This exceedingly rare map is derived very closely from the John Speed of 1612, it bears the same inset of the Orkney’s and a scale of Scottish miles lower left. Despite having the imprint of John Garrett (fl.1667-1718) its engraving style is reminiscent of the 1640s. It is interesting to note that whilst the parent map by Speed was altered by having the royal references removed to be more appropriate to the Cromwell period; this map bears a royal title. Four examples of the map survive in an earlier state; two in the British Library, the Admiralty Library and in a private collection. It lacks any imprint but these examples do provide some evidence to support a date of c.1640. A British Library example (Maps C.7.d.7) is bound with a Christopher Saxton wall map which from the watermark can be dated to c.1640, the other is bound with a Saxton atlas which has a number of extra maps, many associated with Thomas Jenner. As Scotland was deeply involved in the English Civil War it is highly likely that a map of Scotland would have been published at the time. That in a private collection is bound with a Saxton – Web atlas of 1645. The Admiralty Library example is in a composite John Overton atlas dated to c.1670. This state bears the imprint of John Garrett: ‘Printed Coloured and Sould by Iohn Garrett at ye South entrance of ye Royall Exchang in Cornhill where you may have Choyce of all sorts of Mapps’. One example of this state could be traced, that being at the National Library in Edinburgh, one other has been on the open market.

The map can almost certainly be attributable to Thomas Jenner (1621-73). Jenner was an active print seller and one of three notable individuals which survived the contraction of the market which took place during the English Civil War. The others were Peter Stent and Robert Walton. We can place ownership of this map in the hands of Thomas Jenner by 1662 when it appeared listed in a catalogue of his available material. Although it could have been acquired from another the fact that Jenner had been around for some considerable time and was a map publisher in his own right leads us to conclude that he was the original publisher. Indeed it may have been issued at the time of his so-called Quartermaster map in 1644, it to bears no imprint.

Thomas Jenner died 2 January 1673 and his stock and business was subsequently acquired by John Garrett. Garrett’s sister married John Overton whose atlas surviving at the Admiralty Library contains an example of the first state of the map. For this state Garrett added his imprint beneath the title and London Derry in Northern Ireland which played an important role in the struggles in England. The map is found listed in his catalogue of 1679 but as he didn’t publish any appropriate books the map was largely separately available. Hence as with the first state it is of great rarity. Christies London 1 June 1999 lot 12 (Saxton-Web atlas); Moir (1973) pp. 81, 169 & 172 (listing the map apparently twice if one relates to the cited Admiralty copy but the second entry c.1670 describes a different map); Shirley (2004) T.Sax 1d no. 36; Skelton (1970) 89 & p. 248 & pl. 27b (Garrett catalogue); Tyacke (1978) pp. 114-16 & 118.