Stunning map of England and Wales compiled from Mercator's 1564 wall map of the British Isles and Lhuyd's manuscript map of 1568. The countryside is fully engraved with topographical features and hundreds of towns. This map improved on Mercator's outline of the countries particularly in Cardigan and South Wales, the Devon peninsula, and the Wash and Humber inlets. Interestingly the Caernarvon peninsula, near Lhuyd's hometown of Denbigh, is badly distorted and it has been suggested that this may be due to his sketching it from one of the nearby mountains. Sea monsters and five sailing ships occupy the stipple engraved oceans. A flock of sheep is shown in Ireland and there are two large, elaborate cartouches. This is the first state, with Latin text on verso.

References: Shirley (BI to 1650) #211; Van den Broecke #19.1.

Condition: B+

A nice impression with full contemporary color on a lightly toned sheet with the crossed arrows watermark commonly found on Ortelius maps. There are some minor spots and professional repairs to a few small worm holes and short separations along the centerfold.