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John Speed

Also known as: John Speed; primary name: Speed, John
Details: individual; publisher/printer; British; Male
Life dates: 1552-1629
Biography: Prolific author and a famous cartographer (see DNB). He was brought up as a tailor, but through the patronage of Sir Fulke Greville was allowed the time to research and write his great atlas, 'Theatre of the Empire of Great Britaine' which was published by Sudbury & Humble in 1611/2. Speed was almost alone among the authors of the period in trying to turn print publisher. Besides Elstrack's genealogy of James I of 1603 (Hind II 209.4) and the group of James I in Parliament of 1604 (Hind II 193.65), he was granted in 1611 a privilege for ten years to insert a copy of his genealogies recorded in the Sacred Scriptures (also by Elstrack, Hind II 208.92) in every copy of the new translation of the Bible that was first published in that year (the Authorised Version) (see CSP Dom. 1611-8, p.431). Speed did not remain in the publishing business for long, and never published any portraits, the backbone of the print business of the period. Instead he came to an arrangement with George Humble, to whom he passed all his plates. It was Humble who applied for a license to publish the 'Theatre ... of Great Britaine' in 1608, and who provided the capital to have the 67 plates engraved in Amsterdam in the workshop of Jodocus Hondius (who had himself worked in London between c.1583-93). (For a fuller history of this enormous and very complicated publishing enterprise, see Hind II, pp.67-95.)
Bibliography: A.M. Hind, 'Engraving in England' II (1955 pp.67-95) ODNB

85 related objects

album; print; newspaper/periodical

Museum number: 1866,0512.2226-2296 |
Producer name: BIOG64572 Print made by:Anonymous |
Production date: 1626

drawing

Museum number: 1948,0315.3.28 |
Producer name: BIOG45091 After:Salomon Savery |
Production date: early 19thC

print; frontispiece

Museum number: 1948,0315.7.136 |
Producer name: BIOG45091 Print made by:Salomon Savery |
Production date: 1631

print; frontispiece

Museum number: 1948,0315.8.132 |
Producer name: BIOG31959 Print made by:Jodocus Hondius |
Production date: 1611

print

Museum number: 1850,0726.14.2 |
Producer name: Print made by:Renold ElstrackPublished by:John Speed |
Production date: 1624

print

Museum number: 1845,0507.16 |
Producer name: Print made by:Renold ElstrackPublished by:John Speed |
Production date: 1624

print; frontispiece

Museum number: 1948,0315.6.170 |
Producer name: BIOG31959 Print made by:Jodocus Hondius |
Production date: 1611

print; frontispiece

Museum number: P,3.209 |
Producer name: BIOG45091 Print made by:Salomon Savery |
Production date: 1631

print

Museum number: 1850,0726.14.1 |
Producer name: Print made by:Renold ElstrackPublished by:John Speed |
Production date: 1624

print; book-illustration

Title: Elisabeth |
Museum number: 2006,U.707 |
Producer name: BIOG31959 Print made by:Jodocus Hondius |
Production date: 1600-1611

print; book-illustration

Museum number: 1868,0822.2274 |
Producer name: BIOG64572 Print made by:Anonymous |
Production date: 1611

print; book-illustration

Title: Richard III |
Museum number: 1868,0822.2344 |
Producer name: BIOG31959 Print made by:Jodocus Hondius |
Production date: 1600-1611

print; map; book-illustration

Title: Ipswich |
Museum number: 1868,0822.5932 |
Producer name: BIOG64572 Print made by:Anonymous |
Production date: 1676

print; map; book-illustration

Title: Wilshire |
Museum number: 1948,0315.12.115 |
Producer name: Print made by:Jodocus HondiusAfter:John Speed |
Production date: 1610 |
Production place: Published in:London (England)

print; map; book-illustration

Title: Middle-sex / described with the most famous Cities of London and Westminster |
Museum number: G,1.17 |
Producer name: Print made by:Jodocus HondiusAfter:John Norden |
Production date: 1610 |
Production place: Published in:London (England)

print; map; book-illustration

Title: Middle-sex / described with the most famous Cities of London and Westminster |
Museum number: 1948,0315.1.4 |
Producer name: Print made by:Jodocus HondiusAfter:John Norden |
Production date: 1610 |
Production place: Published in:London (England)

print; map

Title: Hartfordshire Described / The sittuations of Hartford, and the most ancient towne S Albons with such |
Museum number: 1927,1126.1.1.1 |
Producer name: Print made by:Jodocus HondiusAfter:John Speed |
Production date: 1611 |
Production place: Published in:London (England)

print; map

Title: Cornwall |
Museum number: 1893,0803.120 |
Producer name: Print made by:Jodocus HondiusPublished by:John Sudbury and George Humble |
Production date: 1607-1611

print; map; book-illustration

Title: The Kingdome of Irland |
Museum number: 1870,0514.2830.+ |
Producer name: Print made by:Jodocus HondiusPublished by:John Sudbury and George Humble |
Production date: 1610 |
Production place: Published in:London (England)

print; map

Title: A Mapp of ye County of Norfolk with its Hundreds |
Museum number: 1864,1114.38 |
Producer name: Print made by:Wenceslaus HollarAfter:John Speed |
Production date: 1670

print; map

Title: A Mapp of the County of Surrey |
Museum number: 1864,1114.40 |
Producer name: Print made by:Wenceslaus HollarAfter:John Speed |
Production date: 1667 |
Production place: Published in:London (England)

print; book-illustration

Title: Edynburgh |
Museum number: Gg,4V.15 |
Producer name: BIOG64572 Print made by:Anonymous |
Production date: 1610

print; book-illustration

Title: Windsor |
Museum number: Q,7.33 |
Producer name: BIOG64572 Print made by:Anonymous |
Production date: 1610

print

Museum number: Gg,4V.17 |
Producer name: BIOG141491 Published by:John Speed |
Production date: 1610

print; book-illustration

Title: Charles Duke of York and Albany |
Museum number: G,8.7 |
Producer name: Print made by:John SpeedPublished by:John Sudbury and George Humble |
Production date: 1610-1612 |
Production place: Published in:London (England)

print; book-illustration

Title: James King of Great Britain Fraunce & Ireland |
Museum number: G,8.4 |
Producer name: Print made by:John SpeedPublished by:John Sudbury and George Humble |
Production date: 1610-1612 |
Production place: Published in:London (England)

print; book-illustration

Title: Anna Queene of Great Brittai Fraunce and Ireland |
Museum number: G,8.5 |
Producer name: Print made by:John SpeedPublished by:John Sudbury and George Humble |
Production date: 1610-1612 |
Production place: Published in:London (England)

print; book-illustration

Title: Henry Prince of Wales & Ireland |
Museum number: G,8.6 |
Producer name: Print made by:John SpeedPublished by:John Sudbury and George Humble |
Production date: 1610-1612 |
Production place: Published in:London (England)

print; book-illustration

Title: Saint Peters |
Museum number: 1948,0315.2.111 |
Producer name: BIOG31959 Print made by:Jodocus Hondius |
Production date: 1610 |
Production place: Published in:London (England)

print; book-illustration

Museum number: G,8.8 |
Producer name: Print made by:Jodocus HondiusPublished by:John Sudbury and George Humble |
Production date: 1610-1611 |
Production place: Published in:London (England)

print; book-illustration; alphabet

Museum number: Y,5.254.a-ee |
Producer name: BIOG63787 Published by:George Humble |
Production date: 1623 |
Production place: Published in:London (England)

print; book-illustration

Title: Bowyer's History of England |
Museum number: 1858,1009.211 |
Producer name: After:Robert SmirkePrint made by:John Landseer |
Production date: 1799 |
Production place: Published in:London (England)

print; map

Title: The Kingdome of England |
Museum number: 1870,0514.2828 |
Producer name: Published by:John SpeedPrint made by:Abraham Goos |
Production date: 1646

print; map; book-illustration

Title: Britain as it was Devided in the tyme of the Englishe Saxons especially during their Heptarchy |
Museum number: G,1.106 |
Producer name: Print made by:John SpeedPublished by:John Sudbury and George Humble |
Production date: 1610-1612 |
Production place: Published in:London (England)

print; map; book-illustration

Museum number: G,1.107 |
Producer name: Print made by:John SpeedPublished by:John Sudbury and George Humble |
Production date: 1610-1612 |
Production place: Published in:London (England)

print; map; book-illustration

Museum number: G,1.113 |
Producer name: Print made by:John SpeedPublished by:John Sudbury and George Humble |
Production date: 1610-1612 |
Production place: Published in:London (England)

print; title-page

Museum number: 1896,1230.215 |
Producer name: Print made by:Jodocus HondiusPublished by:John Sudbury and George Humble |
Production date: 1611

print; broadside

Title: The most happy Unions contracted betwixt the Princes of the Blood Royall of theis towe Famous Kingdo |
Museum number: 1856,0614.149 |
Producer name: Print made by:Renold ElstrackPublished by:John Speed |
Production date: 1603

print

Museum number: 1856,0614.148 |
Producer name: Print made by:Renold ElstrackPublished by:John Speed |
Production date: 1604

print; title-page

Museum number: 1896,1230.213 |
Producer name: BIOG31959 Print made by:Jodocus Hondius |
Production date: 1611

print; frontispiece

Museum number: G,3.97 |
Producer name: BIOG45091 Print made by:Salomon Savery |
Production date: 1631

print; book-illustration

Title: Monmouth |
Museum number: 1868,0822.5939 |
Producer name: BIOG64572 Print made by:Anonymous |
Production date: 1627-1780

print

Title: London |
Museum number: Heal,Topography.71 |
Producer name: BIOG141491 Published by:John Speed |
Production date: 1610

print; title-page

Museum number: 1880,1113.5758 |
Producer name: Print made by:Jodocus HondiusPublished by:John Sudbury and George Humble |
Production date: 1614 |
Production place: Published in:London (England)

print; book-illustration

Museum number: 1881,0611.267 |
Producer name: Print made by:Jodocus HondiusAfter:John Speed |
Production date: 1600-1611 |
Production place: Published in:London (England)

print; book-illustration

Museum number: G,8.12 |
Producer name: Print made by:Jodocus HondiusPublished by:John Sudbury and George Humble |
Production date: 1610-1611 |
Production place: Published in:London (England)

print

Museum number: Gg,4V.14 |
Producer name: Print made by:Jodocus HondiusAfter:John Speed |
Production date: 1610

print; title-page

Museum number: G,2.10 |
Producer name: Print made by:Jodocus HondiusPublished by:John Sudbury and George Humble |
Production date: 1611 |
Production place: Published in:London (England)

print

Museum number: G,11.19 |
Producer name: Print made by:Jodocus HondiusAfter:John Speed |
Production date: 1610

print

Title: Speed's Monument in the chancel of St Giles, Cripplegate |
Museum number: 1880,0911.660 |
Producer name: Print made by:John Thomas SmithPublished by:Nathaniel Smith |
Production date: 1791 |
Production place: Published in:London (England)

print; title-page

Museum number: 1880,1113.5763 |
Producer name: Print made by:Robert WhitePublished by:Henry Overton I |
Production date: 1670-1703 |
Production place: Published in:London (England)

print

Museum number: Gg,4V.16 |
Producer name: Print made by:Jodocus HondiusAfter:John Speed |
Production date: 1611

print; title-page

Museum number: 1872,0608.498 |
Producer name: Print made by:Jodocus HondiusPublished by:John Sudbury and George Humble |
Production date: 1611

print; book-illustration

Title: Henry V |
Museum number: 2006,U.702 |
Producer name: BIOG31959 Print made by:Jodocus Hondius |
Production date: 1600-1611

print; book-illustration

Title: Henry IIII |
Museum number: 2006,U.704 |
Producer name: BIOG31959 Print made by:Jodocus Hondius |
Production date: 1600-1611

print; book-illustration

Title: Henry VI |
Museum number: 2006,U.701 |
Producer name: BIOG31959 Print made by:Jodocus Hondius |
Production date: 1600-1611

print; book-illustration

Museum number: 1871,1209.2129 |
Producer name: BIOG64572 Print made by:Anonymous |
Production date: 1632

print; book-illustration

Museum number: 1871,1209.2029 |
Producer name: BIOG64572 Print made by:Anonymous |
Production date: 1632

print; book-illustration

Title: Edward IIII |
Museum number: 2006,U.699 |
Producer name: BIOG31959 Print made by:Jodocus Hondius |
Production date: 1600-1611

print; book-illustration

Title: Edward V |
Museum number: 2006,U.698 |
Producer name: BIOG31959 Print made by:Jodocus Hondius |
Production date: 1600-1611

print

Museum number: 1920,0604.27 |
Producer name: BIOG64572 Print made by:Anonymous |
Production date: 1682

print; map

Title: Westminster |
Museum number: G,2.103 |
Producer name: BIOG31959 Print made by:Jodocus Hondius |
Production date: 1607-1611

print; map

Title: London |
Museum number: 1874,0808.2162 |
Producer name: BIOG31959 Print made by:Jodocus Hondius |
Production date: 1607-1611

print; book-illustration; map

Title: The Countie Pallatine of Lancaster Described and Divided into Hundreds 1610 |
Museum number: 1948,0315.5.80 |
Producer name: Print made by:Jodocus HondiusAfter:John Speed |
Production date: 1610 |
Production place: Published in:London (England)

print; map

Title: Hundreds in Essex |
Museum number: 1864,1114.35 |
Producer name: Print made by:Wenceslaus HollarAfter:John Speed |
Production date: 1667-1671 |
Production place: Published in:London (England)

print; map; book-illustration

Title: Oxfordshire described with ye Citie and the Armes of the Colledges of yt famous University Ao 1605 |
Museum number: 1948,0315.7.119 |
Producer name: Print made by:Jodocus HondiusAfter:John Speed |
Production date: 1610 |
Production place: Published in:London (England)

print; map

Title: Leicester |
Museum number: 1868,0822.5935 |
Producer name: Print made by:John SpeedPublished by:John Sudbury and George Humble |
Production date: 1610

print; map

Title: A Mapp of the County of Hartford shire with its Hundreds |
Museum number: 1850,0223.273 |
Producer name: Print made by:Wenceslaus HollarAfter:John Speed |
Production date: 1667

print; map

Title: A Mapp of Barkshire with its Hundreds. |
Museum number: 1850,0223.274 |
Producer name: Print made by:Wenceslaus HollarAfter:John Speed |
Production date: 1667-1726 |
Production place: Published in:London (England)

print; map

Title: A Mapp of the County of Middlesex with its Hundreds |
Museum number: 1864,1114.37 |
Producer name: Print made by:Wenceslaus HollarAfter:John Speed |
Production date: 1667 |
Production place: Published in:London (England)

print; map

Title: The Country Palatine of Chester with its Hundreds, |
Museum number: 1864,1114.34 |
Producer name: Print made by:Wenceslaus HollarAfter:John Speed |
Production date: 1667

print; map

Museum number: 1850,0223.292 |
Producer name: Print made by:Wenceslaus HollarAfter:John Speed |
Production date: 1667

print; map

Title: A Mapp of Barkshire with its Hundreds. |
Museum number: 1864,1114.33 |
Producer name: Print made by:Wenceslaus HollarAfter:John Speed |
Production date: 1667 |
Production place: Published in:London (England)

print; map

Title: A Mapp of the County of Surrey with its divisions |
Museum number: 1864,1114.41 |
Producer name: Print made by:Wenceslaus HollarAfter:John Speed |
Production date: 1668 |
Production place: Published in:London (England)

print; map

Title: A Mapp of Staffordshire with its Hundreds |
Museum number: 1864,1114.39 |
Producer name: Print made by:Wenceslaus HollarAfter:John Speed |
Production date: 1671 |
Production place: Published in:London (England)

print; map

Title: Westminster |
Museum number: 1874,0808.2163 |
Producer name: BIOG31959 Print made by:Jodocus Hondius |
Production date: 1607-1611

print

Title: A Country-woman |
Museum number: 1870,0514.2828.2 |
Producer name: Published by:John SpeedPrint made by:Abraham Goos |
Production date: 1646

print

Title: A Country-man |
Museum number: 1870,0514.2828.1 |
Producer name: Published by:John SpeedPrint made by:Abraham Goos |
Production date: 1646

print; map; book-illustration

Museum number: G,1.114 |
Producer name: Print made by:John SpeedPublished by:John Sudbury and George Humble |
Production date: 1610-1612 |
Production place: Published in:London (England)

print

Title: A Lady |
Museum number: 1870,0514.2828.6 |
Producer name: Published by:John SpeedPrint made by:Abraham Goos |
Production date: 1646

print

Title: The Invasions of England and Ireland with al their Civill Wars since the Conquest |
Museum number: G,13.4 |
Producer name: Print made by:Cornelis Danckerts IPublished by:John Speed |
Production date: 1627 |
Production place: Published in:London (England)

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