Brabant poet. Brussels, 1533 - St. Joost ten Noode, 1599. A rich patrician, he could devote his time to poetry (in Dutch, in the style of the rhetoricians) and culture, making a museum of his manor at St. Joost ten Noode at the outskirts of Brussels. Leaning towards the Reformation, he was imprisoned for some time by Alva in 1567. When the revolt spread in 1576 to the Southern Netherlands, he became superintendant of the fortifications of Brussels, and Master of the Rolls of the Duchy of Brabant. As a partisan of William of Orange he was very active in politics during these years. He does not seem, however, to have approved of the measures taken by the Calvinists of Brussels against the Catholics. He was, consequently, member of the delegation composed by the less compromised notables of the city to negotiate its surrender in 1585 with the Duke of Parma. After 1585 he lived quietly in his manor near Brussels. Cf. Biographie Nationale [de Belgique], 9, 1886-87, Columns 554-560; BB, III, pages 532-543; Ch. Stallaert, 'Jan-Baptista Houwaert' in Nederlandsch Museum, 1885, pages 83 ff.; W. van Eeghem, 'Iohan Baptista Houwaert, de prachtlievende' in Verslagen en Mededelingen der Koninklijke Vlaamse Academie voor Taal- en Letterkunde, 1957, pages 285 ff.; E. de Bock, Johan Baptist Houwaert, Antwerp, 1960; F. van Vinckenroye, 'Wisselend beeld in de Houwaert-waardering' in Spiegel der Letteren, 1961, pages 1-17. See also: F. van Vinckenroye, J.B. Houwaert, De Vier Wterste. Tekstuitgave met inleiding, verklarende aantekeningen en glossarium, 3 vols., Ghent, 1965 (Publications of the 'Koninklijke Vlaamse Academie voor Taal- en Letterkunde', VIe reeks, Bekroonde Werken, no. 95): especially regarding De Vier Wterste, but also giving more general references.
- cp010026: Milenus dachte. Antwerp, G. Silvius, [printed by Plantin], 1577-1578.
- cp011499: Milenus clachte. Leiden, G. Silvius, [printed by Plantin], 1577-1578.
- cp012654: Oratie der ambassadeuren van…Matthias aertshertoge van Oostenrijcke…inden rijckxdach ghehouden tot Wormes…, [translated by J.B. Houwaert], 1578.
- cp011251: Sommare beschrijvinghe vande triumphelijcke incomst vanden…aerts-hertoge Matthias binnen…Brussele, 1579.
- cp013099: Declaratie van die triumphante incompst vanden…prince van Oraingnien binnen…Brussele, 1579.
- cp010233: Pegasides pleyn ende den lust-hof der maeghden, 1583.
- cp012883: De vier wterste, van de doot, van het oordeel, van d'eeuwich leven, van de pyne der hellen, 1583.