The first volume of a beautifully illustrated description of the Duchy of Brabant, published in parts from 1658 to 1660, by the Flemish historian Antoine Sanderus (1586-1664), with most of the illustrations by Lucas Vorsterman the Younger (1624-1666/67). "In this detailed and extensive survey, Sanderus developed a Counter-Reformation programme which elevated the part of the Duchy, which had remained under Spanish rule, to a sacred space par excellence, adorned by Catholic institutions, ... " (Esser). It contains descriptions of abbeys, churches and royal castles based on information gathered through questionnaires. "The questions that Sanderus wished to be answered concerned the holy places of Brabant, the age and foundation history of churches, abbeys and monasteries, the records of any miracles or other exceptional events, and the list of abbots and other, mainly clerical, dignitaries. He also, however, inquired about the geography of the land, the distances between places, the flora and fauna, and other statistical material which had, so far, not been collected for the Duchy" (Esser).
The first volume is usually the only volume to be found as nearly the complete stock of the second volume was de destroyed in the bombing of Brussels in 1695.
Lacking the engraved author's portrait (facsimile provided) and lacking one leaf with a poem in part 24, also lacking in some other copies; some foxing and browning throughout (heavily in the margins of the title-page) and a few tears repaired; a fair copy. Spine of the binding discoloured, but otherwise very good. Bibl. Belg. V, S215; Hollstein XLII, p. 154 et passim; cf. Esser, the politics of memory (2012), pp. 291-295.