Ypra. (Ypre)

Detailed plan of Ypres from Verheerlijkt Vlaanderen or Flandria Illustrata, engraved by R.Blokhuyse. The author was Antonius Sanderus [Anton Sander] (1586 -1664) who studied theology for some years under Malderus at Louvain, and Estius at Douai, and was ordained priest at Ghent.
For some years he was engaged in parochial duties, and combated the Anabaptist movement in Flanders with great success. In 1625 he became secretary and almoner of Cardinal Alphonsus de la Cueva, later becoming canon, and in 1654 penitentiary at Ypres.
After three years, however, he resigned this office to devote himself entirely to scientific, and especially to historical studies. He soon found himself compelled to claim the hospitality of the Benedictine Abbey of Afflighem, since he had reduced himself to absolute poverty by the publication of numerous works.
Due to his intellectual gifts he left behind forty-two printed, and almost as many unprinted, works.
The most important are the following: "De scriptoribus Flandriae libri III" (Antwerp, 1624), "De Gandavensibus eruditionis fama claris" (Antwerp 1624), "De Brugensibus eruditionis fama claris libri II" (Antwerp, 1624), "Hagiologium Flandriae sive de sanctis eius provinciae liber unus" (Antwerp, 1625, 2nd ed., Lille, 1639). A general edition of these four works appeared under the title: "Flandria illustrata" (2 vols., Cologne, 1641-44, The Hague, 1726).
Antonius "Sanderus signed a contract for the publication of this large work with Hondius in Amsterdam in the summer of 1634.
In 1641, however, Hondius sold the rights of the book to Johan and Cornelis Blaeu. Blaeu intended to publish also a third volume, with the topographical description of the French part of Flanders, but this was never printed.
Sanderus explains in the preface the etymologies of some old terms, which he had used in the text. This is followed by a general description of the geology and history of Flanders, with interesting details on the laws, language, politics, etc.
The print we are offering here is from the second (1732) or the third edition (1735), both printed in The Hague by Chr. Van Lom. °