University of Virginia Library

THE SEVERAL STATES OF THE FARRER MAP OF VIRGINIA [*]
by
Coolie Verner

The Huth Catalogue[1] in 1880 described two different states of the 1651 Farrer Map of Virginia, and Col. Lawrence Martin in 1936[2] further distinguished a total of four states. There is, however, a copy of the map in the Huntington Library which was pulled from an earlier state of the plate than any previously described. It can be distinguished from the earliest of Col. Martin's states by the absence of the words "Fort Orang." on the right border above "Septen." There is no other difference.

It is not often enough emphasized that 17th-and 18th-century map plates had an active life expectancy of well over a decade. The Jefferys' plates for the 18th-century Fry & Jefferson Map of Virginia were, for example, in use for at least 21 years; moreover, additions were made to the plates after Jefferys' death.

The Farrer Map has peculiar interest as showing the survival of two related but inaccurate geographical beliefs: a northwest passage through the North American land mass; and the close proximity of the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean. Although in general the Farrer Map is derived from the more important and more accurate 1646-7 Dudley Map of Virginia,[3] it nevertheless has a significance of its own in that it places for the first time on any known map the names of the original shires: Henrico City, Charles City, Elizabeth City; and Anandale County, Maryland. For historical as well as bibliographical reasons, therefore, it is worth recording with some care the additions to the plate, with their probable dates.

The map was first engraved by John Goddard for Stephenson's 3rd edition, 1651, of Edward Williams' Virgo Triumphans, which announced the addition of the map on its titlepage. This 3rd edition is, however, known only by an inserted titlepage in the Huth copy of the 2nd edition. Stephenson also apparently added the map to some copies of another of his 1651 publications, Edward Bland's The Discovery of New Brittaine, its relevance to which was, however, only approximate, since Bland's explorations were southwest of the chief placename locations on the Farrer map. Copies of the two works in question have been so long sought for by collectors of Americana and have so often been sophisticated by dealers and binders, that it is no longer possible to speak with precision about occurrences of the map with either book. It is, however, assumed from available evidence that

• 1) Copies of the first and second editions of Williams which contain the map are either late gathered copies or sophisticated ones.
• 2) Any of the first four states of the map (see below) might properly be found with the 3rd edition of Williams, and the 3rd edition would be incomplete without one of them.
• 3) The copies of the Bland with the Farrer map are accidental, or special copies, or sophisticated ones.
• 4) The plate was obtained by Overton from Stephenson or his successors, and was used by him under his own imprint for separately issued (or Atlas bound) copies of the map. The assignment of the date 1667? to the final state of the plate is based on indirect evidence in Plomer[4] and on the fact that after 1668 the Term Catalogues carry notices of Overton's publications with a different imprint address.

Following are the known states of the plate, with sufficient descriptive

information concerning the changes for the recognition of other possible variants. Location symbols are for copies examined in photostat:

• 1650
• [AN UNTITLED MANUSCRIPT DRAFT]
• Said to have been Farrer's own draft for the engraving. It shows "Ould Virginia 1584 now Carolana, 1650.", "New Virginia 1606" and "New England 1606". This is described in Quaritch's catalogue # 112 Part 2, May 16, 1891, p. 158. NN
• 1651a
• A MAPP OF VIRGINIA DISCOUERED TO YE FALLS . . . [Imprint:] JOHN FARRER ESQR COLLEGIT. ARE SOLD BY J. STEPHENSON AT YE SUNN BELOW LUDGATE. 1651.
• Distinguishing characteristics of this first state are the lack of the Drake portrait and the lack of the placename "Fort Orang." at the right center. This and all other states are signed in the lower left: "John Goddard sculp". CSmH
• 1651b
• A MAPP OF VIRGINIA DISCOUERED TO YE FALLS . . . [Imprint:] JOHN FARRER ESQR COLLEGIT. ARE SOLD BY J. STEPHENSON AT YE SUNN BELOW LUDGATE. 1651.
• Same as the preceding except for the addition of the placename "Fort Orang."
• NN
• 1652?a
• A MAPP OF VIRGINIA DISCOUERED TO YE FALLS . . . [Imprint:] DOMINA VIRGINIA FARRER COLLEGIT. ARE SOLD BY J. STEPHENSON AT YE SUNN BELOW LUDGATE. 1651.
• The ascription of authorship has been changed from John to Virginia Farrer, the portrait of Sir Francis Drake has been added, as have been other decorative figures (below the title: 3 trees, a rampant animal, and a cluster of 4 mountains); the forks of two of the southernmost rivers have been extended; the following placenames appear for the first time: Secotan, Dazamoncak, Woosquok, Col. Littletons Plantation, Majotoks, Elk River, Richnek woods, Nanteok, Raritas, Mont Ployden, Eriwoms, Kildorp; Cape James has been moved to a new location above Lord Delawars Bay; and Cape May has been added in the old Cape James location.
• NN
• 1652?b
• A MAPP OF VIRGINIA DISCOUERED TO YE HILLS . . . [Imprint:] DOMINA VIRGINIA FARRER COLLEGIT. ARE SOLD BY J. STEPHENSON AT YE SUNN BELOW LUDGATE. 1651.
• The title has been changed; the peninsula in "A Mighty greate Lake" has been extended so that there is no longer a northwest passage through the continent; two placenames (Rawliana and Anandale C.) and 6 mountains have

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  been added; one of the rivers emptying into the north end of the Chesapeake has been extended; and the name of the Roanoke River has been changed from "Magna Passa" to "Rolli Passa".
• MB NN
• 1667?
• A MAPP OF VIRGINIA DISCOUERED TO YE HILLS . . . [Imprint:] DOMINA VIRGINIA FARRER COLLEGIT. ARE SOLD BY JOHN OUERTON WITHOUT NEWGATE AT THE CORNER OF LITTLE OLD BALY.
• The publisher's name has been changed and the date dropped.
• MB

Notes