These poems celebrate marriages, funerals, births, farewells, New Years, inaugurations and installations, and fests and feasts. The collection concentrates on Lower Saxony in the era of George I, elector of Hanover and King of England. An indication of the many-layered culture of this society is the welter of languages used in these tracts. There are verses in French, Italian, Greek, Hebrew, Dutch, and Niederdeutsch, in addition to Latin and German. The French verses date from the reign of George I, who was inclined to imitate the court of Louis XIV. One of the Niederdeutsch poems is a burlesque on a betrothal, indicating that the Low German dialect was considered appropriate for joking and ribald humor. Many typefaces were used; many of the works were printed on the first presses of a particular city. At Lüneburg there was no press before 1616; this town is represented by five manuscripts.

0.75 Linear Feet (140 pieces)

Property rights reside with the repository. Literary rights reside with the creators of the documents or their heirs. To obtain permission to publish or reproduce, please contact the Public Services Librarian of the Dept. of Special Collections.

There are no restrictions on access.