STARTER, Jan Jansz.
Friesche lust-hof, beplant met verscheyden stichtelijcke minne-liedekens, gedichten, ende boertighe kluchten. Den vierden druck op nieuws vermeerdert ende verbetert, met verscheyden dichten ende liedekens, soo geestige als boertige. Mitsgaders oock noch verrijckt ende vercierd met schoone kopere figueren; ende by alle onbekende wysen de noten, ofte musycke gevoeght.
Amsterdam, for Hessel Gerritsz., 1627. 2 parts in 1 volume. Oblong 4to. With an engraved frontispiece, a full-page engraved portrait of the author, a full-page engraved plate, 10 almost full-page engravings in the text by Jan van de Velde, and musical scores in the text. Contemporary vellum, with the manuscript author, title, and year of publication on the spine in a later hand, red sprinkled edges. [14], 207, [1 blank], 39, [1 blank] pp.
€ 11,500
Beautifully produced edition of one of the most important Dutch songbooks from the 17th century, printed in an elegant oblong size, and using various types, including a fine Civilité type. The present work contains wedding songs, love songs, pastoral songs, drinking songs, occasional poems, as well as a song about the origin of the smoking of tobacco. The present edition is the fourth, which has been enlarged in both text and illustrations.
Jan Jansz. Starter (or John Startutt, 1593-1626), was of English origin, and from 1614 to 1621 bookseller and publisher at Leeuwarden, hence the title Friesche lusthof for his songbook, first published in 1621. Together with Bredero (1585-1618), Starter became one of the most popular poets and playwrights of the early 17th century. He worked together with composer Jacques Vredeman (ca. 1563-1621) in Leeuwarden, who contributed a great deal to the popularity of the songbook. Many of the songs were based on English songs, taken from The first book of songes and ayres (1600) by Robert Jones, and Thomas Deloney's Garland of delight (late 16th century). From other songs the sources are still unknown, including "Is Bommelarire so pritty soo groote geneughd", which is set to the music of the tune "Was Bommelarire so pritty a play". The fine plates by Jan van de Velde (1593-1641), a pupil of Jacob Matham, the step-son of Golzius, beautifully illustrate the songs with pastoral and courtly scenes, several shown at night with only the moon and the stars to lighten the scene.
The boards are somewhat soiled and warped. The leaves are lightly browned. Otherwise a fine copy with ample margins. Cat. Muziekhist. Museum Scheurleer II, p. 70; Goovaerts 585 ("Avec de belles gravures"); Kleerkoper, Starter, p. 36; Scheepers I, 312; Scheurleer, Liedboeken, 147; STCN 85428172X (4 copies); USTC 1033112 (7 copies); cf. Buijnsters, Verzamelen van Boeken, p. 151 (ed. 1621); Carter-Vervliet 358 (ed. of 1621); H. de la Fontaine Verwey, Jan van de Velde, in: Uit de Wereld van het Boek II, p. 65; Hollstein XXXIII, Van de Velde 463-472.
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