Largest edition of one of the most popular Dutch songbooks of the 18th century, containing songs for weddings, funerals, and other events where people traditionally sang together. Songbooks such as these are also known as mopsjes. This name is probably reminiscent of Mopsus, the shepherd who appears in many of the poems in Virgil's Bucolica, as several songs about him appear in the songbook. The earliest of books with songs from Hoorn date from the first quarter of the seventeenth century. Collective editions soon appeared, with songs from two or more cities, so that it could be sold in multiple locations. This example, containing songs from Hoorn, Enkhuizen, Alkmaar and Purmerend, with Edam added in the sequel, has many odes addressed to the various cities, such as O Schoone Stad van Purmerend. There is also a song on the traditional Dutch feast of Saint Nicolas: Lof van Sint-Nicolaas.
The work mainly consists of wedding songs, but also includes musical discussions, drinking songs, and even the odd more risqué item. Most of the songs are anonymous, only a few of them are signed with the author's name. Multiple editions of the work were published in the 17th and 18th centuries, but the present edition is the only one with a second part, which is also present here. The number of songs, mostly love, wedding and party songs has been doubled compared to previous editions, with both parts together easily containing over 300 songs. The STCN lists two different editions for both parts, both published without date by Joannes Kannewet, which can be distinguished by different woodcut vignettes on the titles page: one with a crown, and the present with musical instruments. Both are equally rare.
A small ink stain on the spine. The leaves are lightly browned. Otherwise a fine copy. Ad 1: Goovaerts 1387; Scheurleer p. 186; STCN 182888533; Welsh, A bibl. of miniature books, 3181; Ad 2: Scheurleer p. 186; STCN 182884759; Welsh, a bibl. of miniature books, 3184; not in Goovaerts.