Purchas his pilgrimes. part 1 In fiue bookes. The first, contayning the voyages and peregrinations made by ancient kings, patriarkes, apostles, philosophers, and others, to and thorow the remoter parts of the knowne world: enquiries also of languages and religions, especially of the moderne diuersified professions of Christianitie. The second, a description of all the circum-nauigations of the globe. The third, nauigations and voyages of English-men, alongst the coasts of Africa ... The fourth, English voyages beyond the East Indies, to the ilands of Iapan, China, Cauchinchina, the Philippinæ with others ... The fifth, nauigations, voyages, traffiques, discoueries, of the English nation in the easterne parts of the world ... The first part.

§. IIII. The Qualitie and Excellencies.

THe Qualitie of Europe exceeds her Quantitie, in this the least, in that the best of the World. For how many both Seas and Deserts take vp spacious Regions in Asia, Africa, and America? whereas in Europe neither watry Fens, nor vnstable Bogs, [ 30] nor Inland Seas, nor vnwholsome Ayres, nor wild Woods, with their wilder Sauage Inhabitants, nor snow-couered Hills, nor stiffling Frosts, nor long long Nights, nor craggy Rocks, nor barren Sands, nor any other effect of Angry Nature, where she seemes in some, or other parts thereof the hardest step-mother, can prohibite all habitation and humane societie. In the most parts Nature hath shewed her selfe a naturall and kind Mother; the prouidence of God, and industry of Man, as it were conspiring the Europaean good. Which of the Sisters are comparable in a temperate aire? which in a soile so generally fertile, so diuersified in Hills and Dales, so goodly Medowes, cheerefull Vineyards, rich Fields, fat Pastures, shadie Woods, delightfull Gardens, varietie of Creatures on it, of Metalls and Mineralls in it, of Plants and Fruits growing out of it? Which so watered with Fountaines, Brookes, Riuers, Bathes, Lakes out of her owne bowells? such sweet [ 40] Dewes and comfortable Showers from Heauen? so frequent insinuations of the Sea, both for commerce with others, and proper Marine commodities? Which so peopled with resolute coura∣ges, able bodies, well qualified mindes? so fortified with Castles, edified with Townes, crowned with Cities? And if in some of these things Asia, Afrike, and America may seeme equall, or in any thing superiour,* 1.1 yet euen therein also they are inferiour, by iust and equall inequalitie made Tributaries and Seruants to Europe: the first captiued by Alexander, the first and second by the Romans, the last and the most commodious places of the first, with all the Sea Trade, by Spanish and Portugall Discoueries and Conquests; first, second, last, All and more then they all, since and still made open and obnoxious to the English and Dutch, which haue discouered new Northerne Worlds, and in their thrice-worthy Marine Armes haue so often imbraced the inferiour Globe. [ 50] Asia yeerely sends vs her Spices, Silkes, Gemmes; Africa her Gold and Iuory; Ame∣rica receiueth seuerer Customers and Taxe-Masters, almost euery where admitting Europae∣an Colonies.

If I speake of Arts and Inuentions (which are Mans properest goods, immortall Inheritance to our mortalitie) what haue the rest of the world comparable? First the Liberall Arts are most liberall to vs, hauing long since forsaken their Seminaries in Asia and Afrike, and here erected Colledges and Vniuersities. And if one Athens in the East (the antient Europaean glory) now by Turkish Barbarisme be infected, how many many Christian Athenses haue wee in the West for it? As for Mechanicall Sciences, I could reckon our Ancestors inuentions now lost, as that mallea∣ble Glasse in the dayes of Tiberias; that oleum vi••um found in olde Sepulchers still burning, after [ 60] 1500. yeeres;* 1.2 I could glory of Archimedes his ingenuous Engines; but miserum est isthuc ver∣bum & pessimum, habuisse & non habere. I can recite later inuentions the Daughters of wonder. What eye doth not almost loose it selfe in beholding the many artificiall Mazes and Labyrinths

in our Watches, the great heauenly Orbes and motions imitated in so small a modell? What eares but Europaean, haue heard so many Musicall Inuentions for the Chamber, the Field, the Church? as for Bells, Europe alone beares the bel, and heares the Musicall consort thereof in the Steeples di∣uersified, yea thence descending to Birds and Squirells? Where hath the taste beene feasted with such varieties for delight, for health? are not Distillations, the Arts also of Candying and Preser∣uing meere Europaean? If I should descend lower, who inuented the Stirrop to ascend, the Saddle to ride the Horse? Who deuised so many kindes of motions by Clock-workes, besides Clockes and Dialls to measure Time, the measurer of all things? Who inuented wild Fires that scorne the waters force and violence? Who out of ragges to bring such varieties of Paper for Mans ma∣nifold [ 10] vse? Who so many kinds of Mills? Who euer dream't of a perpetuall Motion by Art, or De quadratura circuli, or innumerable other Mathematicall, and Chymicall deuises? And what hath Mars in the World elsewhere to parallel with our Ordnance, and all sorts of Gunnes? or the Muses with our Printing? Alas, China yeelds babes and bables in both compared with vs and ours: the rest of the World haue them borrowed of vs or not at all. And for the Art Military, the exactest Science, Discipline, Weapons, Stratagems, Engines, Resolution, Successe herein, haue honoured Europe with the Macedonian and Roman spoiles of the World: and euen still the Tur∣kish puissance is here seated; the English, Dutch, French, Italian, Spanish courages haue not de∣generated from those Ancestors, which tamed and shooke in pieces that Tamer and Terror of the World, the Roman Monarchy.

[ 20] But what speake I of Men, Arts, Armes? Nature hath yeelded her selfe to Europaean Industry. Who euer found out that Loadstone and Compasse, that findes out and compasseth the World? Who euer tooke possession of the huge Ocean, and made procession round about the vast Earth? Who euer discouered new Constellations, saluted the Frozen Poles, subiected the Burning Zones? And who else by the Art of Nauigation haue seemed to imitate Him, which laies the beames of his Chambers in the Waters, and walketh on the wings of the Wind? And is this all?* 1.3 Is Europe onely a fruitfull Field, a well watered Garden, a pleasant Paradise in Nature? A conti∣nued Citie for habitation? Queene of the World for power? A Schoole of Arts Liberall, Shop of Mechanicall, Tents of Military, Arsenall of Weapons and Shipping? And is shee but Nurse to Nature, Mistresse to Arts, Mother of resolute Courages and ingenious dispositions? Nay these are [ 30] the least of Her praises, or His rather, who hath giuen Europe more then Eagles wings, and lifted her vp aboue the Starres.

I speake it not in Poeticall fiction, or Hyperbolicall phrase, but Christian Sincerity. Europe is taught the way to scale Heauen, not by Mathematicall principles, but by Diuine veritie. IESVS CHRIST is their way, their truth, their life; who hath long since giuen a Bill of Di∣uorce to ingratefull Asia where hee was borne, and Africa the place of his flight and refuge, and is become almost wholly and onely Europaean. For little doe wee find of this name in Asia, lesse in Africa, and nothing at all in America, but later Europaean gleanings. Here are his Scrip∣tures, Oratories, Sacraments, Ministers, Mysteries. Here that Mysticall Babylon, and that Pa∣pacie (if that bee any glory) which challengeth both the Bishopricke and Empire of the World;* 1.4 [ 40] and here the victory ouer that Beast (this indeed is glory) by Christian Reformation according to the Scriptures. God himselfe is our portion, and the lot of Europes Inheritance, which hath made Nature an indulgent Mother to her, hath bowed the Heauens ouer her in the kindest influence, hath trenched the Seas about her in most commodious affluence, hath furrowed in her delightfull, profitable confluence of Streames, hath tempered the Ayre about her, fructified the Soyle on her, enriched the Mines vnder her, diuersified his Creatures to serue her, and multiplied Inhabitants to enioy her; hath giuen them so goodly composition of body, so good disposition of mind, so free condition of life, so happy successe in affaires; all these annexed as attendants to that true happinesse in Religions truth, which brings vs to God againe, that hee may bee both Alpha and Omega in all our good. Euen in Ciuilitie also Europe is the youngest of the Three, but as Benia∣min, [ 50] the best beloued, made heire to the Rest, exchanging the Pristine Barbarisme, and Inciuili∣tie (which Authors blame in our Ancestors) with Asia and Africa, for that Ciuilitie of Man∣ners, and Glory of Acts and Arts, which they (as neerer the Arkes resting place) sooner enioyed, by Moh••metan pestilence long since becomne barbarous; the best of the one fitly called Barbaria, and the best Moniments of the other being but names, ruines, carkasses, and sepulchrall Moni∣ments of her quandam Excellencies.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Pl••••.
• * 1.2

  Vid. Pancirol. & Salmuth. de de∣perditis & re∣parti••.
• * 1.3

  Ps. 104.••.
• * 1.4

  See B••z. c. ••▪