John Speed

John Speed is probably the most widely known name in early maps, and the most sought after.

Speed was born at Farndou, Cheshire, in 1552. His father was a tailor and John Speed followed the same trade for a number of years, in 1580 he was admitted to the Merchant Taylors Company. He married two years later and probably lived at Moorfields, studying history when he could, becoming an historian of note.

He began his series of magnificent county maps, introducing many town plans, much heraldry and ornamentation, including figures, ships and sea monsters, battle scenes and views. His sources were the best he could obtain - Saxton, Norden and many others.

He is very notable for the honesty with which he mentions his sources and for the way he revised them for his own maps, although he added details and place names where necessary.

Speed clearly had an eye for design, his maps are not only highly decorative but the text upon the reverse of the map is always complete, whereas upon other maps of the 17th century it is invariably only part of the whole. Each of Speeds maps has a description and history of the county and a list of towns and villages.

With the issue of 1627—31 was first published the Prospect. This contained a fine series of very decorative maps of the continents and the countries of Europe and other parts, including a magnificent map of the World in two hemispheres, and a fine map of the Americas. The Prospect was enlarged for the 1676 issue, by the addition of maps of New England and New York, Virginia, Carolina, the East Indies, Jamaica and Barbados, and Palestine.

The Speed maps were issued and re-issued for a long time, the earliest issues are of most imterest.

• 1611 The first and finest, on thick paper and a very rich dark impression, often with wide top and bottom margins. Prior to this there were a number of proof impressions, with plain backs, which can date from as early as 1608 although they are usually without a date, or with the last figure omitted. The 1611 issue is believed not to have been published before 1612
• 1614 A very good early issue: the maps were still dated 1610.
• 1616 The rare Latin issue, the text upon the reverse being in Latin. The maps again are still dated 1610.
• 1627-31-2 The First issue to be published after Speed's death in 1629, and the first set to include the Prospect of the Most Famous Parts of the World.
• 1646 Not it common issue, but a number are to be seen. The last series to bear the name of any of Speed's first publishers. In this case, William Humble, whose partner. John Sudbury, had left some years earlier.
• 1661-5 Roger Rea, sometimes found with backs of the maps plain, some plates showing signs of wear, but often good impressions.
• 1676 The plates were becoming worn and the impression is sometimes very pale. The engraved design upon the sea of some maps has often disappeared completely. Paper is usually fairly thin, but thicker paper is known, in which case the impressions are usually far better.
• 1680 John Seller. The maps are plain backed and the issue is seldom seen.
• 1710—1743 Henry Overton. The maps are plain backed sometimes with colouring on the boundary lines only.
• 1770 C.Dicey. Poor in quality, but quite rare.

It should be emphasised that there are many intermediate issues of the editions mentioned, though most bear one of the dates mentioned above on the title page of the atlas. The dates upon the maps themselves do not often correspond as they were altered or erased. The publisher's imprint upon most of the maps is the clearest guide to the issue.