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Original Speede Atlas Listed at AbeBooks on 25th February, 2006 The most prestigious English atlas of the seventeenth century The theatre of the Empire of Great-Britain, presenting an exact geography of the Kingdom of England, Scotland, Ireland and the Isles adjoyning . Together with a prospect of the most famous parts of the world, viz. Asia, Africa, Europe, America. With these Empires and Kingdoms therein contained . In this new edition are added; in the Theatre of Great-Britain, The principal roads . The market towns wanting in the former impressions. A continuation of all the battles fought in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland . The arms of all the Dikes and Earls . The descriptions of His Majesty's dominions abroad; with a map fairly engraven to each description, viz: New England, New York, Caro SPEED, John. Bookseller: Antiquariaat FORUM BV (t'Goy-Houten, UT, Netherlands) Price: £ 12,9647.02 Shipping within Netherlands: £ 5.44 Book Description: London, For Thomas Basset and Richard Chiswel, 1676., 1676. 2 parts (5 books) in one vol. Folio (45 x 31 cm). Contemporary calf, spine gilt in 7 compartments with gilt, lighter brown calf title label. General title printed in red and black; full-page engraved plate with the Royal coat-of arms with text in a cartouche: "The atchievement of our soveraigne King Charles the IId. with the arms of the severall Kings that have anciently reigned within his dominions"; engraved title within architectonical setting with 5 warriors in 5 niches, 5 double-page road maps with printed text and 96 (plus 1 extra) double-page engraved maps with interesting insets containing views, plans arms, people, etc. with the printed explanatory and paginated texts on their backs. (16), 126, (4), 127-146; (2), 56, (11) pp. Fourth edition of the most prestigious English atlas of the seventeenth century by John Speed (1552-1629), the most famous of all English map-makers. Speed is best known today for two atlases: The theatre of the Empire of Great Britain, first published in 1611, and the Prospect of the most famous parts of the world, first published in 1627, both included in our copy as published in 1676.Speed was a tailor of profession with a great interest for history and maps. He wanted to produce an English atlas of the same high standards and quality as the atlases that were made on the continent. First he prepared a series of county maps of England and Wales. Between 1605 and 1610 he collected manuscript maps, rubbings of coins, portraits, etc and sent them to Jodocus Hondius in Amsterdam who engraved most of the plates for The theatre of the Empire of Great Britain. After that Speed traveled all over the British Isles to acquire the information for all the town plans to be included as separate insets in the maps. The descriptive text on the back of each map are mostly abridged versions from Camden's Britannia.The atlas was first published in 1611 as a companion volume to his History of Great Britain. A second edition appeared in 1614, and a third in 1627 with, for the first time, A prospect of the most famous parts of the World" added. Our fourth edition of 1676 contains many additions such as the map of India and the East Indies, Russia, Palestine and the four maps of the "Kings dominions abroad": the maps concerning America together with their descriptive texts. Also the dedication to James II, King of Great-Britain, France and Ireland was newly added in this edition, as was the double-page map of 'The invasions of England and Ireland with their civil wars since the conquest' with a explanatory text of 6 pages.The maps in both works are so delightful because of the border illustrations and insets with the arms of the country and the nobility, figures in national costumes, city views, town plans, views of castles and cathedrals, and other interesting features, for example the druidical monuments at Stonehenge on the map of Wilshire.The Theatre is divided into four books. Book I is preceded by the engraved 'Atchievement of Charles II.', facing the engraved title and followed by the printed general title (p. (1)), the dedication to Joseph Sheldon, Lord Major of London (p. (3)), privilege, dated 2 August 1675 (p. (4)), the new dedication to King James II (p. (5)), Contents (p. (6), Preface (p. (7-9)), laudatory poems and texts by T. Barkham, Alex. Gill, J. Davies and J. Sanderson (p. (11-13)), and the contents of the entire work, including The Prospect (p. (15-16). - Book I: England, containing 47 (plus 1 extra) double-page engraved maps with descriptions on their backs, including 'The Saxon Heptarchy with illustrations of the Saxon kings'; The Kingdom of England, Kent, Sussex, etc.- Book II: Wales. Title (p. 95), A catalogue of princes (p. 97) and 'The names of the counties in Wales' (p. 98). Then follow the 14 double-page maps (p. 99-126). Added for the first time here (as mentioned on the general title) is a double-page map of 'The invasions of England and Ireland with their civill wars since the conquest'. Bookseller Inventory # 654BZ52HXVUP |