(Vol. vi., p. 316.)
These folio volumes appeared in 1646, without name or place of either
author or printer, under the title--
"Begin ende Voortgang van de Vereenighde Nederlandsche Geoctroyeerde
Oost-Indische Compagnie, vervattende de voornaemste Reysen, by de
inwoonderen derselver provincien derwaerts gedaen, alles nevens de
{160} beschryvinghen der Rycken, Eylanden, Hovenen, Rivieren, Stroomen,
Rheden, winden, diepten, ondiepten, mitsgaders religien, manieren,
aerdt, politie, ende regeeringhe der volckeren, oock mede haerder
Specerÿen, drooghen, geldt ende andere koopmanschappen; met veele
discoursen verryckt, nevens eenighe koopere platen verciert. Nut ende
dienstig alle curieuse ende andere zee-varende. Met dry besondere
tafels ofte registers; in twee Delen verdeelt, waer het eerste begrypt
veerttien voyagien den meerendeelen voor desen noyt in 't licht
geweest. Gedrukt in den jaere 1646."
(_Translation._)
Commencement and progress of the United Dutch Chartered East-India
Company, containing the principal travels made among the inhabitants of
the provinces there, together with a description of the kingdoms,
courts, islands, rivers, roadsteads, winds, deeps, shallows, as well as
religions, manners, character, police, and governments of the people;
also their spices, drugs, money, and other merchandise, enriched with
many discourses, and adorned with copperplates. Useful and profitable
to all curious and seafaring virtuosi. With three separate tables or
registers; divided into two parts, of which the first contains fourteen
voyages, the most part never before published. Printed in the year
1646.
The compiler, however, goes too far in asserting that the greatest part of
these voyages had never been printed. The contrary appears when we open the
folio catalogue of the Leyden Library, containing a fine collection of
these early voyages of our ancestors.
These voyages were printed consecutively in small folio before 1646; as
also the _Oost Indische en West Indische Voyagien_, Amsterdam, by Michel
Colyn, boekverkooper (_East Indian and West Indian Voyages_, Amsterdam, by
Michel Colyn, bookseller), anno 1619, one volume, in the same form and
thickness as those of 1646: some of the plates also in this volume are
similar to those of 1646.
This work was dedicated, 28th February, 1619, to the Heeren Gecommitteerde
Raden ter Admiraliteit residerende te Amsterdam (Advising Committee to the
Admiralty residing at Amsterdam), and begins with the _Reis naar Nova
Sembla_ (_Voyage to Nova Zembla_), printed at Enkhuizen in 1617, by Jacob
Lenaertsz Meijn, at the Vergulde Schryfboek (Gilt Writing-book), so that it
is not improbable that the whole work was printed at Enkhuizen. Michel
Colyn also published other Dutch voyages in 1622.
Concerning Cornelis Claesz (_i.q._ son of Nicholas), printer at Amsterdam,
I have to observe that he died before 1610, but that the late Lucas Jansz.
Wagenaer had bought all his plates, maps, privileges, &c.
By a notarial act passed 16th August, 1610, at Enkhuizen, Tryn Haickesdr.,
widow of the above-named Wagenaer, declared that the widow of Cornelis
Claesz might make over to Jacob Lenaertsz all the above-mentioned maps,
privileges, &c. See a resolution of the States-General of 13th September,
1610, in Dodt's _Kerkelÿk en Wereldlÿk Archief_, p. 23. (_Ecclesiastical
and Civil Archives_).--_From the Navorscher._