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Augustine Ryther

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Augustine Ryther (died 1593)[1] was an English engraver and translator. He engraved some of Christopher Saxton's maps of English counties. He also made scientific instruments.[1]

Cards from a 1590 pack illustrating counties of England and Wales, with maps largely copied from an atlas by Christopher Saxton. Engraving by Augustine Ryther, after William Bowes.

Works

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Ryther was associated with engraving maps of the counties of England published by Saxton in 1579. His name appears as the engraver of the maps of County Durham and Westmoreland (1576), Gloucester and York (1577), and that of the whole of England, signed ‘Augustinus Ryther Anglus Sculpsit Ano Dñi 1579.’ His name appears in 1588 with those of Jodocus Hondius, Theodore de Bry, and others, among the engravers of the charts to The Mariner's Mirrour by Sir Anthony Ashley.[2][3]

In 1590 Ryther published a translation[4] of Petruccio Ubaldini's Expeditionis Hispaniorum in Angliam vera Descriptio. The book was printed by A. Hatfield. This work is dedicated by Ryther to Lord Howard of Effingham, and in the dedication he apologises for the two years' delay in its publication. The plates consist of a title and ten charts, showing the various stages of the progress and defeat of the Spanish Armada in the English Channel, and tracing its further course round the British Isles. They were drawn apparently by Robert Adams, surveyor of the queen's buildings, and form a major record of the Armada. It is probable that Ryther's charts, or Adams's original drawings, were the basis for tapestries of the Spanish Armada, executed by Hendrik Cornelisz Vroom in Holland, and formerly in the House of Lords. Reduced copies of Ryther's charts were published by John Pine in his work on the Armada tapestries. The tables were published by Ryther separately.[3]

Ryther also collaborated with Thomas Hood.[5]

References

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  1. ^ a b Baigent, Elizabeth. "Ryther, Augustine". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/24428. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  2. ^ The Mariner's Mirrour … first made and set fourth in divers exact sea charts by that famous nauigator Luke Wagenar of Enchuisen, and now fitted with necessarie additions for the use of Englishmen by Anthony Ashley.
  3. ^ a b "Ryther, Augustine" . Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.
  4. ^ Under the title of A discourse concerninge the Spanishe fleete inuadinge Englande in the yeare 1588, and overthrowne by her Maties Nauie under the conduction of the Right honorable the Lorde Charles Howarde, highe Admirall of Englande, written in Italian by Petruccio Ubaldino, citizen of Florence, and translated for A. Ryther: unto the wch discourse are annexed certaine tables expressinge the seuerall exploites and conflictes had with the said fleete. These bookes, with the tables belonginge to them, are to be solde at the shoppe of A. Ryther, beinge a little from Leadenhall, next to the signe of the Tower.
  5. ^ Epact page.
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Attribution

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain"Ryther, Augustine". Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.