A scarce issue of John Speed’s map of Northamptonshire

An important map of Northamptonshire, engraved by Jodocus Hondius for John Speed's county atlas, 'The Theatre of the Empire of Great Britain', first published 1611-12. It is one of the most decorative maps of the county, with inset town plans of Northampton and Peterborough, a royal crest and armorials, and a compass rose. An English text on the reverse gives a history of the county and an extensive list of towns and villages. This example comes from the Roger Rea issue of the atlas, which was beset with disaster: according to an advert for the 1676 Bassett & Chiswell edition, ''the greatest part of an Impression, then newly Printed, [was] destroyed by the late dreadful Fire, 1666". Surviving examples of any Rea map are thus rare.