1614 Sir Walter Raleigh Map of the Middle East (Arabia the Happie)

Walter Raleigh (1554 - October 28, 1618) was an English aristocrat, writer, poet, soldier, courtier, spy, and explorer. A true renaissance man, Raleigh can be said to have embodied the optimism, energy, and possibilities of the Elizabethan era. His impact on global history is difficult to overestimate and too significant to describe here. Among other things, Raleigh popularized Tobacco in Europe, was instrumental in the English colonization of North America (Roanoke), and stoked the legend of "El Dorado". Raleigh's legendary act of laying down his cape such that Queen Elizabeth did not have to walk through mud has made him a byword for renaissance Chivalry. Throughout his life Raleigh fell into and out of Royal favor. His last falling out, over Raleigh's reckless attack on the Spanish fort of San Tome on the Orinoco River, lead to the vindictive Spanish ambassador insisting that King James carry out Raleigh's death sentence. Apparently Raleigh's last words were to the headsman, "Strike, man strike!" More by this mapmaker...

William Hole (fl. c. 1601 - 1624) was an English map engraver and metal worker active in the 17th century. Little is known of Hole's life. He may have apprenticed with William Rogers, taught Francis Baker, and was definitely a member of the Goldmsith's Company. He held the posts of "Head Sculptor of the Iron for Money in the Tower and Elsewhere for Life" and was "Graver of the Kings Seals, Ensigns and Arms". Hole's known corpus of maps is small but distinctive. According to the historian Arthur M. Hind,

The Work of William Hole has a peculiar fascination for its individual character, somewhat French in piquant flavour, and for its relation to various poets, writers and musicians, with whom one can image he lived in familiarity.