Foreign Arms

MSS/0375

Foreign Arms

1662

Item

ff. ii + 109.
Small folio.
Vellum binding, with green ties. On the front cover, in ink, 'Waepen Boeck van d'Heer Gusto Billet'.

‘Den Waepen Boec van Gusto Billet An't Schepen der Stede van Ghendt &^a Anno 1662' (fol. 2). A collection of arms relating mainly to the Spanish Netherlands, the Holy Roman Empire, Italy and France, compiled or owned by Gusto (Gillis, fol. 2v, Justus, fol. 3) Billet of Ghent. His arms and details of his military service in Italy for the King of Spain and the Republic of Genoa, and civil career as 'schepen [sheriff] van der Keure'. etc., on his return to the Netherlands, are given on fols. 2-3. Engraved arms of Philip IV of Spain preceding the collection, fol. 1. Arms, in colour, of officials, etc., of the King of Spain, fols. 3v-5v. The main collection (fols. 6-109) consists mostly of laid-down cuttings of engraved arms from a wide range of publications (mostly 17th century, a few 16th century), with some MS annotations. Arranged mostly by countries or provinces. Included are arms relating to the Holy Roman Empire (electors, fols. 9v, 9*-10; nobility, fols. 10v-11v; quaternionen, fols. 105v-6); title page and contents of Recueil des Noms et Armes des Hommes plus illustres (Paris, 1651; cf. J.Guigard, Bibl. héraldique (1861), no.3251), fols. 28-43; a series of engraved pages of arms of princes, dukes and nobility of France, fols. 43v-7; twelve plates from Verscheiden Aerdighe Wapenen en Schildekens (printed by Frederick de Widt, Amsterdam), fols. 47v-50; coloured arms, with the Golden Fleece, of Don Octavio Piccolomini, general of the Spanish army in the Netherlands, fol. 52; engraved prospect of Hamburg (Emporium Hamburgum), fol. 66; arms of the Archdukes Albert and Isabella, fols. 107, 107v, 109.

SAL/MS/375

Circular bookplate, fol. i, of Edward Hailstone, FSA (his sale, Sotheby's, 23 Apr. 1891, lot 2890).

Flemish, French, etc.