This is the second state of John Ogilby and William Morgan’s map of Essex first published in 1678. The first state is separately published and as such is virtually unobtainable. This is one of the earliest printed county maps to contain the road surveys of Ogilby whose famous ‘Britannia’ was first published in 1675. Morgan worked with John Ogilby, who was married to his grandmother. Ogilby’s original intention had been a series of county maps also but after work began in 1672 on those of Kent and Middlesex they were put aside to concentrate on the completion of the road strips. According to Hodson these two appeared before his death in 1676 as they bear Ogilby’s name but not that of Morgan. After his death Morgan inherited the business and capitalised on Ogilby’s name including it on his maps as in the first state of this map of Essex announced in the ‘London Gazette’ 15-18 April 1678. It is engraved by Francis Lamb whose imprint appears lower left. He produced a very ornate map with the Royal Coat-of-Arms upper right and dedication to the Earl of Essex lower right. The title to the left bears seven further arms above.

In this second state the name of Ogilby is removed but Morgan’s remains. Considering their relative fame one is led to believe that Morgan may have retained an interest in the plate. He died the following year, 1690. Philip Lea had acquired at least an interest in the plate as his name is present on the map and it is included in his c.1689 issue of Christopher Saxton’s county atlas. The original Saxton plate appears not to have been available at the time but it reappeared for the second edition in 1693. Hodson (2000) p. 421 n. 55; Tyacke (1978) no. 75.