[CORNELIUS, Andreas].
Croniicke, ende warachtige beschryvinghe van Vrieslant. Beginnende nae des werelts scheppinghe drie duysent ende tseventich jaer: ende deurende voorts tot na de gheboorte Christi, duysent, vijf-hondert, vijf en tsestich ...
Leeuwarden, Jacob Jansen, sold by Cornelis Claesz in Amsterdam, 1597. (colophon: printed in Amsterdam, Nicolaes Biestkens, 1596). Folio. With a half-page engraved map of old-Friesland, "Veterum Frisiorum Habitus" with the coat of arms of Friesland at the top, the map is flanked by 8 full-length portraits of inhabitants of old-Friesland; a double-page engraved map of Friesland and Groningen, "Frisiae Occidentalis Typus" by Cornelis Claesz (= first state, first appearance); a double-page plan of Leeuwarden, "Lewardum Occidentalis Frisiae Opp.", and full page plan of Franeker, "Franicher" with text on its verso. Further with woodcut initials, head- and tail-pieces. With nine extra drawings (made after 1622) after the well-known series of etched illustrations of Frisian rulers by Simon Frisius in the first edition of Pierius Winsemius, Chronique ofte Historische Geschiedenisse van Vrieslant ...
Original dark brown polished calf over beveled wooden boards. [2 with drawings], [8], "124" [= 122], [2] ll.
€ 2,500
Rare first edition of this curious and fascinating early and more or less "popular" history of Frisia, the area between Stavoren and the Dollard in the Eems estuary (now roughly the Dutch provinces of Friesland and Groningen). It contains all the traditional, and for the greater part legendary, stories of the early Middle Ages with all the supposedly reigning local rulers from antiquity (313 BCE) until 1565. With nice maps of the Northern Netherlands in Roman times and Frisia.
The most likely author of this work is Andreas Cornelius (d. 1598), of whom nothing is known except for the fact that he was organist in Harlingen. He invented a certain Occo van Scharl (Ocka Scharlensis) who would have written the first version of the text which was revised later by a mysterious Johannes Vlytarp (Vlietarp). The Humanistic historian Ubbo Emmius (1547-1625), the later first rector magnificus of the Groningen University, didnt think much of the Chroniicke and mentioned it in his own history of Friesland, the Rerum Frisicarum historiae decaes (published from 1592 to 1616), as an untrustworthy source.
This copy contains nine extra drawings, namely: on the verso of the second flyleaf: the coat of arms of Friesland in a roundel with an adapted text in the border "... Anno M.VI.LIIII. Rein. Siverdis"; on the verso of the third flyleaf and on the blank versos of fols. 41, 52, 70, 83, 99 and 107 a full-page full-length portrait of legendary Frisian kings and rulers together with their coats of arms can be found (7 in total; "Friso Gentis Conditor", the legendary first king of Friesland; "Asinga Ascon, fundator Stavriae"; "Adelboldus II Dux"; "Tabbo Primus Historiaae Scriptor"; "Regnerus Camminga"; Charles V; and "Pierus Cogno Magnus Libertatis Assertor", the famous legendary "Grutte Pier". Lastly, on the partly blank fol. 16v are only the coats of arms of the remaining 15 rulers (and Grutte Pier).
The top of the back board has been repaired, the head of the spine is somewhat damaged, the edges of first and last leaves are somewhat soiled and frayed, with some insignificant small tears, some spotting and staining throughout, the bottom clasp is partly gone. Otherwise in good condition. De Rijke, Frisia dominium, map 18, pp. 157-159; De Wind, pp. 9-16 and 223-225; Haitsma Mulier & Van der Lem, 119a; Machiels, C-698; Miedema, De vormgeving van de vroege Friese geschiedschrijving, in: Oud-Holland, 118, 1/2, pp. 1-27; New Hollstein Dutch, Simon Frisius, II, nrs. 811-849; STCN 83215783X; Syst. Cat. Prov. Bibl. Friesland, II, 753; Typ. Belg. 3795; USTC 423736; Van de Waal, Drie eeuwen Vaderl. Geschieduitbeelding, afb. 44-45.
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