Aantekeningen van de vergaderingen van de Veertigraad

1254 Aantekeningen van de vergaderingen van de Veertigraad door [Cornelis 's Gravenzande], lid van de Veertigraad, met gedrukte resoluties en plakaten, 1672-1677

1254 Notes of the meetings of the Veertigraad by Cornelis 's Gravenzande, member of the Veertigraad, with printed resolutions and posters

Leeuwenhoek's friend Cornelis 's Gravesande was not only a medical doctor and long-time City anatomist, he was also from a regent family and he was a member of the Veertigraad. From 1672, when he was first elected to the Veertigraad until 1677, he took notes at the meetings. Later, he collected the notes and related documents into a bound volume (cover below). It provides a rare and fascinating look into the inner workings of an important city in the Dutch Republic during some of its most challenging years, the Disaster Year (Rampjaar) and the five following years. The Disaster year was expensive not only to Delft's coffers but also to the image the people had of themselves. The regents on the Veertigraad had the difficult job of raising the money to pay for the Republic's defense as well as adjust to a new world where they did not have the economic clout that they once held.