Charles Cotton's copy
Purchas his pilgrimage. Or relations of the world and the religions observed in all ages and places… a theologicall and geographicall historie of Asia, Africa, and America, with the lands adjacent ... The fourth edition, much enlarged with additions, and illustrated with mappes though the whole worke, and three whole treatises annexed, one of Russia and other northeasterne regions
London: printed by William Stansby for Henry Fetherstone, 1626. Folio, pp. [42], 1047 (i.e. 1051), [1], [35]; 23 engraved maps in the text; one inserted double-p. map of China; one other engraving in the text; sectional title pages for Two Relations, one of the northeasterne parts, extracted out of Sir Ierome Horsey (p. 969); and, The Saracentical historie ... written in Arabike by George Elmacin ... and translated into Latine by Thomas Erpenius (p. 1009); title within ruled margin, headlines within double rule, side notes in outer margins; line count in inner margins, woodcut head- and tail-pieces, woodcut initials; last leaf torn in the fore-margin with large piece missing but not touching any letterpress; joints cracked, cords holding; old calf-backed boards, rubbed, worn, and peeling, but sound. Enclosed in a new clamshell box. Several early ownership signatures on title-page, and the signature on 4T8 of Charles Cotton (1630-1687), English poet, translator of Montaigne, author of The Compleat Gamester and collaborator with Isaac Walton on The Compleat Angler. The second, and more common issue of the fourth edition, and the first illustrated edition, termed "the best edition" by Church, was the last printed in Purchas' lifetime. It was published at the suggestion of King James I and the request of King Charles I to accompany the first edition of the author's Pilgrimes published in 1625. Most of the maps here in the fourth edition are taken from Hondius; the folded map of China may have been engraved by Elstracke. All were repeated in Pilgrimes. Books 8 and 9 relate to America (pp. 791-967). Sabin 66678; STC 20505; Church, 401A; Lowndes, IV, 2011. Item #33663
Price: $15,000.00
