Old Hampshire Mapped


Speed's Hampshire 1611

Notes by
Martin and Jean Norgate: 1999


Notes from:-
Speed, John: 1614: Theatre of the Empire of Great Britain: (London)
Made from the copy in Birmingham Central Library, call number E094/1614/6, to whom we are grateful.


title page, scanned image (from HMCMS:1998.17)

title page THE / THEATRE / OF THE EMPIRE / OF GREAT / BRITAINE: / Presenting / AN EXACT GEOGRAPHY / of the Kingdomes of ENGLAND, / SCOTLAND, IRELAND, / and the ILES adjoyning: / With / The Shires, Hundreds, Cities and / Shire-townes, within ye Kingdome / of ENGLAND, divided and / described / By / JOHN SPEED.

IMPRINTED AT LONDON / Anno / cum Privilegio / 1614 / And are to be solde by John Sudbury & Georg / Humble, in Popes -head alley at ye signe of ye white Horse.

page, scanned image (from HMCMS:FA1998.17)
page, scanned image (from HMCMS:FA1998.17)
page, scanned image (from HMCMS:FA1998.17)

introduction TO THE WELL-AFFECTED AND FAVOURABLE READER.

SO great was the attempt to assay the erection of this large and laborious THEATRE, whose onely platforme might well have expected the readiest hand of the best Artist, that even in the entrance of the first draught, as one altogether discouraged, I found my self farie unfit and unfurnished both of matter and meanes, either to build, or to beautifie so stately a proiect. ...

But with what content to thy eye (gentle Reader) I stand in suspence, so many Master-builders having in this Subiect gone before me, and I the least, not worthy to hew (much lesse to lay) the least stone in so beautifull a building: neither can I for my headlesse presumtion alledge any excuse, unlesse it be this, that the zeale of my Countries glory so transported my senses, as I knew not what I undertooke, untill I saw the charges thereof (by others bestowed) to amount so high as I held it a conscience to frustrate their designements; wherein albeit, it may be obiected that I have put my Sickle into other mens Corne, and have laid my Building upon other mens Foundations (as indeed who can doe otherwide, especially in a subiect of this nature, seeing that the wisest of Kings witnesseth, that there is nothing new under the Sunne) ...

... I cast in my mite, and by my owne travell adde somewhat more then hath beene already divulged, let me crave thy acceptance, ...

tabulation A Catalogue of all the Shires, Cities, Bishoprickes, Market Townes, / Castles, Parishes, Rivers, Bridges, Chases, Forrests, and Parkes, conteyned / in every particuler Shire of the Kingdome of England.

Shires Cities Bishop
ricks
Mark
Townes
Castles Parrish
church
Rivers Bridgs Chases For
rests
Par
kes
...
Hant-shire 01 01 18 05 248 04 31 00 04 22



Speed's Hampshire 1611, contents
General index
Old Hampshire Mapped