Speed's Splendid Map of Cornwall in the First Edition

SPEED, J./ SUDBURY & HUMBLE. [London, 1610 [1614?]]

 

Cornwall/ England.  SPEED, J./ John SUDBURY & G. HUMBLE  [London, 1610 [1614?] Cornwall.  15 x 19 ¾  inches.  Fine hand color; a few mended edge split, else excellent.                            

First edition and finely colored example of Speed’s Cornwall, one of his most elaborately decorative maps.  A plethora of ships, sea monsters, coats-of-arms, and a compass rose surround the map. There is an inset view of the walled borough of Launceston and several depictions of the historical and geological curiosities of the region, which are also discussed in the verso text. “In the parish S. Clare, two stones are pitched, one of them inscribed in a strange character, and the other called the other half stone…”  These are now known to be fragments of medieval crosses. Speed describes a set of notable standing stones as well: “The Hurlers also, fabuled to be men metamorphosed into stones but in truth show a note of some victory, or else are so set for Land marks.”  Lastly, a remarkable stone formation called the Cheesewring is noted: “There also the Wringcheese doth show it self, which are huge Rocks heaped one upon another, and the lowest of them the least, fashioned like a Cheese, lying pressed under the rest of those hills, which seemeth very dangerous to be passed under.”

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