This map is from Richard Blome’s miniature series of maps first published in 1681 under the title of ‘Speed’s Maps Epitomiz’d’. The plates for this were begun in 1667 and engraved at the same time he was evidently working on his folio ‘Britannia’. Their early history is a mystery. For some unknown and much speculated reason they were not published until 1681. Blome was one of the earliest to finance his works by subscription. It was issued under the same title again in 1685, and as the ‘Cosmography and Geography’ in 1693. All these early editions are very rare. Blome died in 1705 and from 1715 Thomas Taylor issued them as ‘England Exactly Described’. These are the issues more usually found. However there is one later very rare edition by Thomas Bakewell of which only six examples are recorded. This map of Gloucester is in this very rare state bearing the imprint of Bakewell at the bottom. Skelton 90 & Hodson 141.