_August_ 4.--On Saturday after the feast of St. Peter in Chains my host
took me to see the Burgomaster's (Arnold van Liere) house at Antwerp. It
is newly built and beyond measure large, and very well ordered, with
spacious and exceedingly beautiful chambers, a tower splendidly
ornamented, a very large garden--altogether a noble house, the like of
which I have nowhere seen in all Germany. The house also is reached from
both sides by a very long street, which has been quite newly built
according to the Burgomaster's liking and at his charges.
I paid three st. to the messenger, two pf. for bread, two pf. for ink.
August 5.--On Sunday, it was St. Oswald's Day, the painters invited me
to the hall of their guild, with my wife and maid. All their service was
of silver, and they had other splendid ornaments and very costly meats.
All their wives also were there. And as I was being led to the table the
company stood on both sides as if they were leading some great lord. And
there were amongst them men of very high position, who all behaved most
respectfully towards me with deep courtesy, and promised to do
everything in their power agreeable to me that they knew of. And as I
was sitting there in such honour the Syndic (Adrian Horebouts) of
Antwerp came, with two servants, and presented me with four cans of wine
in the name of the Town Councillors of Antwerp, and they had bidden him
say that they wished thereby to show their respect for me and to assure
me of their good will. Wherefore I returned them my humble thanks and
offered my humble service. After that came Master Peeter (Frans), the
town-carpenter, and presented me with two cans of wine, with the offer
of his willing services. So when we had spent a long and merry time
together till late in the night, they accompanied us home with lanterns
in great honour. And they begged me to be ever assured and confident of
their good will, and promised that in whatever I did they would be
all-helpful to me. So I thanked them and laid me down to sleep.
The Treasurer (Lorenz Sterk) also gave me a child's head (painted) on
linen, and a wooden weapon from Calicut, and one of the light wood
reeds. Tomasin, too, has given me a plaited hat of alder bark. I dined
once with the Portuguese, and have given a brother of Tomasin's three
fl. worth of engravings.
Herr Erasmus[29] has given me a small Spanish _mantilla_ and three men's
portraits.
I took the portrait of Herr Niklas Kratzer,[30] an astronomer. He lives
with the King of England, and has been very helpful and useful to me in
many matters. He is a German, a native of Munich. I also made the
portrait of Tomasin's daughter, Mistress Zutta by name. Hans
Pfaffroth[31] gave me one Philips fl. for taking his portrait in
charcoal. I have dined once more with Tomasin. My host's brother-in-law
entertained me and my wife once. I changed two light florins for
twenty-four st. for living expenses, and I gave one st. _t&k&d_ to a man
who let me see an altar-piece.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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