Antwerp, anciently one of the finest and richest Cities in Europe, stands in a pleasant fruitful Plain on the Right Side of the Scheld. Our Lady’s Church, which is the Cathedral, is a very great Building, that is worth seeing, for the magnificent Pictures with which ’tis adorned. The Town-house and the Jesuits Church are worthy of a Traveller’s Attention. This Church was formerly very magnificent, but was consumed by Lightening in 1718; when the Reverend Fathers the Jesuits lost a real Treasure in Pictures. They rebuilt it, but with more Frugality than their Predecessors. The fine Pictures done by Rubens, and two very magnificent Chapels, are still to be seen.
The Foundation of Antwerp, its Citadel, built by the famous Duke of Alva, and all the Calamities which this City suffered during the Civil Wars for Religion, are Things too well known for me to mention them.
Antwerp is very much fallen from what it was once. ’Twas formerly a City of the greatest Trade in Europe; but Amsterdam is risen upon its Ruins; for Towns, like all other Things, must submit to Fate. Antwerp is incomparably better situate than Amsterdam, and the largest Vessels came to it heretofore by the Scheld; but this River is now choak’d up by Vessels full of Stones, and other Things, sunk there on Purpose by the
Dutch, those charitable Neighbours of the Netherlands. Notwithstanding its Decay of Trade, there are Families here extremely rich. All its wealthy Citizens keep magnificent Equipages, wear lac’d and embroider’d Cloaths, and their Wives dress like Princesses. They all go to the Assembly, which begins at an early Hour, where they play at Quadrille, and then every one goes Home to Supper. There’s a charming Walk upon the Ramparts, but no Company, besides the Priests, who pretend there to con their Breviary. There is one of the prettiest Theatres that is to be seen out of Italy, but no Play. So that, take it all together, you may perceive this is not a Place of the greatest Entertainment.
The Marquis de Rubi, one of the Emperor’s Major-Generals, is Governor of Antwerp. He should, by Right, live in the Citadel or Castle; but as his House there is very much run to Ruin, he has one in the City, where he appears with Dignity. He is a Catalan, and was Viceroy of[88]Sardinia, when the Spaniards made a Conquest of that Kingdom in the Time of Cardinal Alberoni.
This, Sir, is all that I have to say to you of Antwerp; from whence I went to Mechlin, a pretty Town, where the Metropolitan Church is worth seeing. The Cardinal de Bossu, Brother of the Prince de Chimay, is its Archbishop, and the only one in the Netherlands, belonging to the House of Austria. You know, that at Mechlin is held the Sovereign Council or Parliament, which is the Reason one sees such a Swarm of Attornies and Solicitors here, and hears so many
of the Quirks of the Law. There are few People of Quality here, and the Assemblies are not very inviting.
The Causey between Mechlin and Louvain is a new Piece of Work. Before this was cast up, the People of Mechlin were obliged, in the Winter-time, to go thro’ Brussels, in order to avoid the bad Roads, which was a great Way about.
Louvain is a great City, where one sees a vast Number of Students, Doctors, Priests and Friers. But none of these being Companions for me, I only pass’d quite thro’ the Town; for I had seen the Churches before; and I was not a Stranger to the turbulent Spirit of the Inhabitants, who are the most unpolish’d of all the Netherlands. One of the grand Privileges of the University of Louvain, is a Nomination to a great Number of Benefices; about which they are actually at Law with several Bishops of the Netherlands, who pretend to dispute their said Right; on Pretence, that the University prefers Men to Livings, of whose Persons or Sentiments they have no Knowledge. Mr. Strickland, by Birth an Englishman, and Bishop of Namur, is to go on the Part of the Bishops, to get this Affair determined at Rome. But I’ll lay a Wager, that he will do nothing more than see the Datary and the Rota with a round Sum of Money.
There’s a very good Pavement from Louvain to Tirlemont, which is a Town in a Manner abandoned, and where I know of nothing remarkable; so that I brush’d thro’ it, and went and lay at Maestricht, one of the best and strongest Places in Europe, belonging to the Dutch; to whom Spain abandoned it by the Peace of Munster. The French Army took it in 1673, in thirteen Days, and the Allies retook it in fifty. The Dutch Propriety in it was recogniz’d by the Peace