State Papers: Gazettes and Pamphlets: United Provinces of the Netherlands

SP 119

1597-1784

Gazettes, proclamations, pamphlets, newsletters and other printed documents from the United Provinces of the Netherlands.

Gazettes are newsletters carrying reports from the major European capitals and cover the period 1665-1784. They are published in Amsterdam, Delft, Haarlem, Rotterdam, The Hague, Utrecht, Weesp and Groningen. Some are daily, and where the word '[day]' appears in the title, it represents the day of the week in Dutch, e.g. Saturdaegse, Dingsdaeghse etc.

A proclamation is usually in the form of a Placcaet (proclamation), an Ordonnantie (ordinance) or a Waerschouwing (warning). Another form is the Sententie, or publication of a significant court sentence.

Most are issued by the national States General, but there are some by provincial assemblies. The papers are overwhelmingly seventeenth century. Many regulate the taxation and conduct of trade in staples such as salt, soap, vinegar, textiles, coal, candles, oil, fish, beer, etc. Other subjects include tax-farming, horses and cattle, adultery and the proscription of writings considered to be seditious.

In time of war there are restrictions on the movements of merchant ships and the fishing and whaling fleets, proclamations calling Dutch merchant seamen to the naval service and proscriptions on trade with the enemy. In 1672 there are two sentences against Cornelis de Wit, and in 1688 there is the resolution of the States General to equip William of Orange for his expedition to England. There is frequently no imprint.

Pamphlets are largely anonymous and frequently without imprint, so authorship must be ascertained from internal evidence. Many put the case for the government, and in some cases this is reinforced by the imprint of the government printer.

The period covered is the same as the proclamations. The following are typical: despatches from military and naval commanders; descriptions of naval and land battles, many elaborately illustrated; reports from the colonies; verse celebrating military and political events; lists of ships, troops, prisoners and casualties; details of peace negotiations; religious affairs, especially persecution of Protestants; attacks on the Bishop of Münster; inventories of goods and cargoes for sale; polemics in the form of imaginary discussions.

During the final move of the Public Record Office from Chancery Lane, London, to Kew, Surrey, six bound volumes of general statutes and ordinances of the city of Rotterdam, 1703-1770 found in the Public Record Office library were identified as documents rather than published material. They have been added as SP 119/1030-1035 because of their significance to the social historian of the Dutch Republic.

The papers are ordered chronologically within the divisions: gazettes, proclamations and pamphlets, with the exception of SP 119/1030-1034 which are arranged by subject within book divisions.

Public Record(s)

Miscellaneous

1035 volume(s)

Open

Topics

Archives and libraries

Religious discrimination and persecution

Taxation

Marriage and divorce

Europe and Russia

Oil and gas

Coal

Food and drink

Navy

Fishing

Operations, battles and campaigns

Sex and gender

No further accruals are expected