Third edition of this history of religious belief first published in 1613 and dedicated to the Archbishop of Canterbury. Since 1604 Purchas had been vicar of a small village near Leigh-on-Sea, then a great centre of shipping. Although he never travelled far from home, he was assiduous in collecting tales of travel, in many cases from the very men who carried them out. He also depended to a great extent on Hakluyt’s published works for his Pilgrimage, and later worked with him and used his unedited papers in Hakluytus Posthumus or Purchas his Pilgrimes, his best-known work. The Pilgrimage contains miscellaneous information on the ancient and medieval Near East, that is, on the history of the Medes, Persians, Jews and Ottomans.
Pvrchas his Pilgrimage, Or Relations Of The World And The Religions Observed In Al [sic]Ages And Places discouered, from the Creation vnto this Present. Jn Fovre Parts. This First Contayneth A Theologicall And Geographicall Historie of Asia, Africa, and America, with the Ilands adiacent. Declaring the ancient Religions before the Flovd, the Heathenish, Jewish, and Saracenicall in all Ages since, in those parts professed, with their seuerall Opinions, Idols, Oracles, Temples, Priests ... With briefe descriptions of the Countries, Nations, States, Discoueries; Priuate and publike Customes, and the most remarkable rarities of Natvre, or Humane industrie, in the same. The third Edition, much enlarged with Additions through the whole Worke; By Samvel Pvrchas, Parson of St. Martins by Ludgate London ... London, Printed by William Stansby for Henry Fetherstone, and are to be sold at his shop in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Rose. 1617.