Thomas Coryat
1145758
222723542
2008-06-30T20:12:40Z
82.26.115.99
__NOTOC__
'''Thomas Coryat''' (also '''Coryate''') (c. [[1577]] – [[1617]]) was an [[England|English]] traveller and writer of the late [[Elizabethan]] and early [[Literature in English#Jacobean literature|Jacobean]] age. He is principally remembered for two volumes of writings he left regarding his travels, often on foot, through Europe and parts of Asia. He is often credited with introducing the table [[fork]] to England, with "Furcifer" (Latin: fork-bearer, rascal) becoming one of his nick-names.<ref name=lote>Michael Strachan, "Coryate, Thomas (c. 1577-1617)", in ''Literature of Travel and Exploration: an Encyclopedia'', 2003, Volume 1, pp.285-87</ref> His description of how the Italians shielded themselves from the sun resulted in the word "[[umbrella]]" being introduced into English.<ref name=lote/>
He was born in [[Crewkerne]], [[Somerset]],<ref name="curio">{{cite book |title=Curiosities of Somerset |last=Leete-Hodge |first=Lornie |authorlink= |coauthors= |year=1985 |publisher=Bossiney Books |location=Bodmin |isbn=0906456983 |pages=96 }}</ref> and lived most of his life in the Somerset village of Odcombe. He educated at [[Winchester College]] and [[Exeter College, Oxford|Gloucester Hall, Oxford]], and later was employed by [[Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales|Prince Henry]], eldest son of [[James I of England|James I]] as a sort of "court jester". In [[1608]] he undertook a tour of Europe, somewhat less than half of which he walked, and published his memoirs of the events in a volume entitled ''[[Coryat's Crudities|Coryat's Crudities hastily gobbled up in Five Months Travels in France, Italy, &c']]'' (1611). This volume gives a vivid picture of life in Europe during the time; it is particularly important to music historians for giving extraordinary details of the activities of the [[Venetian School]], one of the most famous and progressive contemporary musical movements in Europe, including an elaborate description of the festivities at the church of San Rocco in [[Venice]], with [[polychoral]] and instrumental music by [[Giovanni Gabrieli]], [[Bartolomeo Barbarino]], and others.
Later in 1611 he published a second volume of travel writings, this one entitled ''Coryats Crambe, or his Coleworte twice Sodden.''
Ever restless, he set out once again in [[1612]], this time on a journey that would ultimately lead to Asia, visiting [[Greece]], the eastern [[Mediterranean]] area, [[Persian Empire|Persia]], and eventually [[India]]. From [[Agra]] and elsewhere he sent letters describing his experiences; his ''Greetings from the Court of the Great Mogul'' was published in London in [[1616]], and a similar volume of his letters home appeared in [[1618]]. Coryat died of [[dysentery]] while traveling in [[Surat]] in [[1617]].
Coryat's writings were hugely popular at the time. His accounts of inscriptions, many of which are now lost, were valuable; and his accounts of Italian customs and manners—including the use of the table fork—were influential in England at a time when other aspects of Italian culture, such as the [[madrigal (music)|madrigal]], had already been in vogue for more than twenty years.
Coryat is considered by many to have been the first Briton to do a [[Grand Tour]] of Europe; a practice which became a mainstay of the education of British upper class men in the 18th century.
British travel writer and humourist [[Tim Moore (writer)|Tim Moore]] retraced the steps of Coryate's tour of Europe, as recounted in his book ''Continental Drifter'' (2000).
==Timeline==
Major events in Coryat's life.<ref name=lote/>
*1591-1596 - attended [[Winchester College]].
*1596-1599 - attended Gloucester Hall (now [[Exeter College, Oxford]]).
*1603-1607 - played unofficial 'court jester' for Henry, Prince of Wales, son of James I. Members of Henry's court included Ben Johnson, John Donne and Inigo Jones, among others.
*May-Oct 1608 - traveled through France and Italy to Venice; returned via Switzerland, Germany and Netherlands.
*1611 - published ''Coyates Crudities''.
*1612-1614 - traveled to Constantinople and the Holy Lands.
*1615-1616 - walked through Turkey, Persia, and [[Moghul]] India to Emperor [[Jahangir]]'s court in [[Ajmer]], [[Gujarat]].
*Sept. 1617 - at invention of Sir [[Thomas Roe]], visited imperial court at [[Mandu]], [[Malwa]].
*Nov. 1617 - leaves for [[Surat]] in [[Gujarat]]
*Dec. 1617 - died of [[dysentery]] in Surat.
==Notes==
{{reflist}}
==References and Further Reading==
*Adams, Percy G. ''Travel Literature and the Evolution of the Novel.'' Lexington: UP of Kentucky, 1983. 215-22. ISBN 0-8240-8503-5.
*Moraes, Dom and Sarayu Srivatsa. ''The Long Strider : How Thomas Coryate Walked From England to India in the Year 1613.'' New Delhi: Penguin, 2003. ISBN 0-670-04975-1.
*Penrose, Boies. ''Urbane Travelers: 1591-1635.'' Philadelphia: U of Pennsylvania P, 1942. LCCN 42-019537.
*Pritchard, R.E. ''Odd Tom Coryate: The English Marco Polo.'' Thrupp, Stroud, Gloucestershire: Sutton, 2004. ISBN 0-7509-3416-6.
*Strachen, Michael. ''The Life and Adventures of Thomas Coryate.'' London: Oxford UP, 1962. LCCN 62-052512.
<!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]] -->
{{Persondata
|NAME= Coryat, Thomas
|ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
|SHORT DESCRIPTION=[[England|English]] traveller and writer
|DATE OF BIRTH=c. 1577
|PLACE OF BIRTH=[[Crewkerne]], [[Somerset]], [[England]]
|DATE OF DEATH=1617
|PLACE OF DEATH=[[Surat]], [[India]]
}}
[[Category:1570s births|Coryat]]
[[Category:1617 deaths|Coryat]]
[[Category:People from Somerset|Coryat]]
[[Category:English travel writers|Coryat]]
[[Category:Old Wykehamists|Coryat]]
[[Category:Deaths from dysentery|Coryat]]
[[Category:Alumni of Exeter College, Oxford|Coryat]]
[[de:Thomas Coryat]]