The plates used in this atlas were first published by Richard Blome as ‘Speed’s Maps Epitomiz’d’ in 1681. A further edition followed in 1685 and a ‘Cosmography and Geography’ in 1693. The whereabouts of the Blome plates after 1693 is unknown. Blome had died in 1705 but it is unlikely that Thomas Taylor (c.1670-1730) acquired them at this date as no issue is known before 1715. The earliest we hear of Taylor in business is 1711. The ‘England Exactly Described’ was first advertised in the ‘Daily Courant’ 24 September 1715. The earliest versions of the atlas did not contain a map of Scotland but reacting to news of the Jacobite Rebellion earlier in the month he quickly rectified this advertising the fact by the first week in November. This edition is dated from an advert placed in the ‘Daily Courant’ 1 March 1717. It bears a re-worded title and four new leaves describing the roads. A general map of Ireland dated 1716 has been added to the work giving a total of 42 maps. This atlas is closest to ‘O’ in Hodson’s listing. There are a couple of interesting notes about different routes available, one in an instance of poor weather conditions near Guildford. Provenance: illegible manuscript ownership name upper right of title page dated 1734; bookplate of Robert John Verney, Lord Willoughby de Broke (1809–1862) dated 1815; bookplate of F. Arthur Wadsworth pasted to verso of first leaf of Tables; Clive A. Burden Ltd. August 1994; private English collection. ESTC T166162; Hodson (1984-97) 140.