[840] De Nieuwe en Onbekende Weereld; of Beschrijving van America en’t Zuyd Land, vervaetende d’ Oorsprong der Americaener en Zuidlanders, gedenkwaerdige togten derwaerts, etc., beschreeven door Arnoldus Montanus, Amsterdam, 1671,—“The New World, or Description of America and the South Land; containing the Origin of the Americans and South Landers, Remarkable Voyages thither,” etc. A German edition of 1673, Die Unbekante neue Welt, oder Beschreibung des Weltteils America und des Südlandes, etc., is ascribed by the translator to Dr. O. Dapper, who, however, only published it with other works of his collection. [See Asher’s Essay, nos. 14, 15, and the note to Mr. Stevens’s chapter in Vol. III.—Ed.]
[841] Edward Melton’s Zee en Land Reizen door verscheide Gewesten der Werelds. Edward Melton’s, Engelsch Edelmans, Zeldzame en Gedenkwaardige Zee en Land Reizen, etc., Amsterdam, 1681, reprinted in 1702,—“Edward Melton’s Travels by Sea and Land through Different Parts of the World.” “Edward Melton, an English Nobleman’s Curious and Memorable Travels by Sea and Land,” etc. A part of this book was further reprinted in 1705 as Aenmerkenswaardige en Zeldzame West-Indische Zee en Land Reizen, door een Voornam Engelsche Heer, E. M., en andere,—“Remarkable and Strange West Indian Travels by Sea and Land by a Noble Englishman, E. M., and Others.” [Asher, Essay, p. xliv and nos. 16, 17, 18, points out the clumsy, unoriginal character of Melton’s tardy information. The O’Callaghan copy (no. 1,522) had the rare Lolonois portrait. See the note to Mr. Stevens’s chapter in Vol. III.—Ed.]
[842] Beschrijvinghe van Oost en West Indien. Beschrijvinge van eenige voorname Kusten in Oost en West Indien als Zuerinam, Nieuw Nederlant, etc., door verscheidene Leefhebbers gedaen, Leeuwarden, 1716,—“Description of East and West India.” “Description of some Notable Coasts in East and West India, as Surinam, New Netherland, etc., by Several Amateurs.” The description of New Netherland is a reprint of three chapters in Melton.
Algemeene Wereldt Beschrijving door A. P. De la Croix, Amsterdam, 1705. Algemeene Weereld Beschrijving nae de rechte verdeeling der Landschappen, Plaetsen, etc., in ’t Fransch beschreeven door den Heer A. Pher. De la Croix, Aerdryks Beschrijver des Konings van Frankryk,—“General Description of the World,” by A. P. De la Croix. “General Description of the World according to the Correct Division of Countries, places, etc.,” written in French by A. Pher. De la Croix, Geographer to the King of France.
[843] Born at Antwerp, 1535; as grandson of Willem Ortels, of Augsburg, and first cousin of the historian Abraham Ortelius, his taste for historical studies seems to have been inherited.
[844] Originally published in Latin at Amsterdam, 1597. Van Meteren translated the work into Flemish, and published it in 1599; then continued it in the same language up to 1612, in which shape it was republished after his death at Arnhem in 1614. French editions of the work appeared in 1618 and 1670, and a German one at Frankfort in 1669.
[845] A native of Huisdem, in Holland, at one time teacher in the Latin School at Haarlem. After having studied medicine and been admitted to practice, he employed his leisure hours in collecting material for a historical work, which he published under the title, Historisch Verhael al der ghedenckweerdichste Geschiedenissen, die hier en daer in Europa, etc., voorgevallen syn,—“Historical Account of all the most Remarkable Events in Europe, etc.” Part of it appeared under the name of his friend, Dr. Barend Lampe, of Amsterdam.
[This work, covering the years 1621-1632, was first brought to light by Brodhead (New York, i. 46), who has given an abstract of it in 2 N. Y. Hist. Soc. Coll., ii. 355. (Cf. Doc. Hist. N. Y., iii. 27.) It contains the earliest reports on New Netherland printed at Amsterdam. It is described in Muller, Books on America, 1872, no. 1,745, and was first noticed by Asher, Essay, no. 330; Carter-Brown, ii. 276.—Ed.]
[846] He says: “Alsoo de Staeten van de Vereenigde Nederlandsche Provintien door de 12 jaerighe Trefves, die nu (1621) een eijndt nam, in West Indien te trafiqueeren uijtgeslooten waeren, soo ist, dat sij bevindende door het jus gentium, dat de Zeevaert een ijeder vrij staet, gedestineert hebben een Companie op te rechten om op de Landen te negotieeren, die de Coningh van Spaengien besit,”—“As the States of the United Provinces have been excluded from trading to the West Indies by the truce of twelve years now expiring, upon finding that by the law of nations the navigation is open to everybody, they have resolved to organize a company for trade to the countries owned by the King of Spain.”
[847] Lieuwe van Aitzema, son of the Burgomaster of Dockum, born 1600, and himself in high official position, died 1669. Michaud, Bibliographie Universelle, says: “Ce qui donne une si haute importance à l’ouvrage d’A. c’est cette foule d’actes originaux, ...dont il a fait usage et qu’il a su tirer des archives et des dépôts les plus secrets [not always by quite proper means].” Wiquefort, in his Ambassadeur, criticises Aitzema sharply: “Elle [l’histoire d’A.] peut servir comme d’inventaire à ceux qui n’ont point d’accès aux archives d’État, mais ce que l’auteur a ajouté ne vaut pas la gazette. Il n’a point de style, son langage est barbare, et tout l’ouvrage n’est qu’un chaos.” However, he deserves our gratitude for throwing light upon the events of his time, and for giving us trustworthy and abundant information.