notes SELLER 1675

	Research Notes Map Group SELLER 1675

Seller 1675	Atlas Maritimus, by John Seller, London, 1675 includes charts showing the Hampshire coast. The atlas studied is in the collection of the Hydrographic Office, item Va40.
	The two charts studied are:-
	Seller's Atlas Maritimus, 1675, Narrow Seas This chart has been numbered '7' in the binding studied. The chart size is: wxh, sheet, unfolded = 60.5x53cm, wxh, map = 527x427mm. These notes are strongly biased toward Hampshire interest; other stuff might be ignored.
	Seller's Atlas Maritimus, 1675, Brittish Channel This chart has been numbered '13' in the binding studied. The chart size is: wxh, map = 548x427mm. These notes are strongly biased toward Hampshire interest; other stuff might be ignored.

	A later chart is:-
	A GENERAL CHART of the NORTHERN NAVIGATION Discribed by John Seller ...
	which includes northern Europe from Britanny to Nova Zemla, and an inset for Archangel, extending to Greenland and Iceland.

	ATLAS - FRONTISPIECE & TITLE
	NARROW SEAS - MAP FEATURES
	BRITTISH CHANNEL - MAP FEATURES

ATLAS -	FRONTISPIECE & TITLE
	There is a hand coloured engraving for a frontispiece. This includes:-
	Englands famous Discoverers
	Capt. Davies
	Sr. Hugh Willoughby
	Cap. Smith
	Sr. Fran: Drake
	Mr. Tho: Candish
	Each drawn in full length portrait. There are navigation instruments; back staff, fore staff, globe, dividers, quadrant, compass. And decorative elements; sun, moon, royal coat of arms with a crown; a view of London; and gods Thames and Medway reclining on a bank pouring out their rivers from pots. A band of coats of arms lies across the page: a fouled anchor - the ?Admiralty; a triple anchor; cross of St George with a sailing ship in each quarter; cross of St George and a dagger - City of London.
	The frontispiece text reads:-
	ATLAS MARITIMUS. or A BOOK of CHARTS. Describing the SEA Coasts Capes Headlands Sands Shoals Rocks and Dangers. The Bayes Roads Harbors Rivers and Ports, in most of the knowne parts of the WORLD.
	With the true Courses and distances from one place to another, Gathered from the latest Discoveries, that have bin made by divers Able and Experienced Navigators, of our English Nation, Accommodated with an Hydrographicall Description of the whole WORLD.
	By John Seller Hidrographer to the Kings most Excellent Majestie. And are to be Sold by him, at the Hermitage Stairs in Wapping, and at his Shop in Exchange Alley, Near the Royal Exchange, in LONDON. Cum Privilegio.
	Repeating the title page somewhat.
	The title page reads
	Atlas Maritimus. OR THE SEA-ATLAS; BEING A BOOK of Maritime Charts. DESCRIBING the Sea-Coasts, Capes, Headlands, Sands, Shoals, Rocks and Dangers. The Bays, Roads, Harbors, Rivers and Ports, in most of the known Parts of the WORLD.
	COLLECTED From the latest and best Discoveries that have been made: by divers able and experienced Navigators of our ENGLISH NATION,.
	Accommodated with Hydrographical Description of the whole World; Shewing the chief Cities, Towns, and Places of Trade and Commerce; with the Nature of the Commodities and Merchandise of each Country; very useful for Merchants, and all Persons concerned in Maritime Affairs. By John Seller, Hydrographer to the King ... Cum Privilegio Regis
	LONDON, Printed by John Darby, for the Author, and are to be sold at his shop at the Hermitage in Wapping, M. DC. LXXV.
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NARROW SEAS	- MAP FEATURES
title cartouche banner cartouche	Printed lower right is a banner held by mermaids and cherubs:- A CHART of ye NARROW SEAS Newly Corrected by John Seller Hydrographer to the Kings most Excellent Majestie with the royal coat of arms of Charles II. The map includes England, Wales, Scotland with Orkneys and Outer Hebrides, Ireland, and the edge of France. Printed upper left is Neptune riding a dolphin, carrying a two tine 'trident', a shield with the royal coat of arms and a crown, and the union flag of England and Scotland.
orientation compass rose up is W rhumb lines	The chart has a compass rose; centre a heraldic rose, star points for cardinal, half cardinal, false and by points; North marked by a magnificent fleur de lys, East by a smaller cross. The chart is printed with West at the top of the sheet, top of the page as folded in the volume. Rhumb lines are drawn across sea and land areas, from the compass rose and other centres in a circle of 16; bold lines for cardinal and half cardinal directions, dotted lines for false points which joins the centres, and light lines for by points.
scale lines scale	Printed upper right are scale lines:- English and French Leagues 20 to one Degree Duytsche mylen 15 un een graet Leagues de Spania 17 1/2 un grada The english scale has 50 leagues = 110.7mm giving a scale 2512308 using a nautical mile 6082.95 feet for southern England (not quite right). The chart scale is about:- 1 to 2500000 34 nautical miles to 1 inch (40 miles to 1 inch)
latitude scale	Printed top and bottom, ie west and east sides, are scales of latitude; chequered at 10 minute intervals, labelled at degrees. The chart includes from 48d 20m to 60d 10m N. A different estimate of scale can be got from the latitude scale. 5 degrees latitude = 221.8mm gives a scale 1 to 2509430, the chart scale is about:- 1 to 2500000 40 miles to 1 inch
sea area sea plain depth soundings sandbanks anchorages ships	The sea is plain, with some areas labelled, eg:- St. GEORG HIS CHANNEL Depth soundings in fathoms are scattered about the seas around the south coast of England and English Channel. A few sandbanks are drawn as dotted areas, some labelled, eg:- Dogger Sand Owers The Shingles can be recognised, but are not labelled. Rocks are shown by crosses or dots, for examples west of the Isle of Wight, and at Black Point, Flanders. Anchorages are marked by a fisherman's anchor, for example off Hurst and at Spit Head. A couple of ships are drawn to decorate sea areas; the clearer of these has three mast and a sprit, the fore mast with main and a furled top sail, main mast with furled main and top sails, mizen with a lateen sail. There are flags at the mast heads.
country	There are no country borders. Each country on the map is labelled by name, eg:- ENGLAND WALES and has a shield with the coat of arms; England, including Wales, has its three lions, a crown above. The coast line is tinted differently for each country; England and Wales together blue, Scotland yellow, Ireland red, the islands varied.
county	Some of the english counties are labelled, eg:- HANT SHIRE
settlements	Place names are given along the coasts, of Hampshire interest, in order west to east:- Pole [Poole] Yarmouth [drifted from the Isle of Wight!] Aoon flu [Avon, wrong side of the town] Christ church Hurst Castle Salshot Castle [Calshot Castle] Hampton [Southampton] Porchester Havant [out of order] Portsmouth Madhurst [drifted from inland] Standsts [Stanstead, also drifted] Chechester
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BRITTISH	CHANNEL - MAP FEATURES
scroll cartouche title cartouche	Printed upper right of centre is a scroll cartouche:- A Chart of the BRITTISH CHANNEL By JOHN SELLER Hydrographer to the Kings Most Excellent Majestie LONDON Decorated with Mercury in a winged helmet carrying a caduceus, and Justice carrying her sword and scales.
orientation compass rose up is N rhumb lines	The chart has a compass rose; circle, star points for cardinal, half cardinal , false and by points, North marked by a fleur de lys, East by a cross. The chart is printed with North at the top of the sheet. Rhumb lines are drawn across sea and land areas from a circle of 16 centres including the compass rose; bold line for cardinal and half cardinal directions, dotted for false points, light lines for by points.
scale lines scale	There are three scale lines:- English and French Leagues 20 in one degree Leagues de Spania 17 1/2 un grada Duytsche Mylen 15 in een graedt The english scale is marked in 1s to 5, then in 5s to 30, labelled at 5s. The 30 leagues = 129.2 mm gives a scale 1 to 1291544. The chart scale is roughly:- 1 to 1300000 18 nautical miles to 1 inch (20 miles to 1 inch) The scales are printed lower right in a plain cartouche, surrounded by fruit and foliage, two women with cornucopias, cherubs, a beehive, cheeses, etc.
latitude scale	The left and right sides of the chart have scales of latitude; chequered at 2 minute intervals, labelled at 10 minute intervals. The chart includes from 47d 32m to 52d 24m N; southern England and Wales from Cardigan Bay to Orford Ness, and northern France from Britanny to Calais.
sea plain depth soundings sandbanks anchorages	The sea is plain with:- BRITTISH CHANEL labelled. Depth soundings in fathoms are printed over the sea area. Sandbanks are drawn by dotted areas, some labelled, eg:- Swingils [Shingles] Owers Anchorages are shown by a fisherman's anchor symbol, for example off the north coast of the Isle of Wight.
coast line harbours islands	The coast line is tinted. The shape of the islands and harbours of Hampshire are poor.
rivers	River estuaries are recognisable, but not labelled; Avon, Test, Itchen, Hamble, Meon, Wallington, and Ems, in Hampshire.
country	The country label:- ENGLAND overlaps, and encompasses that of:- WALES
county	There are no county boundaries, but county areas might be labelled, eg:- HANTSHIRE The coast tint for each county is different; Dorset yellow, Hampshire red, Sussex yellow, Isle of Wight blue/green, etc.
settlements	Settlements are labelled along the coast. Relevant to Hampshire are:- Poole Hurst Castle Calshot castle Hampton Spithead Portsmouth Chichester
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