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134 REGNARD’S JOURNEY TO LAPLAND, &c.
and the fize of its {pacious {treets, but alfo by the manners of its inhabitants, the moft
polite of whom endeavour to imitate the French manners both with regard to drefs and
language, which they are proud of poffeffing in perfection. ‘That which firlt excited
our admiration in entering the city was the beauty of its fuperb ramparts, which, co-
vered with trees, form the moft delightful walk in the world: they are wholly covered
with freeftone, and wafhed by a ditch of running water, which furrounds the city, and
which equally ferves to embellifh and defend it. The cathedral is well built, and the
fteeple, of Englifh workmanfhip, is furprifingly handfome; but it may one day prove
the fource of vexation to the city. There are here feveral excellent paintings, and
among others a defcent from the crofs, by Rubens, which is reckoned a matter-piece.
The church of the Jefuits is not inferior in magnificence to any which I have feen in
Italy, and is as fuperb, as the marble with which it is built has been conveyed from a
confiderable diftance, and at a great expence: the whole roof is covered with pieces,
from the hand of the greateft mafters. - It is eafy to judge of the magnificence of this
church, when it is flated that the marble rail alone which guards the chief altar coft
more than. forty thoufand livres: and I do not believe it poflible to behold a more
finifhed piece of fculpture ; the marble is fo delicately rounded, that it feems to have
forgotten its native hardnefs for the purpofe of afluming that form which the workman
wifhed to give it, and to yield like wax to the dictates of his will. The fortrefs, famed
through all Europe for its regularity, has five baftions: it is larger, ftronger, and in-
comparably better built than that of Cambray. Its glacis is extenfive and fpacious
throughout, and fuperior in this refpect to that of Cambray, which can be very nearly
approached while under cover ; which cireumf{tance tended not a little to facilitate its
capture, We were conduéted hither by M. de Verproft, and carried every where by an
officer, who would not allow us to walk upon the baftions. We faw the place where the
Dutch attempted to take the city by furprife, where they defcended by night in the river,
and attempted to pafs the ditch by means of little boats, which every man could carry upon
his fhoulder ; but the centinel hearing a noife gave the alarm, in confequence of which
the Dutch, difappointed in their expectations, retreated and left all their boats and in-
{truments, which are ftill kept in the citadel, and which were fhewn to us as fymptoms
and monuments of victory.
We embarked at Antwerp for Rotterdam. We had Zealand on the left, and paffed
in fight of Bergen-op-Zoom, which belongs to the Count of Auvergne. We were three
days on our voyage, and pafled the Brille: this place excited confiderable difturbance
during the troubles in Holland, which happened about a century ago.
During the reign of Philip the Second, fon of Charles the Fifth, the Seven Provinces
were governed by —, fifter of Charles, and confequently the King’s aunt. Philip,
to whom they belonged, wifhed to levy fome new taxes trom the people, and to eftablith
the inquifition among them. ‘The Dutch placed themfelves in oppofition to the new
declarations, and the Prince of Orange, fupported by Count Horn, and by ———, at
the head of the populace, remonftrated to the governefs, and propofed two hundred
articles, refpecting which they requefted fatisfaction. ‘This lady, furprifed at the tumult,
turned round to one of the chief men of her council, who told her, in derifion, that /he
ought not to give herfelf any uneafine/s about a fet of BuGGarRs. ‘This faying being reported
to the mutineers, they became fo enraged that they eftablifhed a party, which has fince
been diftinguifhed by thename of The Beggars. ‘Vhe governefs, however, returned to
Spain, being confcious of the factious difpofition of the inhabitants of the Seven Pro-
vinces, and not wifhing to fhew them that the could not confent to a part of the articles
which they propofed : this led Philip the Second to fend the Duke of Ava, who after-
wards
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