A superb rare map of Ireland illustrating its proximity to nearby England, Wales and Scotland with portions of their coastlines included. Upper left an elaborate cartouche houses a dedication to the ‘Most Noble Prince James …’ The title and imprint appear in a simple decorative laurel frame lower right next to which are two cherubs holding aloft the scale. This plate was acquired by John Overton (1640-1713) from the printseller Peter Stent who died of the plague in 1665. He was the son of the bookseller Henry Overton and married the daughter of the publisher William Garrett. He issued composite county atlases made up with maps from various authors which were the English version of a rich seam of similar Dutch composite atlases published from the mid-seventeenth century. They are exceedingly rare surviving in just four known examples. Robert Morden is arguably best known for the series of maps he produced for the first edition of Dr. Edmund Gibson’s translation of William Camden’s ‘Britannia’. The date of issue of this map is difficult to determine. It was first advertised in the ‘Term Catalogues’ for Trinity 1690 (late Spring) however its dedication to James, Duke of Ormonde, gives him the title of Lord Lieutenant of Somerset, a title he did not receive until 5 January 1691. He fought at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. Perhaps there was some delay. At the same time it has to be noted that the ‘London Gazette’ for 21 March 1689 advertises in the name of Overton and Morden a ‘Large Map of Ireland, in one Sheet, drawn from the late Survey made by Sir William Pettit’. No other map of Ireland by them is known so there may yet be an earlier state still to be located. Bonar-Law 36 state 1; Tyacke (1978) no. 160; Worms & Baynton-Williams (2011).