*^ Paul over the Doors, of white marble 
 the table is marble and in front of it there are 7 reliques 
 inclosed in Compartments of brass Gilt. The High Altar is 
 very magnificent it is all marble black white and brown and 
 of the Composite order, over the picture is a large Shrine 
 of Silver and in the front of y"" table is inserted a relique. 
 the organ is at the west end of the Church. 
 
 The Chapel of the Virgin is of black and white marble 
 on the top of the Altar is a figure of the Virgin on one side 
 
 ^ Now destroyed. The present Church of the Jesuits bears no resem- 
 blance to this description. 
 
26 
 
 TOUR IN FLANDERS. 
 
 S*^ Joseph, S* Ann on the other, the light is thrown on these 
 figurs by a window over the Arch at the entrance, which 
 is not seen but produces a fine effect, the whole Church 
 is paved with marble. 
 
 We next visited a Convent of Black Sisters, this a prity neat 
 Hospital for the sick who are attended by these sisters, the 
 appartments are very neat, every room being furnished with a 
 good bed and a little Oratory on which is a Crucifix with 
 many other conveniences, here is a neat Cloister and a small 
 Church modern built, at the altar is a fine picture repre- 
 senting the Virgin Mary and the Child Jesus at her knees, 
 Avith several other figurs. one of the sisters shew us the 
 furniture of the Altar which is very handsom. from hence 
 we went to the parish Church of 8^ Michael^ this Church is 
 very large and of antient stile of Architecture, the pillars 
 are round and lofty but not Corinthian above the arches 
 there are windows with a ballustrade which seems more modern 
 than the Church. The whole is built in the form of a Cross 
 the naif contain^ five Arches the Choir and transepts three, 
 the end being terminated in halfe poligon of five sides, the 
 Ailes run quite round and open into several Chapels answering 
 to the Arches of the Church, in every Chapel there is an 
 Altar richly ornamented and most of them are of fine marbles, 
 and all have pictures, some of which are remarkably fine. 
 The Organ is placed in the South Transept and the Choir 
 being open to the view of the Church the High Altar appears 
 at the first entrance and has a fine effect, the whole Church is 
 vaulted. 
 
 From the Church of Michael we went to the Church of 
 the Alexiens, the principal Altar in this Church is of black 
 and white marble, but the picturs are few and not any Capital. 
 
 The Church of S*' Nicholas, here is a handsom Altar of 
 
 1 Excepting that many of the altars have been removed, this describes 
 the Church very well. 
 
GHENT. 
 
 27 
 
 wood imitation marble, with a good picture representing the 
 consecration of S*^ Nicholas, in this Church we were shew 
 a picture in memory of Oliver Minjau and his wife who 
 together had 31 children 21 boys & 10 girls, who all died 
 within the space of one month in the year 1526 \ 
 
 This Church is antient but has been spoiled by altering the 
 form of the pillars and Capitals with stucco. 
 
 The Parish Church of James is of very antient Archi- 
 tecture, the pillars of the naif are short & round, the Arches 
 are pointed, the Capitals are now Dorick but it is probable 
 they have all been altered, at the west end there are two 
 Towers with windows divided by pillars and round archest 
 
 The organ is placed in a Chap^ on the north side of the 
 Altar but does not appear, in this Church we heard a solemn 
 piece of musick performed at a Mass for some person deceas'd. 
 
 The Monastry of Baudeloo^. here is a fine large Church, 
 but the Altars are not of the best stile, most of them par- 
 ticularly the high Altar is of wood in imitation of Marble 
 there is a good picture on the north side of the Altar repre- 
 senting the Virgin & Child who is standing on a Globe sur- 
 rounded with Angels, on the north side of the Church is 
 a handsom Cloister with several picturs in it, particularly 
 a large one at the south end of the east side containing 
 the portraits of the Religious of this Convent. When we 
 came into this Cloister the Monks were at supper in the 
 Refectory and obligingly hastend out that we might view 
 it only one being left who had not finish't his mess, this 
 room is neat on each side there are tables for the Monks 
 and on the side opposite the windows is a pulpit. & at the 
 
 ^ Both these pictures remain. 
 
 2 The plaster work is now being removed, and the capitals though much 
 hacked shew their original early pointed form. 
 
 3 The Church is now used as the Library of the University, and the 
 Botanic Garden occupies the site of the monastery. 
 
28 
 
 TOUR IN FLANDERS. 
 
 upper end a table for the Abbot who eats by himselfe. behind 
 the east side of the Cloister is a large Garden in which 6 or 7 
 of the principal Monks have each a small piece of Ground 
 fenced in, and a summer house 10 or 12 feet square some 
 of which are neatly fitted up and their little gardens kept 
 in nice order. 
 
 Aug* 25"' 
 
 Geting up pritty soon this morning we accidentaly went 
 into the Church of the Becollets^ before breakfast and were struck 
 with the fine appearance of the Church which with the high 
 Altar was illuminated with a vast number of wax tapers and 
 the priests in rich habits Celebrating high Mass which being 
 ended the monks came out of their Choir which is behind the 
 high Altar at the doors right & left and walked in procession 
 through the Church and round the Cloister, they were pro- 
 ceeded by a boy ring^ a Bell, after whome followed a Crucifix 
 carried by a monk on each side a boy with a wax taper then 
 followed several monks 2 & 2 Chanting : after them follow'd the 
 priest carrying the Host in an elegant pix of silver Gilt on each 
 side of him were 3 monks carrying wax tapers, after them came 
 2 boys carrying the incence pot & cencer and these were followd 
 by the rest of the monks two and two & after them the whole 
 congregation singing, in one angle of the Cloister was an Altar 
 on which they elevated the Host and gave the Benediction & 
 then continued their procession round and return'd into the 
 Church singing until the priest came to the high Altar and 
 there placing the Host in the Tabernacle the monks divided 
 and went into the Choir at the doors they came out, where 
 they concluded the Cerimony with musick and Chanting, there 
 are several fine pictures in this Church particularly one at the 
 high Altar painted by Rubens. 
 
 The Hotel-de-ville is a large and antient Building it has two 
 
 1 Now destroyed. The present Church of the Recollets is modern and 
 docs not answer to this description. 
 
CiHENT. 
 
 29 
 
 fronts one of which is of very rich Gothick Architecture began in 
 1481 the other more modern having J of CoU'"^ in 3 orders 
 Doric Ionic & Composite, in this building there are several 
 large Halls some intended for grand entertainments others for 
 buisness here is likewise a prity Chapel, and a fine old Gothic 
 staircase, and in all the appartments there are some fine pic- 
 turs worth seeing. 
 
 The Beguines^ — a particular sort of Nuns who were a black 
 habit & on their heads white veils folded like Napkins which 
 they spread over them when they go to Church, they are not 
 confined like those in other Convents but may leave it when 
 they please and marry when they can, there are about 600 of 
 these sisters who live in seperate dwellings which forme several 
 streets in the midst of which is a large Church in which they 
 attend service and make a pleasing appearance when altogether 
 with their white vails spread over their heads & shoulders. 
 
 The Church^ is antient but on the outside has been cased 
 with brick and altered, the pillars are Corinthian Gothic well 
 proportioned, most of the arches are pointed and the vaulting is 
 with Cross ribs and in the East part of the ailes there are 
 round Arches. 
 
 In the Church of the Annonciades^ there is a good picture 
 of Yan-Dyck representing the Annunciation but the Church 
 has nothing singular in the building. 
 
 The Cathedral of Bavon is a large & fine Gothic Building 
 and of a good proportion, it is built in form of a Cross with 3 
 fine Ailes, and Chapels, which continue round the high Altar. 
 The Choir is open to the Nave from which we assended to it 
 up Eleven steps of black marble and the Chapel behind it is 
 
 1 A completely new Beguinage has been built on the other side of the 
 town. The old one remains, and the buildings have been turned into 
 private houses. It seems strange to see some of the larger houses used for 
 estaminets. 
 
 2 The Church has been well restored. 
 2 Now destroyed. 
 
30 
 
 TOUR IN FLANDERS. 
 
 8 steps higher, the whole inclosure of the Choir is marble at 
 the backs of the stalls are pillasters of white marble the Capitals 
 Composite the pannels between are of Crimson Damask in Gilt 
 frames\ before the high Altar are 4 Candlesticks^ of brass finely 
 wrote, ten feet high on them are the Arms of England, they 
 were given by In°. of Gant to the Church of S*^ Paul London & 
 brought from thence at the reformation. 
 
 On the north side of the high Altar which is of Marble and 
 a Grand designe, is a fine Monument of Bishop Triest with 
 three fine figurs in marble. All the Chapels round this Church 
 are inclosed with marble ballustrades, or of Brass Gilt, the 
 Bishop's Chapel is inclosed with a Screen of marble and doors 
 of fine brass Gilt (made in 1683) the Altar is also of marble & 
 the vault is handsomly painted. 
 
 Under the Choir of this Church there is a fine large Crypt 
 which appears very antient and is most likely the foundation of 
 the antient Church which was built about the year 941. but 
 the present Church appears more modern. 
 
 The A hhj of Peter\ The Hefectory of this Abby is a fine 
 room about 130^ long & 34* wide, the whole is waincoted as 
 high as the bottom of the windows in a handsom manner, 
 painted with a bright olive and the ornaments Gilt ; between 
 the windows there are Corinthian pillasters, and on the side 
 opposite to the windows there are 10 pannels between the 
 pillasters, every pannel contain^ a fine picture. The floor is 
 black & white marble laid in a large figure. The tables are set 
 upon a boarded floor on each side raised a step above the 
 marble, (on each side there are 3 tables). 
 
 1 These must have been temporary covers for monochrome paintings 
 were placed in the gilt frames in 1774. 
 
 2 The candlesticks still remain, but are not early enough to liave been 
 given by John of Gaunt. They were purchased by Bishop Triest during 
 the Protectorate and placed in their present position in 1669. 
 
 3 Now a caserne. The Church remains and answers the description fairly, 
 but the silver Tabernacle has disappeared, and the oak stalls no longer exist. 
 
CJHENT. 
 
 31 
 
 Tlic table at tlie upper end is raised a step higher than the 
 rest, and at the back of it above the wains* there are three fine 
 picturs, that in the midle represents the marriage in Cana. the 
 Cieling is a Gothic Arch finely painted, at the end of the 
 Refectory is a neat Kitchen ab* 34 Sq'\ it is an elegant room 
 paved with black marble the Cieling is vaulted with an Elip- 
 tical vault neatly ornamented & Groined, there are two large 
 fire places for Cooking : over one is a picture of Martha and 
 Mary over the other S*^ Laurence Patron of the Cooks, in this 
 Kitchen they imploy four Cooks who dress all the Victuals for 
 y® monks, but notwithstanding it is so much used, it is as clean 
 & neat as the Kitchen of a private famil}^ 
 
 The Cluiixli belonging to this Abby is a modern building of 
 the Corinthian Order in the midle is a Dome greatly orna- 
 mented with Stucco, in the pendentifs are represented the four 
 Evangelists well executed. The screen which seperates the 
 Choir from the naif is of fine marble the coll""^ of the lonick 
 order. The Altar is raised three steps above the floor of the 
 Choir and stands insualate : the Tomb or table of the Altar is 
 about 18* long & »3J feet high in forme of a sarcophagus finely 
 ornamented with foliage &c. on the top of it is a beautiful! 
 tabernacle in forme of a round Temple with Coll""^ of the 
 Corinthian order, and finished with a Dome richly ornamented 
 on the top of which is a fine Crucifix, the whole altar is about 
 eighteen feet high to the top of the Cross and entirely of solid 
 silver finely ornamented with reliefs finished in the highest 
 manner, and the Ground finely Gilt, on each side of the 
 Tabernacle are three fine silver candlesticks 4* high, below are 
 8 more about two feet high standing on the table or tomb of 
 the Altar against the pillars of the Choir round this Altar are 
 placed four fine statues of marble represent^ the cardinal virtues, 
 and against the pillars of the naife are statues of stone well 
 executed. 
 
 The Iron gates which inclose the Choir are elegantly 
 
82 
 
 TOUR IN FLANDERS. 
 
 designed & finely executed. The Stalls are of oak richly 
 carved. 
 
 The side ailes are terminated with fine Altars of marble, 
 and on the sides are ten beautifull pieces of fine tapistry con- 
 taining the History of S*^ Peter & S*^ Paul inclosed in large 
 cases finely painted. 
 
 The Library is a noble room finely wainscoted with oak the 
 shelves against the walls are richly ornamented with fine 
 Carving, the pannels above the Classes are finely painted in 
 imitation of antique bas-reliefs & the Colour of the wood so 
 well matchd that it is not easey to distinguish it from real 
 carving (these were painted by Gueraerts of Antwerp) & the 
 Cieling is finely painted by Simons of Bruxels. the entrance is 
 at one end by a large sash door, above it is a compound open 
 pediment supported by Ionic Collums in niches, above them 
 are Groups of boys bearing the Cross & instruments of the 
 Crucifiction, opposite the entrance is a large Glass in a door- 
 case like the other it is 7* wide & 15^ high made of three pieces. 
 
 The books are all handsomly bound & ranged in order and 
 may be about 5 or 6 thousand vol^^ or more. The Cloisters are 
 very neat and well paved with black & white marble. 
 
 The Abbots Appartments consist of many Grand rooms 
 elegantly fitted up and ornamented with paintings Carving & 
 Gilding. The Cabinet contains many fine picturs. 
 
 The Chapel is a neat little oratory the Altar is neat, on it is 
 a fine Crucifix of Ivory. In one appartment there are two 
 figurs of needle work on crimson velvet one of S*^ Peter the 
 other S* Paul finely done, the frames are carved with fish shells 
 &c in the manner of Gibbons, in this room is a model of the 
 whole Abby as intended to be built. The room in which the 
 Abbot recieves his visiters is hung with fine Bruxels Tapistry 
 & the Chairs of the Gobelins, in fine carved frames. Near the 
 Abby of Peter is a large Church called Notre Dame^. it is 
 1 No longer existing. 
 
GH EXT. 
 
 built in forme of a Cross, from the west end to the transept 
 are seven Arches, in the Choir four, with five narrow Arches in 
 the round at East end the pillars in the 
 Naife are round, those of the Choir are 
 round with 4 halfe round pillars fixt to 
 them, the Capitals are Corinthian Gothic. 
 
 The Arches are some of them round, 
 others pointed, above the first Arches is 
 a passage open towards the Church with 
 montans and pointed Arches, and over them 
 large windows with tracery, the whole is 
 vaulted with cross vaulting and moulded 
 ribbs. 
 
 N.B. as this Church seems to have been 
 
 much altered it is difficult to judge of its 
 
 age there being a mixture of several Stiles 
 
 of Architecture of different ages. 
 
 In the naife of this Churcb at the intersection of the 
 transept, was an Altar of scenary erected to commemorate 
 the Dedication of the Church on the 15*^ of August, before it 
 was placed a figure of the Virgin Mary. On an urn of silver 
 gilt over which was a Baldachin of silver adorned with Grapes 
 and hung round with ornaments of Gold and precious stones. 
 The Organ is at the west end of this Church. 
 
 The Carthusians have a monastry^ which we were desireous 
 of seeing being the strictest order of monks. They have a neat 
 Chapel with an Altar of wood painted like marble but no picturs 
 worthy notice, on one side of the Church they have a large 
 Cloister neatly kept, round which are built the cells or appart- 
 ments of the monks whose doors open into it ; and by the side 
 of every door a little window at which they recieve their dinner 
 every day except Sunday when they dine together in the Refec- 
 tory, They must not go out of their cells, except to Church with- 
 1 No longer existing. 
 C"'. A. S. Octavo Series. XXIY. g 
 
34 
 
 TOUR IX FLANDERS. 
 
 out leave of the Superior, they must not speak to any person 
 even their own brother without leave, their beds are Straw 
 coverd with Coarse cloth their cloathing is hair cloth, with a 
 Cowle and cloak of coarse cloth. We could not see their cells 
 without leave being given for one of the Monks to speak and 
 shew us his appartment, we therefore sent a messinger to the 
 superior for his permission, which being granted we were admit- 
 ted into one of them. It consisted of a neat parlour a bed-room, 
 a study a working room & a prity Garden and a loft for wood 
 and other conveniences the parlour was neatly paperd and fur- 
 nished, on one side of the Chimney was a closet where he re- 
 cieves his Victuies, on a Dresser was spread a Clean napkin, his 
 bed room was neat and prity and his straw bed in a recess on 
 one side with a little closit adjoining, next to the bed-room was 
 his study in which were two windows & between them an oratory 
 and Crucifix, on one side was a book case well filled with 
 books. On the side of the garden adjoining to the parlour was 
 a long room in which is a pump, & a bench with various tools 
 for Carving, beyond that a little Aviary. The Garden was very 
 regularly laid out in beds borderd with box cut very neat ; in 
 the midle was a pedestal with an urn, at the 4 corners four 
 small figurs on pedestals, on the side fronting the Cell was a 
 coverd seat with a little table between two benches, over the 
 table was a Crucifix, the walls are planted with fruite trees, 
 and the borders with flowers, the whole very neat and well 
 kept. The Monk who lives in these appartments seem'd 
 greatly pleased with the notice Ave took of them and very cively 
 shew us whatever we desired to see I made a little plan of 
 them with which he was pleased on comparing it with the 
 spot. 
 
 The Superior beiug informed that we came from England 
 desired we might be asked if we had a plan or map of London 
 but we were sorry it was not in our power to oblige him with 
 one. 
 
GHKNT. 
 
 85 
 
 i 
 
 Plan of the Appartments of one of the Carthusian Monks. 
 
 li 
 
 J 
 
 Hi 
 
 •:1 
 
 !i 
 
 ;!!! 
 
 i..J Lj 
 
 ' '''4 
 I 
 
 d /A* /(eel ^ 
 
 Having a Seal with the Head of the present Pope we 
 borrowed a candle of the monk and left 3 impressions in wax, 
 with which he was greatly pleased we thanked him for his 
 Civility and took our leave of him and departed. 
 
 In our way from the Carthusians we lookt into the Butcher's 
 market. This is a large building about 250^ long and is 
 divided into two walks with shambles on both sides of them, 
 well stock'd with meat of all kinds cutt in small pieces & hung 
 on hooks at the end of one of these walks is a very prity Chapel 
 
 8—2 
 
86 
 
 TOUR IN FLANDERS. 
 
 with an Altar neatly filled up, at this chapel service is per- 
 formed once a day. 
 
 The Church of the Dominicans^ is a large building about 
 48 ^ wide it is built without pillars but has Chapels on both 
 sides which serve for buttresses and are all open to the naif 
 The roof is timber but tyed in with iron bars which go from 
 side to side there are 7 Chapels on each side but the decora- 
 tions are very indifferent and there are few good picturs in it 
 while we were at Ghent we had an opportunity of seeing about 
 600 of the Queen's infantry reviewed in a large plane at a distance 
 from the City they are all dress'd in white uniforme which they 
 keep extreemly clean and their arms in good order they seemed 
 to performe their exercise very well but fired very irregular. 
 
 There are many handsom houses in Ghent built in the 
 French taste, but the houses in General are in much the same 
 stile as at Bruges. 
 
 They reccon about 300 bridges in this place most of which 
 are made to turn that vessels may pass them. Here is a 
 Theater near our Hotel but it is seldom used but in the winter 
 season, it is not very large nor very handsom it was built for a 
 Oppera house. Ghent was taken by the Duke of Marlborough 
 in y^ 1708 after a six days siege. 
 
 Thursday AugK W\ 
 
 We left Ghent this morning about 7 o'clock in a miserable 
 equipage called a Carrosse (in English a Coach) being an open 
 Chaise with two seats, to which was fixt a head with a buckram 
 cover and curtains which could not keep out a little shour of 
 rain, to this machine four miserable horses were tied with cart 
 ropes, and dragg'd us to Antwerp, traveling at the rate of 
 three miles an hour through a heavey sandy road and baiting 
 our horses every six miles, about 18 miles from Ghent we stopt 
 to dinner, but as we did not expect any good accommodations 
 ^ No longer existing. 
 
GHENT TO ANTWERP. 
 
 37 
 
 on the road we provided ourselves with a couple of cold fouls 
 roasted and some bread, we found however better accommo- 
 dations than we expected and were very well satisfied, the 
 name of the place is Westminster. — The Country on both sides 
 this road is very well cultivated in every part of it, all the 
 villages are neat and clean, the Farm houses very well built, 
 and the meanest cottage shews the cleanliness of its in- 
 habitants in this road we see none of those miserable objects 
 which are found in every country village in England, the poor 
 are all imployed from the oldest to the youngest in some 
 buisness of Husbandry, or other usefuU arts, and every one 
 looks clean and healthy some indeed wear wooden shoes, and 
 many have neither shoes nor stockings, but they have good 
 cloaths and clean linnen, and seem well fed. At every cross 
 way, or most frequented place in the road, we see little 
 oratories or Chapels, at which we frequently saw travelers on 
 their knees, for neither man, woman, or child, will pass them 
 without saying a prayer, or paying some mark of respect, even 
 the driver of our carriage observed them as he past, by pulling 
 off his hat. The English who boast of professing the most pure 
 and refined part of Religion, are apt to condemn these people 
 for their superstition and pity their ignorance but, if they con- 
 stantly attend those cerimonies which they have been taught 
 is their dut}^ to observe, they deserve our respect much more 
 than those who proffess to know a better religion but practice 
 none at all, the difference between the common people in 
 England, & this Country, is in reality this, in France their 
 ignorance leads them to superstition, in England their ignorance 
 leads them, either to enthusiasm or a total disregard of all 
 religious Duties. 
 
 Roberies are seldom committed on these roads in the day, 
 though they are sometimes in the night and we saw by the 
 road side a Gallows support'd by 3 stone pillars, on which a 
 poor wretch was hanging. He was executed for robing on that 
 
38 
 
 TOUR IN FLANDERS. 
 
 road, at 19 years of age, and had been a robber from age of 
 7, by the side of the Gallows was a wheel to expose those who 
 should be guilty of murther, but these roads are so safe in the 
 day, that a Child might travil with a purse of Gold and not be 
 robed of it. after dinner we continued our journey, and after 
 baiting once arrived in a little outwork on the side of the 
 River Scheild opposite the City of Antwerp, from which there 
 is a fine prospect of it, here we left our Carriage and ferried 
 over the River which is about the breadth of the Thames at 
 Lambeth, but much deeper — we landed at Antwerp about 
 6 o'clock, but were obliged to waite some time in the Street 
 'till a Coach could be got to carry us and our baggage to the 
 Hotel where we were to Lodge, which was not very agreable, 
 for being Foreigners the Strange appearance of our habits 
 drew together a great number of Children about us. at last we 
 were carried to the Hotel Laboureur in the Place de Mer 
 which is a very good House but inferior to that we left at Ghent, 
 the place in which it is situated is very spacious of great length 
 and width, and finely paved, the houses about it are in general 
 well built, some of them very grand, but in general in the Stile 
 peculiar to this country, many of them gothic, but as they 
 have no outside shutters to any of their windows, all the 
 windows on the Ground floor have strong iron gates before 
 them which makes every house look like a prison. We chose a 
 room upstairs with three windows which lookd into the place, 
 from which we had a view of a very large Crucifix of Brass 
 Gilt 33 feet high ; While we were standing at our windows the 
 evening we arived we observed some hundreds of people who 
 seemed to walk all one way, and when they came within a 
 small distance of the Great Cross fell on their knees, sometimes 
 we observed forty or fifty at a time prostrate on the pavement, 
 and many well dress'd people among them, we observed the 
 same in the morning & evening follow^ notwithstanding there 
 had been rain which made the streets wet. 
 
ANTWERP. 
 
 39 
 
 N.B. In order to prevent any Idolatrous abuse of these 
 Crucifix's, the following latin inscription in large Characters is 
 here and there engravM upon them 
 
 Effigiem Christi dum pronus honora, 
 
 At non effigiein, sed quern demonstrat adora 
 
 Christ's image to respect whilst thou consents 
 Adore it not — but Him it represents. 
 
 Friday Aug^ 27. 
 
 Antwerp being a large Place and the places we intended to 
 visit at some distance from each other, we took a Coach for the 
 day, & a man to conduct vis, who carried us first to the Church 
 of the Augustins. This Church is a modern Building with 3 
 ailes the pillars are Dorick with bases supporting seven arches — 
 above which is the entablature and over that the windows of 
 the naife the whole is a light aire designe but not well executed. 
 The high Altar is raised as high as the top of the Naife and 
 fills the whole end which is finished with a halfe dome and 
 appears very grand all together, but the designe is not correct, 
 there is a neat Cloister joining to this Church at one corner of 
 which a little stage with scenes is erected for the use of the 
 Students. 
 
 In the North Aile of this Church at the Altar of Angustin 
 is a very fine picture painted by Van Dyck, it represents 
 S* Augustin looking up towards Heaven where he beholds Jesus 
 Christ surrounded with a multitude of Angels which with other 
 figurs have a surprising effect, in a room adjoining to the 
 Cloister is a small picture about 3 J* by 2 feet representing y^ 
 Crucifixion of inexpressible beauty painted by the same master, 
 there are many other picturs in this Church worth the notice of 
 a Conisseur & particularly that of the High Altar painted by 
 P. P. Rubens. 
 
40 
 
 TOUR IN FLANDERS. 
 
 Our next visit was to the Cathedral or Church of Notre 
 Dame. This is a very magnificent Gothic Building and allowed 
 to surpass all other Churches in this Country, it is upwards of 
 five hundred feet long two hundred & forty feet wide and three 
 hundred & sixty feet high. The body of the Church has 
 7 ailes, extend^ from y^ Entrance 7 arches to the Transept in the 
 Center of which rises a curious lantern contracted into an 
 Octagon within the square, and rises three stories lessning one 
 within the other, every story is lighted by eight windows, the 
 Cieling and projection of every story is finely painted which 
 alltoo^ether has a fine effect. The Choir beorins at the Great 
 eastern Arch of the Tower, it has but three arches in length 
 exclusive of the Tribuna in which there are 5. at the entrance 
 into the Choir is a rood loft^ supported by a fine Arcade with 
 Colloms of various colourd marbles, and on one side of the 
 south Transept a fine Organ, over the rood loft is a large 
 Crucifix with the figurs of John & Mary, at the Entrance 
 of the choir under the rood loft we have a fine view of the great 
 Altar, which is a Grand designe executed in black and white 
 marble, and stands at a distance from the walls of the Church, 
 the picture at this altar was painted by Rubens and is allowed 
 to be one of his best performances, it represents the Assump- 
 tion of the Virgin Mary^ 
 
 The end of the Church being a halfe poligon the Ailes with 
 many fine Chapels are continued quite round, and in every 
 Chapel there is a fine Altar of marble adorned with paintings 
 done by the greatest Masters. In many of these Chapels there 
 are Altars maintained by different Fraternities or Companies of 
 Trade* in the City, among these is a very fine Altar belonging 
 
 ^ Rood loft, crucifix and figures are all gone. 
 
 2 Rubens' altar-piece is still in situ. The ancient altar has been de- 
 stroyed and replaced by another. 
 
 3 The Fraternities no longer maintain these Altars. The picture of S. 
 Matthew is lost, and the marble enclosure has perished, but the figures of 
 children are placed at the back of the High Altar. 
 
ANTWERP. 
 
 41 
 
 to the Wine Coopers dedicated to S^^ Mathew. here is a fine 
 picture representing the Marterdom of that Saint, beneath 
 the picture is a fine bas-reliefe in white marble, with children 
 turning the winepress an admirable piece of workmanship by 
 Arnoud Quillin the enclosieur of the Altar is of white marble 
 elegantly designed, with foliage intermixed with Children and 
 Grapes finely executed. Next to this is a Chapel dedicated 
 to S* Michael on this Altar ^ are three very fine figures in white 
 marble one of Gideon the other S*^ Michael and on the top of 
 the Altar an Angel of admirable workmanship on this Altar is a 
 fine picture on wliich they shew a fly painted by a Blacksmith, 
 who painted a fine picture at the Altar in the Chapel of the 
 Circumsision which represents the Body of Jesus Christ taken 
 down from the Cross accompanied by many other figurs. 
 
 This man being in Love with a painter's Daughter who 
 disliked him on account of his trade, he turn'd painter and 
 became so great a master of the Art, that the painter consented 
 to his marrying his Daughter, his name was Quintin Metsys, 
 his Monument with a long Epitaph, is placed on the outside 
 against the low Tower of the Church I and the Iron work over 
 the pump, opposite this Church is said to be forged by him 
 when he exersis'd the Trade of a Smith, in the Chapel of the 
 Circumsision there is a window on the left side of the Altar in 
 which is a portrait of Henry y® seventh of England in stain'd 
 Glass. In the Chapel of the Holy Sacrament is a fine Altar of 
 marble, the inclosure of fine white marble of excellent workman- 
 ship. 
 
 At the Altar of the Fuseliers is a beautiful! picture of 
 Rubens's representing the decent from the Cross I 
 
 In the Chapel of the Furriors is a fine Altar with wreathed 
 
 ^ All these are gone. The picture is in the Museum. 
 2 The ancient epitaph is in the Museum. A new one is placed on the 
 Southern buttress of North or high tower. 
 2 Now in S. Transept. 
 
42 
 
 TOUR IN FLANDERS. 
 
 Colloms of Marble a very good designe the picture represents 
 S' Catherine disputing with the Doctors ^ 
 
 The Chapel of the Virgin Mary^ is very richly ornamented 
 the Altar is of white marble with figurs and Bas-relievos finely 
 executed by Arnoud Quillin on the south side is a Groupe 
 of figurs representing the four Evangelists supporting the holy 
 Virgin, the decorations and furniture of this Altar are all of 
 silver and the figure of the Virgin is richly adorned. 
 
 The portal at the luest end^ of this Church is built with 
 marble of the lonick order and was built for the Monument of 
 Jean Malderus fifth Bishop of Antwerp. 
 
 There are three principal Gates to this Church with fine 
 portals within of marble. 
 
 Over every pillar in the naife there is a fine Statue large as 
 life*, and before every statue a high wax taper, the number of 
 pillars are said to be 125. 
 
 Several of the windows in this Church have painted Glass 
 and all of them were filled with fine tracery^ but now most of 
 them are destroyed and only the upright montans left, but they 
 are Glazed with very good Glass cutt in a variety of neat forms 
 and curiously put together with narrow lead. 
 
 Some of the pillars in the naif are round & seem more antient 
 than the other part of the Church ^ The Tower is an admirable 
 piece of masonry remarkably light and dilicate. they say it is 
 466 feet high including the Cross which is 15^ the Dial of the 
 Clock which is fixt about 300* high is said to be 30* diameter. 
 
 ^ Now in the Museum. 
 
 2 The Chapel remains much the same, but the figures of the Evangelists 
 are gone. 
 
 3 Now forms organ gallery. 
 
 * The statues were destroj'ed in 1794. 
 
 ^ The tracery has been renewed almost entirely, and a good deal of 
 stained glass inserted. 
 
 ^ None of the columns are round. Essex must have had the columns of 
 ISt Paul or St Jacques on his mind. 
 
ANTWERP. 
 
 43 
 
 this Tower was 84 years in building and was finish'd in the 
 year 1518. it stands at the North West Angle, another was 
 intended at the south west to answer it but it never was com- 
 pleted. 
 
 There are two setts of very harmonious chimes which play 
 on 60 Bells of various sizes. 
 
 To describe all the Curiositys in this Church would require 
 a Volume and take up a great deal of time but I could only 
 remark some of the most Curious, but must not forget a 
 Curious Gothic pulpit very neatly cut and very light, they 
 count it a greater curiosity for being as they say cut out 
 of one solid piece of Oak, but that is not true it being made of 
 many pieces and probably all out of one tree. 
 
 La Bourse or the Exchange^ is a large Building built in the 
 year 1531 for the use of the Mer- 
 chants it is 194 feet long & 154 o^Jt 
 
 from this place we went to the parish Church ofS^ James. 
 this is a noble Gothic Building of three Spacious Ailes with 
 chapels which turn round the East end, and a Transept with 
 chapels on the east side, the Naife has 6 large arches, and the 
 
 1 Burnt in 1858 and a new one built soon after on much the same 
 plan. 
 
 broad, there is an Arcade round 
 it supported by 50 Colloms with 
 Shafts variously ornamented, it 
 has four Gates which open into as 
 many streets above on one side is 
 the Chamber of the East India 
 company which once flourished in 
 this City on the other side are the 
 Appartments belonging to the 
 accadamy of painting in which is 
 a small theater and many fine 
 picturs. 
 
44 
 
 TOUR IN FLANDERS. 
 
 Choir 4 in the round part^ 3 the whole Church is vaulted with 
 Cross ribs, the Chapels in the Transept have two arches in 
 front, all the pillars are round well proportiond but the Capitals 
 squat with two tier of leaves, all the arches are pointed 
 and above them are large handsom 
 windows with rich light tracery and 
 under them a light open railing or 
 battlement. The Tower of this Church 
 was begun in the Year 1491. but never 
 compleated by the part which is done we 
 may see that it would not have been inferior in beauty to that 
 
 oil the Cathedral if not so high, we 
 •■^ ^*^^^^>^ ^ ^ enterd this Church at the west end 
 ^ through a beautifull portal of the 
 
 „ •-' lonick order all of Marble it is on a 
 
 Circular plan and well executed. 
 The Screen which seperates the Choir from the Church is 
 likewise of fine marble of the lonick Order, and on each side 
 the entrance is a fine Alter with Good picturs and richly 
 ornamented. The High Altar is of black and white marble 
 with 6 wreathed CoUoms and foliage in marble representing 
 S*^ James in the Habit of a Bishop, there are many fine 
 Chapels rich Altars and beautifull picturs in this Church but 
 the Chapel of the Family of Rubens is worth notice as being 
 the burial place of that Great painter it is placed directly 
 behind the high altar in the midle of the East end and opens 
 into the Aile. this Chapel is intirly covered with Marble and 
 the Altar is likewise of marble in which is a fine picture 
 painted by himselfe — it represents the child Jesus standing 
 on his mother's knees, near them S*^ Jerome & George, 
 the latter his own portrait and on each side of him his two 
 wifes both fine women, above the picture is a fine Image of 
 the Virgin Mary in Marble which Rubens brought from Rome. 
 ^ tShoiild be four arches, as there is a central column behind the altar. 
 
ANTWERP. 
 
 45 
 
 The Beguines have a very good Cliureli' which seems to be 
 antient but has been greatly altered & beautified, the form of 
 the plan is of the most antient figure of a Cross, but the 
 capitals of the pillars have been all alterd, and the arches 
 pointed ; by a date over the Altar of 1682, it is probable the 
 princip^ alterations were then made 
 
 there are several Good picturs in this Church one of Albert 
 Durer. another by Guido and one very fine at the high Altar 
 by Vandike. this Altar is of Marble very Grand the Crucifix 
 the tabernacle & frontel are all of silver finely wrote, on each 
 side of the Altar are two Good figures in marble by Schee- 
 mackers. 
 
 The Church of the Dominicans 
 before we went into this Church we were carried into a fine 
 Calvery^ which is built on the outside of it, to this building 
 there is a long avenue lead^ to it with a low wall on each 
 side on which are placed about 20 Statues large as life on 
 the outside of these walls are two Gardens with many other 
 Statues, at the End of the Avenue is representd the inside 
 of a Sepulch"* with y® figure of Christ laying in it on one 
 
 1 The present Church is modern and insignificant. 
 - This describes very accurately what now exists. 
 
46 
 
 TOUR IN FLANDERS. 
 
 side is purgatory aboue this three storys in which are placed 
 at least 20 figurs large as life and on the top of all (which 
 rises very near the top of one of the buttresses of the Church) 
 is a Crucifix, the whole is made with rough stone immitating 
 rock work and has a very romantic appearance. 
 
 The Church is large and has three Ailes, & a Cross Aile, 
 over the screen of the Choir is a Crucifix on a Globe ^ on which 
 are marked the hours, and turning round, Time with a Dart in 
 his hand points to the hours as it moves the Choir is 11 steps 
 above the Church to which they assend between two Gallerys 
 with ballustrades. the High Altar is raised 3 steps higher it 
 is very magnificently built with marble the frontel which is 11^ 
 long & 4^ high & all the other decorations are solid Silver^ All 
 the confessionals are finely carved, and composed of figurs as 
 large as life, and on every pillar through the whole length 
 of the naife is placed a fine statue, There are a great many 
 beautiful picturs in this Church, but two particular by rubens 
 deserves attention one is the scourging of Jesus Christ^ which 
 it is impossible to look at without emotions which cannot be 
 described, the other represents the birth of Christ*. 
 
 The parish Church of 8^ Walhurge^ is handsom large Church 
 of 3 Ails, the Choir is raised 27 steps above the Naif divided 
 into two flights, between which under the 1^* land^, is a repre- 
 sentation of the Holy sepulcher with a figure of Christ laying 
 in it on each side a fine chest or Shrine of brass Gilt with 
 reliques. there are several fine Altars in this Church, the 
 High Altar particularly is of marble & very grand at which 
 are 3 very fine pictures that in the midle represents the Ele- 
 
 1 The screen, crucifix and globe are all gone. 
 
 2 Silver has gone. 
 
 3 Rubens' picture of the scourging is carefully preserved. 
 
 ^ There are remains of conventual buildings, but they have been secu- 
 larised and used for stores. 
 
 ^ Entirely perished. A picture of it is preserved in the vestry at 
 St Paul's. 
 
ANTWERP. 
 
 47 
 
 vation of the Cross, those on each side turn and present other 
 picturs at backs of y'" all painted by Ruben \ 
 
 The Ahhy of Michael'^, The monks of this Abby are all 
 Cloathed in white we were carried first into the Abbots appart- 
 ments which are very fine and adorned with a great number 
 of fine paintings, we enter'd into a handsom Hall paved with 
 black and white marble, the Cieling finely painted, round the 
 walls hung the portraits of many abbots, from hence we as- 
 sended a handsom Staircase into the little eating room, finely 
 ornamented & hung round with picturs by Rubens, Van Dike, 
 & other masters, next to this was the Great eating room, this 
 room is highly finished with Carving painting & Gilding, and 
 hung round with a collection of the finest picturs, here is 
 likewise a neat oratory, at the Altar a fine picture by Raphael 
 represent^ the Virgin & Child ^. 
 
 From the Abbots appartments we went into the Refectore. 
 this is a fine room 90 feet long 27 wide, vaulted with Cross 
 ribs & pointed Arches — in it are a great many fine picturs, 
 among them the portraits of David Teniers and his Wife — 
 
 The Cloisters of this Abby are handsom, with windows of 
 fine Tracery neatly Glaized. 
 
 The Church is in form of a Cross, and of the same stile as 
 S*^ James's, but the pillars shorter, it has 3 ails which run 
 round the Choir, behind which there are 3 Chapels, in this 
 Church are several fine pictures. 
 
 soon after our Return to the Hotel several English Gentle- 
 men arived whose names we could not learn, & soon after them 
 a Gentleman and Lady of Distinction both French. 
 
 1 Now in the cathedral. 
 Entirely perished. This fine abbey used to be the residence of Royal 
 Princes when at Antwerp. 
 
 3 Many of these pictures are in the Museum. One by Rubens is at 
 Grenoble. 
 
48 
 
 TOUR IN FLANDERS. 
 
 Saturday Aug* 28. 
 
 We were up pritty early this morning, many place re- 
 maining on our list which we had not seen & we hoped 
 by being out early to see all and set out for Bruxelles the 
 
 next day ; But being informed 
 that on the morrow there 
 would be a grand Procession, 
 and the finest they have in the 
 Year, we determind to stay and 
 see it, and put of our Journey 
 till Monday, we went to the 
 Church of the Jesuits. 
 
 This is the most Elegant 
 Modern Church I ever see, and 
 within, y® most Correct piece of 
 Architecture, the side ails are 
 double, being 2 arcades one 
 above the other, the lowest is 
 dorick the uper lonick, between 
 the pedestals of the upper ails 
 is a neat Iron railing which 
 serves as a balustrade. the 
 upper Entab^ is break with 
 Consoles over the pilP and from 
 them spring the double Arches 
 in the Vault, which is full 
 centerd. opposite every Arch in 
 the walls of the side Ails below, 
 there are 16 or 18 rich Shrines \ 
 in which are preserved the 
 bodys of several Saints, there are two fine Chapels, one on 
 
 ^ With the exception of the Shrines this is a fair description of the 
 present Church. The altar pieces by Rubens are now in the Imperial 
 Museum at Vienna. 
 
ANTWERP. 
 
 49 
 
 each side of the Church, that on the right hand is dedi- 
 cated to the Virgin Mary, the other to S* Ignatius, both these 
 are built entirely of rich marbles of various colours and filled 
 with a vast number of fine statues & picturs, many of them by 
 Rubens, who designd the whole church, which was originaly 
 Built entirely of Marble and adorned with fine paintings in 
 the Cieling which were all destroyed by fire in the year 1718, 
 the IS*''' of July. Opposite this Church there is a fine building^ 
 Containing two large rooms one over the other, the upper 
 room is intirely wainscoted and floord with fine marble, in it 
 is a fine Altar and many good picturs. 
 
 In the Church of the Garmelits called the Grand Carinelits. 
 In this Church ^ is an amazing fine Chapel dedicated to the 
 Virgin Mary, it is built entirely of fine marble, of the lonick 
 order, the pillasters are reveald, and of black marble, the 
 vault is likewise of marble divided into small pannels and 
 in every pannel a flower of brass gilt, the Altar is in a large 
 nich, the head panneld, & all the ornaments of brass Gilt. 
 The floor is black and white marble inlaid with brass, the 
 Altar is likewise of Eich marbles, the Colloms are wreathed 
 of white marble with Composite Capitals and bases of Silver, 
 with vine branches and flowers twisting round the shafts all of 
 silver, and all the ornaments about the Altar are of the same 
 mettal, in the midle of the Altar, is a fine figure of the Virgin 
 6 feet and a halfe high, standing on a pedestal one foot and a 
 half, all of silver, the windows of this Chapel are all painted 
 Glass & in the pannels between the pillasters are several fine 
 bass relievfs in white marble, the Copes and other ornaments 
 used at this Altar are all of fine needle work most of the 
 windows in this Church are painted Glass and there are in 
 it many fine picturs. from this Church we went to see the 
 
 ^ Now rather ingeniously altered and used as the Municipal Librnry. 
 Tlie pictures are in the Imperial Museum at Vienna. 
 - Nothing remains. 
 
 C. A. S. Octavo Series. XXIV. 4 
 
50 
 
 TOUR IN FLANDERS. 
 
 Collections of picturs belonging to two private Gentlemen 
 which were very fine, from thence we went to the Barefooted 
 Carmelites, and Dominican Nuns, and from thence to the 
 Recollets. 
 
 This is an antient Church^ the pillars are low and round, 
 the Capitals squat, with one tier of 
 ^ leaves only boasted, the Arches are all 
 ( pointed except one, and the vault in 
 \ the Choir is antient with Cross ribbs 
 in this Church are some good picturs. 
 The Collection of paintings, prints and other Curiositys 
 of Van Schorel de Wylryck Burgomaster of Antwarp, aforded 
 us great entertainment, those of a Gentleman & Cannon of the 
 Cathedral, and of another Gentleman who very politly shew 
 us their whole collections gave us great pleasure; from these 
 we went to the parish Church of Andrew, 
 in this, is a monument erected against the 
 S. West pillar of the Cross, to the Memory 
 of Mary Queen of Scotland I 
 The Town house is a large grand building, 240 feet Long, 
 02 wide, in the midle of the front, is a large projection very 
 rich with pillars and arches, containing the five Orders one 
 above the other, and all the pillars are of marble, the rest 
 of the building consists of two orders of pillasters, with an 
 Attick, the whole raised upon a rustick basement of Arches, in 
 this House there are several fine Rooms adorned with many 
 good picturs. 
 
 Sunday August 29"\ 
 
 at half an hour after 6 this morning, about 70 foundling 
 Girls drest in black Gowns & white Tipets, walked through the 
 
 ^ Now the Museum of Painting. Some of the walls remain, but are not 
 observable without some study. The pictures are in the Museum. 
 
 ^ Erected by two of her ladies in waiting, Barbary Mowbray and Eliza- 
 beth Curie. 
 
ANTWERP. 
 
 51 
 
 place de Mer, two and two with their Governesses, at eight 
 came 76 Boys in brown coats, preceeded by a Chaplin, and 
 a schoolmaster, soon after they were past, an Altar was erected 
 at the great Cross, and an Avenue made to it with fine Bay 
 Trees in large tubbs and ranged on each side in front of it, the 
 Altar was decorated with vases of copper, standing on pedestals, 
 & urns in which incence was burning during the time of 
 the Cerimony. 
 
 at 9 o'clock we went to the Church of Notre Dame in the 
 Naife of which was a pedestal about 5^ high, coverd with 
 blue Damask laced with silver, on it was placed the figure 
 of the Virgin Mary, with a Gown of blue and silver brocaded 
 Damask, and an Apron of silver chaced in imitation of lace, in 
 her Arms she had the image of the Child Jesus, and on 
 her head a crown of Gold adornd with precious stones, the 
 whole computed to be worth a million of livers, over her was 
 a Canopy hung from the roof of the Church, the naife being 
 lighted on all sides with wax tapers. 
 
 As soon as the doors were open, the Church was filled with 
 thousands of people, who came in without the least noise 
 or confusion, and immediately formed a procession round the 
 figure of the Virgin, which continued during the whole time 
 high Mass was celibrating, every one walking a slow and 
 solemn pace three times round it. 
 
 The High Altar was adorn'd for this occasion with a frontel 
 and sides of silver finely chaced, and the step on which the 
 candle-sticks were set was of the same metal. The Tabernacle 
 was Covered with crimson Velvet laced with Gold, on each 
 side of it stood 3 large silver candle Sticks about 4^ high, 
 and below them four more about 2^ in all large wax tapers, 
 Sz at the bottom on the first step, stood two silver Candle 
 sticks about 4* high, with tapers all of them lighted, and 
 the steps of the Altar were covered with a Cloth of Crimson 
 Velvet. Three of the Cannons dressd in rich Copes em- 
 
 4—2 
 
52 
 
 TOUR IN FLANDERS. 
 
 broiderd, with Gold, under which were Surplaces of lawn, 
 laced at the bottom with fine lace 8 or 9 inches deep, cele- 
 brated the Mass, at the Altar, and two more in rich Copes sit 
 at a desk in the midle, to make the responses, the whole 
 was accompanied with a fine band of musick under the rood in 
 a Gallery, (in which we sit during the whole service). 
 
 It is impossible to describe the grandure and solemnity of 
 these Ceremonies, or to give an adequate Idea of the musick, 
 for, it was grand and solemn beyond description, after the 
 Service was ended, several Orders of monks came into the 
 Choir, bearing crosses with banners on them, on which were 
 painted the figurs of their patron Saints, while these were 
 making their Obeisance at the Altar, four Cannons of the 
 Cathedral took the figure of the Virgin from the pedestal, onto 
 their shoulders, and Carried it out of the Church, where it was 
 recieved by six monks, who carried it in procession through 
 several streets in the order following. 
 
 first came four men in linen vests 
 
 with large wax tapers lighted, 
 
 two on one side, two on the other, 
 
 next followed 7 priests properly habited, and on 
 
 each side a footman with wax tapers, 
 then four Gentlemen of the several Gulds two & two with 
 wax tapers, and on each side them, men dressed in Spanish and 
 other habits bearing Ensignes in the Roman manner with the 
 Arms of the different Guilds, on the top of which was fixt a 
 wax light. 
 
 after these followed the members of the different Guilds in 
 
 black Gowns and on their Arms Badges wrote in Gold, divided 
 
 two and two, with wax tapers in their hands, 
 next came a Cross, to which was fixt 
 a rich Banner with the patron of 
 the Minims, borne by a monk of the Order, 
 
 after which followed the monks in Black 2 & 2 
 
ANTWERP. 
 
 53 
 
 next came a Cross of the Capuchins with 
 
 a banner borne by a monk, 
 which was followed by the monks of that order in 
 Brown 2 & 2 
 
 next was the Cross & banner of the 
 
 Augustins — which was followed 
 by the monks of that Order in black 2 & 2 
 
 after these came the Cross and banner 
 
 of the Carmelites — which was folio w'd 
 by the monks of that order in black Cassocks and white Cowles 
 
 These were followed by twenty Gentlemen 
 
 of the Guild of the Virgin two & two, 
 
 with wax tapers. 
 
 next came the figure of the Virgin 
 
 born by 6 Carmelites, 
 after this came the Cross and banner of the Reccolets which 
 was followed by the Monks of that order in Brown. 
 
 next came the Cross and banner of 
 
 the Dominicans which was followd 
 by the monks of that order in white Cassocks and Black Cowls. 
 
 after these a Cross with a fine banner 
 
 of Crimson Damask embroiderd with Gold 
 
 which was followd by a Schoolmaster and after 
 him a great number of young boys 2 & 2 with wax tapers in 
 their hands. 
 
 next came a great number of Gentlemen 
 
 Citizens two & two with wax tapers. 
 
 after them four masters of the Chapel 
 
 two & two. 
 
 next followed the Cannon of S*^ James in a proper habit, and a 
 rich stole embroiderd with Gold. 
 
 after him a fine Cross & banner of S* James, 
 followed by all the Cannons of that Church Chanting 
 
 after these came a Cross & banner 
 
54 
 
 TOUR IN FLANDERS. 
 
 of Michael's Abby, which was followed 
 by the Abbot with a silver Croiser in his hand 
 
 next came a band of musick, 
 followed by 2 men in Surplices with Silver incense pots 
 
 after which came the Host 
 
 (carried by a priest richly habited) 
 
 in a fine pix of Gold or silver Gilt 
 
 under a rich Canopy supported by 
 
 four staves of Silver — on each side 
 
 of which were men carrying wax tapers, 
 these were followed by all the Magistrates of the City in black 
 Cloaks, two & two w^ith wax tapers and after them men with 
 halberts closed the Procession, the whole of which consisted of 
 between four & five thousand persons all bearing lighted tapers, 
 exclusive of those who walked by as spectators who where more 
 in number and accompanied them all the way without the least 
 disorder or confusion. 
 
 When they came to the Great Altar in the Place de Mer, 
 the priest assending the steps, placed the Host on the front 
 of a little tabernacle, while he said a few short Prayers, after 
 which it was exposed to the people, who in an instant were all 
 on their knees, the benediction being ended, they proceeded in 
 procession back to y^ Cathedral through several streets which 
 were illuminated with wax flambow between every window on 
 both sides, while they passed through them. 
 
 The procession being ended the figure of the holy Virgin 
 was carried into Her own Chapel in the Cathedral, and placed 
 on a pedestal in the midle of it, where numbers of men women, 
 & children continued w^alking round it until the evening. 
 
 The procession being over we went to dinner and spent the 
 rest of the day in walking about the City, and ramparts, which 
 are planted all round with fine tall trees which afford a shady 
 walk, from wdiich there are fine prospects of the Country round 
 about it ; in the evening we were entertained with seeing the 
 
ANTWERP TO lUlUSSELS. 
 
 55 
 
 nobility & Gentr}^ of the place, who have a Custom of riding 
 in their Carriages, through several streets in the City dressed 
 as for an entertainment, and paying their respects to one 
 another as they pass, of these there are near two hundred 
 who ride in elegant Coaches with horses decorated with fine 
 trapings 
 
 Monday August y^ 30"\ 
 
 We left Antwerp this morning at 7 o'clock, and took the 
 Road to Bruxels, by Mecklin which we reach'd about ten 
 o'clock. The Roads are worth the notice of a Traveler beim^ 
 made through the most delightfull inclosed Country that can 
 be immagined, it is paved in the midle, as well as the best 
 streets in London, and kept in better repair, on the sides of 
 the paved road they are sand or gravel, and through the whole 
 way they are planted with two rows of trees, which forme a 
 beautifuU Avenue, and runing streight farther than the eye 
 can distinguish forme a delightfull arbour, which affords a 
 refreshing shade for Travelers, many miles without interup- 
 tion. The Fields on both sides this road are so well cultivated 
 and afford such prospects of plenty, and good husbandry, that 
 it ould be a good school for an English Farmer to study the 
 art of Agriculture in. 
 
 The whole Country is inclosed and the lands divided with 
 beautiful headges so planted with fine tall Trees that it appears 
 like one large forest, intermix'd with lawns and corn fields, 
 but what seems most extraordinary, these Grounds are never 
 fallow, for when one Crop is off, another is prepared to succeed 
 it, and we often observed in the same field the corn cut down 
 in one part, in another a crop of some other kind springing 
 up. Though these Lands are divided from each other by 
 headges, there are no gates to prevent people from walking in 
 or out at pleasure, neither between field & field nor towards 
 the high roads from which they often are seperated by low 
 
56 
 
 TOUR IN FLANDERS. 
 
 banks but frequently by a thin headge which is kept very 
 neat, and low euough to afford travelers a prospect over them, 
 and at a distance are seen Farm Houses or Gentlemen's Villas 
 which appear as if they were placed in the midst of a large 
 Garden, These prospects are diversified by the Spires of Con- 
 vents, or parish Churches, which appear intermixt with the 
 trees, and being all kept neat and Clean, forme y^ most agre- 
 able Lanskips. 
 
 nothing can be more pleasing than riding through the 
 Villages, which lay very near together in this road, the Cot- 
 tages are built with Bricks intermixt with stone, and some 
 are thatched, but the greatest part are Tiled : The Farm 
 Houses are generaly of stone, the doors and window^ frames 
 of blue Marble and the roofs covered with blue slate. The 
 Inhabitants of these dwellings seem to vie wdth each other 
 in the neat and cleanly appearance of themselves & Houses. 
 At those places where we stop'd to baite our Horses which 
 was at every 6 miles, we took the opportunity of looking into 
 their Churches, if they were near us, and could not help 
 observing the Elegance and neatness of them, many being as 
 well fitted up as the best in London, and kept much cleaner, 
 though they are open great part of the day, and in constant 
 use, for The poorest people, think it their duty to pray at 
 some appointed place several times in the day, and for those 
 who have not an opportunity of attending the Churches there 
 are little oratories placed near the sides of the road to which 
 the Labourers in the field and Travelers stop to say their 
 prayers. 
 
 Mecklin is a large old Town fortified with ramparts^ & 
 ditches the Streets are large and numerous, the Houses in 
 General are built with stone though there are many of them 
 built with timber, the storys projecting forward as they rise 
 
 1 Now converted into walks. 
 
MECKLIN. 
 
 57 
 
 and the outsides boarded, many of the stone fronts have been 
 rich in Architecture and carvings in the roman manner and 
 a great many of the richest Gothic of various ages but they 
 are now greatly decayed ; we only dined hpre, (at the Hotel 
 d' Grue) and spent about three hours in visiting some of the 
 principal Churches and other places. 
 
 The Cathedral of Rombault is a fine large Gothic Building 
 built in form of a Cross, between the Tower and Transept it has 
 six large Arches, beyond the Transept there are three Arches 
 and in the end which is turned with five 
 sides there are five narrow Arches. The 
 pillars in the naif are round the Capitals old 
 form with 3 tier of leaves \ the Arches are 
 pointed, above them is a passage with 
 narrow openings & tracery (as the Church 
 of Noter Dame at Ghent.) above these are 
 fine large windows with variety of tracery. 
 The pillars in the Choir are round but the |L_ 
 Capitals with two rows of flowers. 
 
 There are 3 Ailes and Chapels on the north side which run 
 round the Choir only. — The Altar is of Black & white marble : 
 in a recess above the table is a fine shrine of silver, in the 
 forme of a Church of Roman Architecture, in it are inclosed 
 the bones of S* Rombault. they say its weight is 4000 oz^ 
 before the Altar there hangs a large Lamp^ of silver suspended 
 from the vault, and on the north side is a Canopy for the 
 Arch-Bishop. The South window of the Transept is stained 
 Glass. 
 
 To this Church there is a beautiful Tower, more reo^ular & 
 
 o 
 
 perfect in the designe than that at Antwerp and had it been 
 finish'd according to the designes as they were engraved by 
 
 Mt is difficult to understand the difference pointed out between Nave 
 and Choir capitals — both have two sets of foliage. 
 
 2 The shrine is still to be seen, but the silver lamp has gone. 
 
58 
 
 TOUR IN FLANDERS. 
 
 Hollar ^ it would have been without an Equal, it is now 348 
 high, but had it been finished would have been near 470, near 
 the top of the present tower there are four dials, one on each 
 side, they are made of Iron, the letters being within two Circles 
 clear of the stone, and Gilt with Gold are easily distinguished 
 without spoiling the beauty of the stone work, they are near 
 300* high and upwards of 20* Diameter. 
 
 The Church of John. This is an old Church modernized. 
 The seats of Oak against the pillars in the Choir ^ are richly 
 Ornamented with bas-reliefs in the pannels with elegant Ter- 
 minations above, on one side is represented the beheading of 
 Jn° the Baptist on the other two angels supporting Christ on 
 the Cross. The Altar is a grand designe well executed in wood 
 & so finely painted like marble that it is impossible to discover 
 the deception without touching it. 
 
 The Jesuit's Church ^ is of the Composite order with lofty 
 pillars & narrow intercolloms with Arches, the Altar is of 
 Marble all white upon the Table or tomb is a shrine of silver 
 and over it in a tabernacle of marble is a fine Crucifix of Silver 
 at the ends of the Ailes are niches with neat Altars of marble, 
 the portal at the entrance & the Organ Gallery above it are of 
 Marble. 
 
 The Church of S. Peter is an old Church under repair. 
 
 The Ch urch helongijig to the monestry of Leliendiel is modern 
 & built without Ailes against the walls there are Jonick reveal'd 
 pilasters with 4 rusticks above the entablature there are Win- 
 dows in the vaults the Altar is all marble, on each side within 
 the railing is a Gallery with a fine iron railing, raised on a 
 basement as high as the basement of the Altar, of fine marble 
 ornamented with pannels finely carved with bas-relievs. the 
 
 1 A drawing and an engraving of the proposed tower may be seen in 
 the Museum. 
 
 ^ Should be Nave : there are no pillars in the Choir. 
 Tlie present Jesuit's Church is modern. 
 
M EC KLIN. 
 
 59 
 
 Nuns Choir is opposite the Altar and raised on a basement in 
 tlie front of which are three pannels of Bass relievo finely 
 executed. 
 
 Here is a remarkable pulpit^ of oak it represents a large 
 rock, in a Govern below is represented a Horse which has 
 thrown his rider, on the top of the rock is a pulpit which seems 
 like a rough part of a large tree, at the back of which rises 
 another tree being the tree of life, which spreads its branches 
 over the pulpit & makes the sound board, by the tree stand 
 Adam & Eve the latter reaches her hand towards a Serpent 
 which is twisted round the tree, and gives her an Apple on the 
 other side is a Crucifix with S* John & S*^ Mary, upon the 
 sides of the rock there are vines & other plants which seem to 
 grow promiscuously about it. 
 
 The Church belonging to the Cannons of Hanswyck is a 
 modern built Church with a Dome supported by 10 Dorick 
 CoUums^ there is nothing agreable in the designe, the pulpit 
 is an extraordinary work, the lower part represents the Angel 
 driving Adam & Eve out of paradise over the pulpit the Virgin 
 Mary in the Clouds surrounded with angels. 
 
 This Church is hung round with the portraits of young 
 Children. 
 
 The Church of Notre Dame is very fine Gothic Church all 
 the pillars in the naif are round and in the 
 Capitals are 3 rows of flowers & against every 
 pillar is a fine statue — the pillars of the Choir 
 are round with 2 round and 2 octagon small 
 shafts fixt to them. 
 
 the Choir has 3 ailes with Chapels which run round behind 
 the Altar and all the windows have tracery seemingly of the 
 
 1 The pulpit has been removed to St John's. There are no remains of 
 the Monastery. 
 
 2 A very good description. The portraits of young children still 
 remain. 
 
GO TOUR IN FLANDERS. 
 
 age of Hen'' 3** here are some good pictures ^ by Rubens & other 
 masters. 
 
 The Church of the RecoUets^ is an antient Church with round 
 pillars & plane Capitals the Arches plane 
 j\^^^ ^^if/ & pointed, the Choir has no ailes and the 
 ^--^^^^^^ East End is semi-circular, but the vaulting 
 
 modern — in this Church is a Capital picture 
 painted by Vandike representing the Cruci- 
 fiction at the instant when Christ was expiring. 
 
 From Heckling we proceeded towards Bruxells the Roads 
 and Country all the way being extreemly fine & pleasant about 
 seven miles from Mecklin we came to a small fortified Town 
 called Vilvorden we stopt at a little House without the gate to 
 baite our Horses, and drank Coffee for which with bread and 
 butter we paid 2 skillings equal to fourteen pence English. — 
 The fortifications of Vilvorden are in a ruinous condition, here is 
 a fine Old Castle of the Antient stile, but the roof is fallen in, 
 in several parts of it, it serves however to make the principal 
 object in an agreable Lanskip, as we rode by it from this place 
 there is a Canal to Bruxels and the road continues by the side 
 of it well paved & planted with trees. On both sides there are 
 agreable prospects of Gentlemen's Country seats, and within a 
 few miles of the City are Gardens of Entertaiments, laid out in 
 the Stile of the Country, with variety of Slopes & Arbours inter- 
 mixt with basons of water, and Jets d'eau. 
 
 The approach to the Town is planted with trees in double 
 rows, and by the side of the river are fine Shady walks, which 
 were filled with very Genteel Company, who walk there in the 
 evening & enjoy fresh air, while their Coaches are waiting for 
 them at a convenient distance, we reached Bruxells about 6 in 
 the evening and Lodged at the, Hotel Hollande near the 
 wood market. 
 
 1 Still remaining. 
 
 ^ Tlje Church of the Recollets is now used as a cavalry store. 
 
BRUSSELS. 
 
 61. 
 
 August SV\ 
 
 As soon as we were drest this morning, we waited on M'' 
 Vandercloster an eminent Banker of this place to whome we 
 had a letter of recommendation from M"" Fector of Dover, this 
 Gentleman very politely offord to accompany us to every place 
 that could afford us any entertainment, or gratify our Curiosity, 
 and as we had a Coach in waiting he order'd it to the House of 
 M. le Chevalier Verhulst, a gentleman of great fortune and a 
 collector of fine picturs, with which we were greatly enter- 
 tained, the Gentleman himselfe who is an invalide and has never 
 been out of his house for 15 years and is seldom seen but by his 
 intimate friends, was so obliging as to shew us the finest part of 
 his collection himselfe, among which is a fine picture painted 
 by Rubens representing the Virgin & Child in which he has 
 introduced his wifes, this picture cost him £1000 and he has 
 refused £3000 for it. He shew us at the same time two small 
 picturs for which he gave £270. 
 
 from hence we went to the Church of the Jesuits, in this 
 Church are some Good picturs and at the Altar on the right 
 side of the Choir a fine Group of figars in marble representing 
 
 Ann and the Virgin, we saw in the Sacristrey the Decora- 
 tions of the high Altar which are very grand, there is a rich 
 silver frontel and a Crucifex on a pedestal all together about 
 10^ high finely wrote all the Copes &c are finely embroider'd 
 with Gold & pearls, we next visited the Cathedral which is a 
 fine Church built on the side of a hill which is assended by a 
 Grand flight of steps at the west end, enclosed by a Stone 
 ballustrade wdiich runs round the Church. 
 
 This is a fine Church the East end is Antient but the Naif 
 more modern, the pillars in the Choir are round & all the 
 Capitals of Corin'^ but those in the Naif have three tier of 
 flowers — the Church has 3 large Ailes and Chapels on both 
 sides of the Naif, on each side of the Choir is a fine large 
 
62 
 
 TOUR IN FLANDERS, 
 
 Chapel ' and others run'g round the end which have antient 
 round head*^ windows, and there are some good painted Glass in 
 
 Flight of Steps West end S. Gudule. 
 
 this Church, at the west end are two handsom towers and the 
 w^hole front is very fine. 
 
 This Church is dedicated to S* Gudule and was first built 
 about the year 1047 and it is probable the east end is of that 
 age — in this Church are some few Good picturs — against the 
 pillars in the Naif are fixt the figure of our Saviour, the Virgin 
 Mary and the 12 Apostles. We saw a fine new Bell weig^ 
 9. 286 lbs. The Great Bell weighs 14. 525 lbs. 
 
 The parish Church of James (called Caudenberg)^ is a 
 very antient Church founded in the year 830. and is probably 
 the original Church, the Naif has three Ails: on one side are 
 
 ^ There is only one Chapel beside the two large ones, and it is Renais- 
 sance. 
 
 2 The present S. Jaqiies de Candenberg bears no resemblance to this. 
 It was rebuilt 1776—1781. 
 
BRUSSELS. 
 
 68 
 
 three round arches on the other 6. the pillars are round, the 
 Capitals plane, the 6 arches seem to be about 2J diani*". of the 
 pillars in the Clear 
 
 the windows have round arches are narrow and splayed in- 
 wards very much, the opening into the Chancel is a round Arch 
 and the East end is round with small windows 
 
 in this Church there is a very fine picture painted by Rubens. 
 
 near this Church are the remains of an antient pallace which 
 was burnt down in the year 1731. and not very far from it is 
 the pallace belonging to the prince of Nassau — the front of 
 
64 
 
 TOUR IN FLANDERS. 
 
 this pallace & one side of the Court is new built and contains 
 many magnificent appartments richly furnished and all the 
 rooms finely inlaid with wood of various colours, the State bed 
 room is elegantly fitted up memo (on one side of the bed was a 
 mezzitinto print finely Coloured of the two Miss Crews.) 
 
 there is a room finely wainscoted with Jepand work & fur- 
 nished with a great quantity of China and Chiness toys from the 
 windows of this room is a fine view of the City, at the entrance 
 into the pallace is a large Circular vestibule with a collonade 
 within it and the staircase with up^ vestibule are very grand, 
 in the Court two sides are antient and of Gothic Architecture. 
 
 Here is a fine Museum contains vast Collections of shells 
 fish birds minerals fossils and various curiosities of art, and a 
 very rich Cabinet of Antique Gems the room is very large and 
 divided into three parts by two screens of coupled Collums. 
 
 The Town House is a very large building with a Square 
 Court in the midle, on one side of which is a fine light Gothic 
 Tower and open Spire 3G4 feet high, this Building contains 
 many magnificent rooms finely fitted up and richly furnished 
 with tapstry and paintings 
 
 The Church of the Begaines ^ is a handsom modern building 
 richly adorned, the plate on the principal Altar is computed to 
 be worth 4000£. sterling, their income is 4000£. a year, these 
 Nuns are not confind many live here on their own private 
 fortunes and wear the Habit, among them is a near relation to 
 the Royal family of England who was visited by the late 
 princess Dowager when she pass'd through Bruxells. 
 
 We drank Tea and Coffee this Afternoon at M'' Vander- 
 closters to whom we were greatly obliged for carrying us to 
 many places which we could not have had an opportunity of 
 seeing without him. and His Lady was not less obliging than 
 he was but she could talk very little English, I had however a 
 very entertaining conversation with her in broaken french & 
 ^ The Church is the only part remaining of the Bcguinage. 
 
BRUSSELS. 
 
 65 
 
 broaken English, with which we were much diverted, here we 
 met M^' Potter, the English Minister to the Court of Sardania 
 who behaved very politely to us. He told us He was at the 
 same Hotel that we were at Antwerp and lodged at the same 
 Hotel in Bruxells, but as he travel'd incog we should not have 
 known who he was. he enquired if we knew the English 
 Gentlemen who came to our Hotel at Antwerp, one of whome 
 (he said was called Stewart and appeared to be a Clergyman) 
 had the misfortune to fall down stairs and was so much hurt 
 that his companions were obliged to leave him behind. After 
 Tea Van"" carried us to the Manufactory of Tapstry weaving 
 where we were much pleased with seeing the method of 
 weaving those beautifull pieces which make the richest fur- 
 niture for the Houses of the Nobility in various Countries. — 
 we went from hence to the play and saw a Dull play and a 
 good commie Opera. The play house is large and lofty there 
 are 5 tier of boxes which run round the end and two sides of 
 it the pit which is not raised like the theatres in London is 
 divided into 3 divisions that next the stage for the musick takes 
 up three rows of seats, and the next division has 4 or 5 seats 
 and behind them the back seats, but how many I could not 
 distinguish. The floors in the boxes are likewise levil and instead 
 of seats they have chairs & sometimes a table to drink tea or 
 Coffee or play at Cards, but these boxes are by no means con- 
 venient for seeing or hearing, the scens are moderate, and the 
 whole House badly illuminated at all times except when the 
 Prince is there. — In the passages under the boxes there is a 
 Coffee room and booksellers shop. 
 
 Sepf^ the 1^^ 
 
 M'' V r. Called upon us this morning at our Hotel and 
 
 breakfasted with us, after which he conducted us to the Ram- 
 parts from whence we had a fine view of the City & Country 
 C. A. S. Octavo Series. XXIV. 5 
 
66 
 
 TOUR IN FLANDEKS. 
 
 beyond it, near this place we were led to an English nunry 
 and introduced to the Lady who is Rev"^ Mother of it, (named 
 Short) with whome we conversed some time and were invited 
 to Drink Tea or Chocolate, but as we intended to sett out 
 from Bruxells that day we took places in the diligence which 
 set out at 12 o'clock for Ghent, being advised to take that 
 Route, we therefore took our leave of the Rev*^ Lady, who gave 
 us her blessing & wished us a safe voyage to England & after 
 
 thanking M^' V r for the civilities He had shewn us, we 
 
 took our leave of him & set out for Ghent, we made a short 
 stop at Alost about 15 miles from Bruxells, here is a handsom 
 Church in form of a Cross, but is shorter than it was originaly 
 being at this time a Greek cross, the Altars in this Church 
 are very fine and most of them marble and there are here 
 several exceeding good picturs^ of Rubens and other Masters, 
 we reached Ghent about 7 this evening and took our places in 
 the Diliofence to set out for Lisle the next mornins^. 
 
 Sept^ 2. 
 
 We set out this morning at 6 o'clock in the Diligence which 
 goes to Menin we baited our horses at a neat little village 
 called Deinse near the River Lys in this village there is a 
 very antient Church with a Square Tower in the midle with 
 round Arches, but the west end of the Church is rebuilding. 
 
 We dined at Courtra and had a very Good dinner at a Table 
 D'Hote for 15*^ per head wine excepted. Here is a good 
 Church built about the year 1220 the four arches under the 
 tower are round but the Church is now entirely altered, but 
 not finished, they are now casing all the pillars in the Choir 
 with marble. The principal Altar which is finisht is a beauti- 
 full Designe well executed the bases and Capitals are of Brass 
 Gilt and the Bas-reliefs are of Silver behind the Altar is a very 
 
 1 Still existing. 
 
LISLE. 
 
 67 
 
 neat Chapel liued with marble in which is a monument or two 
 very handsom. 
 
 from Courtra we went to Menin the last Town in the 
 Queens Dominions and is very well fortified but in other 
 respects has nothing remarkable, here we refresh'd ourselves 
 with a Glass of wine and took our places in another Diligence 
 which carried us to Lisle where we arrived about half an hour 
 after 6 in the evening at the Hotel Bourbon in the Great 
 Square. 
 
 Sept^- 3^-^ 
 
 It being the time of the greatest fair which they have Here 
 in the Year we went out in the morning after breakfast 
 and walked round the Town House where it is kept, this 
 building is large, and the front next the Great Square richly 
 decorated but in bad taste, there is a square Court within 
 surrounded with a Collonade vaulted with brick and cross 
 ribbs, in this Collonade are various Shops during the Fairtime. 
 This City is very large & very populous being the Capital of 
 French Flanders it is likewise extreemly well fortified, in it 
 there are many grand houses built with stone, but the fronts 
 are covered with a profusion of ornaments in a bad taste, and 
 as badly executed. The Great Square is very large and 
 Handsom, it is well paved and kept very clean, in it there is 
 a stand of coaches, we saw here a large Company of souldiers 
 which were drawn up for relieveing Guard, they were attended 
 by a large band of musick and about 20 Drums playing before 
 them, they were most of them in white uniforme, one Company 
 only being in blue, & they were all extreamly clean & made a 
 fine appearance. 
 
 The Country round this City is extreemly fine, and well 
 Cultivated, and being rather low and marshey, they cultivate 
 a great quantity of Rape seed, from which they extract Gyle, 
 in making which, they imploy a great number of Windmills, 
 
68 
 
 TOUR IN FLANDERS. 
 
 and within a very little distance of each other, there are not 
 fewer than one hundred, appearing in motion alltogether. 
 Lisle is likewise famous for fine thread, and its manufactory 
 of fine table linnen, & vast quantities of both are seen whiteing 
 in the meadows round about, these meadows being divided for 
 that purpose, by little streams of water, from which they 
 through it on the Cloth, with long scoops made on purpose. 
 
 Saturday Sept'* 4t^\ 
 
 We left Lisle this morning at 6 o'clock in a Coach and four, 
 and breakfasted at a little house six miles from the City and 
 got to Bethune about eleven, here we stopt at a small Inn 
 without the Town at the signe of the Bridge kept by Mad™ 
 Tiffin, as we were to bate here about two hours and Dine, we 
 walked into the Town but found nothing remarkable but an 
 old Church dedicated to S*^ Bartholomew, the pillars are short 
 & squat the Arches some round others pointed and some of the 
 pillars are coupled with united Capitals, and bases, but the 
 Capitals are of the plainest Stile though the Collums seem in 
 good proportion. Bethune is an old Town but extreemly well 
 fortified with deep ditches and ramparts faced with Brick and 
 being situated on high ground makes it very Strong. the 
 Duke of Marlborough beseiged it in 1710 and after six weeks 
 the Garrison Capitulated, from Bethuae we passed through 
 Lilliers another town well fortified : and from thence to Aire 
 which appears to be much Stronger than Bethune, here they 
 are repairing the ramparts and new facing them with Brick 
 but they make them very bad through all this part of the 
 Country, this Town was taken by the Duke of Marlborough 
 in 1710, and in the seige the Church was destroyed, this 
 town is about nine miles from S* Omiar's where we arived 
 about 7 o'clock in the evening and took our Lodgings at the 
 Hotel de Ville, the roads from Lisle to S'' Omers are well paved 
 and planted on both sides with two rows of trees, on both sides 
 
ST OMERS. 
 
 69 
 
 of it the Country is well cultivated and in many parts they 
 grow great Quantities of Tobacco. 
 
 Sunday Sepf 4 
 
 The Hotel ^ in which we Lodged has been a handsom 
 building, and was Built for a Town House when S*^ Omars was 
 in a more flourishing state than it appears to be at present, 
 in it there are several good appartments now divided into 
 smaller rooms for Lodging, and only one left for the use 
 of the Corpor^ this is very well fitted up and handsomly 
 furnished in it is the picture of the present King of France 
 and several other portrats and the Arms of the Mayors from 
 the Year — to the Year — . 
 
 Opposite the Hotel is a small Gothic Chapel with a modern 
 front and staircase the Chapel itselfe is a prity piece of Gothic 
 Architecture within, particularly the door at the entrance. 
 
 In the Square or market place there are several very 
 antient Gothic Buildings tho' none remarkably regular or 
 handsom. 
 
 The Abby of S*^ Bertin ^ has a fine large Church very light 
 and regularly built, it is in the form of a Cross with side 
 ailes and Chapels which run round the East End, in all these 
 Chapels there are handsom Altars, and the Great Organ is 
 placed at the End of the naife over the entrance at which end 
 there is a very fine lofty Tower. 
 
 The Tomb or table of the Altar is of Silver. 
 
 The Cathedral is a fine large building of the Antient Gothic 
 stile and from the Transept eastwards is very perfect the Choir 
 
 1 The Town House was built in 1381 and destroyed in 1832, since which 
 a new one has been erected, which is no longer partly used as a hotel. 
 
 ^ Only the West Tower and a few arches of the Nave on the North side 
 remain. The Church was sold in 1799 and stripped of its precious materials. 
 It was further dismantled in 1833, and has since been gradually pulled 
 down when stone was required. 
 
70 
 
 TOUR IN FLANDERS. 
 
 begins under the 1^^ Arch of the intersection of the transept in 
 the center of which is the Silver Shrine ^ of S* Omar in form of 
 a Church of the Corinthian Order, ornamented with fine bas- 
 reliefs representing the principal actions of his life it stands on 
 a frame of silver Gilt in forme of a table finely ornamented 
 and on the top of it is a fine Crucifix on each side of which is 
 a magnificent Candlestick of three branch, the whole is raised 
 on a Tomb of a Composition imitating marble within which 
 are contained a shrine, this serves as the high Altar of the 
 Church and the Bishops Throne is placed in the midle of 
 the west end. in another part of the Church they shew us 
 the Head ^ of this S* inclosed in a shrine richly ornamented, 
 it is in form of a large buste of Silver. I made a sketch 
 of the plan and other parts of this Church for a specimen 
 of the Stile, we visited some other Churches in S* Omars 
 and the two Colleges formerly belonging to the Jesuits but 
 found nothing in them remarkable, in one Church only we saw 
 an antient Gothic Altar but it was not handsom tho rich. 
 
 Sep^ 5. 
 
 We left S* Omars this morning about seven, but it being 
 a wet morning we saw the Country to a great disadvantage, 
 about 6 miles from Calls we passed a very curious Bridge called 
 the Pont sans pariel it is built over the intersection of two 
 rivers which run under it, and it has four roads over it. this 
 was built in 1752 and is an excelent piece of masonry, we got 
 to Calls about 1 o'clock & should have set out that afternoon in 
 the packet; but it was so full we could not be accomodated, 
 and the wind was so strong that they were obliged to return 
 & set off the next morning, the same packet returnd again 
 in the Afternoon being engaged to Carry over a Gentleman 
 
 1 The sih^er shrine no longer exists, nor do the candlesticks. S. Omar 
 has ceased to be a See. 
 
 2 The head of the saint no longer exists. 
 
RETURN HOME. 
 
 71 
 
 and his family, who permitted us to go with them, and another 
 Gentleman & Lady named Bostock a Merchant in London, 
 who we found agreable Company, we set out of the Harbour 
 of Calls at 4 o'Clock with a moderate wind which fell to 
 a Calm and the tide being against us, we made but little 
 way, and did not get into the Harbour at Dover before halfe an 
 hour after one. we left Dover the same Day and got to 
 Canterbury to Dinner, and set out for London the next 
 morning there we stayd one day and came to Cambridge 
 on Saturday the 10^^^ of September. 
 
 CAMBRIDGE : PRINTED BY C. J. CLAY, M.A. AND SONS, AT THE UNIVERSITY PRESS. 
 
LIST OF THE PUBLICATIONS OF THE 
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GETTY RESEARCH INSTITUTE 
 
 3 3125 01360 1956 
 
COUNCIL. 
 
 May 23, 1887. 
 
 Alexander Macalister, Esq., M.D., F.R.S., St John's College, 
 Professor of Anatomy. 
 
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 Sbfcretarg anli Htbrarian. 
 
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 John Willis Clark, Esq., M.A., F.S.A., Trinity College, Superin- 
 tendent of the Museum of Zoology and Comparative A^iatomy. 
 Francis John Henry Jenkinson, Esq., M.A., Trinity College. 
 John Ebenezer Foster, Esq., M.A., Trinity College. 
 Rev. Bryan Walker, M.A., LL.D., Corpus Christi College. 
 Rev. Canon Mandell Creighton, M.A., Emmanuel College, Dixie 
 
 Professor of Ecclesiastical History. 
 George Walter Prothero, Esq., M.A., King's College, University 
 
 Lecturer in History. 
 Charles Waldstein, Esq., M.A., King's College, Director of the 
 
 Fitzwilliam Museum and Reader in Classical Archaeology. 
 Rev. Walter William Skeat, M.A., Christ*s College, Elrington 
 
 and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon. 
 John Henry Middleton, Esq., M.A., F.S.A., King's College, Slade 
 
 Professor of Fine Art. 
 Norman Capper Hardcastle, Esq., M.A., LL.M., Downing College. 
 
 lExcursion=^£mtarg. 
 
 Norman Capper Hardcastle, Esq., M.A., LL.M. 
 
 Frederick Charles Wace, Esq., M.A., LL.M., Esquire Bedell. 
 Robert Bowes, Esq.