[Rotterdam] Generale keure ende ordonnantie der stad Rotterdam
Rotterdam, G., P. & H. van Waesberge, 1712-1817, 10 volumes, with folding letterpress tables, contemporary uniform vellum, small 4to (small defects).
Extremely rare set, a beautiful series of more than 600 municipal ordinances, in which truly every aspect of life in such a city (and in relation to the surrounding cities) has been covered in writing. The set has a complex structure, which is fortunately clarified by various tables of contents. The composition is organised by subjects (thus dates of publication are confused), as follows: in the first five vellum basic parts a total of 10 "books" are included: I: book 1-7; II: book 8; III: book 9; IV: book 10, part 1-2; V: book 10, part 3-6. The 10 books in these five parts discuss the following subjects: 1. Van Burgers; 2. Van Securiteyt; 3. Van straten, gebouwen &c.; 4. Van Religie en Scholen; 5. Voorsieninge van Armen, Bedelaryen, Leenbank; 6. Medicynen, Chirurgie en Appendentien; 7. Begraefenissen; 8. Zaken van regten; 9. Ordres, Officien en Diensten tot de Commercie, &c.; 10. Particuliere Koophandel, Neringen, &c. These 10 books are according to the index again subdivided into volumes, and eventually into single ordinances (more than 350 in total).
The sixth vellum volume is the first supplement to the five earlier volumes, with nearly 60 individual ordinances published between 1755 and 1770; the seventh vellum volume is the first continuation of the supplement, with ca. 90 ordinances published from 1771 to 1786; the eighth vellum volume is the second continuation of the supplement, with more than 50 ordinances published from 1786 to 1791; the ninth vellum volume unfortunately lacks the index, but contains more than 60 ordinances published from 1795 to 1803; the tenth vellum volume (also without index) contains ca. 70 ordinances published from 1804 to 1817.