The West Riding of Yorkeshyre with the most famous and fayre Citie Yor

Code: 53443

Author: John Speed.

Publisher: John Sudbury and George Humble.

Date published: 1611

Copper engraving with later hand colouring. Overall size : 52.5cms x 41cms. Image size : 509mm x 382mm. Large inset plan of York with 24 point key. The heraldic border on the right hand side is particularly interesting since from the reign of Edward IV the dukedom of York was reserved for the second son of the reigning monarch, and the arms depicted include those of the young prince murdered in the Tower, of Prince Henry (later King Henry VIII) and of the current holder when the map was issued, Prince Charles (later Charles I). Scale of distance at bottom left. English text to verso, gazeteer and description of county on verso as usual. Speed notes,'Although the soile in the generalitie be not fruitfull as lying very high and full of ragged rockes and swelling mountains, yet the sides therof stooping some places doe beare good grasse, and the botomes and vallies are not altogether unfertill.'...Centre fold as published. Archival strengthening to top of centrefold on verso and 8.2 cms from bottom, very unobtrusive else lovely example of the most collected of the Yorkshire thridings (thirds) or Ridings. Until his late thirties, John Speed was a tailor by trade but his passion for history and map-making led him to gain a patron in Sir Fulke Greville, the poet and statesman, who found him a post in the customs and helped subsidize his map-making, giving him "full liberty to express the inclination of my mind"". He became aquainted with the publisher William Camden