This is Edward Hatton's edition of Braun & Hogenberg's bird’s-eye view of London, which was first published in the Civitates Orbis Terrarum series in 1572. It was based on the now-lost twenty-sheet plan believed to have been made between 1547 and 1559. Tudor London with its suburbs now extends outside the city walls. At the heart of the city is St. Paul's cathedral with its tall spire, which was destroyed in 1561. The gardens of the manor houses and palaces stretch out in the direction of Charing Cross, linking the mercantile city with the royal court at Westminster. Across the Thames, spanned by the magnificent London Bridge, Southwark is depicted along with the bull/bear baiting rings, immensely popular sports during the Elizabethan era. The river is teeming with ships and a variety of boats. The two panels of text, which flank the new title cartouche at bottom, describe the vibrant economy of London.

Braun & Hogenberg's map of London was re-issued by Jan Jansson in 1660 with a new cartouche at bottom replacing the figures in the original engraving, and eliminating the title cartouche at top. Hatton used the map to depict London before the Great Fire of 1666, retaining Jansson's cartouche at bottom and replacing the Latin title with an English one.

References: Howgego #2 (4).

Condition: B+

A nice impression, issued folding and now flattened and professionally backed in thin tissue to repair a number of fold separations, tiny holes at fold intersections, and a short tear at bottom right. There is very light soiling and the left margin has been extended to accommodate framing.