The contribution of John Bill (fl.1604-d.1630) to cartography was limited to this one work. Bill was a noted bookseller who was apprenticed to John Norton. Before starting his own business in 1604, Bill was commissioned to acquire books for the library of Sir Thomas Bodley. The maps are reductions of those by Christopher Saxton and are the earliest of the English counties to have longitude and latitude marked. The engraver is still unknown. Estimates of only 200 copies being printed have been cited. Provenance: private English collection. A fine early and rare map of Essex. Beresiner (1983) p. 54; Shirley (2004) T.Camd 3a; Skelton (1970) 15; STC 4527.