| Record ID | cp011372 |
| Voet reference number | 1278 |
| Museum Plantin-Moretus | |
| Author | Ludovico (or Lodovico) GUICCIARDINI |
| Title page transcription | [French title:] La ‖ Description ‖ de tous les ‖ Païs-bas [Within engraved title-page, typographically printed text:] † DESCRIPTION □ DE TOVTS LES ‖ PAIS-BAS, ‖ autrement appellés ‖ LA GERMANIE INFERIEVRE, ‖ OV ‖ BASSE ALLEMAGNE; ‖ PAR MESSIRE LOVIS ‖ GVICCIARDIN GENTIL- ‖ HOMME FLORENTIN: ‖ Maintenant reveue, & augmentée plus que de ‖ la moictié par le mesme Autheur. ‖ AVEC toutes les Cartes Geographicques desdicts ‖ Pais, & plusieurs pourtraicts de villes ‖ tirés au naturel. ‖ AVEC Indice tresample des choses ‖ les plus memorables. ‡ A ANVERS, ‖ De l'Imprimerie de Christophle Plantin, ‖ M.D.LXXXII. |
| Collation | Folio [254]: [†⁴], ††⁶, A-Z⁶, a-s⁶, t-x⁴; pages [1-20], 1-495, [496-516] (Errors: 24 for 32, 108 for 110, 458 for 158, 176 for 178, 152 for 252, 184 for 284, 223 for 323, 227 for 327, 322 for 334, 943 for 349, 681 for 381) |
| Fingerprint | 158202 - # a1 2+ ere : # a2 2+4 ar - # b1 A l : # b2 x3 na |
| Number of sheets | 134 |
| Pages | [1]: French title [2]: illustration [3]: Title [4-5]: illustrations [6]: Blank [7-18]: Poems in Latin, Dutch, Italian, French and Greek by Nico. Grudius, Gaspar Schetus, Iustus Lipsius, Alexander Graphaeus, Ioannes Latomus (2nd: in Dutch), Theodorus De Berty, Stephano Ambrosio Schiappalaria (in Italian), Senno Poggini (in Italian), Ant. Olivier (in French), Gerardus Falckenburgius (in Greek) (roman type, italic type, Go, and greek type) [19-20]: Lodovico Guicciardini au lecteur (Antwerp, 1566; italic type) 1-495: Text (parts in italic type, marginals in roman type) [496-516]: Table (on three columns; italic type) N.B.: Four additional and not-numbered pages without quire-indications are included in some copies after page [20], in others after page [516]; namely: pages [1-2]: A tous seigneurs, magistrats, officiers, bourgeois et habitants des provinces, villes, franchises, et villages des Païs-bas ou basse Allemagne. Salut (s. Christophle Plantin; Antwerp, 15 December 1581), and a similar address by Plantin in Dutch (Antwerp, 30 November 1581; gothic type) [3-4]: Table des pages du livre, ausquelles se doivent referer les cartes |
| Edition information | |
| Variants | 1. The illustrations were printed separately from the text and could be inserted according to the wishes of the owners. Consequently, occasional omissions or changes are to be noted (e.g., in the copy of Museum Plantin-Moretus the plan of Antwerp is not the 1581-version but the revised version of 1588). 2. Some copies (the two copies in Ghent University Library; Bibliothèque nationale de France: M 1328) have an additional dedicatory of two pages (not-numbered) to Francis, Duke of Anjou and Alençon: 'A tres haut, tres puissant, et tres magnanime François frère unique du Roy de France…' (undated and unsigned). 3. The other variants occur again in the introductory illustrations with the cut-out centerparts: a) Plate with the arms of the provinces: 1º. With in the cut-out centerpart a typographically printed text 'Concordia res parvae ‖ crescvnt, ‖ discordia ‖ maximae ‖ dilabuntvr ‖ Sallust.' (ULiège Library; Vienna; Bibliothèque nationale de France: M 1327; Bibliothèque nationale de France: Res. M 118; UL Cologne). 2º. With in the cut-out centerpart, pasted on the open space, an engraving with the arms of Philip II, the same as the one used in the 1581 Italian edition (KBR Royal Library of Belgium: VH 25765 Res.). 3º. With in the cut-out part, pasted on the open space, an engraved illustration with another version of the arms of Philip II (including a small escutcheon with the arms of Portugal, conquered by Philip II in 1580; the lamb pending at the collar of the Golden Fleece is now looking to the left) (Museum Plantin-Moretus). 4º. With in the cut-out centerpart, pasted on the open space, an engraved illustration with the arms of Duke Francis (the two copies in Ghent University Library). b) Plate with the allegorical representation of Arts and Sciences: 1º. With in the cut-out centerpart a typographically printed text: 'Discite ‖ ivstitiam ‖ moniti, ‖ et non ‖ temnere ‖ divos. ‖ Virg.' (copies: cf. a, 1º). 2º. With in the cut-out centerpart, pasted on the open space, the engraved portrait of Philip II as used in 1581 (with inscription: ARCHIDVX DAVSTRIAE) (KBR Royal Library of Belgium: VH 25765 Res.). 3º. With in the cut-out centerpart, pasted on the open space, an engraved portrait of Philip II (with inscription: ARCHIDVX AVSTRIAE; in fact the same plate as the preceding one, but the D of DAVSTRIAE has been [not too completely] erased) (Museum Plantin-Moretus). 4º. With in the cut-out centerpart, pasted on the open space, the engraved portrait of Duke Francis (the two copies in Ghent University Library). 5º. The small cartouches are either empty or have the devices 'Nec spe, nec metu' and 'Iam illustrabit omnia' in at least two versions. Those different variants can be classified into three groups: 1º. One in which no homage is presented to a sovereign (Philip II had been 'abjured' by the Netherlandish provinces in 1581). 2º. One in which homage is still paid to Philip II. 3º. One in which tribute is paid to Duke Francis, who in 1582 was recognized as sovereign of the Netherlands, in the place of Philip II. Owing, however, to the rather bewildering number of possibilities, various and even conflicting combinations are possible, so that in fact practically every copy can in one way or another differ from the others. |
| Illustrations | I. Copper engravings: introductory part (cf. edition of 1581, preceding no.): page [2]: Allegorical representation of the Netherlands; page [3]: Title-page; page [4]: Coats-of-arms of the 17 provinces with cut-out centerpart, in which sometimes a smaller illustration is pasted (see Variants); page [5]: Allegorical representation of Arts and Sciences in which sometimes a smaller illustration is pasted (see Variants). II. Engravings: maps, plans and views. The 55 illustrations of the Italian 1581-edition have been brought to 78, meaning an addition of 23 (these copperplates too are preserved in the collections of Museum Plantin-Moretus). The plates have been numbered in the lower corner to the right. However, some copies (KBR Royal Library of Belgium: VH 25765 Res.; two copies in Ghent University Library) have not numbered illustrations The numbers correspond to the order in which the illustrations followed each other in the edition, but some errors have been committed: no. 15 (Malines) ought to be 16, and no. 16 (Limbourg) 15; from 34 (Leiden) till 43 (Utrecht) the order has been badly bungled: no. 35 became no. 40 (Amsterdam); no. 36: 41 (Hoorn); no. 37: 35 (Enkhuizen); no. 38: 42 (Schoonhoven); no. 39: 36 (Rotterdam); no. 40: 37 (The Hague); no. 41: 38 (Arx Britannica); no. 42: 39 (Brielle) (cf. Touwaide, pages 37 and 39). As the illustrations were not printed with the text, as in the preceding 1581-edition, they could be joined to the publication as seemed fit to owners and/or bookbinders: inserted in the text, brought together at the end, etc. (cf. Touwaide, pages 36-38). The order of the illustrations is as follows: 1 (Netherlands), 2 (Province of Brabant), 3 (Louvain), 4 (Brussels), 5 (Antwerp), 6 (view of the exchange in Antwerp), 7 (view of the Cathedral in Antwerp), 8 (view of the Town Hall in Antwerp), 9 (view of the Hansa House in Antwerp), 10 ('s Hertogenbosch), 11 (Tienen), 12 (Bergen-op-Zoom), 13 (Maastricht), 14 (Lier), 15 (Malines), 16 (Limbourg), 17 (Provinces of Gelre and Zutfen), 18 (Nijmegen), 19 (Roermond), 20 (Zutfen), 21 (Arnhem), 22 (Gelre), 23 (Deventer), 24 (Kampen), 25 (Zwolle), 26 (Province of Friesland), 27 (Leeuwarden), 28 (Franeker), 29 (Groningen), 30 (Province of Holland), 31 (Dordrecht), 32 (Haarlem), 33 (Delft), 34 (Leiden), 35 (Enkhuizen), 36 (Rotterdam), 37 (The Hague), 38 (Arx Britannica), 39 (Brielle), 40 (Amsterdam), 41 (Hoorn), 42 (Schoonhoven), 43 (Utrecht), 44 (Province of Zeeland), 45 (Middelburg), 46 (Vlissingen), 47 (Province of Flanders), 48 (Ghent), 49 (Bruges), 50 (Sluis), 51 (Ypres), 52 (Gravelines), 53 (Lille), 54 (Douai), 55 (Tournai), 56 (Aalst), 57 (Province of Artois), 58 (Arras), 59 (St. Omer), 60 (Cambrai), 61 (Province of Hainaut), 62 (Mons), 63 (Valenciennes), 64 (Landrecies), 65 (Avesnes), 66 (Philippeville), 67 (Beaumont), 68 (Chimay), 69 (Marienbourg), 70 (Province of Luxembourg), 71 (Luxembourg), 72 (Province of Namur), 73 (Namur), 74 (Charlemont), 75 (Walcourt), 76 (Bishopric Liège), 77 (Liège), 78 (Aachen). The 23 new illustrations include nos. 11 (Tienen; 168 × 241), 12 (Bergen-op-Zoom; 168 × 243), 22 (Gelre; 167 × 243), 24 (Kampen; 238 × 320), 25 (Zwolle; 240 × 319), 28 (Franeker; 242 × 167), 35 (Enkhuizen; 238 × 320), 36 (Rotterdam; 258 × 343), 39 (Brielle; 166 × 239), 41 (Hoorn; 239 × 332), 42 (Schoonhoven; 229 × 160), 50 (Sluis; 239 × 324), 55 (Tournai; 241 × 329), 59 (St. Omer; 166 × 240), 60 (Cambrai; 245 × 325), 64 (Landrecies; 123 × 167, printed on the same sheet as no. 65), 65 (Avesnes; 126 × 167, printed on the same sheet as no. 64), 66 (Philippeville; 124 × 167, printed on the same sheet as no. 67), 67 (Beaumont; 125 × 167, printed on the same sheet as no. 66), 68 (Chimay; 118 × 164, printed on the same sheet as no. 69), 69 (Marienbourg; 124 × 164, printed on the same sheet as no. 68), 74 (Charlemont; 119 × 163, printed on the same sheet as no. 75), 75 (Walcourt; 110 × 161, printed on the same sheet as no. 74). No. 1 (map of the Netherlands) is a new version |
| Copies | Museum Plantin-Moretus- R 44.9- the additional pages with Plantin's dedicatory and the table of the plates are missingCity Archives AntwerpKBR Royal Library of Belgium- 3 copiesCambridgeUniversity and City Library, Cologne - Cologne (Germany, BRD)Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale di Firenze - Florence (Italy)Ghent University Library- 3 copiesUL Liège- XXIII.2.4 [4°]British Library LondonBibliothèque nationale de France- 3 copiesPostel AbbeyNL PragueUtrecht University LibraryAustrian National LibraryKU Leuven- Special Collections, 7B596UNamur- R6B.0098, Rés.28C.12 |
| Bibliographical references | Ruelens-de Backer, pages 243-245 (1582, no. 36) Touwaide in De Gulden Passer, 49, 1971, pages 29-48Cockx-Indestege, E. Belgica typographica, 1365 8431 (state C) |
| Online bibliographical references | STCV c:stcv:7094926 |
| Note 1 | Second French edition of the Description, the first having been issued by G. Silvius (an edition of which some copies have a title-page with the year 1567, others with the year 1568). The French translation of Plantin's edition, made from Plantin's 1581 Italian edition, has been executed by 'F. De Belle Forest, Commingeois' as is stated in the heading on page 1 (cf. also Denucé, page 152). |
| Note 2 | This French edition has been published in an illustrated version (as described here) and in an unillustrated version (see following no.). |
| Note 3 | In the introductory poems, one by Justus Lipsius has been added. On the other hand, as in the meantime Philip II had been 'abjured' by the rebellious provinces, Guicciardini's dedicatory to the Spanish King has been deleted. |
| Note 4 | The French text of Plantin's letter 'A tous seigneurs…' (Antwerp, 15 December 1581) has been reproduced in RDB, page 244, and Suppl. Corr., no. 288. |
| Note 5 | Of the making of the new plates not much is known, except for the plans of Tournai, Cambrai and Enkhuizen. On 17-19 February 1580 Plantin thanks J. Matalius Metellus for his communication regarding a plan of Tournai, and affirms that he will try to get a copy; another plan, sent by a correspondent some weeks ago, had been taken away from the messenger by soldiers (Corr., VI, no. 919: 'Habeo gratias de indicata nobis descriptione Tornacensi. Conabor eam impetrare nisi jam secunda parata sit nobis ab eodem qui ante aliquot septimanas nobis mittebat quam a nuntio eripuerint milites adversae partis'); whilst on 8 July 1581 Pieter van der Borcht was paid 12 florins Carolus guilders 'pour la ville de Tornay taillé et painture' (Arch. 59, folio 104; cf. Denucé, I, page 65). The same artist was paid on 4 August 1580 10 florins Carolus guilders 'pour la ville d'Enchuysen' (Arch. 58, folio 99v; cf. Denucé, I, page 65). Finally, on 4 December 1581, 24 florins Carolus guilders were forwarded to a certain Pierre le Mesureur 'pour la ville de Cambrai qu'il a baillé (= taillé?) et potraicturé pour le livre de Guicciardin' (Arch. 59, folio 182; cf. Denucé, page 149). |
| Note 6 | Guicciardini does not seem to have received from Plantin a fee for this French edition. |
| Note 7 | Listed in M 296, folio 5r ([Descriptione di Paësi bassi di M. Lod. Guicc.] Eadem Gallice, aº 82, fº, f[euilles] 208, [price:] florins Carolus guilders 7, p[our] 73 [= error for 78] fig[ures] cuivre. Idem sans les cartes, fº, f[euilles] 134, [price:] stuivers 50), M 164, folio 10r, and M 321 (Description des pais bas de Lodovic Guicciardin en francois augmentée avec plusieurs figures de cuivre, f[euilles] -, [price:] florins Carolus guilders 7). This means that the price of the illustrated edition was 7 florins Carolus guilders, the price of the edition with only the text 2 florins Carolus guilders 10 stuivers |
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