Very rare 17th-century edition, in the original Dutch, of the history of the famous Dutch privateer Claes Compaen (1587-1660). He was born at Oostzaan in the Netherlands and started his career as a merchant, but soon became undoubtedly the most daring and notorious Dutch pirate of his day, especially active around 1620. For three years, he hijacked ships in the English Channel, the Mediterranean, the Caribbean and off the coasts of Africa, America and the West-Indies.
The present story was first printed in 1659 and ran through more than a dozen editions to 1803, all with the main text set in a textura gothic type, in the later editions a sign that it was a popular book for a lower-class audience. All editions are quite rare but especially the 17th-century ones, thus a very rare edition of one of the most famous pirates.
With the bookplate of Buijnsters-Smets on the inside of the front wrapper. The spine is somewhat damaged, internally somewhat browned, foxed and (water) stained, the paper of some leaves is quite thin, leaving some holes, not affecting the text. Otherwise in good condition. STCN 104026774 (2 copies); WorldCat 1230938838 (1 copy), 966965894 (1 copy); cf. Buisman 114; Muller, America 2131; Scheepers II, 1026; Waller 218 (all ed. 1662); Muller 839/840 (other eds).