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.

§. V. [ 60] Of the Languages of Europe.

AS for their particular manners, dispositions, customes, wee shall in due place obserue:* 1.1 their Mother Tongues and Originall Languages I will here out of Scaliger (our Euro∣paean Mithridates) relate. Of these he now reckons in Europe eleuen, seuen of smaller note, foure of greater, which yeeld many Dialects, seeming differing languages out of

them. These are the Greeke, Latin, Dutch, and Slavon, from whence by inflexion, traiection, mu∣tation, and mixture, are deriued many others. Thus the Slavon hath Daughters or Dialects, the Russian, Polonian, Bohemian, Illyrian, Dalmatian, and Windish tongues; some of these also not a little in themselues diuersified. They vse two sorts of letters, the Russian depraued from the Greek••, with some barbarous additions; and the Dalmatian of Saint Hieroms inuention, much vnlike the former. The Dutch hath three principall Idiomes, Teutonisme, Saxonisme, and Danisme. The first containes both ••he High and Low Dutch; the second, the Nord-albing, Frisland and English Dia∣lects; the third Danish, Sweden, and the Norwegian, Mother of that of the Islanders. The Latin hath propagated the Italian, Spanish and French. The Greeke in so many Lands and Ilands so farre distant, cannot but be much different. [ 10]

The smaller languages yet Originall, without commerce and deriuation from others are, the Epirotike, or Albanian in the Mountaines of Epirus: Secondly the Cosaks or Tartarian: Thirdly, the Hungarian, which the Hunnes and Auares brought thither out of Asia: Fourthly, that of Finnemark, which yeelds also the Lappian: Fiftly the Irish, which is vsed likewise of the Red∣shankes: Sixtly the Welsh or Brittish (the same with that of the ancient Galles, as Master Camden hath proued) spoken diuersly in Wales, Cornwall, and little Britaine: Seuenthly, the Biscaine, the remainder of the old Spanish, in vse on both sides the Pyrenaean Hills. These were all in Ecclesia∣sticall affaires subiected to the Constantinopolitan and Roman Bishops, and vsed fiue sorts of letters, the Greeke, Latin, and Gottish, besides those two formerly mentioned. The Greeke principally pos∣sesseth the South East, the Latin with her Daughters, the South; the Dutch, the North-west parts of Europe; and the North-east, the Slauon. [ 20]

And thus haue we giuen a taste, of that which sometimes was intended, an Europaean Feast: in which if I seeme to haue broken promise, I haue not done it alone; and pouertie cleeres mee of perfidie. If yet my rashnesse bee accused, in promising vpon hopes of others assistance, let him that hath relieued those wants throw the first stone at the Prom••ser. How euer, I will rather confesse the Action then stand Sute. Nor doe I now beg helpes in that kind▪ it is too late. My body is worne and old before and beyond my yeeres; and to haue borne so long two such burthens as a Pulpit and Presse, that is, Heauen and Earth, would perhaps haue tired my quarrelling Plaintiffe too, to haue ascended the one (idque Londini) twice or thrice a weeke ordinarily, and descended the other with so frequent successions, and long continuati∣ons. Hercules and Atlas were both weary of one burthen: Patience yet and pardon! for I haue paid here a great part of my debt. I haue giuen thee the Christian Sects, and Europes▪ Ecclesiastike part, with her [ 30] other Secular parts also in great p••••t both in Maps and History presented, especially there where she•• was lest knowne: and if not so fully as the former in my Pilgrimage, yet Poore men are welcome pay-ma∣sters when they come with parts each weeke or moneth, or with day-labour-set-offs; though they cannot at once discharge the whole debt. Indeed my Genius most leads mee to remotest and lest knowne things, that where few others can giue intelligence, I may supply the Intelligencers place. Of neere and knowne things, Scribimus indocti doctique poemata passim. I haue giuen thee Arctoa Regio, the Polare World;* 1.2 and Antarctica, the Southerne Continent; and both Americas; besides Asia, Africa, and Eu∣rope knowne to the Antients. Yea I haue giuen thee an Asia in Asia, and an Africa in Africa neuer knowne to the Ancients; as likewise I may affirme of the Northerne Parts of Europe. Coetera quis [ 40] nescit? Who cannot dull and deafe thine ••ares with French, Dutch, Spanish, Italian affaires? Neither are we destitute of some intelligence and sleighter knowledge of Spaine, France, and Germany, Italy and other parts, which you will find handled in one or other place of this Worke, as much as concerneth our Trauelling purpose. As for Spaine, the Kings Title is a sufficient Lecture, which some thus expresse: P. By the Grace of God King of Castile, Lions, Arragon, both Sicills, Ierusalem, Portugall, Nauarre, Grana∣da, Toledo, Valencia, Galicia, Maiorca and Minorca, Siuil, Sardinia, Corduba, Corsica, Murcia, Iaen, Algarbia, Algeria, Gibraltar, Canary Ilands, East and West Indies, of the Ilands and Continent of the Ocean; Archduke of Austria, Duke of Burgundy, Loraine, Brabant, Lunburg, Luxemburg, Geldres, Millaine, &c. Earle of Habspurg, Flanders, Tirol, Barcelona, Artois, Hannalt, Holand, Zeland, Namur, Z••tphen, &c. Marquesse of the Empire, Lord of Biscay, Friezland, Mecklin, Vtreck, Ouer-Isell, Gruningen. Ruler in Asia and in Africa. This doth more fully present the present Spaine to your [ 50] view, then to tell the Scituation, Mountaines and Riuers; of which euery Map and Traueller can in∣forme you. France also is not to be now measured by the antient Geographicall limits, but by the present Royall, so much being most properly France, as is comprehended in that most compact, best seated, well peopled, and goodliest of Kingdomes. The parts you shall see in the Diocesse hereafter following. Germa∣ny in largest sense by some is bounded by Rhene, Vistula, the Danow and the Ocean, is diuided into Kingdomes,* 1.3 Dukedomes, Counties, and Marquisates. The Kingdomes are Denmarke, Norway, Sweden, Boheme. The rest concerning Germany and other parts of Europe I teach not here; I point at rather these things, and therefore will returne to Our former discourse of languages, and therein pro∣duce a better Linguist and Artist then my selfe, Our learned Countryman, Master Brerewood in his laborious Trauells and Industrious Enquiries of Languages and Rel••gion••. [ 60]

Notes

• * 1.1

  Ios. Scal. op••sc. di••triba de Eu∣rop. l••ng & ap Meru••a. ••. 2. l. 1. c. 8.
• * 1.2

  Seuen parts of of the World.
• * 1.3

  Cap. vlt.