ly" continually recurs. The new-found treasures of
America were then pouring a stream of gold into the Flemish cities,
and manufactures and commerce were in full prosperity. The devastating
storm of Alva's Spanish infantry had not yet swept over the doomed but
heroic Netherlands; and her great cities basked in peace, prosperity,
and wealth.

"On the Thursday after Whitsuntide, I, Albert Duerer, at my own cost
and responsibility, set out with my wife from Nuremberg for the
Netherlands.... I went on to Bamberg, where I gave the Bishop a
picture of the Virgin, 'The Life of the Virgin,' an Apocalypse,
and other engravings of the value of a florin. He invited me to
dinner, and gave me an exemption from customs, and three letters of
recommendation." He hired a carriage to take him to Frankfort for
eight florins of gold, and received a parting stirrup-cup from Meister
Benedict, and the painter Hans Wolfgang Katzheimer. He gives the names
of the forty-three villages through which he passed along the route by
Wuerzburg and Carlstadt to Frankfort, with his expenditures for food
and for gifts to servants; and tells how the Bishop's letter freed him
from paying tolls. At Frankfort he was cheaply entertained by Jacob
Heller, for whom he had painted "The Coronation of the Virgin." From
thence he descended by boat to Mayence, where he received many gifts
and attentions. In the river-passages hence to Cologne, he was forced
to haul in shore and arrange his tolls at Ehrenfels, Bacharach, Caub,
St. Goar, and Boppart. At Cologne he was entertained by his cousin
Nicholas Duerer, who had learned the goldsmith's trade in the shop of
Albert's father, and was now settled in business. The master made
presents to him and his wife. The Barefooted Monks gave Duerer a feast
at their monastery; and Jerome Fugger presented him with wine. The
journey was soon resumed; and the master passed through fourteen
villages, and at last reached Antwerp, where he was feasted by the
factor of the illustrious Fugger family. Jobst Planckfelt was Duerer's
host while he remained in the city, and showed him the Burgomaster's
Palace and other sights of Antwerp, besides introducing him to Quentin
Matsys and other eminent Flemish artists.

"On St. Oswald's Day, the painters invited me to their hall, with my
wife and maid; and every thing there was of silver and other costly
ornamentation, and extremely costly viands. There were also all their
wives there; and when I w