Lily 1546
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| NOTES from LILY'S MAP of the BRITISH ISLES, 1546 | ||
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These notes are taken from the map of Britanniae ie the
British Isles, scale roughly 30 miles to 1 inch? by George
Lily, Rome, 1546, and a number of derivative editions in the
16th century; reproductions are these given in:-
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Shirley, Rodney W: 1991 (revised edn): Early Printed Map of the British Isles: Antique Atlas:: ISBN 0 9514914 2 3 |
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An original map was studied in the British Library, item
K.Top.V.1.
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The notes are particularly biased towards local interest in
Westmorland, Cumberland etc.
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This map is the first map of the British Isles issued as a
single sheet. It was printed from two copper plates. Its
size is: wxh, sheet = 76x54.5cm; wxh,map = 742x535mm. George
Lily was an english catholic exiled in Rome at the papal
court. R W Shirley provides a concise note of the possible
sources for the map's content.
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| MAP FEATURES | ||
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title cartouche
strapwork cartouche coat of arms |
Printed upper right is a strapwork title cartouche:-
BRITANNIAE INSULAE QUAE NUNC ANGLIAE ET SCOTIAE REGNA CONTINET CUM HIBERNIA ADIACENTE NOVA DESCRIPTIO Remember that the islands are not one nation at this date. Above the cartouche are two coats of arms: the lions of England quartered with the three fleur de lys of France; and the lion of Scotland in its double tressure. There is a decorative tudor rose above the cartouche. |
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descriptive text
table of symbols map maker |
In a large cartouche lower right there is a panel of
descriptive text in Latin (not safely transcribed,
sorry):-
BRITANNIA [ Insularum quae in Europa continentur maxima, a meridie in septentrionem protenditur, forma triquetra. A promontorio enim quod Vectem Insularum ad meridiem prospicit, ad Cathanesiam ultimam Scotiae partem, quae ab Orcadibus insulis, freto non admodum magno dirimitur, milliaria continentur 600. A Douero autem ultima Cantij parte, quae ad Gallia non plus 30 mill. distat, in extremum Cornubiae promontorium quod Armoricum respicit milliaria habentur 320. A quo rursus per Hibernicum mare ad sepentrionem progrediens, ad Cathanesiam supremam totius insulae partem, mill inveniuntur 800. Continet insulae circuitus mill 1720 minus quam computat Caesar 280. Dividitur haec insula in duo regna, pars enim australior quae et fertilor est, et urbibus frequenterior, et moribus civilior ANGLIA dicitur, quae autem septentrionalior, moribus aspera, et ob intensissimum frigus infertilior, SCOTIA nuncupator. Divimitur Anglia a Scotia, ad orientem Jueda, ad occidentem Soluco fluminibus, mediterranea, mons Cheviota discriminat. Obiacent Scotiae ad occidentem in Hibernico mare, Insulae 43. Eboniae, sive Hebrides dictae, Harum prima, & Episcopali sede, et antiquissima Druidum memoria, MONA erat nostro autem seculo Anglo paret. Ad septentrionem sunt Orcades insulae 31 hordeo piscibus, cuniculis, abundantissime, inter has primas tenet POMONIA, et magnitudine caeteras vincens, et Episcopali sede, et regio castro ornata. Ultima omnium in ditione Scoti est JHULE, polum habens elevatum gradibus 63 in qua cum Sol Cancrum occupat, tenebrae aut nullae, aut perbreves. Idiomata quibus utuntur incolae, quinqa sunt. Cornubicum, quo Cornubiensis, Wallicum, quo Walli, Anglicorum, quo Angli, et bona pars Scotiae, Hibernicum quo Hebrides insulae et septentrionalis Scotiae pars, Gothicum, quo Orcades solae utuntur. Haber Anglia Episcopatus 22, quorum decem et octo Cantuariensi primati parent, duo autem Eboracensi Archipresuli, Gymnasia item celebria duo OXONIUM & CANTABRIGIAM, Contentus, quos et comitatus habet 22. Abundat Anglia stagno plumba ferro, lana optima, pecore & frumento. Scoti piscibus, pecore, et lana. Lupos non habet Anglia. Scotia permultos. Dividunt Angliam in tres veluti Regiones. tria ingentia flumina, Tamesis, Sabrina, Humbrus. Scotia item tria, Cluda, Forthea, Taus. Regia Angliae est LONDINUM; Scotiae, EDINBURGUS. Legibus utuntur Angli municipalibus tantum, civlibus Scoti. Cadem utriq. genti in bello ferocia; sagittis Angli, hasta longa Scotii in acte praevalent. Ram inter eos pax, dum illi propagare, isti retinere, imperium student. ROMAE, Anglorum studio & diligentia M.D.XLVI ] In the lower border of the cartouche is a formal table of symbols showing how the capital, episcopal, and county towns and castles, are represented on the map. METROP [circle, two towers, central staff and ?symbol] EPISCOPATUS [circle, two towers, central staff and cross] COMITATUS [circle tow towers, flag on staff at right] CASTRA [circle, tower - like a child's sandcastle - and short staff] R W Shirley makes some interesting comments about what dioceses are recognised by the [catholic] map maker. The map maker's initials:- GLA Georgius Lilius Anglus, are said to be almost hidden in a small emblem below the cartouche. |
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orientation
up is W labelled borders |
The map is printed with West at the top of the page; this
puts the islands conveniently across a double page spread of
a folded sheet in an atlas. The borders are labelled:-
[ ] SEPTENTRIO ORIENS MERIDIES |
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| scale line |
Printed lower right is a scale of:-
MILLIARIA 200 miles chequered in 5 mile intervals, labelled at 20 mile intervals; be careful how you read the scale, the figures belong at the end of the interval, not the middle where they are printed. The 200 miles = 178.5 mm gives a rough iddea of the map scale:- 1 to 1800000 30 miles to 1 inch |
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| lat and long scales |
The borders have scales of latitude and longitude in a
trapezoid projection, labelled at degree intervals. The
south border (left) covers 11.5 to 27 degrees E longitude;
the latitude covers from 49 to 61 degrees N. The map has
part of the coast of France, and the Orkneys but not
Shetland. The longitude of Greenwich can be estimated to
suggest:-
prime meridian 22 degrees E which is about the Cape Verde islands. |
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sea area
sea pecked ships |
The sea is stippled. The English Channel is
labelled:-
MARE BRITANNICUA[] There are a few ship for decoration. The Solway can be recognised. |
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| coast line |
The coast is a bold line.
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| rivers |
Rivers are drawn by double wiggly lines tapering inland;
mostly unlabelled but notice:-
SOLVEUS F It is possible to guess at:- Esk, River Lune, River [perhaps labelled Candalia] |
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relief
hillocks |
A cluster of hillocks and a label:-
Fornes suggest Furness Fells. |
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| county |
There are no county boundaries, and only some counties
are labelled, eg:-
CUMBRIA WESTMERLANDIA County towns are differentiated as described by the table of symbols. |
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| settlements |
The map includes important towns, marked by a circle,
differentiated by added elements and lettering style.
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| Sketch Map | ||
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A rough rendering of the places in Westmorland and Cumbria
is:-
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