Purchas, John, an Anglican divine. noted especial- ly in the department of belles-lettres, was born at Cam- bridge in 1823, received his preparatory training at Rug- by, and then studied at Christ's College, Cambridge, in L840, graduating in 1844. Entering the Church of Eng- land, .Mr. Purchas became curate of Ellsworth, Cam- bridge, in 1851, remaining there two years. In 1856 he was appointed curate ol'< >rwell. in the same county. and remained until 1859. In 1861 he went to St. Paul's, in West Street, Brighton, and soon became notorious for his ritualistic proclivities. He was appointed perpetual curate in St. James's • lhapel, Brighton, becoming incum- bent in 1866. His mode of conducting public worship culminated in his trial in the Court of Arches, the case being subsequently carried by appeal before the judicial committee of the Privy Council. The final result of these trial- was that Mr. 1'urehas was admonished to discontinue the use of certain vestments, lighted candles. incense, wafer bread, and the ceremonies he had prac- tice,! in the regular services. He failed to obey, how- ever, and was in consequence suspended <</< officio on Feb. 7. 1872, a sequestration being levied upon his lay
property to defray the costs of the proceedings. He
contemplated thereafter entering the Roman Catholic Church, imt was probably prevented by his sudden ill- ness and decease in October. INT-.'. Among the works published by him were the Directorium Anglicanum,
which torn,- the texfr-1 k of Anglican ritualism. His
other work- ;,re: Tkt Miser's Daughter, a comedy and poems (1839): Poems and Ballads (1846): Boot of Feasts, a series of sermons (1853): — Th* Death ofEze- /■;./'.< ii //;■;— and Thra Sermons, preached at St. rani's, West Street, Brighton (1866).
PURGATORY
Purchas, Samuel, a learned English divine, and compiler of a valuable collection of travels, was born at Thaxstead. in Essex, in 1577, and educated at Cam- bridge. In 1604 he was instituted vicar of Eastwood, in Essex, bur, leaving the cure of it to his brother, re- moved tn London, the better to carry on the great work he had undertaken. He published the first volume in 1613, and the four last in I625,under this title: Purchas: his Pilgrimagt . or Rt lotions ofth World, "ml th Rt lig- ions observed in All Ages mi' I Places discovi red from the Creation unto this present. In 1615 he was incorporated at < Ixford, as he Btood at < iambridge, bachelor of divin- ity, and a little before bad been collated to the rectory of St. .Martin's. Ludgate, in London. He was also chap- lain to Abbott, archbishop of Canterbury. By the pub- lishing of his books he brought himself into debt : how- ever, he did not die in prison, as some have asserted, bul in his own house, ami about 1628. His Pilgrimages, and the learned Hackluyt's Voyages, led the way to all other collections of that kind, and have been justly valued and esteemed, lloissaru says of Purchas that he was "a man exquisitely skilled in languages and all arts divine and human; averygreat philosopher, historian, and divine: a faithful presbyter of the Church of England; very famous for many excellent writings, and (specially for his vast volumes of the East and West Indies, written in his native tongue" (in Biblioth. Joannis Boissardi). See Wood, Athena Oxonienses; llallam. Lit. Hist, of Earqpe,iii,227; Allibone,Dtcf. Brit. and Amer.Auth.s.v.
Purdman, in Indian mythology, is an embodiment of Kamadewa. in which he was born as son of Krishna and Rukmani. The gigantic demon Samber caused him to be cast into the sea: he was swallowed by a fish, but the fish being caught, the child was saved and brought back to his parents. — Vollmer, Worterb. </. My- tkol. s. V.
Purgation, a clearing of an accused person from impeachment by oath of himself and others: this, in 090, was done at the altar. The number of witnesses, or consacrameutals, varied ; the common man had four. In Wales three hundred were required; and in 1194 the bishop of Ely purged himself with one hundred priests' hands. The practice was general among the Teutonic nations; in England it was called the iil/m. If the offence was alleged to have been committed in Lent or on a festival, a triple purgation was enjoined in bus. See Ordeal.
Purgatory (L&t.purgatorium,{i , urgo,\ cleanse)
is the name given in ecclesiastical language to the place of durance which the Church of Pome and the Eastern Church teach holds the departed souls until fitted for the divine presence. According to the teachings of these churches, the Protestant is wrong in declaring thai Christ brings a full and perfect pardon for all the sins of man. Before man can lie received into heaven, his soul must be purged by lire from all carnal impuri- ties. Christ only affords a way whereby eternal pun- ishment may be escaped, and though contrition (q. V.) secures forgiveness ol sins, the ordinarj ■ icperii nces of penitence, attrition, must be supplemented bj penance. In other words, it is necessary, according to Romish theology, to complete salvation and purification, that the soni should Buffer a part of the penalty of its sins; and if these are not voluntarily borne in penances in this life, they will be inflicted in purgatory ill the life
to ci .except when special suffering, inflicted by I>i-
% iii. Providence, serves the same purifying purpose.