On the Saturday after Easter, with Hans Luber and Master Jan
Prevost, a good painter born at Bruges, I set out from
Antwerp towards Bruges by way of the Scheldt and came to
Beveren, a large village. From there to Vracene, also a big
village; thence we passed through some villages and came to
a fine large village, where the rich farmers live, and there
we breakfasted. Thence we journeyed towards St. Paul's, the
rich abbey, and went through Caudenborn, a fine village;
thence through the large village of Kalve, and thence to
Ertvelde; there we lay the night and started early on Sunday
morning and came from Ertvelde to a small town. From that we
went to Ecloo, which is a mighty large village; it is
plastered, and has a square; there we breakfasted. Thence we
went to Maldegem, and then through other villages, and came
to Bruges--which is a fine noble town. I paid 21 stivers for
fare and other expenses. And arriving at Bruges, Jan Prevost
took me into his house to lodge, and the same night prepared
a costly meal, and asked much company to meet me.
The next day Marx, the goldsmith, invited me, and gave me a
costly meal and asked many to meet me; afterwards they took
me to see the Emperor's house, which is large and splendid.
There I saw the chapel which Roger painted, and some
pictures by a great old artist. I gave the man who showed
them to us 1 stiver; afterwards I bought two ivory combs for
30 stivers. Thence they took me to St. James's and let me
see the splendid paintings of Roger and Hugo, who are both
great masters. Afterwards I saw the alabaster Madonna in Our
Lady's Church that Michelangelo of Rome made; afterwards
they took me to many churches and let me see all the fine
paintings, of which there is abundance there, and when I had
seen the Jan [Van Eyck] and all the other things, we came at
last to the Painters' Chapel, in which there are good
things. Then they prepared a banquet for me, and I went
thence with them to their guildhall; there were many
honourable men gathered together, goldsmiths, painters, and
merchants, and they made me sup with them, and they gave me
presents and sought my acquaintance and did me great honour;
and the two brothers Jacob and Peter Mostaert, the town
councilors, gave me twelve cans of wine, and the whole
assembly, more than sixty persons, accompanied me home with
many torches. I also saw in their shooting gallery the great
fish tub from which they eat, which is 19 feet long, 7 high,
and 7 broad.
Early on Tuesday we departed, but before that, I did Jan
Prevost's portrait in silverpoint, and gave his wife 10
stivers at parting. And so we traveled to Ursel; there we
breakfasted. On the way there are three villages. Then we
traveled towards Ghent, again through three villages, and I
paid 4 stivers for the journey, and 4 stivers for expenses;
and on my arrival at Ghent, there came to me the dean of the
painters and brought with him the first masters in painting;
they showed me great honour, received me most courteously,
and commended to me their good-will and service, and supped
with me. On Wednesday early they took me to the tower of St.
John's, whence I looked all over the great and wonderful
town, where I had just been treated as a great person.
Afterwards I saw the Jan [Van Eyck's] picture, which is a
very splendid, deeply studied painting, and especially the
"Eve," the "Mary," and "God the Father" were extremely good.
Then I saw the lions and drew one of them in silverpoint;
also I saw on the bridge, where men are beheaded, two
pictures which were made as a sign that there a son had
beheaded his father. Ghent is beautiful and a wonderful
town; four great waters flow through it. I gave 3 stivers as
a tip to the sacristan and the lions' keeper. I saw many
other remarkable things in Ghent, and the painters with
their dean did not forget me, but ate with me morning and
evening, and paid for everything, and were very friendly. I
gave away 3 stivers at the inn on leaving. Then early on
Thursday I set out from Ghent and came through various
villages to the inn called "The Swan," where we breakfasted;
thence we passed through a beautiful village and came to
Antwerp, and I paid 8 stivers for the fare.