Dutch and Flemish Furniture
Au moins est-elle bien coeffee
De fins rezeaux ?
Et sa couche est-elle estoffee
De beaux rideaux ?
Son ciel n'est-il pas de brodeure
Tout campane ?
N'a-t-il pas aussi pour bordeure
L'or bazane ?
The nobles vied with royalty in luxury, and the
beautiful tapestries, furniture, gold and silver work,
enamels, etc., found ready sale. Such magnificent
homes as the Counts of Egmont excited the anger of
the populace ; and those of many successful artists
and rich merchants were hardly inferior.
The clergy did not suffer either. Granvella, for
example, made Bishop of Arras, and chief adviser to
Philip II in all the affairs of the Netherlands, had a
magnificent establishment. His furniture, tapestry and
other personalty amounted to no less than £50,000.
Contemporary travellers are constantly speaking
of the startling splendours they encountered in the
Low Countries. When Marguerite of Valois, Queen of
Navarre, who was certainly used to splendour, went to
Spa in 1577, with the excuse to drink the waters, but
really to intrigue in Hainault so as to advance the
interests of her brother, the Duke d'Alengon, in the
Netherlands, she was received at Namur by Don Juan
of Austria. When this gallant escort, who rode by her
Utter, escorted the Queen to her lodgings, she was
" astonished at the magnificence of the apartments." 1
A superb hall gorgeously furnished led into a series of
chambers. The bedroom and bed prepared for the

1 Memoirs of Marguerite de Valois.
100

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