Posthumous edition of Speed’s celebrated county map of Norfolk, from his seminal atlas, 'The Theatre of Great Britaine'. As well as being wonderful decorative, the map is noted for being geographically accurate in its representation of the coastline and rivers, the boundaries of the counties’ hundreds and the positioning of the towns and cities. Inset in the upper right corner of the map, there is an early town plan of Norwich.

Beside the scale of miles presented in the lower centre of the map, there is am acknowledgement to English cartographer, Christopher Saxton (c.1540-1610). Speed has ‘augmented’ Saxton’s work. The initials of publishers John Sudbury [I. S.] and George Humble [G. H.] are also featured in this panel.

In the upper left corner, Speed has included a vignette panel and description of two of Norfolk’s great uprisings; Peasant's Revolt in 1381 and Ket’s Rebellion in 1547 – both of which revealed the economic disparity and the imbalances between town and country. The scene depicts the Peasant’s Revolt.

Adorning the right margin of the map, a panel of the Coats of Arms of local nobles are arranged, and a splendid Royal Coat of Arms sits pride of place to the left of the title cartouche at the top of the map.

English text description on verso has been provided by antiquarian Sir Henry Spelman (1562-1641).

English text on verso (image available on request). Coloured.