FrAzER—On a Bronze Medallion. rk 
IiJ.—On a Bronze Mepatiion or THE ‘“‘ DetivERyY oF ANTWERP IN 
1577,” BEING ONE OF A SERIES ENGRAVED IN ‘ Parrta Liperrart 
ReEstITUTA,’” AND RE-PUBLISHED BY Sirk Wm. Srretine Maxwe tw. 
By W. Frazer, F.R.C.8.1., M.R.LA. 
[Read May 26, 1879.] 
Tue last contribution made by Sir Wm. Stirling Maxwell to art and 
ie is his splendid illustrated folio work of Antwerp Delivered in 
1577: A passage from the History of the Troubles in the Netherlands. 
_ This book was printed in Edinburgh, and fronting the title-page is an 
announcement of the death of Sir William at Venice on J anuary 15, 
oe whilst his work was passing through the press. If he were 
stall living, the materials for the present communication would have 
been submitted to him and placed at his disposal. 
The book is illustrated with copies of borders, old initial letters, 
facsimiles of designs and maps, and especially with engravings after 
Merten de Vos and Franz Hogenberg. Now itis with the series attri- 
buted to De Vos that I wish this evening to deal. They consist of a fron- 
tispiece of portraits which, from haying no artist’s name affixed, and 
being dated in 1579, is judged to be of somewhat later execution than 
the series of seven designs to which it serves as an introduction. These 
seven plates commemorate the successful plot of Charles de Redelghem, 
Baron of Leiderkerch, and Civil Governor of Antwerp, Captain Pontus 
de Noyelles, Seigneur of Bours, and William Rouck, Receiver-General 
of Royal Domains in Brabant, to seize the Castle of Antwerp for the 
Estates, and the consequent demolition of part of that fortress, events 
which took place from the Ist to the 28rd of August, 1577. 
The first of this series of illustrations is dated in 1578, and is signed 
at top MERTEN DE vos. In. The name of the engraver of the plates is 
not given, and their ascription must be doubtful. Alvin, in his Cata- 
logue of the works of the three brothers Wierx, published in Brussels 
in 1866, claims them as the handiwork oc these industrious and skil- 
ful artists, though he does not venture to attribute them to any one of 
the three brothers in particular. Again, in the Atlas Historique Dru- 
gulin (Leipsic, 18€ ~— it ‘s suggested that they proceeded from the 
Burin of Adriaan Cotlaer: and they have considerable resemblance to 
his workmanship. So far as ” printers *the plates are concerned, 
they took care to be better known. Thc e are two editions; the first 
issued by Peeter Baltens at Antwerp, and the second has for its printer’s 
address ‘‘ Amstelodami, Franciscus Hoeius, excud.” 
Merten de Vos, to wine the designs are attributed, was son of an 
artist, Peter de Vos. He was born at Antwerp in 1531, and was, 
therefore, about forty-six years of age when the attempt was made to 
seize the citadel. He was trained in art by his father and by Franz 
Floris, and afterwards studied in Italy, under Tintoret, for whom he is 
said to have painted the back-ground of several of his pictures. On 
his return to the Netherlands, ‘he painted numerous religious pieces 
and portraits distinguished for their truth and spirit. He excelled in 
allegorical representations such as are displayed in the fancy designs 
