Purchas His Pilgrimage. Or Relations of the World and the Religions Observed in All Ages and Places Discovered, from the Creation Unto This Present. In Foure Parts. This First Containeth a Theologicall and Geographical Historie of Asia, Africa, and America, with the Islands Adiacent. Declaring the Ancient Religions Before the Floud... With Briefe Descriptions of the Countries, Nations, States, Discoveries; Private and Publike Customes, and the Most Remarkable Rarities of Nature, or Humane Industrie, in the Same.

London: William Stansby for Henrie Featherstone, 1613

FIRST EDITION, folio (292 x 184mm.), Contemporary Calf with gilt Arabesque Centrepieces, spine with small gilt stamp in each compartment, minor repair to spine caps and hinges, repaired tear to title page.

THE MOST IMPORTANT COLLECTION OF VOYAGES AND TRAVELS IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

His chapters on America include “Of the New World and Why it is Named America,” “Of the first Knowledge, Habitation and Discoveries of the New World” and “Of the Religion and Rites of the Virginians,” and he offers extraordinary descriptions of Native Americans.

Purchas “drew on the notes of hundreds of classical and contemporary travellers to compile this valuable collection. Though some accounts are clearly fantastical and inaccurate, taken as a whole they contain much of value, and are frequently the only sources of information upon important questions affecting the history of exploration” (Britannica).
Thomas Honywood: signature on free end-paper and title page

STC 20505; ESTC S121937; Sabin 66678