competent amends and their Merchandize being altogether gross cannot give them therefore the attribute of Eminent Merchants CHAP. CCXXXIV Of Hungary and the principal Cities thereof Hungary and the Cities thereof HUngary is bounded on the East with Transilvania and Valachia on the West with Austria on the North with Poland on the South with Sclavonia c. This Kingdom now stands divided between the Grand Seignior and the Hungarians Buda the Great Turk enjoys Buda seated on Danubius once the Metropolis of this Kingdom and Court of the Kings also Guilia Pest Alba Regalis called by them Wesenberg next quinque Ecclesiae Rab and others of lesser note In the Hungarians possessions are these principal Cities Presberg Presberg the present Metropolis of this Country 2. Strigonium 3. Agraria 4. Comara in an Island of that name 5. Tertax 6. Cimista 7. Segith before which Solyman the Great Turk ended his days and some others of lesser consequence Commodities of Hungary This Country doth much abound in Cattel sufficient to feed all Germany the Store is so great that they yearly sell to their Neighbours 80 or 100 Thousand Oxen they have also some Copper and Tin some quantity of Corn Honey Wax and such like Commodities and from hence to Constantinople I have seen Hides Butter and Cheese that in great abundance have come out of these parts through the Black-Sea Further matter of Trade hath not remarkably faln into my hands therefore for the current Coins of this Country with their Weights and Measures in use I must refer to the better experienced and hence travel to Dacia and the rest of those Provinces comprehended within that circuit CHAP. CCXXXV Of Dacia and the Provinces and Cities thereof Dacia and the Cities thereof DAcia is bounded on the East with the Euxine on the West with Hungary on the North with the Carpathian Mountains on the South with Hemus dividing it from Greece The Rivers that inrich this Country are Danubius 2 Alata 3. Salvata 4. Cockle 5. Morâ—… and some others Commodities of Dacia The Commodities that this Country affordeth for Merchandize is Butter Cheese Honey Wax Hides Oxen Tallow and Warlike Horses of great worth The Provinces are these and are all under the command of the Grand Seignior Transilvania 1. Transilvania the chief Towns thereof are 1 Wisenberg 2. Clasenberg 3. Bristitia 4. Fogarâ—… and others and now in possession of Bethlem Gabar the Vaivode thereof Moldavia 2. Moldavia is the next the chief Cities are Saccania the second is Falsing 3. Kilim 4. Chermon c. under a Vavoide who is Tributary to the Great Turk Valachia 3. Valachia is the third Province the principal Towns whereof are 1. Salnium 2. Pracklabs 3. Tergovista the Vavoides Seat who is Tributary to the Turk This Country abounds in Mines of Gold Silver Salt-pits Wines Cattle and Brimstone and esteemed the richest of these Provinces Servia 4. Servia is the fourth and hath these Cities 1. Stoneburg the Seat of the Despot Tributary to the Turk 2. Samandria 3. Belgrade a famous Town which cost the Great Turk much Blood and Money the getting and was accounted before the Bulwark of Christendom on this side Rasia 5. Rasia is the fifth the chief City is Bodin a famous Mart. Bulgaria Bulgaria is the next wherein is found Sophia the Seat of the Beglerbeg of Greece who hath under him 21 Sansacks Next is Nicopolis and some others of lesser note Bosna Bosna is the last Province wherein is Casachium and Jasiga the residence of their former Despots All which afford not further matter of Trade for where the Great Turk once commandeth Traffick is accounted very rare and is seldom found of import and being ignorant in that little there is I am constrained to omit it CHAP. CCXXXVI Of Sclavonia and the Provinces and Cities thereof Sclavionia SClavonia hath on the East the River of Drinus and a line drawn from thence to the Sea on the VVest part of Italy on the North Hungary and on the South the Adriatick Sea Commodities The Commodities that this Country doth afford for Merchandize are Horses for Service Cattel Oxon Hides Tallow Butter and Cheese and hath some Mines of Silver and Gold now in the Great Turk's possession The Provinces and Cities of note in Sclavonia are these Illyria Illyria now by the Turks called Windismark hath in it Zatha seated upon Danâ—… 2 Zackaoes 3. Windisgreets and others Dalmatia Dalmatia is the second Province the chief City is Ragusa situated on the Adriatick Sea formerly a Town of great Traffick and Riches and now tributary to the Turk next is Sciâ—… 3. Zara both seated on the Sea-shore and subject to the Venetians 4. Spalatta a Sea-Town from whence to Venice that State keepeth many Gallies for transportation of Merchant Goods and by reason of an unreasonable Fraight by them taken they stand to the hazard and adventures thereof which they did to their Cost in Anno 1619. my self being in Nayle when as the Duke d' Ossuna then Vice-King took two of these their Galley grosses laden with a rich Booty as was reported to the import of 300000 Crowns which the State of Venice were enforced to make good principally to Merchants Turks of Constantinople to whom the greatest part thereof did at that time appertain and who are found at this day to be the greatest Traders this way The next Town is Scodra famous for the Resistance it made against the Turks and last Lissa famous here for the Sepulchre of Scanderbeg whose Bones were digged up and worn by the Turks at the taking of this City as conceiving them to be of excellent Vertue to make them partake of his good Fortunes This Province being now divided between the Venetians and the Turk Croatia Croatia is the next the chief Towns are Cardisca seated on the River Savus 2. Brumon 3. Nivograde 4. Sisgith and lastly Petrovia this Country is now subject in part to the Venetians and in part to the Austrians of the Trade of the most principal of this in brief and first of Ragusa and Spallatta CHAP. CCXXXVII Of Rhagusa and Spallatta and the Trade thereof THE Trade of Sclavonia is at this day but of small Account and little to our Mation the two Cities of Spalatta and Rhagusa seated therein merit the principal consideration Rhagusa and the Trade thereof Rhagusa then formerly called Epidaurus being situated on the Adriatick Sea a Common-wealth of great Traffick and Riches was in times past of far greater Fame and Name both in Trade and Navigation than now it is for from hence was the Original of those great Ships here built and in old times famous as then vulgarly called Argoses properly * Rhaguses Rhaguses the last which they were noted to have they lent Philip the Second King of Spain in 1588 to invade England and hath her burial in our British Seas and may
but few Cities fortified either by Walls or Bulwarks save some principal places Frontiers or such like It hath many goodly modern Buildings Canes and amongst the rest many Canes for Merchants Strangers to abide Canes Besesternes and Besesternes for them to make sales of their Commodities in it hath also many goodly Mosques or Turkish Churches and that anciently of Santa Sophia converted to their irreligious Devotion is not the least though only the now standing Chancel of the first Building near which is the Grand Seignior's Place in the very point of the Angle incompassed for three-Miles in Circuit with a high Wall and fortified with many hundred pieces of Ordnance This City is the common Mart of all Commodities of this Empire receiving and distributing what either comes or goes the Merchants of London about 1586 here began to have some Trade and break the Ice by their Land-Travel hither through Hungary afterwards it was settled by the benefit of the Sea and the first English Ship that came hither was about 1585 with an Embassadour to reside who obtained here such favour by the recommendation of Queen Elizabeth that her Subjects in their Treaty and Capitulations had many Immunities and Privileges granted them and amongst the rest a Toleration of their Religion freedom to their Persons and Estates and that their Customs should only be three in the hundred out and three in whereas all other Christians there Resident paid 5 per cent Since which time the English have here driven a great Trade under Protection of divers Embassadours that have here resided which have had their Election Salary and Maintenance from a society of Merchants Incorporated in England under the Great Seal first by the said Queen Elizabeth and confirmed afterward with new Privileges by our deceased Soveraign King James and lastly by our present King Charles under the Title of Merchants of England trading to the Levant Seas wherein was at first comprehended the Eastern-Indies the Dominions of the great Turk and also the Seigniory of Venice this Company deriving their Original from the Company of Barbary Merchants which about this time by reason of the Civil-Wars of Morocco and Fesse began to decay and within a short time came to nothing and who afterward searching more advisedly into the Trade of these Eastern-Countries this Company settled a Consul in Aleppo and a Vice-Consul in Tripoly the then principal Seat of Syria with the Titles of Syria and Cyprus also they placed another Consul in Chios intitled of Scio Smyrna and the Arches as another Consul since in Argier and another in Tunis and the last in Petras in Morea strengthned with command from the Port and Durane of the Grand Seignior not only for their peaceable living but also for the quiet enjoying of these Privileges granted unto them as above is said Commodities found in Constantinople The Commodities that this place at first affordeth to our Nation and which hence in those days were brought into England were Grograms Camlet Mohair Persia Silk Gold in great quantity Carpets Anniseeds Cottons Galls some Pepper Indico and other Spices which now by the benefit of our East-India Trade we send thither in far greater abundance than ever we had them thence and those are yet the common Staple Commodities of this Country Commodities sent from England to Constantinople The Commodities which at first this Company did send to Constantinople were Lead Tin and principally a sort of blue Kersies called Hampshire and Stoplist and some few Cloths of Suffolk Furs of Martins Coney Fitches Sables and such and now those Kersies are altogether out of use and converted into Cloths of Suffolk Gloucesters Coventries and the like which they send in colours died and drest to the number of eight or ten thousand Cloths yearly and now we also supply their Markets with Indico Pepper Cloves Moces Nutmegs Ginger Calicoes and other East-India Commodities Accompts in Constantinople The Merchants here residing keep their Accompts as almost is accustomed over all Turkey in Dollars and Aspers whereof 80 Aspers is accounted a Dollar and though in Merchandise it doth pass at 90 100 or 110 or 115 Aspers as I have known it yet the standard of the Dollar in Accompts alter not of 80 Aspers to a Dollar nor of the 120 Aspers to a Sultany Coins current in Turkey The Coins Current in Constantinople are those proper to the whole Empire which is principally the Sultany in Gold which agrees with the Hungar Venice Checquin and Xeriff of Barbary passing for 120 Aspers and the Dollar of Germany the Rial of ⅜ Spanish passeth for 80 Aspers so that the 1½ Rial of ⅜ is a Sultany of Gold howbeit of late days Silver is found more plentiful and Gold more scarce so that the said Sultany Hungar or Checquin is worth 1½ Dollar and 10 12 or 13 Aspers more or less as the same is demanded and sought after also here are found other Dollars both of Italy and Germany to pass for a considerable value as the Lion Dollar at 75 Aspers and the German Sesetine at 70 Aspers c. and in fine most sort of Current Coins in the World if found good Silver find here a real price in payments of Merchandise Weights in Constantinople The Weights used amongst Merchants are these A Grain is the least 4 makes a Quillat A Dram is 16 Grains of which all the Weights of these Countries are Composed An Yusdrome is 100 Drams and is 1 l. sotile Venice or 72 Mitigales here A Lodero is 176 Drams about 132 l. Averdupois 19½ Ounces An Oak is 400 Drams which is near 2 l. 12 Ounces or 10 Ounces Loderos 100 is accounted to be 42 Oaks and called a Quintar which Quintar is accounted to be 118 in 120 l. suttle English A Batman is 6 Oaks which is 2400 Drams or 16⅓ l. English By which weight Silk is here bought making 10 great l. ⅔ Ounces per Batman Batman 7 and Oaks 2 makes a Quintal which is 120 l. English Loders 13 and Drams 112 makes a Batman all Silk is sold by the Batman and yet weighed by the Lodero so also is Grogram Yarn and other Commonities sold by the Oak yet weighed by the Lodero To bring Loderos into Oaks To bring therefore Loderos into Oaks do thus posite you have 14 Loders and would know how many Oaks it produceth First multiply your 14 Loderos by 44 which produceth 616 then cut off the two last Figures for the C. will remain 6 which is Oaks then multiplying the 16 you cut off by 4 and it makes 64 which is Drams and so your 14 Loders is 6 Oaks 64 Drams And so do of any other Sum given Drams 720 are accounted Rotolos of Silk and other Commodities in Aleppo according to the Custom in sale of that Commodity which is to be noted 700 680 And this Dram is 16 Killats A Mitigal is 1½ Drams which is 24 Killats
or thereabouts a little more or less sold by the Quintal or Hundred weight price ordinarily thirty two thirty and twenty eight Rials per Quintal It is transported by Ships that do come to buy it to Bilboa when we had peace with Spain the refuse Fish and Maycrils go to the Western and Caribbe Islands here is a beginning to make Barrel Cod and Corr-fish for France Fraight ordinarily three pounds from London back three pounds ten shillings and some Goods four pounds per Tun and 3 l. to 3 l. 10 s. to Barbado's and Western Islands little or no Inland carriage Here is no discouragement given to any Foreiner to hinder Trade but may freely come and behaving themselves civilly and have as free liberty to sell and buy as any Inhabitant the more is the pity I think Here is no Office of Assurance nor scarce any that mâ—ke any private Contract in that respect What is that way done is done in England by advice Bank here is none neither are here men capable of it but were here those of ability and understood it and resolved upon it it would draw all the profit of those poor parts into it Maryland an English Colony upon the main Continent of America beginning at the Degree of 38 and ending in the Degree 40 Northerly Latitude bounded on Virginia on the South New-England on the North the great Ocean on the East and the Meridian-line of the first Fountain of the great River of Pattowmeck on the West begun to be planted in the year 1633. The Religion is Christian and a Law established there for Liberty of Conscience to all that profess to believe in Jesus Christ The Countrey is under the right Honourable Caecilius Lord Baltemore as the absolute Lord and proprietor of it with all the Jurisdictions anciently belonging to the Count Palatine of Durham which Lord Baltemore holds it to him and his heirs of the Crown of England as of the Castle of Windsor in free Soccage by the yearly rent of two Indian arrows to be delivered at the said Castle on Easter Tuesday The place abounds with great Navigable Rivers as Pattowmeck Pattuxent Anne Arundel by some called Severn Patapsco River Bolus Sasquehannough River Elk River Choptanck Nantacoke or Bever River Pokemoke and divers others in which are multitudes of convenient Ports capable of great numbers of Ships of any burthen There is little Money by reason Barter for Commodity is more profitable to the Merchant and Inhabitant But generally all the dealing with the English one with another is with Tobacco upon Accompt till the Crop They use generally the Weights and Measures of England and without any Tret The Commodities of the Country for Trade to be Exported are generally Tobacco and Beaver Otter Martin and several other Furs purchased from the Indians but they are projucting to fall upon the making of Silk and the Country naturally yields store of Mulberry-Trees to that end and generally it hath all the Commodities that Virginia affords There are nine or ten Ships laden there yearly with Tobacco's for Europe Custom there is none nor any Tax upon Commodities paid by the Subjects of England The abuses and defects are if the Tobacco's be packed up too dry or too wet or not close pack'd or that with good leaves be mixt ground-leaves or suckers The way to discover them is by knowledge of what is good and sound Tobacco and good packing a Hogs-head well packed will hold 400 weight or thereabouts or not less than 300. Of Forein Commodities the place vents whatsoever is needful for Clothing or Houshold-stuff Nails and other Iron-ware for building Wine and Hot-waters for the use of the English the quantities such as may be guessed at for the accommodation respectively of about four or five thousand Planters And for the use of the Indians a certain shagged course Dutch Cloth called Duffeilds or an English Cloth called Hogbays the colours of both which most vendible and in most esteem with the Indians are bright red and dark blue Shipping pertaining to the Inhabitants there is none but small Vessels trading to and fro to Virginia or sometimes to New-England There is no Prohibition of any Commodities to be Exported or Imported and the Trade of the Plantation is free to all Subjects of England and those only New-Netherland There is a Dutch Plantation in the Latitude of 41 Degrees in a River called by the English Hudson's River by the Indians called Monahaton and by the Dutch who have intruded into that place being within the New-England Patent called New-Netherland they have in this place divers Towns New-Amsterdam their chief Town Grave-Saint Flushing and Middleborrough also Fort-Orania situate 40 miles up Hudson's River Their Religion is like the Religion in Old-Amsterdam in Holland Their Government subjected to the Holland West-India Company They have usurped there a great Trade of Bever from the English Nation notwithstanding the late King Charles in the year 1631. did declare to the States of Holland his discontents for such Intrusion whereupon the States of Holland did disclaim the owning or countenancing of that Plantation imputing it to the particular Acts of some private Merchants and so left them to their own Protection and to be ejected at the King's Pleasure They have also lately thrust the English out of a Plantation in Delaware Bay called New-Haven where they were seated within the bounds of Maryland about the Degree of 40 North Latitude The Trade there with the Indians is like that of New-Amsterdam and Fort-Orania for Bever-skins And in all their said Plantations they seize the English and their Goods if they take them Trading with the Indians for Bever-skins or other Furs The yearly Trade that these Dutch hold with the Natives is at the least 60000 Bever-skins and as many more of Otter and Elk-skins besides Bear and Dear-skins They Barter with the Natives for these Commodities Axes Hoes and a shagged course Cloth called Duffeilds the colours of the Cloth most esteemed by the Indians are bright red and dark blue but the chief Commodity by which the Dutch engross and draw the said Trade from the neighbouring English Plantations is Guns Powder Shot and Rapier-blades which Instruments of War have been twice fatal to themselves by two Massacres committed by the Indians upon them with the help of those weapons to the destruction of half their people at each time And hath been also dangerous to the adjoyning Plantations of Maryland Virgania and New-England There are good Navigable Ports at New-Amsterdam and New-Haven and no worm to eat the Ships Though they permit none of the English Nation to Trade with the Indians yet they permit them to Trade with themselves exacting a great Custom at pleasure for all Goods Imported and Exported as a Recognition enforced from all Merchants to their West-India Company and is never less than 15 in the Hundred The most vendible Commodities to be brought them are Guns Powder and Shot the
abovementioned shagged Cloth called Duffeilds and Brandy-wine Linnen Cloth Shoes Stockings and other necessaries for Clothing Their policy is to prohibit the Importation of Guns Powder and Shot so that all Foreiners are to beware how they come there with that Commodity for the Stranger shall be sure to have it seized without some close contrivance in the landing of it but once landed and on the shore they are sold there in their common Shops There are in New-Amsterdam 1000 people and amongst all their other Towns about 1000 more men women and children by which it may be estimated what quantity of Clothing may be vended there Corterialis 7. The seventh is Terra Corterialis on the South whereof runs that famous River of Caneda rising out of the Hill Hombuedo running nine hundred miles and found navigable for eight hundred thereof this Countrey was discovered by Gaspar Corterialis a Portugal in Anno 1500. and affords only some rich Skins and Furrs for Commodities and Merchandize The chief Town thereof is Brest Cabomarso and others of little note Nurembega 8. The eighth is Nurembega and the chief Town carrieth that name in possession of the French other things remarkable I find not observable therein Nova Francia 9. The ninth is Nova Francia discovered by Jaques Cartier a French-man in Anno 1534. inhabited besides the Natives with some few French-men The chief Towns are Canada and next Sanguinai seated both upon two Rivers so called affording only some Skins and Furrs especially Bevers which thence by the French are transported into Europe Estotiland 10. The last and tenth is Estotiland called by us New-found land by the English discovered in Anno 1527. who imposed the names upon the Capes and Rivers which now they hold where some have gone to plant but the cold hath been found to be too extream for the English constitution Fishing in the Newfoundland but in the Summer season the Seas here are found to abound with Fish in such abundance that a man may take in an hour's space a hundred great Fishes which being opened salted and dryed upon the Rocks and Braches are hence transported to all parts of Europe and known in England by the name of New-land-fish in French by the name of Morleux in Italy Bacalio and in Spain Abadeses five hundred Sail great and small do from England yearly sail to this Coast and to a place called the Bank a sand of 15 in 20 fathom deep thirty leagues off of this Coast and these depart from our Coast about the end of February and arriving there about the middle of April unrigge their Ships set up Booths and Cabanets on the shore in divers Creeks and Harbours and there with fishing Provisions and Salt begin their fishing in Shallops and Boats continue it till September and at this time do not only catch as many Fish as will lade their Ships but also as many as will lade Vessels of great burthens that in the Summer come hither from England and other parts to buy up the same and purposely to transport it for Spain Italy and other Countreys and this fishing ended and the cold beginning they leave their Stations and Booths and repairing aboard their Ships lade their Fish and rigging their Vessels return to their native homes where these Fishermen winter and then become Husbandmen so that their lives may be compared to the Otter which is spent half on Land and half in Sea This Fishing is found to be wonderful beneficial to our Western parts of England whose Inhabitants considing upon the constancy of the yearly fishing upon this Coast it is usual with them to sell the said Fish either by tale or the hundred weight in England by Contract before they either depart their homes or before the said Fish be caught at profitable rates and when their Summer is once spent and that the cold once approacheth and that the Fish begin to leave the Coast they return contented to their Families where oftentimes in Winter they merrily spend what thus in Summer they have painfully fished for Other notes of Trading worthy observation at my there-being in my younger days I observed not The Weights and Coins of England passing there current among the English and the price of Fish once generally cut at their fishing Stales doth afterward in lieu of Coin by way of Commutation all that year pass current for all needful Commodities and is esteemed as a valuable consideration amongst them from one man to another And thus much for the Provinces and Cities of Mexicana CHAP. XIII Of Peruana and the Provinces thereof Peruana and the Provinces thereof PERUANA contains the Southern part of America and is tied to Mexicana by the Streight of Darien being ten miles broad some hold the Spaniards did once intend to cut this Streight through and make it navigable and thereby shorten the way to the South Sea China Moluccos but hitherto we hear not that the same is any way attempted this Part doth comprehend by the computation of the Spaniards whose relation in this vast Country I must follow five distinct Provinces 1 Castella Aurea 2 Guiana 3 Peru. 4 Brasilia 5 Chile of each briefly Castella Aurea Castella Aurea is the first and was so termed by the Spaniards at its discovery for the abundance of Gold found therein besides which it is admirably stored with Silver Spices and some Drugs it is divided into four Provinces which are first Castella del Oro situated in the very Isthmus and is not populous by reason of unhealthfulness of the Air proceeding from the many standing Pools found therein the chief Cities are Nombre de Dios Porta Bella. and now Porta Bella the chief Port at which the Fleet unlade on the East and Panama on the West-side thereof both built by Didacus Niquesa the Discoverer which since for their unhealthful situation were removed by the King of Spain's Command by Petro Aria then Viceroy through which two Towns cometh all the rich Traffique that is betwixt Spain and Peru Panama for whatsoever Commodity comes out of Peru is unladen at Panama carried by Land to Porta Bella and thence shipped for Spain and what Commodity cometh from Spain is landed at Porta Bella and is carried by land to Panama and so laden for Peru. The Islands of Cape Verd. They are so called being situated against Cape Verd in the Land of Negroes and are 10 in number viz. 1. St. Antonio 2. St. Vincent 3. The Isle of Salt 4. Boa vesta 5. Maio 6. J. D. Fogo so named from the frequent flashing of fire 7. St. Lucia 8. St. Nicholas 9 Brane 10. St. Jago they were discovered in the year 1440. by a Genoese for the Portugals lying all between 13 and 18 Degrees North-Latitude and about the first Degree of Longitude at present only three of them inhabited by the Portugals and they but of little concernment to our business of Trade St. Jago being the most
s. Concerning Accompts they are kept in Muscovado Sugar according to which all the other Countrey Commodities are regulated Concerning Interest ten in the Hundred is accounted reasonable but no Law being made they take from 10 to 30 per cent and some more Concerning Weights and Measures they are according to the Standard of England and only differ in that they buy and sell by the single 100 l. instead of the 112. And the measure for all sorts of Commodities Linnen and Woollen is the Yard only in Salt they allow 84 pound to the Bushel and for all sorts of Grain 56 pound to the Bushel The growth of this Island and parts adjacent as for Trade is Sugar Ginger Indico Cotton-Wooll also Tobacco Logwood Fustick and Lignum vitae but of these four last no quantity now to be had here but in the Leeward Islands greater store For the first four every one makes as they please that is to say few so good as they might especially if intended to pay away here being no Law of compulsion in the case In some places of this Island Sugars will require five weeks to Cure in and in other places near the Sea three weeks the soonest but some will make payment of it in three or four days Curing c. which if refused by the Merchant he may stay one year's time the longer besides the Charges of a Sute in Law e're he get it This cannot well be remedied because the Laws are made by Freeholders which are Planters no Merchant being capable of being chose into the Assembly unless he have to Acres of Land c. The first four mentioned Commodities receive prejudice in their product by abundance of Rain or Drought when more than usual happen in their proper Seasons Also violent winds lodge the Sugar-Canes whereby the quantity is lessened and the goodness abated The chief season for Exportation is from January to September or October when comes in the wet season that makes the ways not Cartable c. and usually puts an end both of making and transporting Wines of all sorts are here imported and vended but of French and Portugal the greatest quantities viz. of Madera Wines come in about 1300 Tuns yearly of Spanish about 300 Tuns and of French Wines about 700 Tuns per annum besides Brandies and English Spirits but of these now few quantities Imported by reason of the general use and virtue of the Spirit of Sugar-Canes called Rum which by the meaner fort as servants and slaves is not only drunk in great abundance but also much thereof is hence transported to Virginia Barmudos and new-New-England c. Salted Meats as Beef Pork Fish c. from Ireland New-England Virginia Barmudos New-found-Land c. Also Pease Flower Butter Cheese and Bisquet Likewise Timber Board Pipe and Hogshead Staves c. Also Negro-slaves from Guinny and live Cattel as Bulls Cows Astenegoes and Horses from the Cape de Verde Islands New-England c. And from England Servants and all other Commodities fit for Plantations and for Apparel c. of all which great quantities are hither brought and sold Concerning Drapery that is here chiefly in use and vendible which is in England and althô by reason of a constant temperate warmth Stuffs in great quantities are made use of yet sine Broad Cloth is much worn here and in good request And for Linnens c. all sorts are here worn as in England but more especially of the finest Together with Shoes Stockings Hats and all other manner of Apparel is here used as in England Coppers and Stills for boiling of Sugar and making of Rum with all other Necessaries belonging to Plantations to Sugar-works and Windmills as all kind of Iron-work and Brass is here vendible also Fire-stones to set Coppers with and New-Castle Coals for Smiths c. Here is no Excise nor Custom payable on any Commodities imported or exported save only on Liquors as Wines and Brandy Beer and Cider Spanish and Portugal Wines at present pay for Excise 270 pounds of Muscovado Sugar per Tun and French 200 pound Brandy 3 pound of Sugar per Gallon Beer 54 pound per Tun and Cider the like And this Duty is sometimes more and sometimes less and all Ships which come to Trade here pay half a pound of Powder for each Tun entred at Factorage or Factory Provision is 10 per cent 5 per cent for Sails and 5 for Returns together with 3 per cent for Store-house room this is the ordinary rate but some agree to have their business done cheaper No Prohibition for Exportation or Importation of any Commodity only the Governour 's consent is to be asked if any will export Provisions as Corn c. that is the growth of the Island The shipping which comes and trades to this Island belongs generally to England some few small Vessels belong to this place and pass to and fro here and to the Leeward Islands and some belongs to New-England Barmudos c. The number of Vessels which come hither to Trade in one whole year namely in 1660. is found to be 201 Ships of all sorts as Ketches Sloops Barques c. and contain in burthen 15505 Tuns according as they are here entred which is at the least three pound less than their true burthen Great part of which Ships reload for England and many go for New-England Barmudos Virginia Guinny and other places almost empty and with but little of this Country Growth No other fishing then for present spending such fresh fish is taken round the Island of divers sorts great quantities The usual fraight or Rate for Tunnage from hence for London is about 4 and 5 l. per Tun sometimes when Ships are plentiful at 3 l. and when scarce at 6 and 7 l. the Tun. No publick Office of Assurance and seldom any private Contracts Seldom any Exchange from hence to any other place sometimes Sugar is here received and Bills given for England for Money Cracas Cracas lieth 4 Leagues from the Sea-side is pleasantly situated and inhabited by at least 250 Families beautified with a fair Church three Convents two of Friers one of Mersedes the other of Dominicans and one of Conception Nuns an Hospital and a Chappel dedicated to St. Maurice the Town accommodated with a fresh River whose Original is not above a furlong distant which is divided into two little Rivulets entring the Town and there so subdivided that scarce a house but is supplied with a branch thereof The Inhabitants are some Gentlemen and Merchants but for the most part such as live upon their Cattel or rather upon their Hides and their Plantations of Caquo which of late years are grown very considerable the passage to this place from the Port or Sea-side is very difficult by reason of the many steep Rocks some as high as St. Paul's-Steeple London and narrow passages where but one Horse can go at a time and often in great danger of tumbling from those narrow passages
have gathered is thus It is now the principal Port-Town in these Seas belonging to Prester Jean from whose Court called Dombia it is twenty five days journy by Caravan and the concourse of Merchants is here so great that twenty Caravans are yearly found to set out hence towards several parts of the neighbouring Regions Commodities of Suachen The Commodities they carry are all kind of Indian Clothing and also of our English Commodities as Broad Cloths Kersies Lead and Tin likewise Velvets Damasks Sattins Taffetteas and all other sorts of Silk Stuffs their colours more desired are reds greens violâ—ts murries and other light colours Measures of Suachen Their Measure is called a about half a Yard and Cloth that is worth in Suachen 4 Ryals of 1 â— is there worth 8 Ryals and the price of Kersies is half the price of Broad-cloth Velvets of China are here worth 10 â„ž 8 â— the said measure and Italian Velvets are mach more worth but not so profitable to the Merchants as being much deaâ—er Sattins of Florence are worth 10 8 â— Damasks of the best fort worth from 8 to 10 â„ž 8 â— Taffetta's 3 â„ž 8 â— and all colours well sold excepting yellow and black which are out of use in these Countreys Weights of Suachen Their Weight is the Rotolo which is about 16½ ounces Averdupois the Rotolo is four Wakies and 360 Rotolos make here a weight called a Bahar The Commodities here abounding are these Civet in great quantity and worth a â„ž 8 â— a Waiâ—a Elephants Teeth also plenty worth thirty â„ž â— the Bahar Wax worth 1 â„ž â— the 100 Rotolo's Gold worth 60 â„ž 8 â— the Rotolo Tin worth 1 â„ž â— the Rotolo and Lead much more but the Turk will not suffer any to be brought hither through his Dominions for they hold it a contrabanda Commodity from Grand Caire there goeth always in August a great Caravan for these parts and likewise another in November and the Commodities they earry thence is Broad Cloths Kersies Velvets Satins Damasks and Silks of all sorts and from Cairo to Dombia this way is fifty days travel by Caravan and no more which hence is easily performed Now forasmuch as I find not on the Arabian side of the Red-Sea any other Town of eminence in Trade besides this and that from Cape guarda fue along the Coast I find none other worthy my detention I will hence sail down to the bottom of this Gulf and willingly pass by in silence the famous Port Town of the place conceived where the Israelites passed on dry foot over or rather throw this Sea when they were pursued by their envious Enemies the Aegyptians who therein found their death the reward of their hatred and perusing the same survey the now famous Port of Sues the present station of the Grand Signior's Fleet that aweth this Sea and the neighbouring Regions thereof CHAP. XXXIII Of SUES and the Trade thereof Sues in the Red-Sea SUES is now the reliques of that ancient Heros to which place Cleopatra carried her Gallies by Land after the defeat of Mark Anthony her beloved accounted fifteen leagues from the nearest branch of Nilus running to Cairo it is strengthened by a strong late Fortification raised by the Turks not only for defence of the Town but in defence of those his Gallies here kept to command these Seas and his Maritime Coasts on both sides the Gulf and here it was that several Aegyptian Soltans intended to dig a Channel and thereby joyn the commodity of this Sea to the Mediterranean but all of them desisting ere the work was brought to perfection the reliques whereof in many places remain yet to be seen the Divine Pro â—idence having given bounds to Seas which the wit and power of man though Princes cannot transpose or alter This place would long since have given way to the envy of time by decay and ruine had it not been for that relique of Trade which is here preserved by a few inhabiting Merchants and the station for the great Turks Gallies which he is inforced to build on the Mediterranean Sea for want here of wood and fit materials and thence convey the same hither by Camels and Dromedaries in several pieces where afterward they are set up and accordingly imployed sometimes mastering the Portugals and other Kings his neighbours and sometimes again being by them mastered according to the fortune of War other Subject of Trade I find not here material therefore in silence pass it over And having thus then briefly run through the principal places of Trade comprised within the Limits of Aegypt and noted the concordancy of the weights and measures used commonly throughout this whole Countrey both with Venice the former greater Traders hither and with ours in England before I come to the Coins current of this Countrey it will not be improper I should infert a Concordancy of the weights of this place with some other neighbouring Countreys according as I have gathered them out of the works of Alexander de Pasi a Venetian Merchant which here for many years resided CHAP. XXXIV Aegypt Weight compared with the Weights of sundry other Countreys Aegypt Weight compared with the Weights of sundry other Countreys The several Commodities weighed by the several weights in Aegypt I Have noted before how that in Aegypt are used four several Weights proper to several sorts of Commodities the Cantar Forfori is used in several sorts of Spices coming from Cairo the Cantar Zero is the greatest and most common in use for all such Commodities as are sold here by Christian Merchants the Cantar Laidin is only used in Flax Hemp c. and the last in the Cantar Mina most used in Damietta for Cloves Maces Cinnamon Musk and some sorts of Spices the Observations made thereon with some other eminent Cities are these Aegypt weights compared with Tripoli in Suria A Cantar of Tripoli in Suria is thus found to accord with Aegypt A Cantar Forfori is in Tripoli 1 Cantar 24 Rotolos A Cantar Laidin is in Tripoli 33â…” Rotolos A Cantar Zeroi is in Tripoli 52½ Rotolos A Cantar Mena is in Tripoli 42 Rotolos And note that from Aegypt is sent to Tripoli in Suria some Spices Sugars Rice Cassia Salt c. and from Tripoli is sent to Aegypt white Soap Dates and some other Commodities Aegypt weights compared with Cyprus The Weight of Cyprus is thus observed with Aegypt The Cantar of Cyprus makes in Aegypt 5 Cantar 20 Rotol Forfor 2 Cantar 30 Rotol Zoroi And the Cantar Forfori is in Cyprus 19 Rotolo 2 4 A Cantar Laidin is in Cyprus 26 ½ Rotolos A Cantar Zeroi is in Cyprus 42 ½ Rotolos A hundred Mino is in Cyprus 33 â…“ Rotolos And note that from Aegypt is brought to Cyprus some Spices Cassia Rice Flax Salt Fish and some other Goods and from Cyprus is brought to Aegypt Honey Melasso Sugars Cottons Chamblets Grograms and some other Commodities Aegypt weights
and thereby every Street becomes a defensible place by it self There are of all Eastern Southern and Western Nations Merchants found therein many of which enjoy several immunities and priviledges granted them by their particular capitulations from the Grand Seignior who is Lord hereof the English Venetians and French are found to be great Traders hither each bringing hither their native Commodities and here exchange them for Arabian Persian and Indian Drugs Gems Spices and such like Commodities amongst which the English are most eminent by reason that they not only furnish this City with the native Commodities of England but also with such as come to them from India and Persia by Sea and which in former days were from hence brought into England Scanderone This City is seated about 100 English miles from the Sea Alexandretta or Scanderone being the Sea Port and Road whereto all shipping either out of the Ocean or Mediterranean come to lade and unlade their Goods and are hence transported by Camels to Aleppo which Scale was formerly in Tripoli which is a more commodious Port and nearer in distance but the way being found more craggy rugged and dangerous by reason of the insolency of the Arabians it was by all Christians disused and by consent the same was here settled Commodities of Aleppo The Commodities which are found in this City are commonly all the Commodities of Asis and Africa as Spices of all sorts Drugs of all sorts Silks of Persia Gems of India Spices of Arabia and the common Commodities proper to the Country as Grograms Grogram Yarn Galls Cottons and Cotton Yarn Silk of Tripoli Bocai Bedovine add Damasco and other sorts in great quantity Weights of Aleppo The Weights used here in particular is the Dram and Rotolo as in most parts of Turkey but the Rotolo is found in many Commodities to differ in Drams according to the custom in weight of the place and commodity The Cantar is also found to disagree in Rotolo according to the common and usual weight of commodities which I will declare thereby to shew first how they accord with England and other places of Trade and then how they agree amongst themselves And first Silk of Persia is sold by the Wesno which is 30 Nether and 1 Nether is 120 Grains and every Grain is 30 Drams by which accompt the Wesno amounts to 3600 Drams and 7 Wesno's make a Cole But the common weight better known to us in the Rotolo which of Ardesse and Lege is 680 Drams of Belledine 700 Drams and so changing in other sorts of Commodities which the Factor is to take notice of The Rotolo is also divided into 12 ounces and ounce 1 is drams 60 drams 3600 is accounted a Wesno Drams 2400 is a Botman which is the weight by which Silk is sold in Constantinople and makes there 6 Oaks Cantar 2 is Rotolos 100 making near 481 l. Averdupois Rotolo 1 is Averdupois 4 13 ounces accounted and found sometimes 4 l. 14 ounces so that 112 l. Averdupois is found hereby to be Rotolos 22 ounces 8. Rotolos 100 common weight is 494 l. 8 ounces Averdupois which is above 4 l. 15 ounces and so is sometimes found to produce in some Commodities A Wesno of Silver is 100 Drams which is 68 Lire of Venetia and it is found that 11 ℞ ⅔ full weight makes a Wesno of Silver here Silver Gold Gems c. are sold by the Mitigal which is 1½ drams which is Carot 24 English or Grains 96. Wesnos redvced into Rotolos in Aleppo Wesno's of Aleppo are in buying of Silk thus reduced into Rotolo's and drams following Wesno 1 is Rotolos 5 Drams 200 5 26 320 10 52 630 20 105 600 30 158 560 40 211 520 50 264 480 60 317 440 70 370 400 80 423 360 90 476 320 100 529 280 Which may be enlarged to a greater number having purposely here inserted the same for the benefit of the ignorant and Learner Aleppo with Venetia Now forasmuch as the Venetians have been accounted the first Christian Traders into this City let us observe the agreements in weights of this place and Venetia Cantar 1 makes sotile Venetia 720 l. gross 456 l. which this way be reduced to English weight is 482 l. Averdupois Rotol 1 Venetia sotile l. 7 ounces 2 sache 2½ gross l. 4. ounce 6¾ Gross Venetia 1000 l. is in Aleppo Cantar 2. Rot. 19. Sotile Venetia 1000 l. is in Aleppo Cantar 1 Rot. 40 so that 100 l. gross is Rotol 21 and 100 l. sotile is 14 Rotolos Cantar 1 hath produced in Florence 660 l. Aleppo notes of weighing Now it will be necessary to note some Observations upon Commodities weighed in Aleppo with the tares and allowances by custom of the place given to the buyer Indico All sorts of Indico is sold by the Churl which is 27½ Rotolo of 720 drams Churls 2 makes a Chest allowing in accompt 327 l. to a Churl of neat Indico and there is allowed to the buyer 3 ounces per Churl for dust and 3 ounces for single shirt and 6 ounces for double Silks Silk of all sorts hath allowance for heads of skeins if course 100 in 130 drams per Wesno if fine 60 drams notwithstanding Musk. Musk being bought by the Mitigal out of the Cod gives no allowance in the Cod 20 per cent Drugs Drugs of the growth of this Country are sold by the Rotolo of 720 drams and pays no Custom but of the growth of forein parts by Rotolo 600 drams and pays great Custom as are Camphire Aloes Socotrina Silk of Damasco Silk also of these Countreys as Damascus Tripoli Bacas gives no allowance in tare being clean Silk Oppion is sold drams 110 for 100 drams the 10 drams being allowed for tare in that commodity Spices Spices of all sorts are sold by the Rotolo of 720 drams and if the same be ungarbled the allowance is 132 for 100 but if garbled 110 for 100 notwithstanding as in Cloves Maces Cinnamon c. Galls Galls have allowance for dust 2 per cent and briefly observe these commodities give these tares to the Buyer Aloes Epaticum with the skin and Aloes Socotrina Assa foetida with the skin Bdellium gives 20 in 120 Spices Cinnamon Cubebs Cassia fistula Oculus Indi Galbanum Maces Oppion Rhubarb Manna c. 10 per 100 Camphora Lignum Aloes Nutmegs c. 5 per 105. Note that forasmuch as no English Merchants are permitted to trade in Turkey but the Levant Company and that this Company are incorporated by special Priviledges in London by the favour of his Majesty of England the orders of that Company by the Traders hither to other the Ports of Turkey is to be observed according to their established Acts and Ordinances whereto I refer the Enquirer for further Information Coins of Aleppo The Coins current of Aleppo are the same common with all the Dominions of the great
which Alexander at the request of his Curtisan Ladies commanded to be set on fire but afterward repenting him of so great a folly and so unworthy an act he re-edified it though yet now having lost much of its former beauty and giving place to the famous City of Casbin the residence of the present Sophies brought hither from Tauris by Sophie Tamas Commodities of Persia The Commodities that this Country is in general found to afford for Merchandize are Silks of all sorts raw growing plentifully in 1 Bilan 2 Gilan 3 Aras some precious Stones many sorts of Drugs wrought Silks Chamlets Carpets Shashes Callico's and many excellent Arms used in War both for Horse and Man which is here so well tempered in the framing and making with some virtuous Simples that it makes it both hard and excellent for use and preserves the same clean from any rust or perishing CHAP. LXXVI Of Casbin and the Trade thereof Casbin and the Trade thereof CAsbin is now accounted the Metropolis of Persia and sometimes the residence of the Sophies hither removed from Tauris as I said before it is accounted a days journey about on Horse-back well walled and fortified with a strong Fort and beautified with two fair Seraglio's the Walls whereof are made of Red Marble and paved with Mosaique Work the chief Street hereof is called the Attimidan in figure four-square each angle being ¼ mile in length incompassed with Scaffolds for the people to sit and behold the King and his Nobles at their Exercises of shooting riding running and the like this City is seated in a goodly fertile Plain of three or four days journey in length which is furnished with near two thousand Villages to supply the necessary uses thereof which did much inrich this place before the removal of the Persian's Court to Hispahan which is fourteen days journey further into the East Three Excellencies in Casbin Three places herein do much adorn and beautifie this place First the Attimidan aforesaid Secondly the King's Palace which is so brave a Fabrick and so richly furnished that Europe can hardly match it And lastly the Bassars which are many in number which are in the manner of our Pawns in London where are to be sold all manner of Persia India Turkie Moscovian and Arabia Commodities Commodities of Casbin as all rich Gems Jewels Drugs Spices Silk wrought in Damasks Velvets and raw transported into other Countreys the Attimidan serving the Merchants for an Exchange or place of meeting where every day is seen a continual Fair where all manner of Commodities are sold both for Back and Belly also Goldsmiths Exchangers of Money and all other Professions who come hither and display their Commodities as to some publick Mart. And the Moneys and current Coins here passable amongst Merchants I refer to the chief City of Persia Hispahan the present residence of the Persian Monarch and I am informed that the Weights and Measures thereof do also agree therewith so shall not need to enlarge my self further in that particular CHAP. LXXVII Of Balsara and the Trade thereof Balsara and the Trade thereof BAlsara lieth in the bottom of the Persian Gulph and is seated on the mouth of the River Euphrates serving as a Magazine for all the Commodities of Arabia India Turkey and Persia and as a thorough-fare for all Merchants travelling from one of those Countreys to another but especially for such as here take shipping to the Isle of Ormus India Arabia c. This Town was of late years subject to the Persian but now in obedience to the Great Turk and is the last of his Dominions this way and here it is observed that the Water doth ebb and flow as with us in England and in no place else adjoyning upon the Ocean Seas the Indraught may be imagined to be the cause as it is observed the like in Venice It hath been noted in matter of Trade here that there is paid for every Sum of Goods carried from Bagdate hither by Water six Sehids and from Balsara to Bagdate two Medins per Wesnoe and 100 Wesnoes from Balsara to Ormus cost carriage 20 Lairins and the like back from Ormus to Balsara Hither always come the Syria Caravans that are bound for India and end their Land-travel and imbark themselves and Goods for the great Marts of Ormus and Cambaia and here returning they conclude their Sea-Navigation and begin their Land-Peregrination for Turkey c. Customs paid at Balsara The Customs payable at Balsara as the last Port of the Grand Seignior's Dominions who conquered the same from the Persians in Anno 1550 is 1 in every 14 Sehids for gross Commodities but it is 1 per 20 or 5 per cent upon Cloths Silks and fine Goods but here is a Tare of 3 in 10 Wesnoes allowed both in Spices Drugs c. for dust and upon Silks for waste heads and the like Prices of Commodities in Balsara The prices of Commodities ruled some years past thus here The Wesno of Maces was worth in Balsara 13 Ducates The Wesno of Nutmegs was worth 6 Ducates The Wesno of Soap was worth 15 Sehids The Wesno of Almonds was 24 Sehids The Wesno of Galls was worth 10 Larins and for this weight of Wesno it is found that 16 Wesnoes of Balsara make a Kintar of Aleppo common weight but the 100 Wesnoes in the weight of Silk of Rotol 680 dr in Aleppo makes Silk Rot. 529 dr 28. Weights used in Balsara The Weight common here in the sale of Commodities besides this Wesno is the Maund which is 100 Rotolo's which have been observed to have made 500 l. English which is 5 l. a Rotolo but I have met with an Observation on this place made by some English that have travell'd hither that the 112 l. hath made 19 Maunds 2¼ Rotolo's which must be 5 l. 4¼ ounces English the difference I refer to be rectified by the better experienced Measures of Balsara Cusâ—stan Their Measure is found to be about 26 inches English To proceed to the next Province in Persia it is Cusestan situated Eastward from Persia called in Scripture Havilah having in it Susa a City where sometimes the Persian Monarch abides in Winter as being more Southerly than Echatana and lastly Casan of which a word CHAP. LXXVIII Of Casan and the Trade thereof Casan and the Trade thereof CAsan is a principal fair and famous City in this Countrey but much troubled with excessive heat by reason of its situation in a pleasant and large Plain it consisteth altogether of Merchandizing and the greatest Trade of all the Inland Countrey is found herein and most especially frequented by Indian Merchants Commodities of Casan the Inhabitants are in general addicted to all curious Manufactures and Fabricks as in weaving of Shashes Turbants and Girdlas in making also of Velvets Sattins Damasks curious and fine Ormusius and Carpets and indeed it is accounted the very Magazine of all the
Observations in Trade as I have collected I will in brief touch Aracan The first on this Coast and Shore is Aracan situated upon the River of Cosmin which passeth through some part of Bengala and entreth into that Gulph at this City by which commodious situation it is found plentifully stored as well with the Commodities of that Countrey as the natural Commodities of the place it self Macoa The next is Macoa seated upon one of the mouths of that great and famous River Martaban which by ten mouths issuing into the Sea gives a great supply to this Countrey of all the Commodities that are found in India from whence this mighty River hath its source Pegu. The third is Pegu it self giving name to the whole Coast seated in like manner upon one of the said mouths which as being the principal Seat of the Princes of this Countrey I will a little more particularly survey River of Martaban The marvellous great Tides and violent current of this great River is not here to be omitted as appertaining to Trade for it is found to be in it self so swift that neither Wind nor Oar can make head or way against it and because it is found to keep a constant course of ebbing and flowing therefore in their sailing they still observe the Tides thereof and when those Tides are at highest there are certain stations on the banks whereto their Boats Galliots and Barges are fastned until the Tide do again serve their turn to proceed on their Voyage this one thing more I find wonderful here that these Tides come not in by a constant continued pace or measure but come rushing in at the first with a great violence with a hideous noise and roaring such as in some lesser sort is seen in the River of Rouen and in our River of Severn in England As for the City of Pegu it self it is divided into two parts in the one the King and his Nobility resideth lately built and richly beautified and therefore called the New Town the other part inhabited only by Merchants Artificers Sea-men and such like and called the old Town every House in the old Town where Merchants do reside hath a place built strongly of Brick which as a Ware-house serveth his occasion called by them Godon especially to prevent firing which this Town is much subject to by reason of the combustible matter it is made of the New Town is walled about and is a perfect square having twenty Gates five in each angle ditched about and watered wherein many Crocodiles are kept for watch of the place by night the Walls are beautified with many Turrets for Sentinels guilded with Gold the Streets are very fair straight as a line and so broad as fifteen Horsemen may ride abrest on both sides at each man's door are set Palm-trees which growing makes a fair shew and thereby all Passengers may walk daily in the shadow from one Street to another to prevent the extraordinary heat of the place and Climate The greatest Trade that is found at this day exercised in Pegu is from the Coast of Cormandel with Pintado's Cotton Cloth and other Bombasins much in request here but it is to be noted that these Ships must depart that Coast by the sixth of September and take the Monsione wind otherwise they lose their Voyage for that year From Bengala also cometh hither sundry Ships with Cotton Cloth and other such wearing Commodities which taking also the season of the wind arriveth here when the Cormondel Ships are ready to depart The principal Harbour or Port where these Ships do ride is called Cosmin and the place where the greatest Ships do Anchor to lade and unlade their Goods From Mecca come also sundry Ships laden with Woollen Cloth Damasks Velvets and Chickens From Malacca come many small Vessels laden with Pepper Sanders Porcelan of China Camphora and other Commodities From Summatra come also sundry Ships with Pepper and other Wares all which Goods are very strictly looked into for payment of the King's Customs at landing which is here paid in kind and amounteth unto twelve per cent and the King doth hold it for a great affront to be wronged of a penny of it Rubies Saphirs and Spinals paying here no Custom in or out as being the proper Commodities of this Countrey For the effecting of the Trade and Commerce of this place there is ordained eight Brokers oâ— Tareghes by the King's Authority who are bound to sell and vend all the Goods and Merchandize coming to Pegu for all mens account of what Nation soever they be having two per cent for their Brokerage and are liable to make good the debts they make which no Merchant there resident can avoid for they will have the said two per cent by the King's Authority granted them whether their help be taken or not In like manner there are ordained certain Brokers for the buying of all the Commodities bought in Pegu wherein is found amongst them such candid dealing that a stranger can hardly be wronged or abused if he have but so much discretion to provide such Goods as may be proper for the Countrey whither he sends them Strange manner of buying and selling in Pegu. The Commodities native of this place and Countrey are these Gold Silver Rubies Saphirs Spinals digged at Caplan six days journey from Avâ— in this Kingdom great store of Benjamin Long Pepper Lead Lacca Rice Niperwine and Sugar and many other Commodities The manner of their bargaining as being contrary to the custom and use in most parts of the World is here worth observing all their bargains by their Law must be made publickly and in open assemblies of and before all standers by who because they should yet not know what is bidden or demanded for any Commodity the Brokâ—rs either buyer or seller having seen the Commodity and liking of it putteth his hand under a cloth and toucheth the parties hand interessed and by nipping touching and pinching of certain joynts of each others hands they know what is bidden and demanded without words speaking which these Brokers again with the other hand covered in like manner give notice of to the party who sets him on work and either so orders him to proceed to bid more or less or else to give over and after this manner are all their Câ—…tracts here made and afterwards by the said Broker registred accordingly in leaves of Trees which with them is used as Paper with us Maids let out to serve both by day and night service to Merchants And when any strangers and forein Merchants arrive here these Brokers are bound by their place to provide them a house Magazine and lodging whilst they are here resident and when the house is taken the Governour of the Town sends to know how long time he intends to stay with them and withal appointeth certain Maids of the Town to go to him that out of them he may make choice of one
Linnen is measured and is accounted 1¼ yards English but those that have made tryal thereof find it is be 46 inches but it is here to de noted that in buying of Linnen Cloth of this Country there is allowed in the account of Measure 24 Aulns for 20 and is called the Merchants Auln or measure and by the same is oftentimes here again sold in England and it is found that Diep Caen and some other Cities of Normandy afford also this over-measure in the sale of Normandy Canvas here made so that it may be said this place hath a great and a small Auln the one exceeding the other 20 per Cent. or 120 for 100 and the smaller agreeing with 〈◊〉 English Ells. Fairs in Rouen Rouen is found to have 3 Fairs in a year at two whereof there is liberty given for fifteen days to buy and transport any Commodities in this City free of all Customs and Taâ—… provided the said Goods be laden and departed down the said River to a certain limited 〈◊〉 stance below the City by fifteen days after otherwise to pay the Custom as is accustomed The Fair beginneth the 3d of February and lasteth fifteen days The second beginneth the morrow after Whitsunday and lasteth fifteen days The third is not accounted a free Fair for Customs as the former and beginneth the 〈◊〉 day of October and continueth only eight days where note that these days are accounted so many working days Sundays and Holy-days according to the Church of Rome excepted The English Hall of Rouen for sale of woollen Cloth Here is in this City a publick Hall granted to the English for the Sale of all English Woolls Cloath whereto they are enjoyned to carry the same and have certain set days to lay open and sell the same and for the hire and custody they pay a Duty of Halledge or Warehousdoâ— they have had formerly here many Immunities and Priviledges and were accounted as hâ— Citizens but the civil wars of France the insolency of the Inhabitants and the great Authority of their Court of Parliament daily give new fashions and new Laws to the English Merchants here resident This City is the prime of Trade in this part of France and is accounted the principal Northern Scale of Traffick in the French Dominions for from hence are exported great quantity as I said before of Buckrams Canvas fine and course playing Cards Box Combs Paper Threal Teasles for Clothworkers and some Plushes and other Stuffs lately here made and in fine all the principal Commodities of Normandy Paris and those parts adjoyning to the River Sein Exchanges of Rouen as for the Exchanges here used see Lions in the Tract of Exchanges following which gives Rules thereto in Chapter 277 and Chapter 302. The Isle of France The next division of this Kingdom is the Isle of France which is in the heart of the Frend Dominions the principal City Paris being the Metropolis of the Kingdom here situated whâ—… though it consist not much in Trade save what may serve happily to feed and clothe the Court and Inhabitants yet all the other Cities taking hence the Rule of Government for Traffick may challenge justly a Chapter by it self CHAP. CXXVII Of Paris and the Trade thereof Paris and the Trade thereof PAris being the principal City of France and the ordinary residence of the King is esteemed to be ten miles in compass through which the River of Sein doth gently run and so to Rouen thence to the New-Haven or Haure de Grace and thence to our British Oceam It is not of great consequence in matter of Trade as neither affording Commodities to be exported nor yet venting store of Commodities imported though an ignorant French-man which had not seen further than this City calls it the greatest in the world for the Trade found therein and for the multitude of Merchants which I imagine he understood Shop-keepers some Cloth Lend Tin Baies and Stockings it venteth from England Satins and other Silk and Plushes from Italy some small wares from Germany and that is all the most important It is one of the three Cities in France where Exchanges have been placed Rouen and Lions being the other two and though I have divers times been here yet I could never find any remarkable observations in Trade which incleed is no where in France much practised because of the base esteem the French Nation do hold of Merchants and Merchandising every Cobler honouring his old Shooes with the Title of sa Merchandise with as great confidence as he that never handled any Commodity but Silks or Jewels in which foolish humour I will leave them and come to my purpose Paris giving rule in the matter of Coin to all other Cities of France I have purposely referred it here to avoid the reiteration in any other City of this Kingdom Coins of France The least piece then of Coin Current in France is a Denier two whereof makes a Double and twelve thereof is a Souls and Souls twenty make a Liver which some call a Frank and thus in Livers Souls and Deniers their Accounts are kept Accounts in France Their common Coins are pieces of 8 Sol which is the â…œ of a French Crown in Silver a piece of 16 Sold. which is the quarter Crown 4 of which makes 64 Sold. accounted for a French Crown and 4 Solds which is of 3 Livers Turnois They have also pieces of 21 Sold. 4 Deniers being the 〈◊〉 of the said Crown called by some Testons and the ½ and ¼ thereof and as the quarter Crowns were at first raised from 15 Sold to 16 Sold and thereby the 60 Sold to 64 Sold so were the said Testons also in proportion raised accordingly The Gold Coins are only two which is the common Crown of 3 Livers or 60 Sold. and the Crown of the Sun being 3 Livers 16 Sold or 76 Sol. All which Coins in their first coinage bare this true worth and value and then were conceived to hold equality with England thus 10 Sold to make 12 pence sterling 23 Sold to make 2 shillings sterling which is their Liver 60 Sold. to make 6 shillings or 72 pence which is the French Crown Note of Moneys inhansed lately in France But these inhansed to such rates as the necessities of the Prince or Commerce inforce them find net now any settled rate but according to the will of the payer and receiver for he that sells his Commodities in France now for ready moneys must contract it if he be wise at what rate he must have these Coins in payment lest he imagine he sell to good profit and yet by experience find he sells the same to a great loss and disadvantage And note That since the writing of the abovesaid the piece of 16 Sol. is raised to 20 Sol. 〈◊〉 on the whole which I place here as a Caveat for such as shall have occasion to traffick in these Kingdoms that he
be inquisitive and circumspect to inform himself in the true worth and value thereofere he part with his Commodities Weights of Paris The Quintal of Paris is 100 l. which hath been found to produce in London near 100 l. suttle 2 per cent more or less which In Lions renders of 16 ounces 116 l. In Venetia sotile 144 l. 100 l. sotile in Venetia making in Paris 62½ l. of 15 ounces per l. The Cargo or great Quintal in Paris is 300 l. of 12 ounces per l which makes in Florence 487 l. but the ordinary Quintal of 100 l. before-named is of 15 ounces to a pound Wine is sold by the Cistern 96 making a Tun and each Cistern contains 8 Pints so that it may be accounted two Cones of Florence which is Gallons English see London Measures of Paris They have two Measures in length one for Silks and another for Linnens the which are But note that all Merchants selling Silk Stuffs in gross in Paris the same is sold by the Pound weight which is better for the buyer for thereby he discerneth the weight of the Silk he hath for his Money Exchanges of Paris Paris doth exchange with many places which I here omit and place the same amongst the Exchanges in general in the Tract following at the end of this Book in the Chapters 277 and 302. The French not addicted to Trade It may be imagined that this Kingdom considering the Riches thereof should abound iâ— Trade and Navigation but the better sort of Men medling not with Traffick as conceiving the same to be both ignoble and base and consequently unfit for them leave the same to such whose spirits are elevated to that ripeness that they can but only be sorry for their erroneoâ— opinions Their Navigation also is not far the Marselicans greatest Voyage being to Turkâ—… and the Inhabitants of Rochel Saint Malo and Rochel seldom sailing into any Regions further than Spain their ill success in America's Plantations peradventure disswading them bâ—… he that shall wisely look into the beauty of their In-land Towns the Riches of the Countrey it self and especially the plenty of Corn Wines Linnens and Salt that France produceth and how much these Commodities are prized and sought after by other Nations will be more willing to excuse the French for their so little desire to traffick into remove Regions La Beause The next Province is la Beause Orleans wherein is Orleans a pleasant City and where the neatest and most Elegant French Tongue is conceived to be spoken seated on the Loire but affording little matter of Trade or Commerce save that it is found to be a great Through-Fair for all such Commodities as do enter into the heart of the Countrey as to Lions and other Cities upon the River of Loire and by this way and hath a growth of good Wines about it Berry The next is Berry Bourges wherein is Bourges seated as the prime and principal Town who are much addicted to Clothing and where great abundance of Sheep are found to pasture and feed The next is Bourbon wherein is contained Burbon Nevers Mollins Bourbon Nevers and Mollins wherein I never saw any Commodities worth relation save those excellent Instruments of Iron in small Cases here made in great abundance called Estuus and dispersed thence over all Christendom Beavois The next is Beavois the chief Town is Villa Franche Avergne The next is Avergne the principal City is Cleremont Limosin The next is Limosin the principal City is Limoges Perigort The next is Perigort the chief Town is Perigeux Quercu The next is Quercu the chief Town is Montalbon one of the Cautionary Towns in the Intestants possession and now lately by the French King reduced to his subjection Dauphine The next is Dauphine honoured with the Title of the Princes of France Vienna wherein is found Vienna excelling in the Art of making Sword-blades Valentia Valentia a fine City watered with the Rhone and lastly Lions once the principal Town of Traffick in all these parts where having occasion of residence 1616. I noted these particulars following in Trade CHAP. CXXVIII Of Lions and the Trade thereof Lions and the Trade thereof LIons hath ever been accounted a Fanious Mart-Town and doubtless before Navigation had its perfection a City of great Trade and Commerce but for as much as all In-land Towns must submit in this point to Maritime Cities by reason of the commodiousness of the Sea which is the greatest furtherer of all Traffick so must this Town now give place to many others that exceed her in the point of Traffick The Mart of Lions formerly in Geneva There Mart for Trade here setled was formerly holden in Geneva and by Lewis the Eleventh removed hither for the enriching of his own Kingdom and when Pope Julius the Second had excommunicated Lewis the Twelfth he commanded by his Apostolical Authority that the same should be again removed to Geneva but his Holiness herein was not obeyed for Trade must not be constrained but entreated though by Popes which would command all things and therefore stirred not from hence where yet it continueth The Town is watered with the streams of Rhoane and Soane which furthers it much for carriage it is most famous now for the many Fabricks of Silks here wrought and hence dispersed through all France and the Citizens to this end have their Factors in Marselia who trade for them to Aleppo in Syria to furnish them with that Commodity by land also they trade for Florence Lucca Millan Mesina and other parts of Italy but it is only for raw Silks and some such Commodities as these places do afford I resided here some years and found the greatest of their Trade to consist in Exchanges as the principal and most proper Town of France thereto the Bankers of Florence Venetia Lucca and Naples have here their Factors purposely for this occasion From England is here vended some Bays Tin Lead Cony-skins and but few Commodities else and to our Countrey it affordeth not any commodity worth mentioning what I have observed I shall only touch and no more Coins and Accounts in Lions As for Coins current and Accounts keeping it is the same as throughout France There hath been of long time in use an imaginary Coin here current in Exchanges called the Mark which briefly to explain is An ancient Mark in Exchange in Lions A Mark of Gold is 65 Crowns of Mark or 63 Crowns 11 s. 9 d. of Gold in Gold or 62 Crowns of Camera Vechia of Rome or 68 14 3 Ducates current of Venetia And they did use here to keep their Accounts by Crowns of Marks Sold. and Deniers advising one Crown de Mark to be 20 Solds of Mark but is 45 Sold Turnois by which Crown of Mark they did exchange by as briefly for example They gave in Lions one Crown
5 3 of an Auln mult by 5. divid by 9. The Liver of Bergamo is 6 s. 6 dr tur which is ster 7½ d. Mantua with Lions The 100 l. of Mantua are in Lions 65 l. Silk-weight The Brace is 8 25 of an Auln multiply by 8 and divide by 15. The Liver of Mantua is in Lions Modena with Lions The 100 l. of Modena are in Lions 77½ l. Silk-weight The Braces are the same as in Mantua Antwerp with Lions The 100 l. of Antwerp are in Lions 102 l. Silk-weight The Ells of Antwerp is 7 â— of an Auln which is done by taking the â…“ and â— 4 of the Sum and add them they make Aulns The Liver of gross may be calculated at 6 l. tur 12 s. sterl The 100 l. of Suttle have made in Lions 96½ l. Silk-weight London with Lions The 9 Yards in London make in Lions 7 Aulns so that the Auln of Lions is 46 inches English The Liver or pound of London sterl is 10 Livers Turnois Constantinople with Lions The Oak of Constantinople makes in Lions l. Silk-weight The Pico of Constantinople is 5 9 of an Auln mult by 5 div by 9. The Piastre of Doller may be calculated at 45 s. tur 4 s. 6 d. sterling Aleppo with Lions The Rotolo of Aleppo hath rendred in Lions 4½ l. Silk-weight The Rotolo of Tripoli in Syria hath made 4 l. Spain with Lions The 100 l. of Valencia in Spain hath made in Lions 73½ l. Silk-weight Almeria 117 Tortosa 72 Saragosa 73½ And 130 Vares of Valentia hath made in Lions 100 Aulns The weights of divers Cities of France with Lions 100 l. of Paris have made in Lions of Town-weight 116 l. Rouen have made in Lions ditto 120  Thoulousa have made in Lions ditto 96  Marselia have made in Lions ditto 94  Montpelier have made in Lions ditto 96  Rochel have made in Lions ditto 94  Geneva have made in Lions ditto 130  Besanson have made in Lions ditto 116  Bourge in Bress make in Lions ditto 115  Avignion have made in Lions ditto 96  The Measure of Languedoc is a Cane divided into 8 Palms which Cane is 1 â…” to reduce Canes into Auins you must add â…” and they make Aulns Now for as much as many other places that traffick in Silk are found to correspond with this Town it will not be improper I should insert them briefly here as shewing what the 100 l. of these several places make Silk weight or as they term it poids de mare in Lions of 15 ounces Padua 100 l. gives in Lions 73 l. Regio 100  78  Calabria 100  69  Cosensa 100  70  Raconis 100  66½  Bavearre 100  gives 90  Aleppo Rotol   gives 4½  Tripoli Rotol   gives 4  Ancona 100  gives 73  Placio 100  gives 72  Marselia 100  gives 85  Avignion 100  gives 68  Measures of Lions with other places Note that the 100 l. of Marc or Silk weight in the payment at Lions makes 108 l. of the Town-weight of Lions the former being fifteen Ounces to a Pound and the latter being of 16 Ounces to a Pound For the Measure of the length at Lions I find this Observation to have been made that The 100 Aulns in Lions makes in London 98â…“ ells Anvers 163â… Â Frankford 204â… Â Dantzick 136  Vienna 142  Paris 93 2 â— Â Rouen 85¼  Lisbon 98â…“  Sevil 132¼  Madera 101â…–  Venetia 177  Lucca 196  Florence 200¾  Millan 226â…•  Genoa 472â…ž palm Spain 135 Var. Rome 130 Braces Naples 50 Canes Which I refer to Trial of the experienced and thus much shall serve to have said 〈◊〉 Lions Languedoc The next Province is Languedoc wherein is found Narbone Nismes and Montpelier three good Cities and which afford of late days by the industry of the Inhabitants some Serges Says and some fine Cloth of this Countrey making and here also grows that excellent Wâ—… which takes his name from the Town of Frontiniack Beveaire and here also is that small Village Beveaire having in July a Fair or Mart famous in these parts and resembled at my there being 1618. our Sturbridge besides which they have yearly there other Fairs but of no greaâ— consequence Provence The next Province is Provence wherein is Arles in times past the Seat of some Roman Eperours Brignol whence our Prunes of Brignol come known to us by the name Prunels from Brignol whereas in the Language of this Countrey the g is not pronounced Aix the Parlement Seat and lastly Thollon the best Haven in France and most capacious and Marsâ—… famous in Trade for these Countreys of which a word in passing and first of Thollon CHAP. CXXX Of Thollon and the Trade thereof Thollon and the Trade thereof THollon enjoying a fair and capacious Haven and esteemed the best largest and safeâ— in the Mediterranean Sea is seated ten Leagues to the Eastward of Marselia whereâ—… the King doth keep a Custom-house for Provence as having not so much power to settle one iâ— Marselia by the priviledge or insolency of the Inhabitants who endeavour still thus to maintain that little liberty they have It aboundeth only in Oyls which are hence laden iâ— great abundance and dispersed into other Countreys as England Holland and some Almonds which we call Provence Almonds Some Salt is here laden and brought from the Isâ— of Ere 's about three leagues hence being the proper Merchandize of the King who haâ—… Factors for the Sale thereof in every City and Town in France In this place the Moneys are the same as through all France and the Weights and Measures not much differing from those of Marselia which I will there more succinctly handle and only will shew the manner of buying and providing here of Oyls as I have observed my self here at divers times during my abode in this Town and Countrey Provence Oyls how bought and cast up Oyls of Provence are here and throughout all Provence bought by the Milrowl or Milroe fourteen of which are accounted to a Tun of Oyl of 252 Gallons yet if carefully looked unto at the buying and the same truly measured 13 ½ Milroes will make the said Tun the same is sold commonly here by the Florin an Imaginary Coin and in value 12 Sol Turnois the Milroe of Oyl is commonly worth 26 to 30 Florins the Cask of this place cost ordinarily 18 Sold per Milroe and the Custom outward is 10 Sol per Milroe and the Custom of the place gives 3 per 100 provision and 1 per cent for brokerage thereof Now to reduce all charges to a constant rate it hath been observed and found true by my self and others that if 18 shillings 6 pence sterling be accounted for every Florin Measures for
Oyls that a Milroe of Oyl shall cost the first penny so much will the Tun of Oyl stand in clear aboard of all accustomed charges But for as much as this Rule holds only in Thollon I will insert the particulars thereof how it is found to accord with our Measure and Weight in England because it is a Staple and most requested Commodity and the principal Commodity that this Countrey doth afford The common measure then is a Scandal and of which it is found that 4 Scandals make 1 Milroe every Scandal being 4¼ Gallons English and 31½ l. Averdupois 1 Milroe is 17 Gallons English and is 126 l. English 2 Milroes is a Charge which is 34 Gallons or 252 l. English 4 Charges makes a Butt which is ½ a Tun or 126 Gallons English and hath been found to make 1008 l. Averdupois The Custom hereof is a Crown of 3 l. Tur upon every 100 Milroes and every Crown is accounted 5 Florius or 60 Sols For Wine Wine is here sold by the same Milroe as above is said Almonds are sold by the Cargo of 300 l. Marselia Weight For Corn. Corn is sold by the Muyd and Mynots 24 Mynots make a Muyd and 1 Muyd is about 8½ quarters English Commodities of Provence Provence doth afford many Commodities for Merchandising which hence is transported into several Countries as first Oyl as above made and gathered in November and December shipt for England Spain and Italy Also great quantity of Wools for Clothing bought up in May June and July by Milanois Ginoese Piedmontois and Montpelerians which commonly bears 14 in 16 the 100 foul and being washed and cleansed there is lost in the cleansing and clearing sometimes the one half thereof Also great quantity of Scarlet-grain and powder of Grain gathered in the Heaths and Fields by the poor people and brought by them to the Lords of their Territories from the month of May to the month of August and is worth green about 5 in 6 l. tur per l but being dried diminisheth at least â…” thereof Also Almonds are here in great abundance found growing gathered in September and October called as is before noted Provence Almonds for distinction sake and are commonly worth from 12 to 15 Crowns the Cargo Also here is yellow Wax in good quantity bought in October and November worth commonly from 40 to 50 l. per cent Also here is Honey bought in November and December worth commonly about 22 in 23 Cro the Cantar besides which here are many Bed-Coverlets and Wastcoats made and quilted of Sattin Taffeta and Callico and hence dispersed into several Countries To conclude there may be laden in Thollon Marsclia and generally throughout all Provence from 1500 to 2000 Tuns of Oyl yearly about 400 Quintals of Almonds about 1800 to 2000 Quintals of Wooll about 200 Quintals of Honey and but little Wax as being for the most part spent in their own Countrey principally in their Churches Customs paid in Provence The Customs upon all Commodities of the growth of France pay in the Exportation but a small acknowledgement but all other Commodities pay 5 per cent but for Spices and all other Commodities that are brought in from the Levant there is lately placed thereon throughout all Provence a Custom of ten per cent and thus much for Thollon CHAP. CXXXI Of Marselia and the Trade thereof Marselia and the Trade thereof THE principal seat of Trade in Provence is Marselia famous for the great concourse of Merchants and for the Commerce that it maintaineth with Turkie Barbary Spain France Italy Flanders and England it is commodiously situated on the Mediterranean Sea enjoying an excellent Haven and a reasonable Road for Shipping of all sorts it wanteth to make it a perfect course for Exchanges which here is supplied by the current of Lions and governed only thereby to which place each Fair some Partidoes are made not by the rules of other places but by the rule of interest from the date of the Bill to the time of the next succeding Fair there It vents from England some Baies Clothes Lead and Tin Pilchars Herring white and red and yearly about 2000 in 3000 Tuns of Newland-fish which the English bring thither and they also supply it with Muscovia Commodities as African Hides above ten thousand pair yearly Tallow 2000 Quintals Wax 1000 Quintals besides other Commodities of England as Calve-skins Hides Salmon and some fish It affordeth not any Commodity to be sent abroad save some Oyls Wines Woolls Almonds and Verdigreece and all others are hither imported from other Countries as such as Alexandria Aleppo Acria Constantinople Naples â—…gorn or the Coasts of Spain do yield the main support of their Trade is the plenty of Spanish Rials and the licence here for Exportation which is the only means whereby the Trade of Turkie is preserved to them for from hence I have seen 100 thousand Rials of â— shipâ— publickly upon a small Vessel of 160 Tuns for Scanderoone which hath been thence returned in rich Silks Drugs and Spices But of late days their success in Trade hath proved so bad and their losses by Pirats so great and so many that the Town and Merchants have lost much of their former splendour and same their great Vessels are now become small Barks and the great Merchants of Lions Paris Limoges Taures and other parts of France who had here their Factors for to continue this Trade have recalled them after the sustentation of great losseâ— the payment of great Sums for the maintenance of their Ambassadour in Constantinople and especially the late inhansement of their Moneys which is the ruine and overthrow of all Câ—…merce whatsoever In this place I resided for some years and therefore will note briefly what I observed needful to my present subject Coins in Marselia The Moneys current and the Accounts kept accord in all particulars with Paris sometimâ— alteration is found in Coins by means of the great Trade and that because both Italian and Spanish Coins are here current these become sometimes a Merchandize and are requested and inhansed according as occasion for Transportation doth require which is more in Winter that in Summer by reason of their general voyages made into Turkie from September to Match and commonly not after Weights in Marselia The Pound of Marselia is 16 ounces and 100 l. is the Quintal 300 l. or three Quintals make with them a Cargo The 100 l. in Marselia hath been found to produce in these Cities following In London 88½ l. Venetia sotile 134 l. Venetia gro 84¾  Sicilia 50 l. Lisbon 79 l. Florence 114 l. Anvers 86 l. Lions 95 l. Sevil 88 l. Malaga 24 Roves Dantzick 104 l. Aleppo 18½ R. Ditto Silk 19¾  Tripoli 211  Ditto Barbar 762  Baruti 175  Alex. Zera 416  Scio 1110  Constantinople 745  Acria 146½  Babylonia 125½ M. Balsara 36  Weights agreed with other
places These Observations I have found true by my own experience Rotolo of Aleppo gave in Marselia 5 l. 6 ounces Rotolo of Damasco gave 4½ l. Rotolo of Tripoli in Syria 4½ l. Rotolo of Mantua 5½ l. Cantaro of Genoa 118 l. Cantaro of Civita Veccia in Allom 130 l. Cantaro of Alicant in Barsilia 133½ l. Rotolos 100 l. Malta in Olives 200 l. Loderos 100 l. of Constantinople 135 l. Cantaro of Sardinia in Cheese 100 l. Cantaro of Zant in Currans 116 l. Cargo of Valentia in Pepper 320 l. Cantaro of Argier 150 l. Rotolo of Cyprus in Cottons 5¼ l. Cantaro of Valentia in Cochineal 88 l. Hundred of London 112 l. gave in Tin 125 l. And the 120 l. English Stannery in Tin made 134 l. These Towns are said to agree with Marselia in their Quintal Measures of Marselia First Lepanto 100 l. Arches 100 l. Candia Sotile 100 l. Petras 100 l. Rochel 100 l. Tholosa 100 l. Montpelier 100 l. Avignion 100 l. which I refer to trial of him that shall have occasion because I question the truth of some of them The Measures of length is the Cane which is divided into eight Palms the Cane making 2â…› yards English Corn is sold by the Mine the Sack of Pisa and Legorn is found to be 1â…˜ Mines of Marselia Customs in Marselia The Customs here out and in are 1½ per cent but the City by reason of cleansing the Harbour and some Ships set out against Pyrats have made the 1½ inwards 3¼ per cent and only 1¼ out this is meant of Commodities of the growth of the Countrey but in Spices brought in as Pepper Ginger Indico or such as come not out of the Levant but as they call it out of the Ponent or out of the West-Seas it pays the King's Custom which is now about 15 per cent besides the City's Custom above named and thus much for Marselia Avignion The next Province is that of Avignion the principal City thereof called by that name it is a fair Town and seated upon the River of Rhone but hath no Trade that I could observe though I have often been there it is subject to the Pope and he permitting Jews to inhabit here are found the principal Pedlers for Merchants I cannot call them The City is said to have 7 Palaces 7 Parishes 7 Monasteries 7 Nunneries 7 Inns and 7 Gates and other things of note I observe not and as for Commerce the Weights and Measures differ not much from Marselia and the great Custom here paid is some prejudice to Passengers and Merchandise that passeth from Provence to Lions or from Lions to Marselia Orange The next Province is Orange the capital City here bearing that name belonging to the Prince of Orange a strong Town and sweetly seated near upon the Rhone here all Protestant Passengers are really welcomed and Papists narrowly lookt unto in requital of the contrary courtesie practised at Avignion not above six leagues off Picardy The next is Picardy wherein I find Amiens and Abbeville for fair Towns but of little or no Traffick Calais Calais also the In-let of France is strong but hath sent away its Trading with the Staple which by the English was planted and continued here for 200 years whilst it was in possession of the English the French Kings were accustomed to have the same put daily into their remembrance till it was regained and were it not that the Merchant Adventurers make mention thereof in their Oath taken at the entrance into that Brotherhood it is almost forgot that ever it was English which I the rather mention here that some noble English heart would daily put our Sovereign in mind thereof till it return again to be English in the mean time a word of the Trade thereof CHAP. CXXXII Of Calais and the Trade thereof Calais and the Trade thereof CAlais formerly was the great Staple for the Woolls of England and settled here Aâ—… 1347. by Edward the Third to make good his Conquest after eleven months siege bâ—… afterward it was hence removed and this place lost by Queen Mary Anno 1557. after 20â— years possession of the English and was by our then Kings of England ever called the Key thâ—… gave their Armies entrance into France the place is not now of any great noted Traffick though it and Bullen be accounted the best Maritime Ports in Picardy opposite to Dover from whence this is seven leagues distant The Coins here current are those in general of France Weights of Calais The Weights here in use are three First is the Weights proper of the Town the 100 l. whereof is in London about 92 l. The second is called the Merchants Weight the 100 l. whereof make in London 113 l. and the 100 suttle of London is here 88 l. The third is called the English Wooll hundred or Staple hundred 100 l. whereof is in London about 89 l. or 90 l. about 3 per cent different from the Town-weight The Measures used here is the Auln and makes in London inches Champaign The next is Champaign wherein is Rhemes the principal City where the Kings of France are anointed and where there is a College for the entertainment of the English Fugitives Jesuits I mean Burgundy The next is Burgundy famous for Dijon which is notable through France for good Mustard a note worthy our Tukesbury Bress The next is Bress Chastilion being the principal City and the last that I shall handle appeâ—taining to the King of France or under his Government Besanson The next in order according to my Method is the Franche Comte the principal City thereof is Besanson which in time past strove for precedency of Trade with Lions but being an Inland Town she hath lost that honour the Inhabitants of this Countrey bringing home great and more honourable Titles as famoused abroad for good Soldiers known by the name of Walloons and now is under the command of Spain The Exchanges of Placentia was once here seated from Cambray but the Merchants being not well used returned to Placentia 100 l. Besanson is 112 l. English Lorain The next is Lorain the principal City is Nants yielding plenty of Corn and Wine store of fresh-water Fish and Salt and famous in that it was the Dukedom of Godfrey Surnamed of Bulloign which won Jerusalem from the Saracens and was the first Christian Crowned Kitz of that Kingdom And now to Savoy as partaking with the French in the Trade as well as in their Garb. CHAP. CXXXIII Of Savoy and the Provinces thereof Savoy and the Cities thereof THE Dukedom of Savoy comprehends only this Dutchy and the Principality of Piedmont in the former is Cambray the residency of the Duke when he is in these parts in the latter is Nisa and Villa-Franca two Sea-Ports but not capacious nor safe for Ships of burthen next Aste a great Mart for all Italian Commodities and lastly
Turin the principal City where the Duke of Savoy holds his Court and Residence and because in these latter years of War between England and France our English Factors from Marselia fled hither for succour entertainment and protection which they bountifully had of the late Duke I must not pass over the Trade thereof without remembrance nor be unmindful of that bounteous welcome they found at his Highness hands CHAP. CXXXIV Of Turin and the Trade thereof Turin and the Trade thereof TUrin being the capital City of Piedmont having Nisa and Villa-Franca for Sea-ports hath had many furtherances to make it a great City of Traffick for the Duke at several times but lastly at the coming of the English hither from Marselia made a Cavidal or stock for Trade of 300000 Crowns wherein he caused many of his Nobles to enter and become Partners but when the Stock was made and published in England and in other Countries this Dukedom was not found to give vent to any Commodities of consequence some Fish and Calve-skins excepted wherewith to invest the said Stock notwithstanding he gave commandment that the English should be kindly entertained both at Nisa and Villa-Franca and appointed certain Lodgings and Ware-houses for them and their Wares but Peace ensuing shortly after with France the Factors again returned to Marselia with due acknowledgment of their Royal entertainment the main obstacle in Trade here being the too near neighbourhood of Genoa the rich and of Legorn the free which neither of the two Towns formerly mentioned can equalize Coins of Savoy The Moneys commonly current in Savoy are the Moneys of Italy and France as neighbouring and the Florin of the Countrey accounted three Sold. Turnois which is 3½ d. English Their 100 l. makes in London about 82 l. and 77 l. in Lions and in Venetia gross 66. in 67 l. in Florence or Pisa 135 l. Accounts in Savoy Their Accounts are kept in Livers Sold. and Deniers as in France but in Nisa they account by Florins and Grosses a Crown of Sold. of France is 4 flor 2 gross Their Measure is a Ras both of Cloth and Silk which is half an Auln of Lions and 23 inches English by the Rule This Country affordeth for Merchandize Rice and Corn in abundance and some Silk wrought here and some other Commodities but of no great consequence nor worthy mentioning therefore I will forbear to treat further of this Dukedom and end my French Commerce Weights of France reduced to London 100 l. Before I leave France and therewith Savoy who do in all things partake with the Garb and manner of the French and till I enter into Italy having thus surveyed some particular Towns of eminency therein It will be worthy notice to collect the Weights and Measures of such as we have omitted and so view the general Trade of France which I will begin in the Weights and reduce the same to the 100 l. suttle of London which is observed The 100 l. of London hath made in Paris by Kings-beam 89 l. Diep  91  Burgoin  91  Roan by Vicount 88   by ordinary weight 92   weighed by the same and account 4 l. per cent over   Avignion  312 l. Calais  107   by Merchants weight 88   English Wooll weight 110  Marselia  112  Aquimort  98  Mirabel  98  Abbeville  91  Bourdeaux  91  Lions by ordinary weight 107   by Silk-weight 98   by Customers weight 90  Tholouse  112  Montpelier  112  Rochel  112  Ditto by small weight 115  Genoa  98   by great weight 82  S. Anthony  123  Calsada  98  For further instruction here I may refer the ingenious to the large Work of Monsieur Savâ—na who hath comprized all the Trading of France into a Volume of too great a buâ—k for me to peruse it more accurately Measures of France reduced to the 100 yards of London In like manner to abbreviate my labour you will see that the 100 Yards of London make in these Towns following In Rouen 77½ Aulns Avignion 80  Orleans 48 Canes Marselia Silk 48  Ditto for woollen 44¼  Paris Rochel 78 Aulns Lions for Linnen 80  Ditto for Silk 115 Aulns Provence 48 Canes Geneva 80 Stabs Nants Abbeville 110 Aulns And so for the most part the same are found through all France the abovesaid places only excepted CHAP. CXXXV Of the Trade in general of France The general Trade of France FRom the particular Trade of the Cities of France let us view the Trade in general of this Kingdom and we shall not find it of any great consequence for here it is found that the Gentlemen do not meddle with Traffick because they think such Traffick ignoble and base and so unfit for them which error the French no less dearly buy than do some English to which Kingdom of late days they have in some sort blowed over that opinion though some of the better judgments of England are reformed in that point and find it a most worthy Excellent and profitable Calling but as the French are found to neglect Merchandizing so aâ—… they less studious in their Navigations than their neighbours either Spaniards Dutch or English which I imagine proceeds not out of a desire to attempt or courage to perform but because they abound with all things both for plentiful food and rich attire and if they want any thing strangers gladly bring it to them allured by four principal Commodities which do much enrich the Inhabitants which is Wines Linnens Salt and Corn being the prime Commodities of that Kingdom yet it is found that the Marselians Trade and Navigate in Egypt Aleppo and Constantinople and the Normans and Britains into England Spain Ireland and Netherland in time of Wars they have also some small Vessels at Sea more fit for piracy and theft than for any great War of moment and their success hath been so ill in their Colonies in America that it hath quite disheartned them from seconding their attempts Three Cities here carry the greatest fame in Trade Marselia for the Levant Rouen for the English Channel and Rochel for he Ocean this last subsisting by the growth of their White and Claret Wines of Bourdeaux Roan by their petty manufactures of Cards Pins Combs Paper and Canvas and Marselia by the Trade of Turky wherein are found Factors that do imploy the Estates of many Merchants resident within Lions and other inland Towns of France which gives life to most of their Traffick and Navigation in these parts Now it is to be observed that England brings them Newland fish Herrings Pilchers Lead Tin Cloths Kersies Cottons or Fâ—…zes and have in return Wines from Bourdeaux Oils and Almonds from Marselia and Pepper Canvas Buckrams from Rouen and Locrams from Morlais the
75  Madera 57 v.  Lucques 111 Br. Florence 113â…”  Millan 124¾  Genoa 267â…ž Pal. The liquid Measures are these Of Wines Wines are sold in Venetia two ways either in gross or by retail the gross by the Amphora and Bigonsa and by retail by the Quart the Sachio and Lire where note That the Amphora is four Bigonsa and the Bigonsa is 4 Quarts and 1 Quart is 4 Sachi and 1 Sachi is 4 Liras or pounds but buying the same in gross that is by the Amphora and the Sachi 1 Amphora is â—4 Quarts and 1 Bigonsa is 3 Quarts and half Of Oyl Oyl is here also sold two ways first by Measures and next by the Weight of the Staliero the Measure is called the Miaro and is 40 Mire and by the gross Weight is 120 l. and 1 Mira makes by measure 25 l. and by weight makes 30 l. 3 ounces Of Corn. Corn is sold by the Staio which is 132 l. gross Venetia and in Florence 175 l. which is divided to 4 4 and to 8 8 and to 16 16 parts by which is made the Scandalios the ¼ being 32 l. the â…› 16 l. the 1 16 8 l. of gross Accounts in Venetia Their Accounts are kept in Venetia divers ways as by some in Ducates and Grosses at Livers 6 and 4 sold per Ducate accounting 24 Gross to a Ducate Others again by Livers Sols and Gross which are valued at 10 Ducates the Liver accounting 20 Sold. to the Liver and 12 Deniers gross to a Sold. Exchanges of Venetia The Exchanges made in Venice I have inserted in the 281 and 368 Chapters together with all circumstances thereto belonging where by the way it is to be noted That in time past the goodness of their Moneys both in payment for Merchandise and in payment for Bills of Exchange was alike and of equal goodness and value but these wise Senators fearing to lose what they cannot keep I mean that little Trade they yet hold in comparison of what they had lost by their providence and circumspection set a distinction between the Moneys payable for commodities Difference betâ—een money in banco and out of banco in Venice 20 per centum which they term their current Moneys and out of banco and between their Moneys paid by Bills of Exchange which they term in banco which hath had its original upon such unfit grounds that the very naming thereof and the particular circumstances of this difference is dishonourable to this Republick which therefore I will omit only thus far the necessity thereof is to be remembred and to be well known and understood by all Merchants and Exchangers that Trade and Traffick to this City that the difference now at this time holds in proportion between 20 and 21 per cent so that it doth appear to all men that reside here or have any commerce into this City that their payment made in banco and by Bills of Exchange is accounted better by near 21 per cent than the payments made for Commodities bought and sold between Merchant and Merchant Customs of Venetia The Customs of Venice are several altering upon many Commodities and though the wisdom of this Republick do manifestly discern a great diminution of their Customs in general yet it so falls out that they impose still greater as it were endeavouring thus to make up the annual rents thereof as of late they have done upon Currans under pretence that if the English will come and lade them in the Port of Venice or otherwise come thither laden they are then freed of a new Impost which is lately levied in Zant upon a Commodity but they being of the condition of many Princes that finding their Countrey enriched with an eminent commerce and a plentiful Trade never leave imposing new Customs and Imposts thereon till the Trade and Customs and Imposts and all other the benefits thereof are slipt out of their fingers and fled for protection to some other more friendly and neighbouring State or place where the same finds a greater ease and a lesser charge and that have Venice Anvers Lions and Genoa lost that famous Trade which for many years hath made those Cities renowned and by their fall and easie Customs have Leghorn Marselia Amsterdam and London risen to that height wherein they are now found to be which if the Prince thereof do wisely cherish and content themselves with a reasonable Duty such as Trade in it self may well bear and the Trader live and ceherfully proceed in his Negotiations they may see their Countreies daily to flourish and grow both rich and renowned thereby otherwise Tradâ— will insensibly she from them the Merchants will give it over or find out new paths and divert it into some other place Shipping will in an Age rot and perish and Navigation will quickly be forgotten and these Kingdoms must have other Nations to supply them at the second hand and by strangers Shipping with those necessary Commodities which the Countrey stands in need of and the same both at dear rates and to the too late Repentance of the State it self as may now be verified by this of Venetia who would with many Millions redeem that lost Trade and would with free liberty of Customs entertain that Commerce which themselves peradventure by their too great Customs and Imposts levied thereon by little and little in times past have of their own accord wilfully or willingly lost and thrust from them as I shall declare further in the Trade of Leghorn and other places which have of themselves no commodity to maintain a Traffick yet have all things and want nothing that all other Countreies can afford only by the benefit and commodity of an easie light duty of Custom imposed upon Merchandise by the liberty and freedom of the place and Traders thereinto and forasmuch as this State have by their wisdom made of late days divers subtle Decrees for the benefit of their own Traffick and for the regaining of their lost Trade which are in themselves prejudicial to many other Nations but principally to the English I hold it not improper in this place to mention some of the principal thereof that thereby if any the able furtherers of the English Traffick shall happen 〈◊〉 peruse this Tract fit remedies may be enacted to meet these Decrees Injurious Decrees of Venice against the Trade of the English in the Levant Seas which I may call particularly injurious to the English Subject and Merchant and tending to draw the whole Trade of the Levant Seas to the City of Venice only to the general prejudice of the Shipping of his Majesty of England Trafficking in those Seas which I conclude under 〈◊〉 Points 1. First they have considered the late great Exportation of Currans out of Zant and Zeffalonia two Islands of their Signiory into England and that the principal Trade of the English into their Signiory is only for this Fruit therefore they have of
or otherwise Secondly by reason that the King of Portugal having discovered the East-Indies in Anno 1500 and diverted the course of Trade driven by the Venetians from Alexandria and the Red-Sea to his Port of Lisbon kept here his Factors and sent hither those Indian Commodities to seek their vent and this first drew the English Merchant-Adventurers from Bruges hither to reside The third was the Wars that fell between the French and Charles the Fifth which brought hither many Gentlemen from Villages and petty Towns for safety sake here to reside and build Now as the causes of her rising have been noted to be three so the causes of the loss of that Trade may be reduced also to three First the Wars here and in general in these Provinces between the Spaniards and the Dutch Nation wherein this City suffered pillaging and indured the command of new Laws Secondly the abrogation of part of those Privileges that were granted here to the English Merchant-Adventurers and others that the new and great Customs imposed upon their Goods and Merchandize Thirdly the Navigation of the English and Dutch to the East-Indies whereby the Portugal Factors decreasing thereby and the City of London in England and Amsterdam in Holland increasing thereby were also sharers in the India Trade and Commodities leaving by this means this City bare and to subsist upon the Traffick of her own Inhabitants in that nature as now the same is found to be Accounts in Antwerp Their Accounts are here kept by Livers Sol and Deniers which they term Pounds Shillings and Pence of grosses 12 grosses making a Sol and 20 Sol a Liver or Pound Flemish which may be accounted 12 Shillings Sterling or by their computation 240 grosses by which Species they do make their Exchanges with all other Cities Coins in Antwerp The Current Moneys here and in general through all the Arch-Duke's Countries are besides the Spanish and Imperial these current are Doits four makes a Stiver and ten Stivers a Shillings Sterling two Blanks makes a Stiver and half Stivers 6 makes a Shilling Flemish Stivers 28 makes a Guilder which is three Shillings four Pence Flemish Shillings 20 makes a Pound which is 6 Guilders Pounds 100 Flemish makes 60 Pound English so that 20 Stivers is or may be computed for two Shillings Sterling and one Pound Flemish for 12 Shillings Sterling and then 20 Shillings Sterling is 33 Shillings 4 Pence Flemish Weights in Antwerp The Weight of this Country is the Pound of 16 Ounces and the 100 l. of that Pound which is their Quintar which rendereth in London 104 l. The conceived original of our Tret in London and thereupon it comes as some imagine that upon Spices the tret of 4 l. upon 104 l. was allowed here to the Buyer for the English being supplyed hence in those days with their Spices found the 100 l. there to give here in the City of London 104 l. and made that allowance here willingly as desiring the 100 l. there would yield them a neat 100 l. here and take the same by the Factory without further allowance or garble which was not then in use Many observations have been made upon the weight and measure of this City which being reduced into a general Table by Mr. Malines and the same being there accorded with all the principal Cities in the World I will refer you thereunto for larger satisfaction and content my self according to my method to insert the same as I find it with some other particular places because I have found some errors in the said Concordance Weights of Antwerp compared with that of other places The Weights then in use in Antwerp being the 160 l. neat have been observed to have rendred thus In London 104 l. Marselia 115¾  Venice sotile 155  Ditto gross 97¾  Sicilia 68  Lisbon 84½  Florence 132½  Lions 110  Sevil 101â…ž  Dantzick 120  Ormus 108 Rot. Aleppo common 228 R. Ditto silk weight 240 R. Tripoly Soria 272 R. Tripoly Barbaria 97 R. Baruti 219 R. Alexandria Zeroi 519 R. Alexandria Forsia 1165 R. Constantinople 92 R. Rhodes 201 R. Acria 181 R. Babylon 156 R. And what other inlargements are here wanting I willingly omit and refer the same to Lex Mercatoria Measures of Antwerp compared with those of other Countries Now in the same manner it will be needful I do calculate the Measures of Antwerp which is the Ell which also by observation hath made in these places Acria 115 pico Aleppo 108 pico Argier 136 covad Alexandria 124 pico Amsterdam 101 ells Barcelona 43 canes Bruges 98â…” ells Candia 108 pico Castile 78 vares Constantinople 113 pico Corfu 116 braces Damasco 111 pico Dantzick 122 ells Florence Cloth 116 ells Ditto for Silk 102½ braces Genoa 122 braces Hamburgh 122 ells Holland 103½ ells Lisbon long 63 vares London for Linnen 60 ells Ditto for Wollen 75 yards Ditto for Frises 59 goads Lucca 120 braces Millan for Silk 141 braces Naples for Silk 33½ can Paris 59 aulns Rouen 58 aulns Sevil 83½ vares Venice for Woollen 101â…” braces Ditto for Silk 108 Valentia 73 canes Urbin 101 braces Note that this is for the common Measure of Antwerp besides which they use another El for Silk and these Ells make of that but 98½ Ells. The other Measure of sundry Commodities here in use are these Of Beer Beer is sold in Antwerp by the Barrel which is accounted throughout Flanders and Brabant to be 54 Stoops the 81 whereof is in Dantzick a Fat and contains there 180 Stoops but 50 Stoops of Antwerp make the Barrel of Lubeck and the English Gallon of Beer is 2 Stoops of Flanders and 1â…” Stoops of Amsterdam Of Corn. Corn is here sold by a Measure called the Vertule and 37½ Vertules is a Last of Corn in Ansterdam and 10¼ Quarters in London vide there further Of Wine Wine is sold by the Ame the Stoop and the But and is found thus to accord together 1 Aâ—… is 50 Stoops and one Stoop is six Pound and a But is 152 Stoops so that by this Rule 6 Ame which is 300 Stoops or 1800 l. is in London 252 Gallons so that the Ame is by this Calculation found to be 42 Gallons and the Stoop is about 3â…“ quarters of London Wine-measure or as some account it about 7 Pints vide London for more certainty Exchanges of Antwerp The Exchanges practised in this place are great and for very great sums of Money especially when as the King of Spain hath any general disbursements in this Country by reason of his continual Armies here in Action maintained against the Dutch the particulars whereof I have inserted in the end of this Tract in the Chapter 289 and in the Chapter 435 and some others following where I have at large declared the Practice and Use among the Machants of that place in the Calculation thereof whereto I refer
a Coal wonderful in Nature as kindled by Water and quenched by Oil. Zutphen Zutphen is the next Earldom being only a Town seated on the River Issel of good strength taken from the Spaniard Anno Dom. 1590. at the Siege whereof was slain that Honourable Knight Sir Philip Sidney of whom was said Digna legi scribis facis dignissima scribi Scripta probant doctum te tua facta probum Thou writ'st things worthy reading and didst do Things that are even most worthy writing too Thy Works thy learning praise Thy Deeds thy goodness raise Holland The next Earldom is Holland in Circuit 180 Miles no part of which is distant from the Seas three Hours Journey and comprehendeth 400 Villages and 23 Towns Dort The chief whereof is Dort where Anno 1618. was held a National Synod against the Arminians Harlem Secondly Harlem where Printing was invented Thirdly Leyden an University consisting of 41 Islands to which there is passage partly by Boats but principally by 40 wooden Bridges and by 110 of Stone the rarity whereof being the first City of consequence I noted in these parts Anno 1625. I could not chuse then but admire and here in this Town is a Castle said to be built by Hengist the Saxon at his return out of England if their Stories may be credited Delph The next Town is Delph a place of Residence for the Merchant-Adventurers of England where I was Anno 1625 admitted into that Society whose Welfare I am bound to desire and whose Prosperity I wish may still increase and tho these Citizens have since upon some discontent forc'd them to remove to Roterdam yet considering the Town is composed altogether of Brewers and that Men so qualified are apt to forget themselves it may be imagined they have since slept upon it and would peradventure regain their Companies at a greater Charge than can by any but by their Wisdoms be imagined Alkmer The next is Alkmer famous for the Defeat which the Duke d'Alva received before it to his great Loss of Reputation and to this City's Honour Roterdam The next is Roterdam famous for the Birth of Erasmus and noted for Lovers of the English Traffck in giving lately free and worthy Privileges to the Merchant-Adventurers of England who from Delph lately removed hither to reside to the future Prejudice of those Brewers Amsterdam Lastly Amsterdam has now the Honour of all these Countries for matter of Commerce and Traffick it hath raised it self to that height of Trade by the Industry Policy and Wealth of the Inhabitants that 1000 Sail of Ships have been seen at one Tide to go in and out and as one of their own hath it Quod Tagus atque Hemus vehit Pactolus in unum Vere hunc congestum dixeris esse locum What Tagus Hemus and Pactolus bear You would conjecture to be heap'd up here Now for the Manner and Matter of their Traffick I shall note the same such as I have observed it at my Residency there in 1625 above-mentioned CHAP. CLXIII Of Amsterdam and the Trade thereof Amsterdam and the Trade thereof AMsterdam is now by the late Addition of the New to the Old a fair City strong and beautiful the River Tay flowing like a large and calm Sea on the North-side thereof and the River Amster of which and the Word Dam this City is named running from the South through three Lakes entreth this City and passing through it falleth into the River Tay on the North-side This Town doth consist of 5 principal Streets through which the Water doth run and are divided therewith in which Ships Barges and Boats of all kinds are found both to come and go continually either to lade or unlade which is not only beneficial to the Inhabitants but also commodious and beautiful The Trade of this City is much inlarged since the Passage of Antwerp was stopt and the Trade of the Inhabitants to the East and West-Indies occasioned by their Industry their Love to Navigation and not the least by a great Plenty of Moneys which they deliver out at easie rates at Interest as wanting Land or other means to put out the same to better Benefit nothing being loft them but Commerce and Navigation to imploy the same and of late days England and other neighbouring Countries are found to have their Estate going at Interest according to the Custom of the place which is 8 per cent whereas in their own Countries 4 and 5 per cent is as much as the same will yield them But for the Coins Weights and Measures as I observed them I shall here insert and refer the rest to the better experienced Accounts in Amsterdam They keep their Accounts as in Antwerp by which all these Parts were regulated in former times for what concerned Traffick Moneys of Amsterdam and all the Netherlands Their Moneys have also a Correspondency with Antwerp Coins but inhansed or debased as they see occasion by reason of their great yearly Disbursments and ordinarily the same is found to be as in the Account of Antwerp so as that their Livre or Pound which is twenty shillings Flemish may be accounted twelve shillings sterling Florins 6 make that Pound of 20 stivers per Florin Stivers 120 make a Pound of Gross 6 Stivers a Flemish shilling Stivers 5 are accounted as much as 6 d. sterling or 5 Sold Turnois Stiver 1 is a Sold Turnois A Gross is 6 Deniers Turnois Carolus gulden is 20 stivers 2 shillings sterling or 20 sols Turnois Besides these as the Current Moneys of the Countrey All Coins of Europe do pass here currently for their Value and are received and paid in Payments for Merchandise accordingly Weights of Amsterdam Their Weight is the Pound 100 whereof makes their Quintal which 100 or Quintal is held in London to be incirca 111 l. English yet some allege that the same truly calculated will not produce above 108 l. suttle and for the Concordancy see further Measures in Amsterdam Their Measure is the Ell which reduced to Yards English is found to be 134 Ells for 100 Yards of London and the 100 Ells of London are here 167½ Ells so that the 100 El◠here makes in London about 74 Yards or 60½ Ells incirca and 40 Flemish Ells make in England 24 Ells. Exchanges in Amsterdam In the Exchanges this place is governed by Antwerp rising and falling according to their present Occasions and the Value Current of their Moneys which is often inhansed and debased it being very frequently observed in this City and the rest subject to the Netherlands or to the United Provinces that when they have occasion of great Receipts they are decryed in value and raised again where they have occasions by their Wars or otherwise of great Disbursements according to which diversity of needful Occasions the Exchange of the place is observed to alter therefore therein cannot be prescribed any direct
at Antwerp and partly by the Civil Wars then afoot in this Countrey First then the Portuguese having taken Calicut in the East-Indies carried the Spices of India to the Fairs of Antwerp Anno 1503. and contracting with that City drew the Fuggers and VVelfars two potent German Families of Merchants thither After which the Merchants of Florence Lucca and the Spinolas of Genoua seated themselves there as also the Merchant Adventurers of England Anno 1510. and many other Nations were invited thither by the Privilege of Marriage Dowries which became Shadows to many Frauds for when Husbands either brake in their life-time or be found Bankrupt at death the Wives are preferr'd to all Debtors in the Recovery of their Dowry And thus far he sheweth the Rising and Falling of the Trade of Bruges and how it came to be removed and settled in Antwerp and how since also it hath been lost and departed thence I have shewed in another place and this is as much as I have thought good to insert of the Trade in general of Netherland concluding that though the Country be of small extent and be barren of rich Commodities either to preserve or maâ—ntain a Trade yet the Industry of the Inhabitants hath made them potent wealthy and great Merchants and now at this day they traffick to all parts of the habitable World with the Commodities of their own Countries which by their Endeavours and Pains they make and purchase to be as if naturally and really the same were their own Now for the general Trade of Flanders so far forth as it is in obedience to the Archduke or more properly to the Kings of Spain it must be granted that it holds not any equality at this day with that part in subjection to the States Antwerp as the principal City of which the Flemings did and might justly boast is now as then the chiefest but the former Splendor is now and long ago lost for it had the Preheminence and was one of the chief Cities of Traffick in the World but is now only the chief of this Jurisdiction What it could formerly herein challenge it hath now lost For if the Trade thereof be well observed it will be discerned it looks not so high by many Millions as it did then the Merchants the Inhabitants partalâ—e of one of the Qualities of the Spaniard-Merchant which they have since their reduction to that Scepter learned thence and this is never or very seldom to traffick or adventure their Estates into any other Princes Dominions but where their Lord is Sovereign Which Rule found here as in all Spain for the most part true and granted it must be confessed their Trade cannot possbly be of any great consequence For such is the nature of a free and uncontrouled Commerce that no Country or Nation how remote or distant soever can give limit or bound thereto Whereupon it may be inferred and as by proof at this day it is found observable their general Traffick is small and consisteth more by a laborious Industry of the Inhabâ—tants at home than by their great Adventures by Sea abroad their greatest Navigation extending but to Spain and in some second Adventures thence to India and that for no great matter and otherwise they trouble not neither the East nor West neither the North nor the South parts of the World no nor hardly as far as into France England or into the Netherlands the nearest Neighbours when at Amity for any great matter of moment The principal means whereby their small Traffick is now maintained to them is by their several sorts of cunning and artificial Fabricks and Manufactures which every Town of any note is notable for such as are Hangings of Arras Tapestry some sorts of Stuffs of Silk and of Woollen and Linnen and in Exchanges to purchase which the English French and other the neighbouring Nations bring them Woollen Cloths and Wines and some other needful Provisio is which they want to supply their Occasions and the Necessities of those Armies as are for the most part seen to be sed maintained and clothed in this Country Dunkirk their only and best Sea-Port affords some Shipping and so poorly set on work by way of merchandising that they find their best Traffick to consist of Thievery and Boothalling against both their Friends and their Enemies the Netherlanders which yet they are so far unable really to set out to any competency of strength that the Jesuits and other the devouter Orders of Friers are oftentimes induced to set their helping hand thereto this way oftentimes spending in uncharitable Actions and Blood-shed the charitable Alms of the poor and deluded Multitude and how well this Trade hath thriven with these irreligious Ecclesiastical Orders their great Losses by their Reports sufficiently witness to the World So leaving the Antwerpians to endeavour the regaining of their lost Traffick and the Dunkirk Free-booters and their holy Partners to the recovery of their late Damage by some more honest Commerce I will here leave Flanders and hence travel further into this Continent and survey the particular Trade of the famous Empire of Germany CHAP. CLXXXII Of Germany and the Provinces thereof Germany and the Provinces HAving briefly run through Flanders and the United Provinces and reduced the Trade thereof into two principal Cities that is to Antwerp for Flanders and the other Provinâ—es subject to the Spaniards and to Amsterdam for Holland and the other Cities subject to the States I must be constrained in a manner to use the same method in the Survey of the Trade of Germany reducing their Traffick of the lesser to the greater Cities the greatest being also not much known to our Nation for any Eminency this way as being in-land to which our English whose Traffick principally consists at Sea and consequently in Maritime Towns have but little knowledg of though otherwise eminent as being far distant from it Germany bounded Germany then is bounded on the West with France and Belgium on the North with Demnark and her Seas on the East with Prussia Poland and Hungary and on the South with the Alpes Commodities of Germany This Country doth afford to the Merchant for Transportation many notable Commodities as Silver Copper Tin Iron and Lead by their Mines Corn Wines Allom Quick-silver Arms of all sorts divers Manufactures as Linen Woollen Silks c. and sundry other Commodities Hans-Towns 72. Three sorts of Cities are said to be contained in this Empire the first are those that are called Hans-Towns which are such as enjoy large Privileges and Immunities and are thought to be about 72 in number and for the most part are found either to border upon the Seas or be seated upon great and navigable Rivers being for the most part rich and of reasonable Commerce and Trade or famous and noted for some one particular Art Fabrick or Manufacture Imperial Cities 60. The second sort are called Imperial Cities and accounted free in
respect of their great Prerogatives as in coining of Moneys and knowing no Lord but ruled by the Imperial Laws for which they acknowledge and pay a Contribution yearly to the Emperour whom they account their Protector and these are found to be about 60 in number Principalities The third are such as are held by inheritance by some Princes as are Heidelberg Vienna and others of which are accounted in this Empire incirca and may be called Principalities There is also found in this Empire conducing to Traffick besides the lesser four great navigable Rivers that enrich these Hans-Towns Imperials and Principalities communicating the Commodities of one City to another and at last to the Sea-Ports where the same is last of all vended into forein Kingdoms Danubius The prime whereof is Danubius which in running 1500 Miles doth receive above 60 navigable Rivers and disgorgeth it self into the Euxine or Black-Sea Rhyne The second is the Rhyne running 800 Miles through Germany and Belgia disgorgeth i◠self into the German Ocean Albis taking in Albis which is accounted navigable for 400 Miles and some others and is the third River of this Countrey Adera The fourth is Odera running 300 Miles in length issueth out in the Baltick-Sea Besides which there are many others of note as Weser Emse and others in themselves found to be great Rivers enriching divers parts of this Countrey tho far inferiour to the former East-Frisland Lastly this Empire is found to contain 20 large Provinces which by reason of my little Insight therein I will cursorily pass over and refer the same wherein I am defective to the better learned East-Frisland is accounted the first Province wherein are found the Cities of Oldenberg Ammerdam and lastly Emden which for its former eminency in Trade I cannot so slightly pass over without a word of the Trade thereof CHAP. CLXXXIII Of Emden and the Trade thereof Emden and the Trade thereof EMden hath been in times past of far greater Trade than now it is It was for some years the Seat of the English Merchant-Adventurers but the Civil Wars about Religion raised between the Citizens and their Count was in part the cause of the Decay of the Trade thereof This City lies in the utmost border of the Empire and only divided by the River Emse from the Netherland and by an Inland Sea from West-Frisland being one of those Provinces In Summer it is found a pleasant City but in Winter as if drowned in the Seas and all the Fields cover'd with Water makes it to appear as an Island in the Waters As for the Moneys current and Form of Accounts kept here by Merchants I omit that to the place of the Coins and Accounts of Germany in general but noted hereafter In the mean time it is to be observed that the Weights and Measures in use are these Weight of Emden The common Weight of Emden is the Pound of the Quintal or 100 l. makes in London Measure of Emden Their common Measure of Length is an Ell wherewith they measure Linnen Woollen and Silks in general the 100 whereof hath been observed to make in London 48½ Ells and the 100 yards of London to have made there about 162 or 163 Ells. Corn is here measured by the Werp 55 Werps make 10 Quarters of London or a Last of Amsterdam but 61 Werps is here a Last consisting of 4 Werps great of 15½ Barrels the Werp Westphalia Westphalia is next containing in it self a large Tract and producing those Acorns in abundance which feed their Swine and which affords those Gammons which are accounted so excellent a Dish The Northern part of this Country is Bremen wherein is found the Town of Breme as the principal then Clappenburgh Exenburgh belonging to the Duke of Saxony Then Collonia wherein is said to be the Bodies of the three wise Men which came from the East to worship our Saviour And this belongs to the Bishoprick of Collen Here is also Warendorp and some others belonging to the Bishop of Munster and Boport Engers Coblents and Triers belonging to the Bishop of Triers of the principal of which a word passando CHAP. CLXXXIV Of Breme and the Trade thereof Breme and the Trade thereof BReme is one of the Hans-Towns so called for the Freedom of the Traffick here practised strongly fortified five miles distant from the Sea the River Visurge serving to convey all Commodities hither as running through the City Ossenbridge near which lies that small but well known Town of Ossenbridge noted for the great quantities of narrow Linen Cloth that is hence conveyed to England and other Countries It is reported that in this City the Custom was first raised in swearing and inhansing new Comers by Bread and Salt and of infranchising them into their City by paying a certain Mulct or Fine in good Liquor to the rest of the Company which is now a general received Custom in all the Hans-Towns of Germany and become part of the Traffick thereof Weights of Breme The common Weight of Breme is the Pound of ounces the 100 l. whereof hath rendred in London pound Measures of Breme The common Measure for Length is the Ell which agrees with the Ell above mentioned in Emden But in Ossenbridge it is found that the 100 yards London make 84 Ells there incirea and the 100 Ells of London is here in Ossenbridge about 105 Ells. CHAP. CLXXXV Of Collen and the Trade thereof Collen and the Trade thereof COllen commonly for distinction called in Latin Colonia Agrippina is a very fair City whereto is found great Concourse of Merchants near to this City did Caesar with incredible Expedition make a Bridg over the River Rhyne near which the Town is at present situate which more terrified the barbarous Enemy than the Report of his Valour The Archbishop of this City is the second Especial Elector of the Empire and Chancellour of Italy Here ' us said are the Bodies of the three Wise-men which came from the East to worship our Saviour vulgarly called the three Kings of Collen whose Bodies were translated by Helena the Mother of Constantine unto Constantinople and from thence by Eustorfius Bishop of Millan transported to Millan finally brought hither by Rinoldus Bishop of this place Weights of Collen The common Weight of Collen is the Pound of the 100 l. whereof hath been observed to have made in London 110 l. Measures of Collen The common Measure of Length is the Ell here in use the 100 Ells whereof have been observed to make in London 60 Ells. Exchanges of Collen Here are great Exchanges practised in this City as proper and fit thereunto by reason of the rich Bankers and Merchants that are found here to reside the which I have largely declared in Chap. 290. of Exchanges of this place in the end of this Work wherefore it will be here needless to insert the same
Dantzickers under pretence of the Suevian war exacted of them a Dollar for each woollen-cloth and as much proportionably upon all other commodities and afterwards though the war being ended yet would remit nothing of the same and withal forbad the English by a law decreed to live in Poland the commodities whereof were only sold there lest they should learn the language and find out the mystery of that trade and Country And lastly when as they exacted as much weekly of an Englishman dwelling in their City as they did of a Jew dwelling there amongst them the English thereupon made agreement with the Senate of Melvin for a 11 years to pay them six gross for each cloth brought in and accordingly for all other goods and to pay as much more in the City of Kettle to the Duke of Prusen for his giving them free passage to Melvin and so by this means they setled their Staple in Melvin whereupon the Dantzickers being offended with the Citizens of Melvin and the Hamburgers no less with those of Stoad procured all the free Cities by a publick writing to out law not only Melvin and Stoad for receiving the English to the common prejudice of the rest but also Ceningsberg the seat of the Duke of Prusen and the free City of Lubeck for favouring the English in this their course and for permitting them being strangers to sell their goods to any other than the Citizens of each several City But how these difference came afterward to be reconciled and their Staples removed thence I have shewed in other places Trade of Prusen And being now entred to speak of the Trade of Prusen a German Province but of late years annexed to the Crown of Poland which of it self is of great importance it will not be amiss to inlarge my self upon some particulars thereof The English then are found to bring thither great quantity of Tin Lead and woollen cloths and other commodities and to bring thence hard and liquid Pitch Hemp Flax Cables Masts for Ships Boards and Timber for building Linen Cloth Wax Mineral Salt which in Poland they dig out of pits like great Stones and the same being put to the fire is made pure and being black his colour is more durable and less subject to giving again than our boyled Salt Also they bring thence Pine Ashes for making of Sope commonly known to us by the name of Sope-Ashes and Corn in great quantity yet the English are found seldom to have need of their Corn for the use of England which many times of their own they transport to other Nations but they buy it as the free Cities do to transport it to other Countries which the Low country-men do also buy as well for themselves as to serve Spain and other Countries therewith so great a quantity thereof is hence dispersed into all parts of Europe Amber Amber is also brought from thence but not gathered neither at Melvin nor Dantzick as some imagine but on the Sea-side of Koningsperg where as I said the Duke of Prusen holds his Court and so all along the coast of Curland where howsoever it lies in great quantity on the sands of the Sea it is as safe as if it were lockt up in Ware-houses since it is death for any to take up the least piece thereof and being only by the law accounted to be the proper commodity of the Duke to whom the same appertaineth And this being as much as I have thought requisite to handle concerning the Trade of Germany in general or of the Imperial Cities and Heâ—…-Tomns in particular I will proceed to the next Kingdom which in order is Denmark and to the principal Cities and particular Trade thereof CHAP. CCX Of Denmark and the Provinces and Cities thereof Denmark and the Provinces thereof DEnmark hath on the East Mare Balticum on the West the German Ocean on the North Sweden on the South Germany This Country doth afford for Merchandize Fish Tallow Hides and having abundance of Oxen 50000 are said to be sent hence yearly to Germany also Buck-skins Armour of all soâ—…s furniture for shipping Boards such as Wainscot Fir-wood c. This Kingdom now contains Cimbrick Chersonese the Islands of the Baltick and part of Sâ—…dia and first this Chersonese is divided into four Provinces Alsatia Alsatia is the first wherein are found the Cities Niemunster and Bramsted and is the title of the second Son of Denmark Dithmars Dithmars is the second Province wherein are found the Cities of Marn and Meldâ—… the Inhabitants of this last is esteemed so wealthy that they are said to cover their houses wich Copper Slesia Slesia is the third wherein are of note Sleswick 2 Gottorp and 3 Londen a Haven Town Jutland Jutland is the fourth the Towns of note are Rincopen 2 Nicopen 3 Holn and 4 Arhausen Baltick Islands The Baltick Islands are 35 in number but of them 4 are sound to be of principal note 1 Sâ—land 2 Fionia 3 Bornholm and 4 Fimeria of which a word Seeland In Seeland is found thirteen Cities Copenhagen the chief whereof is Haffen the Kings Seat and the only University in Denmark known to other Nations by the name of Copenhagen that is Mercaâ—…rum Portus or the Merchants Haven Elsinour Secondly Elsinour standing on the Sea-side in which Town the Merchants that have passed or are to pass the Sound do pay their Customs to the King And thirdly Rochilt the Sepulchre of the Danish Kings between this Island and the firm land of Scandivonia is the passage called the Sound towards Muscovia which did formerly yield unto this King a great yearly profit but now much decayed since the English found out the Northern passage into Russia This Sound is in breadth 3 miles and commanded oâ— Scandia side by the Castle of Helsenburgh and on this Island by that of Cronburg both Castles of good defence Fionia In Fionia is found eight Towns the principal whereof Osel Scomberg and others Bornholm In Bornholmia is a principal City Bornholm Fimeria In Fimeria is found the City of Peterborn and is the Island in which that famous Mathematician Ticho Brabe built an artificial Tower wherein he studied the Mathematicks and wherein are still reserved many of his rare Mathematical Instruments Scandia Scandia is the last part of this Kingdom lying part of it on this side and part beyond the Artick Circle so that the longest day in the more Northern part is about three months the Kingdoms of Norway Swetland and part of Denmark the part of it belonging to Denmark is divided into three Provinces 1 Halandia 2 Schona and Blesida Halandia In Halandia is Halaneso Scania In Scania is the City of Londis a fair Haven Falsgerbode and the Castle of Elsimbourg one of the Keys of the Sound before mentioned and the Seas are here said sometimes so to abound with Herrings that Ships are scarce
grateful acknowledgment as to those who have lent me their ready furtherance in this Work And for the government of this Trade in England they have a Governour who is always yearly chosen in London and is ever one of the most eminent of the said Company then a Deputy and thirdly a Husband in which last the said Company have for some years honoured my imployment and thought my pains worthy their acceptation and these in consideration of their care have a yearly courtesie or gratuity for their pains also to these are added a Secretary Accomptant and some other Officers receiving Salary and for the better regulating of this Trade and as Assistants to the abovesaid they have a Treasurer and 18 Committees yearly chosen and are ever the greatest Traders and the most eminent of the said Society and commonly the deepest interessed in the general Trade and in this nature hath it continued since the first Erection and Incorporation of this Society in Anno 1585 by Queen Elizabeth whose love to her Merchants procured them in Turky many privileges and granted them in England the Immunities aforesaid Now for the levying and supportation of this charge annually this happening and for the raising of the Present that is given to the Grand Seignor at the change of every Embassadour there is levied a Lanto upon the Merchandise either Imported or Erported in or out of Turky upon the Members of the said Company The English Nation the greatest Traders into Turky of Christians which in England is called by the name of Impositions and in Turky by the name of Consolage which the said Company do impose upon themselves and set the same either higher or lower as their occasions and necessity of their charge doth require and these are the most eminent of all the Merchant Christians that Traffick bither The Venetians being second The second eminent Traders into this City are the Venetians and the Subjects of that Seignory to protect whom and for reasons of State because of their near Neighbourhood that Common-wealth maintains here an Embassadour commonly entitled the Bailo together with 10 Consuls in sundry parts of the Grand Seignior's Dominions together with 60 Janizeries 30 Druggermen and sundry other Officers which are all paid and defraid out of the Office of Cottinio in Venice from whence also issueth all avennues and other losses and charges that happen for the preservation and maintenance of the Trade of Turky or the Liberties and Immunities granted thereto throughout all the Grand Seignior's Dominions The French being the third The third eminent Traders into this City are the French and the Subjects of that Crown to protect whom and also for preservation of Amity settled between them that King maintaineth here an Embassadour together with twelve Consuls dispersed into sundry parts of this Empire together with 80 Janizaries 34 Druggermen and sundry other Officers all paid and defraid out of the Coffers of the French King who willingly contributeth the charge for the ease of his Merchants and hath but small Leviations upon them for the same The Dutch being the last and least The fourth and last is the Dutch Nation who in some manner are found to have some Traffick hither to which end that State maintaineth in this City an Embassadour whom they intitle their Oratour besides whom they have only three Consulships twelve Janizaries â—eâ— Druggermen and some other Officers dispersed through the Grand Seignior's Dominions whose charge is born by the State of the Merchants of that Nation trading hither at a tante per cent and not by the Purse of the said Provinces Besides these some small Trade is driven here by the Subjects of the King of Poland as also by the Subjects of the King of Hungary and by the Emperours Subjects who each of them have here their Embassadours but the Trade thereof is of so little consequence and subject to such change and variation by reason of the War and Peace which sometimes is truy observed and sometimes again as little regarded that it merits no great consideration in this place As for the Traffick driven here out of Armenia Moscovia Tartaria Egypt Georgia Persia and other Countries of Asia and Africa I pass them over in silence having handled them particularly in those several Kingdoms to which I refer the Reader The Trade of the Citizens of Constantinople Now the Trade of other Nations hither I have noted it is not unproper I should give a touch of the Trade of the Inhabitants of this City into other places Four sorts of People are found hence to use a Traffick such as are the native Greeks Turks the Armenians and the Jews The Jews bend much of their Trade into the Land as to Adrianople with English Cloths Tin and Spices brought hither by other Nations To Angora for Gragrams Mohairs and Grogram Yarn To Salonica and other Cities in Peloponnesus for Silks and other Manufactures The Arenenians drive most of their Trade into Georgia Armenia and Persia for raw Silks Galls and some Drugs and carry thither Cloths Tin and other European Commodities and Rials of Silver The Turks bend their Traffick to Venice with Grograms and Camblets and other Commodities of Dalmatia and Sclavonia and thence return Sattins Velvets and some Wollen Cloths and Venices Gold thence to Meccn Damasco and Cairo with European Commodities someomes by Sea but oftner by Land and bring thence Gems Spices Drugs and Callicoes and other Indian Commodities The Greeks for the most part found to be either Shop-keepers and so cannot be termed Merchants or else Mariners which sail to Caipha to Danubius to the Arthes Cyprus and Alexandria and these are noted to drive some Trade that it merits not here any further observation Having thus as briefly and succinctly as I could handled the Trade of the main Continent of Europe and being come to this City of Constantinople one of the most eminent and fairest Cities not only of Europe but also of the whole VVorld whose Trade I have also duly and yet briefly related It is now high time for me to look homewards and so leaving this famous Ory sail down the Thracian Bosphorus to the Hellespont Galipolis leaving in view and sight on Europe side the once famous Galipolis the late Station for the Grand Seignior's Gallies whose materials either for the matter or for the manner of Traffick differs not from this used in the City of Constantinople it self tho' otherwise it yields to the Merchants for transportation good quantity of raw Hides Sheeps-Wooll Anniseeds and some other Commodities and taking aboard me one qualified here who according to the Custom of the place supplies the room of general Câ—…sul for all Western Nations I sail with him to the Castles of Sestos and Abydos the now Keys of this Sea and said City famoused by the Ancients for the sad and disastrous love of Hero and Leander where staying three days to clear my Vessel
Corn. The chief Cities herein are Candia the Metropolis Canea Rhetmio Sitta Suda a brave Harbour and Suda not to be â—gotten being the best Harbour in all these Seas and capable to receive 1000 Sail of Ships Coins current in Candia The Coins of Venice is here current with little difference and their Accounts kept as there and â—nce a year the Gally grosses from Venice come hither to furnish the Inhabitants with all those Conâ—…ities which Nature hath denied them of and which other Germany Italy France or England can afford them Weights in Candia There is here used two Weights or two Quintals as in Venice a suttle and a gross quintar which is found thus to agree with the said City of Venice 100 l. gross of Candia is 110 l. gross Venice and 118 l. English 100 l. suttle of Candia is 114 l. suttle Venice and 76 l. English 100 l. gross of Venice make here about 90 l. gross 100 l. suttle of Venice make here about 86 in 87 l. suttle Measures of Candia There is here also used two Picos a Cloth Pico and a Silk Pico 100 Braces Cloth in Venice is 〈◊〉 in Cloth 106 Picos 100 Braces Silk in Venice is here also 100 Pico Silk which by observation hath made in London inches Of Wines Maskaâ—els are here sold by a Measure called the Mestach 100 Mestach of clear Malvoise makes 24 Quarts of the Begonso Measure in Venice or 21 of the Sechio Measure which is in England Gallons Cerigo To proceed then in the Ionian Isles I find next Cerigo which is plentiful in Marble and out of the Castle of the chief Towns of this Isle was Helena the Wife of Menelaus stoln by Paris where during my abode here the Castelan did shew me and lodged me in the Chamber whence as be would have me believe she was ravished but if it were so her Lodging I 〈◊〉 confident was better than mine for a soft Board was my best Bed and God knows with what sorty Coverings and Appurtenance Strival The Strophades or Strivali are the next giving only a poor livelihood to some few Greek 〈◊〉 or Friers Cursalari And the Cursalari noted only as silent Spectators to the Battel of Lepanto fought in Anno 1571. near them Corfu Then Corfu the Key of the Venetian State being in the centre of their Dominions by Sea of which a word by the way CHAP. CCLII Of Corfu and the Trade thereof Corfu and the Trade thereof THis Island having the principal Town of that name is now reputed to be one of the Bulwarks of Christendom and the Key of the Venetian State and is a reasonable fruitful â—…d especially in Wax Honey Wine Oyl and some other Commodities Their Moneys and Accounts as in Venetia Weights in Corfu Their Weights is two as in Venice a suttle and a gross pound and Quintar which thus is found to agree together 100 l. suttle of Corfu makes suttle Venice 133 l. and 90 l. London 100 l. gross of Corfu makes gross Venice Measures in Corfu Their Measure in Corfu is a Brace which is English inches of Corn. Their Corn measure is a Moija which is 4 Delegators which is 1½ Staio of Venetia and in England is Gallons Wine Wine is sold by the Jar 4 whereof makes a Quart in Corfu which makes of the Sachio measure in Venetia 6 Sechis and Jars 2 and â— makes one Quart Venetian in Wine which is in England Gallons Salt Salt is sold by the Moyetta 1000 whereof makes in Venice 23 in 24 Moya incirca and in London Bushels Saint Mauro Then comes in view Saint Mauro where stood a Temple famous for curing unfortunate Lovers but the Medicine was by casting themselves headlong into the Sea and so I imagine they may be cured in any Country else whatsoever the chief Town is S. Mauro inhabited 〈◊〉 Jews only There resteth yet of note in these Seas Ithaca the Islands of Ithaca now called Val de Cemâ—… being 50 miles in compass Zephalonia and North-East from the Island of Zephalonia being 66 miles 〈◊〉 compass and wherein are found the Towns and Havens of Argusto Guiscardo and 〈◊〉 Zant. and on the South-East thereof is the Island of Zant or Zacynthus about 40 miles 〈◊〉 compass fortified with a strong Castle on the East-side which commands the Town 〈◊〉 Zant and the Harbour thereunto adjoyning the Trade whereof I here for brevity 〈◊〉 comprise together CHAP. CCLIII Of the Island of Zant Zeffalonia and Ithaca and the Trade thereof Zant Zeffalonia and the Trade thereof HAving before treated of these Islands and their fituation I now come to the 〈◊〉 thereof as found at the times of my being there which was in Anno 1619. and 〈◊〉 1624. with the needful Observations remarkable thereupon Commodities of these Islands The Commodities that these three Islands do yield for Merchandise are Honey Wax Oylâ—… Wines and Currans of which last here is found growing such abundance that some year the English have laden here 3000 tuns and upwards besides what the Dutch French and other Countries do export and is computed to yield to the Inhabitants 300000 〈◊〉 incirca yearly c. and to the Seigniory of Venice for Custom which is hereon very great 40000 Chequins Currants in Zant Zeffatonia and Theaca Of these Currants Zeffalonia doth yield the greatest quantity but is commonly the smallestâ— and least esteemed Zant doth next yield a lesser proportion but a better and larger sort 〈◊〉 Ithaca vulgarly Theaca doth commonly produce the best and fairest but withal the fewest 〈◊〉 quantity The Commodities that this place doth vent coming from England is little some Clâ—… Perpetuanos Serges Lead and Tin and some Fish of Newfound Land also some Herrings and Pilchards but the principal Commodity brought hither is Rials Spanish with which these Currans abovesaid are usually provided and bought and no other Commodity is so welcome amongst them Coins current in Zant c. Their Moneys current are those of the Seigniory of Venice as being under their Government and especially the Rials Spanish which is hither by the English brought in great quantity and also by all such other Nations as have occasion for this Fruit. Accounts in Zant c. Their Accounts are kept by the Islanders as in Venice but by the Merchants Strangers here resident in Dollars which are those Rials of 8 8 and Gassets 80 to a Dollar Weights of Zant c. Their Weight is the Pound of 12 Ounces and the Quintar is 100 l. and found thus to agree with Venice and other places 100 l. suttle of Venice makes here 63½ l. in these Islands 100 l. gross of Venice agrees with the common 100 l. thereof The Pound suttle in Venice makes here 7 Ounces 1 Sac. 16 per Cent. Currans are here bought by the 1000 l. which by the computation of Concordancy specified
by the neighbouring Shires Mam Cimbri the Mother of Wales as having of all food and other provision necessary to preserve the life of man out of which is yearly sent 3000 head of Cattel to supply the wants of other Countries adjoyning together with a good quantity of Corn Butter Cheese c. the same had in times past 300 Towns and Villages Beaumares now it hath but one of consequence remaining called Beaumares commodious for Trade as commanding a fair safe and capacious Haven and Road to which as being the place of my birth I owe this grateful remembrance Jarsey Jarsey is the next in compass 20 miles the chief Towns are St. Hillary and S. Mollo abounding in sheep c. Garnsey Then Garnsey 20 miles distant from Jarsey rich in good Harbours the chief Town is St. Peters Wight The last is the Isle of Wight being 20 miles long and 12 broad the principal Towns being Yarmouth Newport and Bradring it is well fortified and strengthned against all foreign attempts whatsoever There be also some other petty Islands round about this Shore but I will pass them to come to those of greater note and consequence which are Ireland and Great Britain the last Isle and place both of this my Travel and Traffick CHAP. CCLXIII Of Ireland and the Provinces thereof Ireland and the Provinces thereof IReland standeth West of Britain containing in length 400 miles and in breadth 200 miles enjoying this prerogative by nature That no venomous Serpent will either live here if brought from other Regions nor yet doth naturally breed here It is divided into 5 Provinces which according to my former method I will in order touch and see what Towns of Note they contain Munster 1. Munster is the first wherin is found the Cities of Limrick seated on the banks of Shanâ—… 2 Cork 3. Kingsale and 4. Waterford the first ground that ever I trod on out of my native soyl being about 13 or 14 years old and then began to be employed by my Parents in trade of Merchandising Connaught 2. Connaught is the second Province the chief Cities are Dunratty and Galloway the third City in Ireland both for fairness largeness and for pleasant dwellings and situation Vlster 3. Ulster is the third Province the chief Towns are Dundale 2. Dungannon 3. Armagh an Archbishoprick 4. Dongal and 5. London-Derry lately built and peopled by the City and Citizens of London Meth 4. Meth is the fourth the chief Towns are Kelly 2. Thim and lastly Tredagh a fine Town where also I resided in these my younger years of Travel and first employment in Traffick Lempster 5. Lempster is the last Province wherein is found the Cities of Mareaburg Philips-Town Kildare and Dublin of the Trade whereof a word CHAP. CCLXIV Of Dublin and the Trade thereof Of Dublin and the Trade thereof DUblin is seated on the Liffe being the Metropolis of Ireland and the residence of the Lord Deputy for the King of England who is Sovereign here it being also an Archbishoprick and an University Commodities of Ireland The Commodities the Country doth afford for Merchandise are these first the Country abounds in Cattle each affords Tallow and Hides in great abundance which is hence exported to Spain France and Italy also Salmon is here caught good store in July August and September which is salted and exported and in Summer the quantity is so great in some parts of this Island that the Servants do covenant with their Masters they must not feed thereon but certain days in the week Herrings are here also caught and accounted the best as also Pilchards in August September and October and thence vented to Spain France and into the Streights of Gibraltar here is also some Butter Cheese Pipe-staves Calves-skins and other Commodities of late days prohibited to be exported by the Laws of the Kingdom Coins of Ireland The Coins of this Kingdom in the standard carrieth a concurrence with those of England which also here are current for the value as being subject to one and the same Scepter yet in distinction of the true and real worth are found thus entitled The pound of Ireland consisteth of 20 shillings Irish yet in sterling is accounted but 15 shillings The shillings by this account is but 9 d. sterling and the 6 d. Irish is 4½ d. sterling Exchanges of Ireland Here is also an Exchange found and practised but not for any foreign part saving England and principally London and Bristol commonly running at 8 d. upon the pound and when most at 12 d. per l. which is 5 per cent Weights and Measures as in England Dublin and in general all Ireland hath the Measures and Weights of England in use in their Traffick and agreeing therewith in all particulars I need not insist further therein Now a word of the Trade in general of Ireland as it is found observable in these days Of the Trade in general of Ireland The daily conversation of the English Nation and the late impartial and found administration of justice in this Country hath redeemed this Island from the jaws of Barbarism wherein it was ready to fall and suffer a ruin and since by little and little peace being firmly established hath brought the Inhabitants to a desire of inriching themselves and this desire hath so well been seconded by their industry that I may say it hath brought store and plenty into their dwellings which hath hitherto met with so good a success that whereas few years past this Country was with all necessaries supplied out of Englands and Scotlands abundance it now returneth that courtesie and contributeth some years not only to the wants of both but to the wants of Spain France and some other adjoyning Countries for now it is found that the Earth and Seas add to the Inhabitants labour and pains as first the Seas and Rivers in their season afford them great plenty of Cod-fish Hake fish Pitchards Herrings and these of both the largest best and in abundance which they take kill and salt and so disperse as a Merchandise into France Spain England Scotland and other Countries Then the Earth yeilds them a good breed of Cattel especially Sheep and Oxen in such store that they have thereof in great abundance as also of Hides Woolls Tallow Butter Cheese and Beef and the Wool they by Manufactures convert into Cloth Mantles Ruggs Frises and Yarn whereof it is reported that there cometh yearly to the Town of Manchester in Lancashire to be there woven into Stuffs at least two hundred thousand weight fine and coarse besides which the bowels of the Earth yeild them Lead Iron and Tin and by their own industry they have many other Manufactures as also Pipe-staves Wax Honey Furs Hemp Linen Cloth Salt and some others all this considered what should want here to make them eminent Merchants but shipping and skill in the Art of Navigation and
a desire to imploy their Talents in foreign Countries which yet is not seen to be perfected amongst them Nature having to this end fitted them with many goodly Ports and navigable Rivers and will in time I hope fit them with an inclination to second by their endeavours what is so plentifully bestowed by her upon them which by little and little may be brought to pass by the conversation and direction of the civiliz d English that daily are seen to come and reside amongst them and thus leaving Ireland and my good wishes to the increase of her Traffick I hence pass over to Scotland a part of Britain and view the present Trade thereof CHAP. CCLXV. Of Scotland and the Provinces and Cities thereof Scotland and the Trade thereof SCotland is the Northern part of Britain and separated from England by the River Tweed and Salway and the Cheviot hills extending from thence to the other which being a Kingdom and varying in the manner of Trade from England I have thought good here to insert by it self Commodities of Scotland The Commodies that this Country affordeth for Merchandise are coarse Cloths Freezes Fish salted Hides Tallow Lead Ore some Grain Feathers and other Commodities as Sea-coal Allom Iron c. This Country is divided into two parts the High-land and the Low-land and the same into several Sheriffdoms or Provinces in which are found these Towns of consequence CHAP. CCLXVI. Of Edenburg and the Trade thereof Edenburg and the Trade thereof FIrst Edenburg wherin is seated the King's Palace and the Court of Justice consisting principally of one street of a mile in length whereto doth lead many other petty Lanes making the whole near three miles in circuit the second Town is Glascow an Archbishops See and an University the third is Saint Andrews in Fife honour'd with many Prerogatives fourthly Sterling then is Perth Aberdeen Dondes Saint John's Town and some others of lesser note Monies of Scotland Their current monies in Merchandise is the proper Coins of that Kingdom both in Gold and Silver which are usually found to be in Gold In Pieces of 22 shill sterl Pieces of 11 shill sterl Pieces of 5. 6 d. sterl Pieces of 2. 9 d. sterl Pieces of 4. 4⅜ d. sterl Pieces of 1 shill 1½ d. sterl Pieces of ½ the ¾ and ⅛ thereof Pieces of 9. 6 d. being ⅔ of the 13 d. ½ sterl One Mark   Pieces of ½ which is 4½ d. being ⅓ of the abovesaid Again 13½ d. sterl is a Scotch Mark. or 13 shill 4. d. Scotch 6⅔ is a Scotch Noble 6 shill 8 d. 20 d. sterl is 1½ Mark Scotch or 1 Pound Scotch of 20 shill 20 shill sterl is 18 Scotch Marks Besides which are here found current the Coins of England and he that would see further into the intrinsic value and weight of these Coins either of Silver and Gold must have recourse to a Proclamation set out by our Sovereign King James deceased dated in 1609 which will also shew their conformity to the Coins of England in weight and goodness and the current value and estimation thereof through this Kingdom Exchanges in Scotland Here is practised for England an Exchange for monies as is done upon the Scotch Mark for 12 pence sterling in London c. Accounts in Scotland Their Accounts are now kept several ways some following the custom of England by sterling pounds shillings and pence and some by their own ancient manner also in pounds shillings and pence Scottish 20 pence sterling being their pound 13½ being their Mark and pence Scottish of which they had some black or Copper Monies as Babaes esteemed by them for six pence whereof two made a penny sterling Placks which they esteemed for four pence and three of them made a penny sterling and lastly pieces called Hard-heads esteemed by them at 1½ pence but eight of them made a penny sterling mony and some of these are yet current amongst them Weights of Scotland They have in general as is also the custom of England but one weight for weighing of their Merchandise and for buying and selling throughout the Kingdom which is the Pound of 16 ounces 100 of which pounds makes their Quintal which is found to make in London and all throughout England 108 l. Averdupois and the 100 l. London sotile is found to render here 92 l. incirca or the 112 l. to give 103½ l. or thereabouts Measures of length 120 for 100. Their common measure in length for Linens Cloth Silk or Stuffs is an Ell common in use throughout Scotland which is about 4 per cent differing from our English Yard as being greater so that whereas we allow 36 inches to the Yard by Rule their Ell may make incirca 34½ inches it having been observed by Traders hither that 75 Yards in London or Ells 60 Ells hath made here 72 Scotch Ells but in their hundred by tale in measure they account six score or 120 for 100. In other measures of Corn Coal Salt or liquid measures of Beer Ale Wines Oyls and such like imitate the better experienced to supply my defects therein for I hasten now towards England and so to London the City of my abode and the end of my present labours and by the way will observe That the Inhabitants of this Country are much addicted both to Trade and Navigation and have many good helps and furtherances there both by the natural and artificial Commodities of this Country and the good Ports of the same so that in brief I may conclude this Kingdom to be more addicted to Traffick and Navigation than the Irish and yet not so much as the English which yet by the gracious aspect of our Sovereign is seen daily to increase and may in time come to a greater perfection CHAP. CCLXVII Of Britain and the Provinces thereof Britain and the Provinces thereof HAving now set my foot upon the happy shore and run through the Trade of most of the greatest known Cities of Commerce and Traffick in the World give me leave to survey the distinct Ports of this Kingdom that I may not do less to our own than in this Tract I have done to other foreign Countries Britain then the Queen of Islands is found to be in circuit 1836 miles extending it self comprehending England Wales and Scotland as of one entire Island which we now know by the name of Great Britain 800 miles being divided into 3 parts as into England and Wales whose Trade we have now in hand and Scotland whose Traffick we have already declared CHAP. CCLXVIII Of Wales and the Trade thereof Of Wales and the Cities thereof WAles then being the second part of this division is bounded on all sides with the Seas except the East where it is separated from England by the River Dee and a line drawn to the River Wie but by some by Clauda Offa or Offa's ditch or more proper by interpretation Offa's
Hedge or Rampire begining at the influx of Wie into Severn reaching unto Chester for 84 miles where the River of Dee entreth into the Sea The Country is in many places mountainous and barren yet able of it self to subsist without assistance of any neighbourhood partly by the industry of the Inhabitants and partly by the plenty of some of the shires thereof the most fruitful affording supply to others that are found the most barren and deficient Commodities of Wales The Commodities which this Country doth yeild and vent abroad for Merchandise are first Cattel in abundance bred in general through the whole Country Wax Honey Herrings white and red Butter and Cheese in great plenty Woolls also in some measure also this Country is well stored with Mines of Silver Lead-Ore Coal and some Tin Milstones and good Quarries of Free-stone for building Hides Calf skins Frises Bays some Linens and great quantity of Cottons known by the name of Welch Cottons and Plains which in Oswestry seated in Sheep hire is every Monday as the common Emporie of all Wales vented in great abundance and thence dispersed throughout England and so thence is shipped and conveyed to supply the defects of Normandy Britain and Picardy and of late have found a current vent in Spain Turkey and other Countries therefore I would incourage my Countrymen to go on in their Mansfactures of Woolls seeing that Nature hath done her part to give them the materials their industry must be added and that will soon bring forward the Art and all these conjoyned will bring a benefit for a reward of all and to all of them Four Circuits in VVales Wales is found at this day to contain 4 Circuits for the administration of Justice 1 Flint Denhigh Montgomery shires being the first Radnor Glamorgan and Brecknockshires being the second Cardigan Carmarthen and Pembroke shires being the third Merioneth Carnarvan and the Isle of Anglesey the fourth Four Dioceses also to contain 4 Dioceses for Ecclesiastical Discipline Twelve Shires and these comprehended in twelve shires wherein is also found 1 Chuse 13 Forests 36 Parks 99 Bridges 230 Rivers 1016 Parishes wherein are noted to be 56 Market Towns being no Cities and in them 41 Castles and 4 Cities being the Seats of so many Bishops as 〈◊〉 Saint Davids in Pembrookshire 2. Bangor in Carnarvonshire 3. Asaph in Flintshire 4 Landaffe in Glenorganshire Lastly the Inhabitants are accounted men of faithful carriage one to another most especially in a strange Country and to strangers in their own and use a peculiar language that hath remained without alteration or commixture with any other in the world from the original thereof to this day And lastly to their everlasting praise and commendation have for many years valiantly withstood all their Enemies by their own proper valour and being joyned to the Crown of England have been found to be true and loyal to the same and have so continued in all amity love and faithfulness CHAP. CCLXIX Of England and the Trade thereof England and the Cities thereof ENGLAND is the principal part of Britain and now the last in my labours bounded on the East with the German on the West with the Irish on the South with the British Oceans and on the North with Scotland as is afore-mentioned The ornaments of this Country hath in times past been expressed unto us by this verse Anglia Mons Pons Fons Ecclesia Foemina Lana England is stor'd with Mountains Bridges Wooll With Churches Rivers Women beautiful But these are not the Commodities that Merchants look after therefore I will shew you in his proper place those Commodities which England doth naturally afford for Merchandise and in the mean season it will not be improper that I run over the Provinces of this Kingdom and therein see what particulars may be gathered out of each conducing either to Traffick or to the honour and commodity of the Country and thereto add also the Provinces of VVales purposely omitted for this place The Provinces or more properly the Shires of England and Wales according to Cambden whom I gladly follow in this description are these Cornwal The first is Cornwal in it self a barren and mountainous Country but the bosom thereof incloseth rich Mines of Tin which for the excellence thereof is famous throughout the world also therewith is digged Gold and Silver and a certain Stone is found upon the earth of it self transparent and naturally formed into angles and points which if found in foreign Countries would be held admirable here is also upon this Coast taken Pilchards and Herrings in great abundance which the Inhabitants do salt and dry in the smoak and so transport into France Spain and Italy to good advantage the Sea-coast is beautified with many Towns and Havens capable of many Ships Falmouth being the chief and here is found that famous Mount Michael by the Inhabitants called Cana which hath for many ages been noted for its steepness and antiquity St. Ives in Cornwal and the Trade thereof The situation of the Town of St. Ives is on the the Sea-side with a good Road before it for any Vessel whatsoever to ride in it within one league half league or quarter of a league of the Town with a Peer or dry Key belonging unto it which will admit the entring a Vessel of 200 Tuns bringing their Tide with them The situation of the Road and how it lies and in what degrees is in a Paper hereunto annexed There may be a Mould made for the preservation of Vessels with small cost That Ships of 50 Tuns or 100 Tuns may ride a float on a Neap-Tide within it in safety The Town consists only of one Parish belonging to it about some three miles round of it with at least 500 Families or above 3000 souls in it What the place naturally affords is Pilchards Herring Congerdoust Ray-fish and other sorts of Summer-fish The materials which they mostly use for it is Salt supplied from France The quantity it affords yearly more or less as pleaseth God may be 3 4 or 5000 Hogsheads of Pilchards yearly 3 4 or 500 Barrels of Herring good quantity of Congerdoust 4 or 5 Barks loaden of about 20 or 30 Tuns each Bark of Ray-fish yearly some years more some less These Commodities as Pilchards are sold by the Hogshead four of them make a Tun but commonly by the 1000 1200 small tale they sell the Merchant in the Cask to the 1000 the Barrel of Herring about 30 Gallons sold commonly at 18 s. 20 s. 22 s. per Barrel a Congerdoust by the Kintale that is to say◠112 l. to the Kintale Ray fish constantly sold by the dozen fresh at 2 s. 4 d. 2 s. 6 d. or 3 s. per dozen They have to their dozen 20 30 40 50 sometimes 60 fishes to the dozen according to their custom the Merchant hath that buys it per dozens Their Weight is 12 l. according to the
Standard likewise is their Yard or Ell according to the Standard by Law Their Measure is a Bushel for all Grain and Salt to be measured imported containing 28 Gallons water-measure their ancient standing measure The places for venting these Commodities are in the Straights Spain France and other foreign parts beyond the Seas The prices are commonly on Pilchards 7 8 or 9 s. per thousand 30 35 or 45 s. per Hogshead The Measures used in the publick Market for Corn are a Bushel containing 20 Gallons the half Bushel 10 Gallons the Peek 5 Gallons the Gallon agrees with the Winchester Gallon Salt is sold in the publick Market by the Gallon and it is a good Country for victualling of Ships The quantity of Shipping or Barks belonging to the place are but few and in number seven they were many more but are taken and lost The Burthen of these are from 60 tuns to 20 Tuns divers other Vessels of forein parts do frequent the Road yearly and Port likewise The Trade they drive with forein Nations are the Commodities formerly expressed out of this Port exported with great quantities of Tin which this Country round about us affords and that the best in England which we usually export The Commodities imported or usually expended on the place or parts adjacent are great quantities of Salt at least 10000 bushels of Salt yearly with all other sorts of Commodities being small quantities The manner of taking Pilchards and Herrings is by Nets the other Fish by Hooks they likewise use great quantity of Netting and Rope yearly for their Fishing craft which cost them great Sums of Money The Season for taking of Pilchards is between the first day of July and the first of January following The Herrings they take from Michaelmas to Christmas following The other Fish are taken in the Summer The quantity of Boats belonging to the place are about 60 the Men a great number imployed to Sea in Ships and at least four hundred Men all the Fishing-season are imployed about the Pilchard-catching and Herring-fishing And for the better encouragement of Trade there might be a Mould erected from the Castle whereon the Colours stand in the Map towards the Church which hath been profer'd to be done for 3000 l. which if done would be the preservation of many thousand pounds per Annon and many Mens Lives who by extremity of Weather and contrary Wind are forced this side the Lands-end having no place else to preserve themselves unless they can get the Harbour of Milford which is 32 Leagues from this place being the only place on this North side for preservation of Ships General Blake when he beleaguer'd the Island of Scilly which lies 13 Leagues from this place was put off by a Storm from the Island of Scilly with his Fleet which came into this Road and here anchor'd with his Fleet till the Storm was over which continued five days in Safety it is a good Road and with good Ground-tackle a Ship may safely ride with all Weather This Bay is from the Lands-end 5 Leagues and from the Lands-end to Scilly is 8 Leagues The Inhabitants of this place are poor and have often made it their Request to have a Mould erected for the greater Safety of Ships that come here But by reason of the late Troubles and through the negligence of such as were intrusted for the prosecuting thereof it has been neglected which if erected Ships of 300 tuns might be secured within the Mould at any time and then it would be one of the best dry Peers in England Devon 2. The second is Devonshire no less rich in Veins of Tin and withal beautified with many more Towns and good Havens than the former Exon being the principal Town and an Inland City but Datmouth and Plimouth the best Havens this last being from a poor fishing Village become a fair Town by reason of the Castle and Commodiousness of the Haven and the rather it is to be mentioned as giving birth to Sir Fruncis Droke Kt. who in our Fathers days accomplished so many notable Exploits at Sea and was the chief Glory of that Age for Navigation Dorset 3. The third is Dorsetshire Dorchester being the chief Town and Weymouth the chief Haven Somerset 4. Somersetshire is the fourth happy in the fruitful Soil rich Pastures Multitude of Inhabitants and Commodiousness of Havens the chief Towns are Bridgwater next Bath famous for those medicinal Baths there found and lastly Bristol incompassed with a double Wall feateâ— on the River Severn beautified with many fair private and publick Buildings and next to London and York it is preferred to all other Cities of England but in Amplitude of Traffick Shipping and Eminence of Merchants next to London it self and else in my opinion second to none Of Taunton The Town of Taunton being a Corporation governed by a Mayor and 24 of the Society is situate in a very fruitful Valley between 2 Hills one of the Hills is 4 miles off the Town on the South the other 2 miles distant from the Town on the North. In the Town are 2 Parish Churches St Mary Magdalen and St. James and in these Parishes are 700 Dwelling-house and upward being fully inhabited and very populous through which Parishes runneth a great River of Fresh-water called Tone into which run divers small Rivulets before it comes to the Town this Town is incompassed round within 5 miles with 32 Parishes which are very populous Market-towns near it are Bridgwater a Haven Market-town 7 milâ—s off Chard a Market-town 8 miles Wellington a Market-town 5 miles Stoy a Market town 9 miles Wilvescome a Market-town 7 miles Ilminster a Market-town 8 miles from this Town In the Town there are 32 Mercers and Drapers also Smiths Shoe-makers Wool combers Weavers Fullers Goldsmiths and Taylors with others of manual Occupations of which there are a considerable Number the chiefest Commodities that it affords for Merchandize being at present mixt Serges and white Serges in the Town and places adjacent made of clean Wool out of which are sent to London and other places every week 700 pieces and upward the Town was furnish'd with Wool in former times from Ireland but now little comes from thence by reason of the Wars but at this instant what this fruitful Valley being full of Pasture doth not afford is supplied with Wool from the North viz. Buckingham Oxford Warwick and Leicester shires Besides here is made a sort of Bays called Taunton Bays for making of which Serges and Bays aforesaid are kept at work weekly 8500. The Yard Ell and Bushel are according to the Standard and Measure of Winchester The Measure in the Market for Corn is the Peck 4 Pecks to the Bushel which is 8 Gallons agreeing with Winchester In the Town is no Port but 17 miles from the Town North is a Port called Minhead with a sure Key where may ride 30 Ships of 60 Tuns and downward also another Port 12 miles
briefly run over the Shires of England it will be necessary I should here add the like cursory View of Wales comprehended under the Government of England and included within the same Limit and omitted to this place as having parts of the said Kingdom which I find to be in number these Anglesey 1. Anglesey I account the first which is toucht amongst the Islands being esteemed a County of Wales Beaumaries being the principal Town of the County Flint 2. Flintshire is the second plentiful in Corn and Pasture famous for the Spring of Holy Well called here St. Winifreds Well and Flint Town being the chiefest of the County Denbigh 3. Denbighshire is the next affording some Mines of Lead wherein are found Wrexham that boasts of its Holy Tower and Musical Organs and Denbigh the chief of the County Canarvan 4. Canarvanshire is the next antiently called Snowden Forest before that Wales was reduced to Counties wherein are found the high Hills the Alps of Britain also Aberconway a strong and fair little Town Bangor the Seat of a Bishop and Canarvan the chief of this Province Famous for the Birth-place of Edward II. the first Prince of Wales of English Blood Merioneth 5. Merionethshire is the next a mountainous Country affording notwithstanding good Pasture for Cattel The chief Town is Balla tho poor yet principal of these Mountaincers Montgomery 6 Montgomeryshire is the next having its chief Town of the same Name Cardigan 7. Cardiganshire is the seventh and hath the Town of Cardigan for the chief of the County Pembroke 8. Pembrokeshire is the eighth Pembrâ—… is the chief Town and here a long Neck of Land makes a Haven called Milford Haven than which Europe hath not a more noble more safe and more large with many Creeks and safe Roads wherein 1000 Sail may ride out of sight one of another and made more famous by the Landing of Henry VII Caermarden 9 Caermardenshire is the next abounding in Corn Sheep and Pit-Coal Caermarden being the chief Town Glamorgan 10 Glamorganshire is the next Cardiff is the chief Town having a commodious Haven for Shipping Monmouth 11 Monmouthshire is the next wherein are found Chepstow and Monmouth the last is glorious in giving Birth to Henry V. Conqueror of France Brecknock 12. Brecknockshire is the next Brecknock being the chief Town Radnor 13. Radnorshire is the last wherein is sound Radnor the chief These are in brief the Shires of Wales Commodities of England To observe now my former Method having thus particularly survey'd the Continent let me now search into those Commodities which England in general affords for Merchandize and is thence exported into forein Regions as being the principal Motives of Trade in all Kingdoms which it produceth several ways First by Manufactures it yieldeth Woollen Cloths of all sorts broad and narrow known and called by the name of several Shires also Perpetuanos Bays Says Scrges Cottons Kersies Buffins Mocados Grograms Sattins Calimancas Velvets Plâ—shts Worsteds Fustians Durances Tukes and infinite others there is made in this Island yearly 250000 Cloths by computation and by this may be guess'd the Quantity of the resâ— of other sorts also Furs and Skins as Coney-skins Squirrel-skins Fitches Calf-skins Hides and sundry others Also it produceth by Mines out of the Earth 1. Tin 1200000 l. yearly Lead 800 Foders yearly Allom 800 Tuns yearly Copper 500 Tuns yearly Iron of all sorts 800 Furnaces daily set on work besides Ordnance of Iron and such like Sea-coal yearly Chaldrons Salt Tuns also all manner of Grain Oats Pease Barly Rye and Wheat in great plenty also Linen Cloth all Iron Wares Tallow Leather Glass and Glasses of all sorts Venice Gold and Bilver Train-Oyl Salmons Pilchards and Herrings Hake Conger and Haberdine Hops Wood Butter Cheese Beer Salt-petre Gun-powder Honey Wax Alabaster and some other Stones Wools Woolfels Yern Yernsey c. and to conclude many other good and rich Commodities is here found Beauty of England The Beauty and Wealth of this Kingdom is demonstrated in 325 Rivers 8 thereof being great and navigable for some Miles whereon are found 857 Bridges 30 Chases 55 Forests 745 Parks here are also reckoned 26 Deanries 60 Archdeaconries 504 Dignities and Prebends 5439 Parochial Benefices besides Impropriations and Vicarages and the whole divided into 6 Circuits for the Administration of Justice into 22 Episcopal Dioceses for Ecclesiastical Discipline and into 2 Archbishopricks under whom the rest are subordinate and lastly into 40 Shires over each of which is yearly a Sheriff appointed who is to assist the Itinerary Judges in executing Justice and to gather in the King's Amercements and these Shires are divided into Hundreds and these Hundreds into Tithings and to conclude in England are found 145 Castles 9527 Parishes besides Chappels whereof 585 are Market Towns and 22 Cities the principal whereof are these 1. Oxford 2. Cambridge both being Universities 3. Exeter in Devonshire 4. Norwich in Norfolk 5. Bristol watered by Severn accounted the second for Trade in this Country 6. York on the River Ure accounted the second City for Beauty and Greatness in England and lastly London under which I will comprise the Trade of this whole Island CHAP. CCLXX. Of London and the Trade thereof London and the Trade thereof LOndon the Metropolis of England the prime City of Trading this day in the World is pleasantly seated on the River Thames which divideth it into two parts her Circuit may be 8 miles wherein are found 122 Parish Churches with the Palace of the King the Houses of the Nobility Colleges for the Study of the Laws and divers other stately publick Edifices and may contain 400000 People Merchants of London Here have their Residence the rich and most eminent Merchants of this Island whom divers Princes of this Kingdom have incorporated into several Societies and Companies partly to encourage their Endeavours and partly in reward of the Discoveries of those Countries and Regions whereof they take their Name and by the Power and Immunities granted them do make Acts and Orders for the Benefit of Commerce in general and of their Companies in particular Merchants Adventurers and their Original and places of Residence The antientest of which Companies have had their Original and Continuance since Edward I. his Reign called the Company of Merchant Adventurers grounded at first upon the Exportations of Wool only as the prime and Staple Commodity of this Kingdom since which it is grounded upon Clothing into which this Wool is now converted for he at the request and being in league with the Cities and Towns in Flanders made Bruges which was then the greatest Mart of Christendom the Staple for his Wools where it continued for 15 years whenas by some Discontent with the Flemings and by experience seeing what the Benefit of these Staples were removed them from Bruges to England and for the ease as well of his Subjects
weight and how they agree together and having calculated most of the Weights of this Book to the hundred suttle I will also shew here how the 112 l. is found to respound with some other Countries as being the weight common in use amongst Merchants and in notes of Commodities observed abroad Europa The 112 l. London Marselia 125 l. Venetia suttle 164 l. Venetia gross 104 l. Sicilia 62 l. Lisbon 100 l. Florence 143 l. Anvers 106 l. Lions 118 l. Sevil 110 l. Dantzick 129 l. Bruges 112 l. Asia Africa The 112 l. London Aleppo 22⅛ Rot. Aleppo Silk 24 Rot. Tripoli Suria 27½ Rot. Tripoli Barbaria 97 Rot. Alexandria Zata 519 Rot. Alexandria Forfar 116 Rot. Scio and Constantinople 101 Rot. Rhodes 20. 4 Rot. Acria 18. 1 Rot. Babylonia 15. 6 M. Balsola   Ormus 108. 7 l. I need not further inlarge my self herein by reason of the many Tables found in this Book whereby the said weight of 112 l. may easily be reduced to any eminent place of the World and forasmuch as our English Gold and Silver is weighed and valued by the pound Troy I shall here following insert how the same concurs and agrees with most of the eminent Cities in the World in their Coins both of Silver and Gold Troy weight for Gold and Silver compared with other Countries It is observed then in most Countries abroad as with us in England that Gold and Silver is coined and minted by a peculiar weight only proper thereunto which in many great Cities and Countries of Trade I have purposely omitted that I might both facilitate this my labour and in one place reduce them together to the Pound Troy used especially to that purpose in England therefore if I prove here somewhat the larger it is but what the seriousness and due circumstances of the matter requireth The Weight then used in this case in England is the pound Troy and that which is in use in most other Countries is the Mark which as well as I can I will here abbreviate now this pound Troy consisting of 12 ounces and the ounce of 20 peny weights and the peny weight of 24 grains the 100 l. of these abovesaid pounds being used for the Standard of Gold and Silver in this Kingdom hath been observed to make in Antwerp 112 Marks each Mark being 8 Ounces 1 Ounce being 20 Peny weight 1 Peny weight 32 Grains Alder 86 l.  Caire 105⅓ Besses  Ancona 116 Marks  Aquila 79½ l.  Ausburg 118 marks  Bavaria 116 marks  Bohemia 99 marks  Catalonia 112½ marks  Colen 118 marks  Constantinople 99 marks  Crema 116 marks 1 mark is 8 ounces 1 ounce is 8 grosses 1 gross is 3 Deniers 1 Denier is 24 grains Dantzick 118½ marks Florence 158½ marks Frankford 118 marks Friburg 116 marks  Genoa for Gold 130 marks 1 mark is 8 ounces 1 ounce 24 Deniers 1 Denier is 24 grains Genoa for Silver 86½ pounds 1 pound is 12 ounces 1 ounce is 24 Deniers 1 Denier is 24 grains Hungary 99 marks  Lipsick 118 marks  Lions 126 marks 1 mark in France is 8 ounces 1 ounce is 8 grosses 1 gross is 3 Deniers 1 Denier is 24 grains Paris idem 126 marks Millan 118 marks  Narsigna 97 marks  Naples 86½ pounds 1 pound Naples is 12 ounces 1 ounce is 8 Octavos Persia 98 Mains  Peris 99½ Cillats  Piemont 111 marks  Mosen 118 marks A mark of Mesen is 8 ounces 1 ounce is 24 Deniers 1 Denier or peny is found to be 24 Momenta or Grains Saxony idem 118 marks Burgas 120 marks  Franconia 116 marks  Norimberg 116 marks 1 mark Norimberg is 16 Loots 1 Loot is 4 Quints 1 Quint is 4 pence primes or numulies 1 peny is 4 Sesterties Turkey 98 marks  Turin 111 marks  Vicentia 116 marks  Vienna 98 marks  New Spain America 98½ marks  Spain in general 121 marks 1 mark Spanish is 50 Castilianos 1 Castiliano is 8 Tomines 1 Tominos is 8 grains and this mark is 29700 marks or 873½ Rials or 792 Ducates Treviso 117 marks  Ulme 116 marks  Weselburg 115  Venice 116½ marks 1 mark Venice is 8 ounces 1 ounce is 4 quarts or Silices 1 quarta 36 Carrats or Siliquas 1 Carrat is 4 grains Verona Rome 116½ marks 1 mark Roman is 8 ounces 1 ounce is 8 drams 1 dram is 3 scruples 1 scruple is a obolos 1 obolo is 3 Siliquas 1 Siliqua is 4 grains or Primi Lisbon 121 Mark 1 Mark Portugal is 8 Ounces 1 Ounce is 8 Octavos 1 Octavo is 4½ Grains These are all the Standards of the Coins both of Gold and Silver that I have met withal and the particulars whereto the said Weights are distinguished which may be so far needful to the Traffick of Countries that thereby every Merchant Stranger may know of what goodness and real value those Coins are stamped and coined for and what the same will yield and afford him in his own City or place of residence Weights used in Physick and their parts Upon this Troy-weight doth also depend in Physick all Drugs and Simples administred by way of Potions which according to the custom practised amongst Physicians is thus distinguished into parts One Sesquilibra is 1½ pound or 18 ounces One pound is 2 Selibra or 12 ounces One Selibra is 2 Quadrans or 6 ounces One Quadran is a ¼ of a l. or 3 ounces One Sescuntia is 1½ ounce or 12 drams One ounce is 8 drams One dram is 3 scruples or 60 grains One scruple is 20 grains One Obolus is ⅛ of a scruple or 10 grains The reduction of some foreign current Coins to the Engl. sterling Now according to this agreement of the weights of Silver and Gold I will here reduce the ralue of some foreign Coins to the English sterling The Crown of Camera of Rome is sterling 00 l. 07 s. 0 d. The Sols of Genoa is sterling 00 01 6. The Ducate of Venice of 6 l. 4 Sols is sterling  04 6. The Ducate of Naples is sterling  04 9. The Crown of Gold of Florence is sterling  06 0 The 20 Sols of Millan is sterling  01 0. The Carlin of Cicilia is sterling  00 3. The Sol of gross of Antwerp is sterling  00 7¼ The Lire of Valentia Barselona and Saragosa is  05 6. The Lire or Frank of France is sterling  02 0. The Florin of Turin and Savoy is sterling  00 3⅜ The 34 Marvedes or single Royal of Spain is sterling  06 0. The 40 Res of Lisbon in Portugal is sterling  00 6. The Lire of Bollonia is sterling  01 3½ The Crown of Lucca is sterling  05 9. The Florin of Noremberg and Frankford sterling  3 4. The Chequin of Turkey is sterling  7 10. Where note That in Europe the Exchange ever maketh the
those Exchanges that are used beyond the Seas and therefore limited but to some few places as to Antwerp for Flanders to Rouen and Paris for France to Amsterdam and Rotterdam for the Netherlands to Dantzick for the East Country to Venice for Italy to Edinburgh for Scotland to Dublin for Ireland all the other parts of the Exchanges practised in England have their derivation hence and he that would exchange for any other forein Country these aforenamed excepted must first have recourse hither and by a secondary Exchange have his Desire fulfilled all which Exchanges and the manner how the same are calculated and the places with which London hath in former time been seen to exchange I have at large demonstrated in the 443 444 445 446 and 447 Chapters of this ensuing Treatise whereto for better satisfaction I will refer the Reader CHAP. CCLXXIII Of the Trade in general of England Of the Trade in general of England WHen I consider the true dimensions of our English Traffick as at this day to me it appears to be together with the inbred Commodities that this Island affords to preserve and maintain the same with the present Industry of the Natives and the Ability of our Navigators I justly admire both the Height and Eminence thereof but when again I survey every Kingdom and great City of the World and every petty Port and Creek of the same and find in each of these some English prying after the Trade and Commerce thereof then again I am easily brought to imagine that either this great Traffick of England is at its full perfection or that it aims higher than can hitherto by my weak Sight be either seen or discerned I must confess England breeds in its own Womb the principal Supporters of its present Splendor and nourisheth with its own Milk the Commodities that give both Lustre and Life to the Continuance of this Trade which I pray may never either decay or suffer the least Diminution But England being naturally seated in a Northern Corner of the World and herein bending under the Weight of too too ponderous a Burthen cannot possibly always and for ever find a Vent for all those Commodities that are seen to be daily exported and brought within the Compass of so narrow a Circuit unless there can be by the Policy and Government of the State a Mean found out to make this Island either the common Emporium and Staple of all Europe or at leastwise of all these our neighbouring Northern Regions The real worth of the English Trade The staple Commodities of England are Cloths Lead Tin some new late Draperies and other English Real and Royal Commodities shipped hence in former times yielded by their Returns from forein parts all those Necessaries and Wants we desired or stood in need of but the late great Traffick of this Island hath been such that it hath not only proved a bountiful Mother to the Inhabitants but also a courteous Nurse to the adjoining Neighbours for what in matter of Traffick they have lost we have been found to have gained and what they have wanted we have been noted to have supplied them with Hath the proud and magnificent City of Venice lost her great Traffick and Commerce with India Arabia and Persia England hath got it and now furnisheth her plenteously with the rich Commodities thereof Hath all Italy lost Venice that fed it with those Dainties London now supplieth her place and is found both to cloth and nourish it Hath France almost lost the excellent Commodities of Constantinople Alexandria and Aleppo and generally of all Tarky London can and doth furnish it Nay is Turky it self deprived of the precious Spices of Iudia England can and doth plentifully afford them Will you view Moscovia survey Sweden look upon Denmark peruse the East Country and those other colder Regions there shall you find the English to have been the Inhabitants from the Prince to the Peasant wear English woolleâ— Livery feed in English Pewter sauced with English Indian Spices and send to their Enemies sad English leaden Messengers of Death Will you behold the Netherlands whose Eyes and Hearts envy England's Traffick yet they must perforce confess that for all their great Boasts they are indebted to London for most of their Syria Commodities besides what other Wares else they have of English growth Will you see France and travel from Marselia to Calais tho they stand least in need of us yet they cannot last long without our Commodities And for Spain if you pry therein from the Prince's Palace to the Poor Mans Cottage he will Voto a Dios There is no Clothing comparable to our Bays nor Pheasant excelling a seasonable English Red Herring The East-India Company The East India Company of London are yearly seen to visit Persia frequent India and traffick in Arabia and the Coasts thereof and for our English Commodities and some other exported hence they are found to import Pepper Cloves Mace Nutmegs Cotton Rice Callicoeâ— of sundry sorts Bezoar Stones Aloes Borax Calamus Cassia Mirabolans Myrrh Opium Rhubarb Cinamon Sanders Spikenard Musk Civit Tamarinds Precious Stones of all sorts as Diamonds Pearks Carbuncles Emeraulds Jacinths Saphirs Spinals Turquoises Topazas Indico and Silks raw and wrought into sundry Fabricks Benjamin Camphire Sandalwood and infinite other Commodities and tho in India and these parts their Trade equalleth not either the Portugals or the Dutch yet in candid fair and Merchant-like Dealing these Pagans Mahumedans and Gentiles hold them in esteem far before them and deservedly have here the Epithet of far more current and square Dealers And altho for the present this Trals and Company do suffer under some adverse Clouds and groan under some unkind Losses by the Falshood of the Netherlanders and sad Accidents at Sea yet their Adventures and Acts are praise worthy and their fair Endeavours for England's Honour in point of Trade merit due Commendations and just Applause The Turky Company The Turky Company of London for its Height and Eminence is now second to none other of this Land for not yearly but monthly nay almost weekly their Ships are observed to go to and fro exporting hence the Cloths of Suffolk Gloucester Worcester and Coventry dyed and dress'd Kersies of Hampshire and York Lead Tin and a great quantity of the abovesaid India Spices Indico and Callicoes and in return thereof import from Turky the raw Silks of Persia Damasco Tripoly c. Galls of Mosolo and Toccat Camlets Grograms and Mohairs of Angora Cotton and Cotton Yarn of Cyprus and Smyrna and sometimes the Gems of India and Drugs of Egypt and Arabia the Muscadines of Candia the Currans and Oyls of Zant Zeffalonia and Herta with sundry others and in all these Parts are accounted also second to none nor give place to any Nation either in the Greatness of their Traffick or in their fair and Merchant like Performances The Merchant Adventurers The antient Company of Merchant
Adventurers of London hold the same Proportion in the Iotegrity of their Dealings and in the Squareness of their Performance with both the aforenamed their excellent Government and their antient Orders preserved and maintained is every where both applauded and commended The Cities of Hamburgh Rotterdam and others in the Notherlands by their submissive seeking for their Residence and their Privileges and Immunities granted them during that time is a sure Testimony that speaks their Welcom every where and an assured Token of that City's Decay that with Leave from England they furnish them with Cloths of sundry Shires and some other Commodities monthly as by the shortness of their Navigation they find it needful and proper to their Traffick and from thence furnish England with Tapestry Diaper Cambrick Holland Lawn Hops Mather Steel Rhenish Wines and many other Manufactures as Blades Stuffs Soap Latten Wire and Plates and here also this Nation is accounted the most current and Merchant-like Nation that trafficks or hath any Commerce amongst them The Eastland and Moscovia Company The East Country Merchants and the Moscovia Company do also challenge a part in this great Trade of England and add some Perfection to the Traffick of the City of London nor doth their fair Dealing there come behind any of their Fellow-Citizens nor are they less esteemed than any other forein Nation there resident They export hence principally Cloth at the best Commodity also Tin Lead with some Spices of India and other Commodities and return thence Ashes Claphoard Copper Deals Rich Furs Masts Pipe-Staves Rye Tunber Wainscot Wheat Fustians Iron Latten Linen Mather Quicksilver Flax Hemp Steel Caveare Cordage Hides Honey Tar Ropes Tallow Pitch Wax Rosin and sundry others The French Merchants What shall I say to the French Company the Greenland Company the Merchants trading into Spein Barbary Guiney Benyn Italy Scotland and Ireland but that they also challenge a great Interest in the Traffick of this City and Kingdom for the French Merchants carry hence English Cloths Kersies Bays Galls Silk and Cotton of Turky and for the same return Buckrâ—m Canvas Cards Glass Grain Linen Salt Claret and White Wine Woad Oyls Almonds Pepper some Silk Stuffs and some other petty Manufactures The Spanish Merchants The Merchants trading into Spain carry hence Bays Says Serges Perpetuanes Lead Tin Herrings Pilchards Salmon Newland-fish Calf-skins and many other Commodities and in return furnish England with Wines of Xeres Malaga Bastard Candado and Alicant Rosin Olives Oyls Sugar Soap Anniseeds Liquorish Soda barilla Pate and sundry West India Commodities neither have Spanish and Portugal any ill opinion of the Dealing and Traffick of the English Nation for tho of all other Nations they have the best conceit and opinion of their own Greatness and punctual Worth and have of late changed the name of Mercador into Cergador how improper I refer to their own Language yet account they the English next to themselves the principal and fairest dealing Merchants in the World The Italian Company The Merchants of England trading to Naples Sicilia Genoa Legorn and Venice c. which here I term Italy are not observed to have any Joint-Stock or Company yet to the Honour and Benefit of this Kingdom and City transport hence Bays Says Serges Perpetuanes Kersies Lead Tin Cloth and many other native Commodities besides Pepper Indico Cloves and other Indian Commodities in great abundance and for returns have Cloths of Gold and Silver Sattins Velvets Taffaties Plushes Tabins Damasks Allom Oyls Glass Aniseeds Rice Venice Gold and Silver great quantity of raw Silks of sundry sorts and divers other Commodities and here likewise all other Nations willingly give place to the English as the principal Merchants that either abide amongst them or negotiate with them I need not insist here upon the Relicls of that famous Barbary Trade nor yet mention the petty Adventures of the English to Guniney and Benny tho otherwise they are concurrent to the Traffick of this Nation neither go about to particularize the large Traffick of this Island to their Plantations of Newfoundland Summer-Islands Virginia Barbadoes and New-England and to other places which rightly challenge an Interest in the present Trade and Traffick of this Kingdom Therefore omitting what may be further said in this point and having thus survey'd the Trade of this Island in particular and shewed the Commodities exported and imported by every noted Company and Society I shall now speak a word concerning the Navigation of this Nation which is one of the main and principal means by which this Traffick is observed to be preserved unto them at this day The Navigation of the English famous throughout Europe I shall not need to look back into former Ages nor trouble my self to search after old Records that express the Worth of the English Nation at Sea in old times it sufficeth me to understand and know that these present times wherein we live are not any ways inferior in this point to the former nor the real Value nor Valour of the English any ways decay'd or alter'd from its former antient Greatness to its present Splendor what they have done let Histories remember and what they now do let the World witness and testifie throughout Europe What Creek or Port in Europe have they not sought out and found Nay how many of them have fought against Hunger Cold and all Extremities to find new Northern Passaget to the Southern Regions In America and tho the South Seas and a great part of America be at this day debar'd to them and their Navigation yet their Wills herein are more bounded to their Princes Pleasure in a faithful obedience to his Treaties of Peace with that Don that challenges those vast Countries than any way in fear of his Greatness or his Naval Power by Sea as may witness their Attempts Navigations and Plantations in many parts of that Country not limited or forbidden by that Treaty In Africa As for their Navigations to Africa begin at Alexandria in Egypt and so sail to Tunis Argier and Ceuta and thence along the Coast of Guiney and Benyn to Cape Bona Esperansa then to Mombasa Melinda Brava Cape Guard fuy and into the Red-Sea Gulf and tell me where it is that they have not been or what Place or Port is not acquainted with them In Asia And if you survey the Maritime Shore of Asia and begin at Sues in the aforesaid Gulf and so to Aclon Dieu Cambaia Ormus Surat Goa Cochin Mesulapatam Pegu Camboi Cauch China Maocau and to the utmost Bounds of China and the Isles of Japan and Cathay and all the adjacent Islands they have all been for many years both well acquainted to our Seamen and not unfrequented by our Merchants and Traders and for the Caspian Sea the Euxine and the other parts of Asia comprised from thence by Constantinople to Scanderoon and so to Alexandria every Week brings us Tidings of the
fully in its proper Place where I shall shew how much Mony a Prince may conveniently lay up without the hurt of his Subjects 12. Lastly In all things we must endeavour to make the most we can of our own whether it be Natural or Artificial and forasmuch as the People which live by the Arts are far more in number than they who are Masters of the Fruits we ought the more carefully to maintain those Endeavours of the Multitude in whom doth consist the greatest Strength and Riches both of King and Kingdom For where the People are many and the Arts good there the Traffick must be greater and the Country rich The Italians employ a greates Number of People and get more Mony by their Industry and Manufactures of the raw Silks of the Kingdom of Cilicia than the King of Spain and his Subjects have by the Revenue of this rich Commodity But what need we fetch the Example so far when we know that our own Natural Wares do not yeild us so much profit as our industry for Iron-Oar in the Mines is of no great worth when it is compared with the Employment and Advantage it yields being Digged Tried Transported Bought Sold Cast into Ordnance Muskets and many other Instruments of War for Offence and Defence wrought into Anchors Bolts Spikes Nails and the like for the use of Ships Houses Carts Coaches Ploughs and other Instruments for Tillage Compare our Fleece-wools with our Cloth which requires Shearing Washing Carding Spinning Weaving Fulling Dying Dressing and other Trimings and we shall find these Arts more profitable than the Natural Wealth whereof I might instance other Examples but I will not be more tedious for if I would amplifie upon this and the other Particulars before-written I might find matter sufficient to make a large Volume but my desire in all is only to prove what I propound with Brevity and Plainness CHAP. IV. The Exportation of our Monies in Trade of Merchandize is a Means to increase our Treasure THis Position is so contrary to the common Opinion that it will require many and strong Arguments to prove it before it can be accepted of the Multitude who bitterly exclaim when they see any Monies carried out of the Realm affirming thereupon that we have absolutely lost so much Treasure and that this is an act directly against the long continued Laws made and confirmed by the Wisdom of this Kingdom in the High Court of Parliament and that many places nay Spain itself which is the Fountain of Mony forbids the Exportation thereof some Cases only excepted To all which I might answer that Venice Florence Genoua the Low Countries and divers other Places permit it their People applaud it and find great Benefit by it but all this makes a Noise and proves nothing we must therefore come to those Reasons which concern the Business in Question First I will take that for granted which no Man of Judgment will deny that we have no other Means to get Treasure but by Forein Trade for Mines we have none which do afford it and how this Mony is gotten in the Managing of our said Trade I have already shewed that it is done by making our Commodities which are Exported yearly to over-ballance in value the Forein Wares which we consume so that it resteth only to shew how our Monies may be added to our Commodities and being jointly Exported may so much the more increase our Treasure We have already supposed our yearly consumptions of Forein Wares to be for the Value of Twenty hundred thousand Pounds and our Exportations to exceed that Two hundred thousand Pounds which Sum we have thereupon affirmed is brought to us in Treasure to ballance the Accompt But now if we add three hundred thousand Pounds more in ready Mony unto our former Exportations in Wares what Profit can we have will some Men say although by this Means we should bring in so much ready Mony more than we did before seeing that we have carried out the like value To this the Answer is that when we have prepared our Exportations of Wares and set out as much of every thing as we can spare or vent abroad Mony begets Trade and Trade increaseeth Mony It is not therefore said that then we should add our Mony thereunto to fetch in the more Mony immediately but rather first to enlarge our Trade by enabling us to bring in more Forein VVares which being sent out again will in due time much increase our Treasure For although in this manner we do yearly multiply our Importations to the Maintenance of more Shipping and Mariners Improvement of His Majesties Customs and other Benefits yet our Consumption of those Forein VVares is no more than it was before so that all the said Increase of Commodities brought in by the means of our ready Mony sent out as is afore written doth in the end become an exportation unto us of a far greater Value than our said Monies were which is proved by three several Examples following 1. For I suppose that 100000 l. being sent in our Shipping to the East Countries will buy there one hundred thousand Quarters of VVheat clear aboard the Ships which being after brought into England and housed to Export the same at the best time for vent thereof in Spain or Italy it cannot yield less in those Parts than two hundred thousand Pounds to make the Merchant but a Saver yet by this reckoning we see the Kingdom hath doubled that Treasure Remote Trades are most Gainful to the Common-Wealth 2. Again this Profit will be far Greater when we Trade thus in remote Countries as for Example if we send one hundred thousand pounds into the East Indies to buy Pepper there and bring it hither and from hence send it for Italy or Turkey it must yield seven hundred thousand pounds at least in those Places in regard of the Excessive charge which the Merchant disburseth in those long Voyages in Shipping VVages Victuals Insurance Interest Customs Imposts and the like all which notwithstanding the King and Kingdom gets 3. But where the Voyages are short and the VVares rich which therefore will not employ much Shipping the Profit will be far less As when another hundred thousand Pounds shall be employed in Turky in raw Silks and brought hither to be after Transported from hence into France the Low Countries or Germany the Merchant shall have good Gain although he sell it there but for one hundred and fifty thousand Pounds and thus take the Voyages altogether in their Medium the Monies Exported will be returned unto us more than Trebled But if any Man will yet object that these returns come to us in VVares and not really in Mony as they were issued out The Answer is keeping our first Ground that if our Consumption of Forein VVares be no more yearly than is already supposed and that our Exportations be so mightily increased by this manner of Trading with ready Mony as
either amongst our selves or with Strangers if amongst our selves the Common-wealth cannot be enriched thereby for the Gain of one Subject is the Loss of another And if we Exchange with Strangers then our Profit is the Gain of the Common wealth Yet by none of these ways can the King receive any Benefit in his Customs Let us therefore seek out the Places where such Exchanging is used and set down the Reasons why this Practice is permitted in search whereof we shall only find one Place of note in all Christendom which is Genoua whereof I intend to say something as briefly as I can The present State of the Common-Wealth of Genoua The State of Genoua is small and not very Fertile having little Natural Wealth or Materials to employ the People nor yet Victuals sufficient to feed them but nevertheless by their Industry in former times by Forein Trade into Aegypt Soria Constantinople and all those Levant Parts for Spices Drugs Raw Silks and many other Rich Wares with which they served the most Places of Europe they grew to an incredible Wealth which gave life unto the Strength of their Cities the Pomp of their Buildings and other singular Beauties But after the Foundation and Increase of that Famous City of Venice the said Trades turned that way And since likewise the greatest Part thereof doth come into England Spain and the Low-Countries by Navigation directly from the East-Indies which alterations in the Traffick hath forced them of Genoua to change their course of Trading with Wares into Exchanging of their Mony which for Gain they spread not only into divers Countries where the Trade is performed with Merchandize but more especially they do therewith serve the want of the Spaniards in Flanders and other Places for their Wars whereby the Private Merchants are much Enriched but the Publick Treasure by this Course is not increased and the Reasons why the Common-wealth of Genoua doth suffer this Inconvenience are these First and Privcipally they are forced to leave those Trades which they cannot keep from other Nations who have better means by Situation Wares Shipping Munition and the like to perform these Affairs with more advantage than they are able to do Secondly They proceed like a wife State who still retain as much Trade as they can although they are not able to procure the Twentieth Part of that which they had For having few or no Materials of their own to employ their People yet they supply this want by the Fleece-wools of Spain and Raw Silks of Sicilia working them into Velvets Damasks Sattens Wollen-drapery and other Manufactures Thirdly Whereas they find no means in their own Country to employ and Trade their great Wealth to Profit they content themselves to do it in Spain and other places either in Merchandize or by Exchanging their Monies for gain to those Merchants who trade therewith in Wares And thus wheresoever they live abroad for a Time circulting the World for Gain yet in the end the Centre of this Profit is in their own Native Country Lastly The Government of Genoua being Aristocracy they are assured that although the Publick get little yet if their Private Merchants gain much from Strangers they shall do well enough because the Richest and Securest Treasure of a Free State are the riches of the Nobility who in Genoua are Merchants which falleth not out so in a Monarchy where between the comings in of a Prince and the means of Private Men there is this Distinction of Meum Tuum but in the Occasions and Dangers of a Republick or Common-wealth where Liberty and Government might be changed into Servitude there the Proper substance of private Men is the publick Treasure ready to be spent with their lives in defence of their own Sovereignty To the Twenty Fourth If a Merchant should buy VVares here with intentions to send them for Venice and then value them as the Exchange comes from thence to London he may find himself far wide of his reckoning For before his Goods arrive at Venice both the Price of his VVares and the Rate of the Exchange may alter very much But if the meaning of the Author be that this Valuation may be made after the Goods arrive and are sold at Venice and the Mony remitted hither by Exchange or else the Mony which bought the said VVares here may be valued as the Exchange passed at that time from hence to Venice Is not all this very common and easie Business unworthy to be put into the Number of Admirable Feats To the Tenth Although a rich Prince hath great Power yet is there not Power in every rich Prince to make the Staple of Mony run where he pleaseth For the Staple of any thing is not where it may be had but where the thing doth most of all abound VVhereupon we commonly say that the Spaniard in regard of his great Treasure in the West Indies hath the Fountain or Staple of Mony which he moveth and causeth to run into Italy Germany and the Low Countries or other Places where his occasions do require it either for Peace or War Neither is this effected by any singular Power of the Exchange but by divers Ways and Means fitting those Places where the Mony is to be employed For if the Use thereof be upon the Confines of France to maintain a War there then may it be safely sent in Specie on Carriages by Land if in Italy on Gallies by Sea if in the Low-Countries on Shipping by Sea also but yet with more danger in regard of his Potent Enemies in that Passage Wherefore in this Occasion although the Exchange is not absolutely necessary yet is it very useful And because the Spaniards want of Gommodities from Germany and the Low-Countries is greater in value than the Spanish Wares which are carried into those Parts therefore the King of Spain cannot be furnished there from his own Subjects with Mony by Exchange but is and hath been a long time enforc'd to carry a great Part of his Treasure in Gallies for Italy How the Italians are enabled to furnish Spain with Mony in Flanders where the Italians and amongst them the Merchants of Genoua especially do take the same and repay the Value thereof in Flanders whereunto they are enabled by their Trade with many rich Commodities which they send continually out of Italy into those Countries and the Places thereabouts from whence the Italians return no great value in Wares but deliver their Mony for the Service of Spain and receive the Value by Exchange in Italy out of the Spanish Treasure which is brought thither in Gallies as is afore-written So that by this we plainly see that it is not the Power of Exchange that doth enforce Treasure where the rich Prince will have it but it is the Mony proceeding of Wares in Forein Trade that doth enforce the Exchange and rules the Price thereof high or low according to the Plenty or Scarcity of the
Granaries and Store-Houses with that famous Arsenal of the Venetians are to be admired for the Magnificence of the Buildings the Quantity of the Munitions and Stores both for Lea and Land the Multitude of the Workmen the Divernty and Excellency of the Arts with the Order of the Government They are rare and worthy Things for Princes to behold and imitate for Majesty without providence of competent Force and Ability of necessary Provisions is un-assured CHAP. XIX Of some different Effects which proceed from Natural and Artificial Wealth IN the latter end of the Third Chapter of this Book I have already written something concerning Natural and Artificial Wealth and therein shewed how much Art doth add to Nature but it is yet needful to handle these Particulars apart that so we may the better discern their several Operations in a Common-wealth For the effecting whereof I might draw some comparisons from Turky and Italy or from some other remote Countries but I will not range so far having Matter sufficient herein Great Britain and the Vnited Provinces of the Low-Countries to make this Business plain Wherefore in the first Place we will begin with England briefly and only in general terms to shew the Natural Riches of this Famous Nation with some principal Effects which they produce in the Disposition of the People and Strength of the Kingdom If we duly consider Englands Largeness Beauty Fertility Strength both by Sea and Land in multitude of Warlike People Horses Ships Ammunition advantageous situation for Defence and Trade number of Sea-Ports and Harbours which are of difficult access to Enemies and of easie out-let to the Inhabitants Wealth by excellent Fleece-wools Iron Lead Tin Saffron Corn Victuals Hides Wax and other natural Endowments we shall find this Kingdom capable to sit as Master of a Monarchy For what greater Glory and Advantage can any powerful Nation have than to be thus Richly and Naturally possessed of all things needful for Food Rayment War and Peace not only for its own plentiful use but also to supply the Wants of other Nations in such a measure that much Mony may be thereby gotten yearly to make the happiness compleat For Experience telleth us that notwithstanding that excessive Consumption of this Kingdom alone to say nothing of Scotland there is exported Communibus annis of of our own Native Commodities for the Value of Twenty two hundred thousand Pounds Sterling or somewhat more so that if we were not too much affected to Pride monstrous fashions and Riot above all other Nations one Million and an half of Pounds might plentifully supply our unnecessary wants as I may term them of Silks Sugars Spices Fruits and all others so that Seven hundred Pounds might be yearly treasur'd up in Mony to make the Kingdom exceeding Rich and Powerful in short time But this great Plenty which we enjoy makes us a People not only Vicious and Excessive wastful of the Means we have but also improvident and Careless of much other Wealth that shamefully we lose which is the Fishing in his Majesty's Seas of England Scotland and Ireland being of no less consequence than all our other Riches which we Export and Vent to Strangers The fruits of Idleness which are Englands common reproaches among Strangers whilst in the mean time through lewd Idleness great multitudes of our People Cheat Roar Rob Hang Beg Cant Pine and Perish which by this Means and Maintenance might be much increased to the further VVealth and Srength of these Kingdoms especially by Sea for our own Safety and Terror of our enemies The Endeavours of the Industrious Dutch do give sufficient testimony of this Truth to our great shame and no less peril if it have not a timely Prevention For whilst we leave our wonted honourable Exercises and Studies following our Pleasures and of late years besotting our selves with Pipe and Pot in a Beastly manner sucking Smoak and drinking Healths until Death stares many in the Face the said Dutch have well-near left this Swinish Vice and taken up our wonted Valour which we have often so well performed both by Sea and Land and particularly in their Defence although they are not so thankful as to acknowledg the same The Netherlanders Ingratitude The sum of all is this that the general Leprosie of our Piping Potting Feasting Fashions and Mis-spending our time in Idleness and Pleasure contrary to the Law of God and the Use of other Nations hath made us effeminate in our Bodies weak in our Knowledg poor in our Treasure declining in our Valour unfortunate in our Enterprizes and contemned by our Enemies I write the more of these Excesses because they do so greatly waste our Wealth which is the main Subject of this whole Book 's Discourse for all Christendom to admire and fear if we would but add Art to Nature our Labour to our Natural Means the neglect whereof hath given a notable Advantage to other Nations and especially to the Hollanders whereof I will briefly say something in the next-Place But first I will deliver my Opinion concerning our Cloathing which although it is the greatest Wealth and best Employment of the Poor of this Kingdom yet nevertheless we may peradventure employ our selves with better Safety Plenty and Profit in using more Tillage and Fishing than to trust so wholly to the making of Cloth for in times of War or by other occasions if some Forein Princes should prohibit the Use thereof in their Dominions it might suddenly cause much Poverty and dangerous Uproars especially by our Poor People when they should be deprived of their ordinary Maintenance which cannot so easily fail them when their Labours should be divided into the said diversity of Employments whereby also many thousands would be the better enabled to do the Kingdom good Service in occasion of War especially by Sea And so leaving England we will pass over into the Vnited Provinces of the Netherlands As Plenty and Power do make a Nation Vicious and Improvident so Penury and Want do make a People Wise and industrious Concerning the last of these I might instance divers Common-wealths of Christendom who having little or nothing in their own Territories The Hollanders Improvement and Industry do notwithstanding purchase great Wealth and Strength by their industrious Commerce with Strangers amongst which the United Provinces of the Low-Countries are now of greatest Note and Fame For since they have cast off the Yoke of Spanish slavery how wonderfully are they improved in all human Policy What great means have they obtained in defending their Liberty against the Power of so great an Enemy And is not all this performed by their continual Industry in the Trade of Merchandize Are not their Provinces the Magizines and Store houses of Wares for most places of Christendom whereby their Wealth Shipping Mariners Arts People and thereby the Publick Revenues and Excise are grown to a wonderful Height If we compare the Times of their Subjection to their present
Maxim was That where Force could not prevail he always used Bribes and Mony to corrupt those who might advance his Fortune by which Policy he gave Foundation to a Monarchy and what know we but that the Putch may aim at some such Sovereignty when they shall find their Indian attempts and other subtil Plots succeed so prosperously Do we not see their Lands are now become too little to contain this sweling People whereby their Ships and Seas are made the Habitations of great multitudes And yet to give them further breed are they not spared from their own Wars to enrich the State and themselves by Trade and Arts Whilst by this Policy many thousands of Strangers are also drawn thither for performance of their Martial Employments whereby the great Revenue of their Excises is so much the more increased and all things so subtilly contrived that although the Forein Soldier be well paid yet all must be there again expended and thus the Wealth remains still in their own Countries nor are the Strangers enriched which do them this great Service I have heard some Italians Wisely and Worthily Discourse of the Natural Strength and Wealth of England which they make to be matchless if we should but in part apply our selves to such Policies and Endeavours as are very commonly used in some other Countries of Europe and much they have admired that our Thoughts and Jealousies attend only upon the Spanish and French greatness never once suspecting but constantly embracing the Netherlands as our best Friends and Allies when in truth as they well observe there are no People in Christendom who do Undermine Hurt and Eclipse us daily in our Navigation and Trades both abroad and at home and this not only in the rich Fishing in His Majesty's Seas whereof we have already written but also in our In-Land Trades between City and City in the Manufactures of Silks Wools and the like made here in this Kingdom wherein they never give Employment or Education in their Arts to the English but ever according to the Custom of the Jews where they abide in Turky and divers places of Christendom they live wholly to themselves in their own Tribes So that we may truly say of the Dutch that although they are amongst us yet certainly they are not of us no not they who are Born and Bred here in our own Country for still they will be Dutch not having so much as one Drop of English Blood in their Hearts More might be written of these Netherlanders Pride and Ambitious Endeavours whereby they hope in time to grow Mighty if they be not prevented and much more may be said of their cruel and unjust Violence used especially to their best Friends the English in matters of Blood Trade and other Profits where they have had Advantage and Power to perform it but these things are already published in Print to the View and Admiration of the World wherefore I will conclude and the Sum of all is this That the Vnited Provinces which now are so great a Trouble if not a Terror to the Spaniard were heretofore little better than a Charge to them in their Possession and would be so again in the like Occasion the Reason whereof I might yet further enlarge but they are not pertinent to this Discourse more than is already declared to shew the different Effects between Natural and Artificial Wealth The first of which as is most Noble and Advantageous being always ready and certain so doth it make the People Careless Proud and given to all excesses whereas the Second enforceth Vigilancy Literature Arts and Policy My wishes therefore are that as England doth plentifully enjoy the one and is fully capable of the other that our Endeavours might as worthily conjoyn them both together to the Reformation of our vicious Idleness and greater Glory of these Famous Kingdoms CHAP. XX. The Order and Means whereby we may draw up the Ballance of our Forein Trade NOw that we have sufficiently proved the Ballance of our Forein Trade to be the true Rule of our Treasure It resteth that we shew by whom and in what manner the said Ballance may be drawn up at all times when it shall please the State to discover how we prosper or decline in this Great and Weighty Business wherein the Officers of his Majesty's Customs are the only Agents to be employed because they have the Accounts of all the Wares which are issued out or brought into the Kingdom and although it is true they cannot exactly set down the Cost and Charges of other Mens Goods bought here or beyond the Seas yet nevertheless if they ground themselves upon the Book of Rates they shall be able to make such an estimate as may well satisfie this Enquiry For it is not expected that such an account can possibly be drawn up to a just Ballance it will suffice only that the Difference be not over great How we must value our Exportations and Importations First therefore concerning our Exportations when we have valued their first cost we must add Twenty five per Cent. thereunto for the Charges here for Freight of Ships Insurance of the Adventure and the Merchant's gains and for our Fishing Trades which pay no Custom to His Majesty the Value of such Exportations may be easily esteem'd by good Observations which have been made and may continually be made according to the Increase or Decrease of those Affairs the present Estate of this Commodity being valued at One Hundred and Forty Thousand Pounds issued yearly Also we must add to our Exportations all the Monies which are carried out in Trade by License from His Majesty 2 dly For our Importations of Forein Wares the Custom-Books serve only to direct us concerning the Quantity for we must not value them as they are rated here but as they cost us with all Charges laden into our Ships beyond the Seas in the respective Places where they are bought For the Merchanâ—'s Gain the Charges of Insurance Freight of Ships Customs Imposts and other Duties here which do greatly indear them unto our Use and Consumption are notwithstanding but Commutations amongst our selves for the Stranger hath no part thereof Wherefore our said Importations ought to be valued at Twenty Five per Cent. less than they are rated to be worth here And although this may seem to be too great allowance upon many rich Commodities which come but from the Low-Countries and other Places near hand yet will it be found reasonable when we consider it in gross Commodities and upon Wares laden in remote Countries as our Pepper which cost us with charges but Four pence the Pound So that when all is brought into a Medium the Valuation ought to be made as afore-written And therefore the Order which hath been used to multiply the full Rates upon Wares inwards by Twenty would produce a very great Error in the Ballance The Trade to the East-Indies is not only great in it self but
THE MERCHANTS Map of Commerce WHEREIN THE Universal MANNER and MATTER RELATING TO Trade and Merchandize Are fully TREATED of THE STANDARD and Current COINS of most PRINCES and REPVBLICKS observ'd The Real and Imaginary COINS of ACCOUNTS and EXCHANGES express'd The Natural PRODUCTS and Artificial COMMODITIES and MANUFACTURES for Transportation declar'd The WEIGHTS and MEASURES of all Eminent CITIES and TOWNS of Traffick in the VNIVERSE collected one into another And all reduc'd to the MERIDIAN of COMMERCE practis'd in the Famous CITY of LONDON By LEWIS ROBERTS Merchant Useful for all PERSONS who shall be employ'd in Publick Affairs of PRINCES in Foreign Parts for GENTLEMEN and others Travelling abroad and for all MERCHANTS and their FACTORS who Negotiate in any part of the WORLD The FOURTH EDITION carefully Corrected and Enlarg'd To which is ANNEXED ADVICE concerning BILLS of EXCHANGE Wherein all MATTER relating to BILLS of EXCHANGE both Foreign and Domestick is fully Treated of Together with that most PERFECT TREATISE of TRADE ENTITLED ENGLAND 's Benefit and Advantage by Foreign TRADE demonstrated By THO. MVN of London Merchant LONDON Printed for THOMAS HORNE at the South Entrance of the Royal Exchange in Cornhill 1700. THE AUTHORS EPISTLE Dedicated to the MERCHANTS of ENGLAND in general Giving a prospect of the ensuing Work Gentlemen I Was not ignorant when first I undertook this task and busied my self to compass this Work how difficult it would prove to be in it self what slender furtherances I had to accomplish the same and how weak my own abilities were to give it perfection Yet notwithstanding all these obstacles when I had duly consider'd the general want thereof and the common benefit and advantage that would redound thereby especially to Merchants I resolv'd to take the same in hand and cheerfully and willingly laid both my hand to the Work and my shoulder to the burthen collecting and gathering with laborious industry and industrious labour all those principal points and heads as might either conduce to the accomplishment of the Building or any way further my intended Fabrick So that by my continual toil and search after fit and apt materials I hoped that at length a good issue would crown my endeavours and finish this my intended undertaken task But after long and tedious inquisition I found that the farther I sailed in this Ocean the vaster were my desires and the fewer were my furtherances to my wished Port so that perceiving the Work thus to increase upon me beyond my expectation and first purpose I was constrained with the wind-scanted Sea-man to cast about again and limit my self to a narrow scantling for that to do it at large and as the matter punctually required was far beyond the reach of my knowledge yet because I could not do as I would I resolved to do as I could and thereupon begun again to cast these my first scatter'd Collections into a lesser mould and reduce my first thoughts and observations into such a second limit and order as might best befit my experience and the compass to which now I had confin'd it conceiving that as my intentions joyn'd to my labour and pains herein tended only to the good of others and principally of Merchants and their Factors that reside or negotiate in Foreign Parts so they will in requital be induced to have a good Opinion thereof as a reward to me for the benefit that shall redound to them by the same excusing those errors which peradventure the better experienc'd may by tryal find in the perusal of this Work and the defects which my ignorance hath inforc'd me to let pass which by reason of the diversity and rarity of the matter the same is most subject unto and the rather because I have been constrain'd oftentimes in this Desert to travel without a certain guide and not seldom to Navigate by anothers Compass having not in any Language or Country met with any Author that could either totally conduct me or truly rectifie my steps when I went astray Yet I must confess I met with some that shot at the mark I aimed at but it was at random and came not home to my purposed blank Others I found who took up stuff upon trust but at length I was further'd by some Friends whose Star led me when I was benighted and whose Candle lighted me when otherwise I should have stumbled by which means and my own Twelve Years Collections during my abode and imployment in many parts of the World I have at last by due sounding of the Channel safely sailed over the Ocean afore-mentioned and brought my Bark to an Anchor in her desired Harbour and I hope so well observed the Depths Shoals Rocks and Sands thereof that he that Navigates after me and by this my Map shall be secured from all dangers and thereby bring his accompts to that wished Port that may prove both to his own Profit and Commodity Now Gentlemen having thus then understood with what Industry and Care the materials of this Edifice have been collected what pains have been used to bring it to this conclusion and perfection and having truly weighed the benefit arising thereby all these I suppose are effectual inducements to challenge a fair acceptance from you Yet notwithstanding all these real arguments I cannot deny but the Work it self may not only suffer in the opinion of the censorious but be also subject to the verdict of the judicious But I am certain the foundation of it is laid upon the Knowledge of Geography and the use of Maps and Sea-Cards in General So delightful profitable and necessary to the Merchant the study of which must not be neglected by any Person who would be esteem'd an expert Trader In raising our Structure I describe First the Empires Kingdoms and Republicks of this habitable World Next the particular Provinces of each and then the most celebrated Towns of Traffick therein together with their natural Products Artificial Commodities and Manufactures Then I have given an Account of the several Coins there in use and current with the Value and Denomination of them and the Species wherein Merchants do there frame and regulate their Accompts by also the Weights and Measures of those places together with their Exchanges and how those are found to be calculated amongst the Italians who are accounted the most expert Bankers and Exchangers in the World Lastly I have added a Table of the Longitude and Latitude of all these eminent Places of Traffick not only thereby to satisfie the curious but the better to guide the inquirer to any such City or Town sought for And in all this Work my chief ambition hath been to please all Merchants in general and if I may not be thought to judge too favourably of my own endeavours I hope shall not fail therein But I am almost confident were my Labours duly weigh'd my Work might challenge acceptance However I offer it to the publick for their Benefit and from the great Respect
and Duty I owe to my native Country England L. ROBERTS THE MERCHANTS MAP OF COMMERCE CHAP. I. The Description of Countries conducible to the Description of Cities and Towns of Traffick The Description of Countries conduceth to the Description of Cities and Towns of Traffick BEFORE I descend to the particular parts of this Treatise and before I describe the Situations of these Towns and Cities of Traffick which here I intend to handle I must of necessity for Method-sake first by a cursory draught describe the Countries Kingdoms and Provinces wherein the same are found to be situated and placed and to do the same orderly and as the Subject requireth it is fit I should survey the means whereby the same is or may be performed which according to the opinion of the Learned is noted only to be done by the knowledge of Geography which in it self is esteemed to be a knowledge so needful and requisite for a Merchant Factor or any other active person whose occasions may draw him to see or abide in forein parts that it may not be neglected nor omitted Neither is it held only necessary to such as manage private affairs by Merchandizing as Merchants or Factors who are led thereto by the Motive profit but also such persons as are more eminent and such as are of greater quality whose motives are the publick affairs of Princes as Ambassadors or pleasure and delight by Travelling as Gentltmen whose motive may be properly termed curiosity of mind and search of novelty whicd last by observing the Fashions and Manners of divers Nations and the Government and Policies of those Kingdoms do dot only very much benefit themselves but better their udnerstandings thereby making their knowledge more capable of either publick or private imployment when they return to their native houses The like I conceive the ingenious Merchant or Factor may if he please do for being in his younger years imployed abroad in merchandizing he may by well husbanding his merchantile imployment and time join a future benefit of Mind to a present profit of Estate and by a provident judgment and a judicious Providence so manage his idle hours and vacant time that he fit his capacity not only wisely to undertake and discreetly to undergo but also skilfully to perform the greatest imployments that are incident to the service of a State or Kingdom neither is it a rare or extraordinary thing to find those that have had their education thus to have proved not only good Comman-wealths-men but also excellent States-men our own Country hath afforded some examples in all ages but in other Countries many more are daily found for it must be acknowledged that from this School those ripe and mature judgments have sprung up that in many Countries abroad have given sufficient testimony to the World of their excellent abilities this way and that the Art of Merchandizing together with the frequenting of forein Countries at the first to that end hath afterward rather furthered than any way backwarded their abilities to undertake and judiciously to perform the same Merchandizing the first School of the present Government of many Common-wealths The ancient policies and present flourishing continuance of the State of Venice the politick and rich Estates of the Netherlands the opulent and eminent quality of the Duke of Tuscany the wealthy well-governed Hans-Towns in Germany and many more which I could nominate make good this Assertion for in all these Merchandizing is found to be the School from whence they gather their first Principles and indeed the chief Foundation upon which their Fabrick of political Government is raised the Scale by which their Counsels are framed and the Pillars by which the same is seen to be supported and maintained How excellent is it then for a Merchant that hath another proper and peculiar end of his travels so to imploy his time and spend his hours as that he may at pleasure without cost or charges reap that benefit to himself which others purposely come to learn and painfully labour for with great expence of time and money and yet for all this are peradventure destitute of those helps and furtherances which Merchants and Factors by reason of their abode or vocation do continually enjoy and who return as ignorantly home perchance as they went out or happily furnished with some such cursory speculations as reach not into the depth of such policies of Government as the real intent of their travel doth truly require whereas the Merchant that comes thither not purposely to that end but to benefit himself as a Merchant may gather and lay up those his Observations obtained as Pastimes and collected as Recreations which will further and furnish him afterward either by discourse for pleasure or by necessity for profit and commodity when he shall please to publish his secret treasure and put the same in practice Geography delightful profitable and necessary to the Merchant Geography by what hath been said being then granted to be both a profit and a pleasure to all and specially to the Merchant it must necessarily be granted to be useful also for though we living in this Island acknowledge none for Merchants but such as adventure their Estates at Sea and are by this means accounted for real Merchants yet those that are versed in this Profession and seen in this Art know also that there be Merchants likewise that have their residence in Continents where neither Seas are known nor yet Navigable Rivers sound yet for all this supply with Land-Carriages of Horses Mules and Camels by industry and labour what Nature and our Habitation doth freely afford unto us by the commodity of the incompassed Seas in Shipping and these are observed and found to travel by Land in Companies and Caravans with their Merchandize from one Country to another as we do by Sea in Ships and Fleets paying their Duties Customs and Tolls upon the entry and confines of every several Princes Dominions The commodity of this knowledge to Merchants How then shall this Land-travelling Merchant know whose Kingdom he is in what Prince commands or who is Lord of that ground he treads upon but by a speculation herein Whereby shall he know what way he hath rid and travelled where neither miles nor Leagues are accounted or in use but by this How shall he know which way his course lies where neither paths nor high-ways are found to direct him nor guide to inform him or how far he hath yet to go in that Princes Dominion but by this How shall he know what Rivers run in his way what Straits or Mountains he hath to pass over but by this Nay hereby he is instructed whether those streams be great or small and whether passable by Boat Bridge or Foord and by this also what Plains Woods and Hills with their extent fertility and confinement the better to provide for his accommodation and the necessaries of his Journey as also what Cities and Towns