172 Readings in European History Flemish industries. Flemish art. Prevalence of heresy. forty. The largest have from six thousand* to twenty-five thousand families. The population of the whole country is estimated at three millions. The houses are not conveniently disposed and the archi- tecture is not fine. Tney are for the most part of wood and earth, but the public buildings constructed of stone make a fine appearance. The churches and the open places are remarkable. The streets are wide and adorned with numer- ous superb fountains, but they are badly paved and might be cleaner. These provinces swarm with men who practice all the useful arts. The greater number of them are weavers. In Holland alone eight hundred thousand crowns' worth of linens are produced. The manufacture of wall hangings, which goes on in several regions, amounts to nearly as much, and the export of cloths of all kinds is much more considerable still. The people of the Netherlands excel all other nations in their painting of landscapes and animals. They seem born for music, and produce composers of eminence. As for attendance upon divine service, nowhere does one find more devotion. Almsgiving and processions take place almost every Sunday in their churches. Nevertheless there are many Lutherans and Anabaptists among them. Gelderland is completely infected with them. There are many in Bra- bant and especially in Antwerp, but they are more numer- ous still in Holland and Artois. They are condemned to be burned for this heresy, but they may escape this penalty by retracting, when they lose their heads instead. It is a notable thing that, although the cold climate makes the inhabitants timorous, when condemned to death they face their fate with rare courage. Of the various proclamations — "placards," as they were popularly called — against heretics issued by Charles V and confirmed by Philip II, the following extracts from that which appeared in April, 1550, wiU give a good and sufficient idea.
