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.

CHAP. VI. The trauells of the antient Philosophers and learned men briefly mentioned.

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NOw let vs examine the Voyages of Philosophers and Learned men, into remote parts for Wisdome and Learning. Diogenes Laertius maketh two kinds of Phi∣losophy, the one Ionike, the other Italike: this began from Pythagoras, the other from Thales, both which, with many of their Successors were great Trauellers. As for Thales, his Epistle to Pherecydes a Syrian (another trauelling Philosopher) is yet extant in Laertius, in which he mentions his & Solons trauels, in these words: For neither are I and Solon the Athenian so foolish and mad, that when we haue sailed to Crete & pier∣ced into Egypt, there to conferre with the Priests and Astronomers, we would not with like care saile to 〈◊〉〈◊〉. For Solon will come also if you thinke good. For thou being holden with liking of that place sel∣dome passest into Ionia; neither art moued with desire of Strangers: but as I hope thou onely appliest [ 60] thy selfe to writing. But wee which write nothing, trauell thorow Greece and Asia.

Thus haue you one testimony of two Grandees, Thales and Solon. This later, in his return from E∣gypt visited Cyprus, and after went to Croesus, who adorning himselfe in greatest glory & pompe, asked Solon if euer he had seene goodlier spectacle? Yes, said he, Cockes, Phesants, and Peacockes. Croesus being after by Cyrus sentenced to the fire, cried, O Solon, Solon, Solon, and being demanded the reason, answered, That Solon had told him, that no man might be accounted happy before his death: wherein Cyrus reading the mutabilitie of his owne fortunes, gaue him his life and a com∣petent estate. Thence Solon went into Cilicia, and built Solos▪

To Croesus is an Epistle also of Anacharsis, another trauelling Philosopher, borne in Scythia, and brother to the Scythian King, making some mention of his Trauells in these words: I, O King of Lidians, came into Greece to learne their Manners, Studies, and Instructions; and need not [ 10] Gold, esteeming it enough to returne to the Scythians a better man, and more learned. Yet I will come to thee to Sardis, much esteeming thy friendship and familiaritie. Hee was Solons guest at Athens, whi∣ther he came in the fortie seuenth Olympiad. Socrates the first bringer in of Ethikes or Morall Phi∣losophy, was a Traueller also, and followed the warres by Land and Sea. Xenophon his Scholler, was both in Arts, and Armes, and Trauells famous, and hath left Monument▪ thereof written by himselfe. His Voyage to Delphos, and thence to Cyrus, and after his Persian iourney to Agesi∣laus King of Sparta, and with him against the Thebans, and after that to Helis and Corinth, are recorded by Laertius. In his daies Ctesias a Traueller and Historian liued, which writ the Persian, Assyrian and Indian Stories, but often trauells from truth.

Aristippus was a Cyrenian by birth, by studies an Athenian, as were many others of his Coun∣trymen, [ 20] by base flattery a trencher-worme to Dionysius the Sicilian Tyrant. Ptolemeus an Ae∣thiopian was his Scholler, and Antipater a Cyrenean. Epitemedes, Paraebates, Hegesias, Anniceris were also Cyrenaikes, holding voluptuous opinions, as also Theodorus and another Aristippus, magnifying sensuall pleasures. The Ecclesiastike Histories of Socrates and Sozomen, mention the trauells of Empedocles, which threw himselfe into the Sicilian Crateres, and of Democritus Cous which spent eightie yeeres in trauelling thorow diuers Countries. Meropius also, and Merodorus are mentioned with others. But wee will come to men better knowne: Plato is famous both for Philosophy and Trauelling. Hee trauelled to Euclide at Megara, to Theodorus the Mathema∣tician, into Italy to the Pythagoreans, Philolaus and Eurytus, thence to Egypt to the Priests (and with him Euripides also) and intended to visit the Persian Magi, but was prohibited by the Asian [ 30] warres. Returning to Athens hee set vp the Academie. Thrice hee trauelled in warfare to Ta∣nagra, to Corinth, to Delos. Thrice also hee sayled into Sicilia. First to see it, at which time Dio∣nysius the Tyrant displeased with his free speech, caused him to bee sold in Aegina; but being freed, Dionysius writ to him not to reproach him. Plato answered, Hee had not so much leisure as to thinke on Dionysius. He sailed thither to the younger Dionysius twice. His Disciples were Speusippus the Athenian, Xenocrates of Chalcedon, Aristotle the Stagirite, Dion of Syracuse, A∣myctus of Heraclea, Timolaus of Cyzicus, Heraclides of Pontus, and others of other Countries, his Schoole yeelding a prettie Geographicall Map of Countries. Bion was borne neere Boristhenes, but added honor to his Country by his studies. He was sold for a Slaue, and bought by an Orator which made him his heire: he sold al & went to Athens. After his studies there, he liued at Rhodes. [ 40] Lacydes the chief of the New Academie, was a Cyrenaean. Carneades was also of the same natiō. Clito∣machus was a Carthaginian, & his true name was Asdrubal. He went to Athens, & there bcame the scholler of Carneades & his successor. Menippus was a Phenician by birth, & liued a Cynik at Thebes.

Aristotle was borne the first yeere of the 99. Olympiad: at seuenteene yeers he became Platoes Scholler, and so continued twentie yeeres. After that hee went to Mitylen••, and when Alexan∣der was fifteene yeeres old to King Philip, in the second yeere of the 109. Olympiad, and hauing commended the care of young Alexander to his Cousin Callisthenes, in the second of the 111. re∣turned to Athens, and taught in Lyceo thirteene yeeres, and then went to Chalcis and there died. Calisthenes trauelled with Alexander, till the Persian Conquest had made him swell beyond the measure of a man, and some Greeke Foolosophers (Philosophers I dare not call them; but amongst [ 50] the Muses some haue alway beene Hedge-whores, and the learning of some in all Ages hath lic∣ked the trenchers, and fly-blowed the sores of great men; with the basest of vices, Flattery, kis∣sing the hinder parts, sucking the Emerodes, feeding on their excrements, themselues the ex∣crements of Mankind: but whither hath passion transported mee?) Agis an Argiue, and Cleo a Sicilian, some adde Anaxarchus also, Et caetera vrbium suarum Purgamenta (saith Curtius) would needs open Heauen to Alexander, and preferre him to Hercules, Bacchus, Castor and Pol∣lux: Alexander stood behind the hangings, whiles Cleo made a speech to perswade the Per∣sian Rites, and with them to deifie and incense their Kings. Which being grauely refuted by Callisthenes (for to him especially was the speech directed, that they which went before others in learning, should in this innouation also) that it was not for him and Cleo to make Gods, or for [ 60] the King honor to bee beholden to them for his Diuinitie, which could not giue a King 〈◊〉〈◊〉 on Earth to him, and much lesse Heauen: Alexander concealed his malice, till vpon occasion of tor∣turing some, which had conspired his death, he tortured also euen to death Callisthenes, giuing him that recompence for sauing his life, when hauing slaine Clytus in a drunken rage, hee would haue

added in a sullen and mad penance his owne death, and was by Callisthenes wisedome reclaimed. This was his preparation to the Indian Expedition.

Many other learned men followed Alexander, and writ his story, viz. Marsyas, Pellaeus, Hecataeus Abderita, Aristobulus, Clitarchus, Anaximenes, Onesicritus, Nearchus, Ptolemaeus Lagi after King of Egypt, Antipater another of Alexanders Captaines, and an Historian, Aristus, As∣clepiades; Vossius addes Archelaus, Strattis, Eamenes, Diodorus, whose stories wee haue cited by Arrianus, Strabo, Plutarch, &c. But then the World trauelled of Trauellers of all sorts, learned and vnlearned.

Zeno was a Cyprian, by birth of Phaenician parentage, and at Athens began the Stoike Sect, whi∣ther hee came with Purple out of Phenicia to sell, and suffered shipwracke in the Piraeum, vpon [ 10] which occasion solacing himselfe with a booke, hee followed Crates. Cleanthes was his successor, & after him Sphaerus a Bosphoran, which trauelled also to Alexandria to Ptolemeus Philopater. Hera∣clites the Ephesian was a trauelling Philosopher, of whose acquaintance Darius Histaspis was am∣bitious and writ to him about it. But of all the Philosophers none were more famous, then the first founder of that name Pythagoras, either in trauells with, or for Science. He was borne at Sa∣mos, thence passed to Lesbos, and there heard Pherecydes the Syrian. Returning to Samos, Poly∣crates the famous Minion of Fortune, commended him to Amasis King of Egypt. Hee learned the Egyptian Mysteries and Language, and trauelled thence with Epimenedes into Crete, and after that into Italy to Croton, and there began the Italike Philosophy before mentioned. But who can tell his trauells? Iamblichus his Scholler, saith that Pythogoras learned his Philosophy, partly of the Orphics, partly of the Egyptian Priests, partly of the Chaldees and Magi. Learned Plinie [ 20] saith of him, that to learne Zoroastres his Magia, Pythagoras nauigauit, exilio verius quàm pere∣grinatione suscepta. Hee (doe you beleeue it?) had beene Aethalides the sonne of Mercury, and after that had beene Euphorbus in the warres of Troy, who being dead, his soule passed into Her∣motinus, and trauelled to Branchidae to Apollos Temple, after whose death a new transmigration befell him into Pyrrbus a Delian F••sherman, and at last you haue Pythagoras. It seemeth hee had beene also in India, where the Brachmanes or Bramenes to this day obserue the Rites and Opini∣ons which the Westerne World ascribe to Pythagoras, as not eating of things which haue had life, transmigration of soules, and the like. Histaspis, the Father of Darius the King, is reported to haue trauelled into India and learned their Magike & Philosophy, which the Magi in Persia after [ 30] professed. Philostratus hath written a long Legend of Apollonius Tyanaeus his Pilgrimage to the Brachmanes in India, to Babylon, Aegypt, and Arabia, to Nysa, to Taxilla, to Iarchas the principall Indian Brachmane, to his Aegyptian and Aethiopian Gymnosophists, &c. But incredulus odi. I reckon him an Hospitall beggar, with whom I will haue nothing to doe. Pyrrho an Athenian Philosopher Scholler of Anaxarchus, is said to haue trauelled both to the Persian Magi, and In∣dian Gymnosophists, and learned of them that hee could learne nothing, nay learned not so much, but doubted of that also. India also yeelded some trauelling Philosophers to the Graecians, of whom the most famous is that Calanus which followed Alexander to Pasargadae, some say to Babylon, and there burned himselfe, an end sutable to his seuere profession beyond the Stoikes austeritie. An Epistle of his is registred at large by Saint Ambrose. Archimedes also trauelled into [ 40] Egypt and left famous Monuments of his Art in many parts of the World. But wee haue beene too long in trauell of this argument. More are wee beholden to the trauells of Historians, such as Herodotus, Megasthenes, Diodorus Siculus, Strabo, Polybius, and many others which trauelled into Italy, Egypt, Aethiopia, Greece, Asia, and diuers parts of the World, that they might giue the World vnto posteritie. Herein also they deserue mention, which then were counted fablers, as Pythias Massiliensis, whom Strabo and others reiect: yet his reports of short nights, &c. are now knowne truths. Some haue written of trauelling and sailing by the Coasts, as Arrianus his Cir∣cumnauigation of the Red or Indian Sea, and of the Blacke or Euxine Sea; the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 & 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 of Marcianus Heracleotes, published in Greeke by Dauid Hoeschelius, rare Iewells for knowledge of antient Geography, but not so fitting our common Reader. The like wee may say [ 50] of Scyllax Caryandensis, mentioned by Herodotus, Artemidorus the Ephesian, Dicearchus Mesenius, Isidorus, Conracaenus. The Learned know where to read them: the Vulgar would not regard them if they were here; Time hauing deuoured the very names by them mentioned, and not the Cities and Ports alone. Yet for a taste wee will giue you a Voyage of two of the Antients. And first that of Hanno.

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Notes

• Least Trauel∣lers may be greatest Wri∣ters. Euen I which haue writtē so much of trauellers & trauells, neuer trauelled 200. miles from Thaxted in Es∣sex, where I was borne: herein like a whet∣••••one, which being blunt causeth sharpnesse; or a Candlestick holding many Candles, without which it selfe is vnseene in the darke; and as the Compasse is of little compasse and motion, yet teacheth to compasse the World; or as the Pole-star is lest moued of all, & most of all mouing & guiding the Traueller. Enuy not a marginall roome to him, who hath vied Volumes so spacious to thee; in which, how little is the trauell of the greatest Traueller; or how could a great Traueller haue trauelled of so much.
• Laer. l. 2.
• Xenophon.
• Aristippus.
• Plato. Laert. l. 3.
• Euripide••▪
• Bion.
• Lacydes. Carneades. Clitomachus▪ Menippus.
• Aristotle.
• Calisthen••••▪
• So the Bar∣ber of Le••is the Eleuenth. Arrian. l. 4. Q. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Plut. Alex.
• Laert. l. 7.
• L. 1.8.
• Pythagoras.
• Plin. l. 30. c. 1. Iambl. pag. 39.
• Strab. lib. 15. Curt. 10. Fr. Elian. &c. Amb. Ep. 7. Diod. Sic. l. 4. c. 9 See Vossius of Polybius, & Py∣thias. De hist. graec.

  Herod. l. 4. Scyllax sent by the Persian to discouer the Graecian Coast, before that fa∣mous inuasion.