John Speed was an English cartographer, chronologer and historian. The son of a citizen and Merchant Taylor in London, he accepted the task of drawing together and revising the histories, topographies and maps of the Kingdoms of Great Britain, with the union of their monarchies in the person of King James I and VI

“my purpose… in this Island (besides other things) is to shew the situation of every Citie and Shire-town only… The Shires divisions into Lathes, Hundreds, Wapentakes and Cantreds, according to their ratable and accustomed manner, I have separated, and under the same title that the record beareth, in their due places distinguished: wherein by help of the tables annexed, any Citie, Towne, Borough, Hamlet, or Place of Note may readily be found, and whereby safely may be affirmed, that there is not any one Kingdome in the World so exactly described, as is this our Island of Great Britaine… In shewing these things, I have chiefly sought to give satisfaction to all, without offence to any.”