Author: Jan Janszoon Starter
Jan Starter was born in London in 1593/1594. He died
in September 1626 in Hungary. His parents were John Startut,
a weaver, and Alice Robynson. His birthyear is determined
by means of the drawing in the book we are showing. The portrait
says: Anglo-Brittanus aet stand. 27. It is possible that his
parents moved to the Netherlands due to religion suppression.
Jan was editor in Amsterdam in 1612, in Leiden in 1613
and editor and book salesman in 1614 in Leeuwarden. He had
his store on the market square named “the Brol”
and used an English Bible as a sign. He married Nieske Hendricxdochter
on August 14, 1614. Beside being an editor and book salesman
Jan also was a poet. He wrote poems as a hobby but also to
order, for example for marriages. Some of his plays were shown
in the Leeuwarder chamber ‘Och the rysen’. The
church opposed his plays, especially Mr. DS. Bogerman and
they were prohibited. His publishing trade went down. He became
a chronicle poet (historian) in 1625 of Earl Ernst von Mansfelt.
He was also a reporter during the Thirty Years War. He died
in this war during von Mansfelt’s campaign in Hungary.
