This map is derived from a two-sheet one by George Lily (c.1510-59) printed in Rome in 1546. That was the first separately published map of the British Isles and is recognised as the first modern map. Its sources were numerous with many up-to-date, the big improvement was in the depiction of Scotland. Lily was a son of the famous grammarian, or linguist, William Lily and was under the patronage of Reginald Pole, with whom he returned from Italy in 1556. He was a noted historian and Catholic exile in Rome. Unfortunately that map is of remarkable rarity with just 14 examples currently recorded, only two of which are in private hands.

Of the original highly influential map there were more than a dozen later derivatives. In 1549 two woodcut maps were published in Antwerp both of which survive in just one known example. Similarly one by Matteo Pagano in Venice, also a woodcut, is known in just one example. The first copperplate version was published in Rome which is unsigned and bears the newly formed Jesuit Society insignia ‘IHS’ lower right, by which monogram it is usually known. In 1589 Marcus Clodianus would published this very rare map which survives in just four known examples: BL, BN, and two in private collections, one of which we have handled.

This example is of the equally rare second state by Giuseppe Rossi the elder (fl.1613 d.1639). There are only three known examples; the Newberry Library, Novacco collection (4F 128.5) ex Weinreb & Douwma catalogue 6 item 105 and a private American collection acquired at Sotheby’s London 7 November 1985 lot 27. The attribution of this edition is still not clear as unfortunately there are about four ‘GR’s active in Rome in the seventeenth century. Private correspondence with David Woodward in 2001 led us to believe it was Giuseppe Rossi the elder. It is known that he acquired a few of Orlandini’s plates and that he signed three Lafreri plates as ‘G. Ro. Fo.’ for Giuseppe de Rossi Formis and GR Formis seems similar. ‘In Easter 1628, Giuseppe the Elder granted a legacy to open a shop in the Piazza della Pace to his two nephews, Giuseppe the Younger (c.1601-44) and Giovanni Battista (c.1601-78). In 1630, Giuseppe the Elder moved there as well. In 1635 Giovanni Battista left his brother to open his own shop in the Piazza Navona.

A simple title in a scroll appears upper right which is finished with the imprint. In the lower right of the title are the initials ‘MR’, their identity remains unknown. Degrees of longitude and latitude are marked but the scale of miles is omitted. All four cardinals are named, those of north and south are now placed outside the border. All Cathedral cities are noted as before. Provenance: private English collection. Karrow (1993) pp. 226 & 270; Lynam (1934); Shirley 155; Taylor (1968) I p. 16; not in Tooley (1939); Tooley (1999-2004); Woodward, David (2001) private correspondence.