Rare fourth edition (the second to include the new early work of Hoofd and Vondel) of one of the most important and rarest Dutch songbooks, published for the "jeunesse dorée". Songbooks were a very popular genre in the Netherlands during the last quarter of the 16th and first of the 17th centuries - the beginning of the Dutch golden age. These songbooks were mostly printed in oblong format, and were undoubtedly connected with the new genre of the love-emblem book, so characteristic for the new Dutch Republic.
Among the songs and poems that Dirck Pietersz. Pers added in the third and fourth editions, moreover, are four poems by the young Pieter Cornelisz. Hooft (1581-1647) and at least three by the young Joost van den Vondel (1587-1679), as well as two by Karel van Mander and translations of two Pierre de Ronsard poems by Jacob van der Schuere. The publication of poems by two of the greatest Dutch poets of the 17th century makes this songbook extremely important for the Hooft and Vondel philology and bibliography.
The beautiful large engraving that appears on both title-pages shows a company making music and drinking wine in a bower in a garden. At least on the second title-page it represents a wedding feast. It was drawn by the painter and engraver David Vinckboons (1576-1633) from Malines (Mechelen), who moved to Antwerp in 1579 and to Amsterdam in 1591, and is signed with his monogram, "DVB inv:".
First title-page slightly frayed at edges and slightly browned, otherwise a good copy. Carter & Vervliet, Civilité types 309; H. de la Fontaine Verwey, Uit de wereld van het boek II, p. 63; Hollstein XXXVII (David Vinckboons), p. 34; A.A. Keersmaekers, Wandelend in den nieuwen lust-hof (1985), passim; Leendertz, Bibl. Hooft 193; Scheurleer, Liedboeken I, p. 137; Scheepers I, 295 ("Een der zeldzaamste Nederl. liedboeken"; STCN (7 copies); Unger, Bibl. Vondel, p. 156; Cat. Vondeltentoonstelling 157.