excellencies of which Lambert and of others I have received
much information in letters from M. Domenicus Lampsonius of Liege, a
man well lettered and of much judgment in everything, who was the
familiar confidant of Cardinal Pole of England during his lifetime,
and now is secretary to Monsignor the Prince Bishop of Liege. That
gentleman, I say, once sent me the life of the said Lambert written in
Latin, and he has saluted me several times in the name of many of our
craftsmen from that province; and a letter that I have by his hand,
dated October 30, 1564, is written in this tenor:

"For four years back I have had it constantly in mind to thank you,
honoured Sir, for two very great benefits that I have received from
you, although I know that this will appear to you a strange exordium
from one whom you have never seen or known. And strange, indeed, it
would be, if I had not known you, which has been from the time when my
good fortune, or rather, our Lord God, willed that by His Grace there
should come into my hands, I know not in what way, your most excellent
writings concerning the architects, painters, and sculptors. But at
that time I did not know one word of Italian, whereas now, thanks be
to God, for all that I have never seen Italy, by reading your writings
I have gained such little knowledge as has encouraged me to write you
this letter. And to this desire to learn your tongue I have been
attracted by your writings, which perhaps those of no other man could
have done; being drawn to seek to understand them by a natural and
irresistible love that I have borne from childhood to these three most
beautiful arts, but above all to that most pleasing to every age, sex,
and rank, and hurtful to none, your art of painting. In which art,
although I was at that time wholly ignorant and wanting in judgment,
now, by means of the frequently reiterated reading of your writings, I
understand so much--little though it may be, and as it were
nothing--as is yet enough to enable me to lead an agreeable and happy
life; and this I value more than all the honours, comforts and riches
of this world. By this little I mean only that I could copy with
oil-colours, as with any kind of drawing-instrument, the objects of
nature, and particularly nudes and vestments of every sort; but I have
not had courage enough to plunge deeper, as for example, to paint
things more hazardous which require a hand more practised and sure,
such as landscapes, t