Second copy located of a very rare edition of a convolute combining two works by Pieter de Neyn (1643-?), a Dutch jurist, poet and traveller whose career took him from Leiden University to the Cape of Good Hope and Batavia. The two works show very different sides of De Neyn: the first is a wide-ranging study of marriage customs around the world, while the second is a personal collection of poems, including several written during his time at the Cape.
Ad 1: Lusthof der huwelijken is De Neyn's extensive account of marriage customs in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas, compiled from classical and contemporary sources as well as his own observations. One particularly interesting passage concerns "window courting" (venstervrijen or kweesten), which De Neyn describes as an accepted custom in parts of northern and western Europe, including the islands and coastal villages of the Zuiderzee.
Of particular interest is his account of the Khoikhoi at the Cape of Good Hope. Here De Neyn states that he questioned Khoi informants himself, after supplying them with brandy and tobacco. He discusses their marriage customs and laws, criticising some practices while praising others, including marital fidelity and the principle that people of higher status should receive heavier punishment for serious crimes. The work also discusses various peoples of the Americas, including those of Brazil, Guiana, Florida, New Netherland, New France and Virginia. It is illustrated with eight engraved plates by Jan Lamsvelt (1674-after 1743) after Jan Luyken (1649-1712).
Ad 2: Vrolycke uuren, first published in 1681 and included alongside Lusthof der huwelijken in later editions, is a collection of miscellaneous and occasional poetry, including love poems, festive verse and moralising rhymes. Several poems date from De Neyn's time at the Cape, where he wrote for birthdays, weddings and other occasions within the colonial community. Particularly interesting is an autobiographical poem in which he recounts his life up to the age of 23, including hunger, failed romances, his studies and military service.
We have only traced one other copy of the present 1731 edition of the convolute in the Erfgoedbibliotheek Hendrik Conscience (via WorldCat). It is likely a reissue of Johannes Rotterdam's 1730 edition, as it has the same fingerprint and includes his frontispiece.
With a contemporary manuscript annotation on the first endpaper ("Johann Aaldert Schwierfing in Rehden") and two later ownership stamps ("Ex Libris J. Visser, Rotterdam") on the lower margin of the frontispiece and title page, Visser was mainly a collector of English private press editions, though further information is lacking. The boards show some staining. Two engraved plates have a vertical fold, occasional browning, page 11-16 of ad 1 are lacking, ad 2 is missing the De Neyn armorial and motto plate (Non semper oleum) bound at the front. Otherwise in good condition. WorldCat 902534834 (1 copy, Erfgoedbibliotheek Hendrik Conscience); cf. earlier editions: De Vries 202; Klaversma/Hannema pp. 410-411; Landwehr, VOC 1541; Muller 480; Sabin 55109; Scheepers I, 453; Waller 1270; this ed. not in the STCN.