for their Coin their smallest pieces being an ounce weight and this is seen practised in Massa and other Kingdoms also thereabout Of Lumaches in Congo In the Kingdom of Congo is taken up along the Sea-shore great store of Shell fishes differing from the former used in Tombuto called Lumaches which they distinguish male and female the shell whereof is there accounted a Coin and wherewith they use to buy both Silver and Gold but with Silver or Gold either in Mass or Coin can they not buy any other thing needful whatsoever Of Glass-Beads in Melinda In Melinda they have little Balls of Glass in manner of our red Beads which come to them from Cambaia and other places and these are their Coins and Moneys and with them Gold is neither found to be of account nor esteem Of Salt and Paper in Cathay In some places of Cathay their Money is a kind of Paper stamped and in some other Salt baked into small Cakes for the excellent use and scarcity thereof passeth current as Coins amongst them Of Ganza in Pegu. In Pegu their Money is called Ganza and is made of Copper and Lead which every man may at his pleasure both coin and stamp that is able for Gold and Silver is accounted as a Merchandize amongst them Of Almonds in Bengala In Bengala their small Money is a fruit resembling the Almond which passeth current from man to man in Traffick Of Skulls of dead men in Sumatra And in the Island Sumatra it hath been observed that the skulls of their slain Enemies was accounted their greatest treasure with which they buy and barter and he is the richest man that hath the greatest number thereof in his house Of Pepper and Cocos in India And lastly in many places of India they use Pepper and Cocos-nuts in lieu of Money and the same passeth current for Coin in many places of India and to conclude it may be observed throughout this MAP of COMMERCE that though Silver and Gold is not the Metal generally in use for the coining and stamping of Money throughout all the World yet these other things specified carry with them in matter of Commerce in these places the like efficacy and power Money called by three several Names To proceed then Budelius Varro and sundry Authors writing upon the original of Moneys and upon the excellency of this predominant point of Traffick affirm That all Coins in the general have been nominated by their several and distinct Names 1. Moneta 2. Nummus 3. Pecunia the reasons given thereof are these Moneta First Moneta is said to have taken that name and is derived à Monendo which is to admonish and warn the people of the name of the Prince vel Nummi nota and of such a sign or mark impressed thereupon thereby alluding to the faying of CHRIST Matth. 22. Where the Pharisees brought him a penny he thereupon demanding whose image and superscription that was and they answered Caesar's then said he unto them Give therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and unto GOD the things that are GOD's Nummus Secondly Nummus is said to take its name as some will have it à Numerando vel Numine of the name of the Prince stamped upon it as a Ducate is said from Ducatus or as some say from Numa Pompilius the Roman King who is said to be the first that 1900 years past commanded Moneys to be made whereof ever since after his name every piece of Money is called Nummus or again as some hold it is derived from Nomos which signifieth a Law and implieth as much as such a Prince or such a Common-wealth hath ordained Money from whom it hath taken a certain price and value Pecunia Thirdly Pecunia is derived à Pecude of Cattle Sheep and Oxen wherein was said to consist the wealth of the Ancients and whereon the figure thereof was stamped and is constiued to be all manner of living Creatures wanting the form of Man and some hold that the name of Money signifieth not only Money numbred or told but also all things that are contained in the World as well moveable as immoveable liquid as solid and in general all things whatsoever Men have upon Earth From these three names and kinds grew first amongst the Romans a particular distinction and nomination of the quality of the species as they were current in worth and esteem amongst them for they had then in use certain Moneys of Copper as well as the others of Silver and Gold Denarii and because every piece of the Silver was in value ten pieces of the Copper it was called Denarius and because every piece of Gold was worth ten pieces of Silver the same was also called Denarius and thus for distinction sake other Nations in their Coins in after-ages followed their example Easterling Money of England and our English Moneys came to have the appellation of Sterling and to be distinguished into pounds shillings and pence as some say from the Easterlins that were in times past the Masters of our Mint and the Refiners of our Coins which yet holdeth this name and by which the same is known throughout all Europe But to conclude this Chapter however Coins and Moneys came to have their original and names and however the same came to be distinguished and of what Metal soever the same is in these days found to be made of and framed yet when once the same is allowed by the publick Authority of the Prince and Sovereign Magistrate Coins debased or altered is a capital crime it is held a capital Crime in all Countreys either to deface mend alter or any ways to debase the same and therefore most justly the circumstances considered do the Coins of Princes current in all their Countries challenge a principal part and interest in the Universal Commerce of the World A Table shewing the fineness compared with the Tower Standard the value as Bullion and the Intrinsick value of several Coins of forein Nations both Silver and Gold as they were Essayed in the Tower of London June 1651. The fineness compared with the Tower-Standard The Names of the Coins of Silver The Weight by the Pound Troy The Value as Bullion The Value Intrinsick  oz. dw  oz. dw gr s. d. s. d. Worse 0 10 Holland Rix Dollars 0 18 15 4 5◠4 7⅛ Worse 2 3 Lions Dollar 0 17 18½ 3 7 3 8◠Better 0 4½ Ducate of Flanders 1 0 22 5 4 5 6 Worse  7◠Rix Dollar of the Emper. 0 18 15 4 6 4 7◠Standard Mexico Ryals of Eight 0 17 12 4 4½ 4 6¼ Better 0 1 Sevil Ryals of Eight 0 17 12 4 4¾ 4 6½ Worse 0 1 Old Cardecus 0 6 3½ 1 6⅜ 1 7 0 0½ French Lewes of sixty Soll 0 17 11 4 4¼ 4 6◠0 1 Old Milre of Portugal 0 14 4 3 6¾ 3 8 0 1½ St. Mark of Venice
a good Road for shipping where 500 Ships of any Burthen may safely Anchor from all but South and Westerly winds which very seldom in these parts happen for the wind here generally blows from East Northerly and Southerly Wherefore it is that we call the East-part of the Island the Windward and the West-part the Leeward Here lies also the chief Town for Trade formerly called the Bridge but now St. Michael's and hath two Forts and a Platform between them answering each to the other for the preservation and defence of the said Town and command of the Road. The first and chiefest Fort is called Charles Fort standing on Needham's Point and lies out in the Sea and to Windward of the Bay and Town so that an Enemy keeping out of command of this Fort cannot probably come in to do the shipping or Town any Injury for that they must come full in or against the Wind. This Fort is built strong with Stone and Lime and hath 17 great Guns and capable of more being sufficiently garrison'd and commanded by a Captain The Platform joins to the Windward part of the Town and is capable of 15 great Guns and the other Fort lies and joins to the Leeward part of the Town the which is capable of 25 great Guns The Town consists of several Streets and Lanes being about 30 Chains in length and 15 in breadth and hath many fair and large Buildings most of them are boarded on the outside some of them Plaister'd and many the fairest and best are built with Stone and with Brick The second Road and Town is lately called Charles Town situate on Oysten's Bay and lies about two Leagues to the Windward of St. Michael's and hath also two Forts and one Platform the two Forts stand to Windward and Leeward of the Town and Road and the Platform in the middle And although this Town be not a place of much resort for shipping yet are there many considerable Store-houses for Trade The third Road and Town is lately called St. James but formerly the Holl and is about two leagues to Leeward of St. Michael's hath only one Platform being otherwise well fortified with Brest-works And although few Ships come to Ride here yet in this Town is maintained a great Trade with the Inhabitants adjacent The fourth Road and Town was lately called Spieght's Bay but now Little Bristol which lies about four leagues to Leeward of St. Michael's and hath two Forts To this place come many Ships especially from the City of Bristol which here Ride and Unload and Reload and is the second and next greatest place of Trade to St. Michael's in the whole Island There are several other Islands which lie to the Leeward of this known in general by the Crely Islands They have also their particular Names c. with which their Latitude and Longitude may be seen in the Map Some whereof are inhabited by the English as Mevis Monserat Antegua and St. Christopher's and others by the Dutch and French and some others of them by the Native Crely Indians The main Land or Terra firma next to these Islands is called Guiana and lies Southerly about 100 leagues from hence On which Continent the English have a Colony planted within the River Serenam This Island is divided into 11 Parishes and hath 14 Churches and Chapels and is subdivided into divers Plantations some small and others great where are many fair and large Buildings made of Stone and others boarded and plaistered the which generally are pleasant Habitations and delightfully situated some having Prospects into the Sea and others on the Land The Inhabitants of this Island are English Scotch and Irish and some few of the Dutch and French Nation who formerly lived here a time of servitude and now dwell as Freemen some by their Trade and others on Plantations and some few Jews live here and trade also as Merchants they having obtained Licence from the King so to do Besides Mallatoes and Negroes which are here kept and accounted for slaves the number of which some few years since upon search were found to be 60000 Persons viz. 40000 Whites and 20000 Blacks The standing Militia of this Island that are always ready on all occasions to meet together and which at other times are often and well disciplined consists of two Regiments of Horse and five Regiments of Foot wherein several Companies have near 200 in a Company and more than 100 Horse in a Troop The Government is not contrary but agreeable to the Laws of England only some particular Laws are made proper for this place by the Governour or Deputy and his Council which usually are seven in number and an Assembly that consists of 22 persons chosen by the Free holders two out of every Parish The Religion outwardly professed or that which hath the greatest shew or appearance is the Protestant Religion yet without the exercise of any coercive Power upon the Conscience for here is neither Bishops Court nor Power given to Priest or Prelate whereby they may exercise authority over the Consciences of others though different in Opinion So that the Jews and others of different Judgments they yielding obedience to the Civil Laws are protected and live peaceably and quietly in this place Concerning Coins all sorts of Moneys of Gold and Silver do pass here but none coined The value of foreign Coins appear as followeth The Spanish Pistol at twenty shillings Sterling The Double Pistol at forty shillings Sterling and the lesser proportionable The Pieces of Eight at six shillings the half and quarter proportionable A Dutch Rider of Gold at eight and twenty shillings Sterling the half proportionable The Rix-Dollar at six shilling Sterling A Cross Dollar at five shillings nine pence A Duccatoon of Flanders at seven shillings Sterling the half and quarter proportionable A French Pistol of Gold at twenty shillings Sterling the half proportionable A French Crown of Gold at ten shillings Sterling A French Lewis of Silver at six shillings Sterling the half and quarter proportionable A quarter Descue two shillings the half one shilling The Portugal Crusado of four hundred Rees at five shillings Sterling the half and quarter proportionable The Old Testoon at one shilling six pence Sterling The Shilling Six-pence and Three-pence of New-England Coin to pass here at that value Provided the said several Coins have their just due and weight pureness allay and fineness But that which is most used in Payments are Pieces of Eight of Peru which are as current and go at the same value as Sevil or Mexico which will produce this bad effect That Money Sterling and Coins of the better sorts will not be imported and these sorts which are already here will either be horded up or transported and that because the base Money of Peru is here held in equal value with Mexico c. whose real value is from 4 s. 4 d. to 4 s. 8 d. and the Peru from 2 s. 6 d. to 3
into great and small pieces and into several and distinct parts and denominations was stamped and coined with several characters to denote thereby the true weight and value of the same the which was first done by Servius in Rome of Brass whereon was imprinted the Image of Sheep and Oxen betokening the wealth and riches of those days as Moneys do now with us and because that ten of those pieces was then called a Denier therefore it is that universally all such Moneys are still called by the Latines Denarii this being then the original of Moneys which afterward came to be coined both of Silver and Gold as I shall more at large have occasion to demonstrate in the Chapter of Moneys in this following Treatise Bargaining This first sort of Merchandizing or Commerce then as I said before termed Bartering or Trucking of one Commodity for another begat consequently by the means of Moneys the second manner of Negotiation which is buying and selling or bargaining for all Merchants that would transport Commodities from one Country or place to another to effect the same needed either other Commodities wherewith to barter and so to procure them or Money and so to buy them and therefore to facilitate Merchandizing and to take away the incommodity and danger of the carriage of Moneys about a man or from place to place a mean was invented to have the same in what Country a man pleased without trouble or danger of the transport carriages or rigor thereof Exchanging and this was found to be best performed by Exchange which is the third sort of Commutation the which is noted to be no other than the giving of so much Moneys in one place to one who should cause it to be again repaid in another place by another for him as for example Edward hath here in London one thousand pounds and desireth to remit the same or have it in the hands of Joseph who resideth in Venice and Lodowick hath one thousand pounds in Venice in the custody and hands of Thomas which he would get receive and recover out and have them here it happeneth that Edward meeteth with Lodowick to whom he delivereth and payeth the said one thousand pounds and thereupon Lodowick writeth to Thomas that he pay the said thousand pounds to Joseph and thus each party comes to be both satisfied and accommodated by which it may be discerned that in all Exchanges there is concluded two payments two places and four distinct persons as he who payeth in the one place and he who receiveth in the other and he who receiveth in the one place and he who payeth in the other and from hence it consequently followeth that no man can remit except there be another to draw nor no man can in the second place receive except there be another authorized to pay Exchanges drawn into a profitable Art and the reasons thereof In this manner then came in use the original of Exchanges purposely invented to accommodate Trade and Commerce the which at first was practised without either benefit or loss or any other consideration and to render again the self-same sum and parcel as was received but other consideration and to render again the self-same sum and parcel as was received but in process of time it came to be considered that the giver or deliverer of the Money came both to lose a certain space in time ere the same was repaid and did also run a certrin risgo in the payment thereof which the receiver or drawer enjoyed and profited by and therefore it was held reasonable that the deliverer should have some fruit and benefit in requital and satisfaction thereof which afterward occasioned that the second payment came to be somewhat greater than the former and that in consideration thereof there should be restored more than was received The endeavour of this gain then hath converted Exchanges since into an Art or Mystery from whence it proceedeth that many are found at this day to remit and deliver Moneys to the intent to have the same returned with benefit and not for a need or necessity to have it more in one place than in another and many again are found to be takers and drawers not with intent to withdraw or recover their Money from another person or place but to serve themselves and their occasions with that of others for a certain time paying and allowing for the same that consideration and interest as is agreed upon and covenanted between them which really and in effect is nothing else but a certain kind of permitted Usury and therefore by some accounted as a thing unlawful though by many and by the common and received practice of the World it is upheld and maintained with many solid reasons and substantial arguments besides which it is considerable and peradventure it may well be granted that if it were not that there is by this Art and Mystery a gain and profit made thereof very few Exchanges would present because that draughts and remittances would in this nature but seldom happen that would or might any way be available to Traffick and Commerce and less benefit would consequently redound to the publick and universal Commerce of Kingdoms and therefore though the intention of particular Exchanges be not always found good herein yet the general good effect which it produceth and that proceedeth therefrom is in it self and in the true use and custom thereof both approved and laudable Things considerable in Bartering Now in the first sort of Commutation which I term Bartering many things do happen considerable and necessary in the Art of Merchandizing the first is the knowledge as well in the Commodity thus to be delivered as in the Commodity so to be received next a knowledge in respect of the value and present request and estimation of both then in respect of the quality whether it be lasting and durable or impairing or perishable and lastly in respect of the property whether it be of it self natural and growing or Artificial and made by the hand and industry of man and lastly in respect of the quantity whether plentiful in abundance or scarce and in few hands Things considerable in Bargaining In the second sort of Commutation which I term Bargaining or buying and selling are likewise besides the abovementioned these particulars to be well known and considered first a knowledge how the Commodity is either bought or sold as either by weight as are ponderous Commodities or as by Concave or long measures as are Commodities of length or Commodities solid or liquid the knowledge of which weights and measures is in like manner perfectly to be known and really to be understood and then the fineness goodness and current valuation of the Money of the place is also to be known and perfectly and rightly to be found out and be distinguished that the bargain may appear to be made the more justly equally and conscionably between both parties and for
7 1 19 0  3 22 15 12 21 ½  1 23 7 8 10 ¾  1 13 20 16 8 ¾  0 23 15 4 5 0  Pieces of Silver 23 15 21 5 0 13  11 19 22 14 12 6 ½ 4 17 13 20 1 0  2 8 18 22 0 12  0 18 22 7 8 4  0 9 11 3 16 2  0 4 17 13 20 1  To know the goodness of Gold or Silver upon the Touch-stone by comparing it unto certain Wires or Needles of Gold and Silver of several allays which is approved by Pliny Book 33. Chap. 18. before the way of Trial by Essay by Fire for that there are many casualities in the practice of making Essays by Fire and the other by the Touch is visible to the Eye Those Needles or Wires to be made of four sorts First they be made of Gold and Silver Second of Gold and Copper Third Of Gold Silver and Copper And fourth Of Silver and Copper The three first sorts are only for the Trial of Gold and the last for Silver Let there be 24 Needles of Wires made of the several mixture or allays following The 1 of 24 Carot that is of fine Gold 2 23 Carot of fine Gold and 1 Carot of Silver 3 22 2 4 21 3 5 20 4 And so still 1 Carot worst till you have but one Carot of fine Gold and 23 of Silver all marked of what fineness each Needle or Wire is of Also there may be made the like of the other two mixtures viz. of Gold and Copper likewise of Gold Silver and Copper For the making those Wires or Needles for Tryal of Silver let the mixture or Allay be as followeth The 1 of fine Silver 2 11 ounces of fine Silver and 1 ounces of Copper 3 10 2 4 9 3 And so till you have 1 ounce of Silver and 11 ounces of Copper all marked of what fineness it is The use of these several Needles is if you desire to know the goodness or fineness of any Ingot or piece of Gold or Silver touch the said Ingot or piece upon your Touch-stone and by it touch such of your Needles as shall be most like the touch of your Ingot which will better appear being wetted with your tongue and that of your Needle the Gold or Silver Ingot or Piece is best like unto of that finess it will be found to be Sheweth the Fineness or Goodness of divers several Coyns of Gold and Silver and the Rates of certain forein Pieces of Gold and Silver not current as the â—…nce is worth in the Kings Mints here in England Old Moneys  Carots gr Double Ducates the Essay 23 2½ Reysers Rials 23 3¾ Crusados Short-Cross 22 3 Crusados Long-Cross 22 1½ French Crown 22 0½ Half Suffrants or old Crown 21 3 Pistolets of Spain 21 3 Milres 22  Philippus Crowns 17 3 Flemish Angel the better sort 22  Flemish Angel the worse 18  Old Portuguez 23 3 The old Spureal 23 3½ The old Noble 23 3½ The old Angel 23 3¼ The George Noble 23 3 The Salute 23 3 The Angel with the Gun-hole 22  The great old Sovereign weight 18 d w. 23  The old Crown of Hen. 8th 21  The old Sovereign of Hen. 8th 22  The great Sovereign of Hen. 8th 20  The half Sovereign of Hen. 8th 20  The Edw. Sovereign 21  The Eliz. Sovereign and Crown 22  The French Noble   The Unicorn of Scotland   The Philippus Real 23 2 The old French Crown 22 2 The Flanders Rider 23 2¾ The Guelders Rider   The Cullen Gulden   The Flanders Noble 23 2 The Golden Lion 23  The Ducat of Castile 23 2½ The old Andreas Gulden 18 3 The Philippus Gulden 15 3 The Ducate of Valence 23 2¾ The Hungary Ducates of several sorts 23 2½ The Ducates of Rome Bullen and Millain 23 2 The Barbary Gold 23 2 The double Pistolet with the Picture of a King crowned on the one side and Arms on the other side dated 1578 21 3 The 2 double Pistolets with the Picture of a King Crowned on the one side and Arms on the other 21 3¼ The double Pistolet with an Image like an Apostle on the one side and Arms on the other dated 1566. 23 1¼ The double Pistolet with a Spread-Eagle Crown'd and Arms in a Scutcheon with 2 Letters S. R. 23 3 The Fineness or Goodness of certain Coins of Silver  oz. pw A Dollar with 4 Hages and 4 Peeps over and 4 Crowns over the Peeps and an Emperor on the other side dated 1577. 8 18 A Dollar with 3 Horns in a Scutcheon and two Crests and a Horseman on the other side 9 19 A Dollar with a Ramping Lion and a Spread-Eagle on the other side 9 18 A Dollar with a Lion a Scutcheon in his foot and a Spread-Eagle on the other side 9 17½ A Dollar with a Mans Body to the Waste and on the other side Arms and two Crosses 9 14 A Dollar with the Picture of the Duke of Saxony and a Head of both sides and over the Head two Swords across 10 17 A small piece of Money with Scripture and the other side a Mans Head 10 10 A Dollar with a Cross and a Crown dated 1569 10 18½ A Dollar of Maximilian with a Spread-Eagle and the Picture of the Emperour dated 1569 10 12½ A Dollar with a Cross and a Crown dated 1569. 10 14½ A Dollar with three Scutcheons and Arms with the Picture of our Lady on the other side 10 18 A Dollar with three Scutheons and Arms in them and a Cross with Arms on the other side 10 18 A Dollar with three Scutcheons and Arms and a Spread-Eagle on the other side dated 1549. 10 18 A Dollar with a Spread-Eagle and a Crown over his Head and the Picture of a Man on the other side 1573. 10 15 A Dollar with an Arms and Picture of a Man dated 1549. 10 14 A Dollar with 3 Scutcheons and Arms in them and a Spread-Eagle with a Talbotshead dated 1549. 11 2 A Dollar with three Crowns and a Spread-Eagle a Phillippus Dollar of the baser sort 6 16 A Dollar with three Crowns and a Spread-Eagle 10 14 A Dollar with a Ramping Lion on the one side and a Lion in a Scutcheon and half a Man on the other side 8 18 A Dollar with a Hart and the Arms in a Scutheon 10 12 A Dollar with a Wild Man holding a Candle in his hand and a ragged Staff on the other side 1571. 10 14 A Dollar of the same and like Superscription 10 13 A Dollar with the Image of the Duke of Saxony and his Arms. 10 15 A Dollar of the same with like Superscription 10 12½ A Dollar with a Lion in the Scutcheon and half a man over the Lion and a Ramping Lion on the other side 9  Spanish Moneys A Spanish piece of Money with a sheaf of Arrows
squared out proportionably and every Street is drawn out to a line so that every Gate yields a free prospect through the City to the opposite Gate beautified on each side with stately Edifices and Houses for the Honourable of this Country In the midst of this City is a sumptuous Palace wherein the Grand Cham resideth with all his Queens and Children and wherein is placed a Bell which is tolled at certain hours of the Evening after which may no man stir out of doors until the beginning of the day following the largeness rarities curiosity and richness of this Palace the partitions allowed his Queens and Lodgings appointed for his Children and their daily Attendants and the Order Beauty and Manner thereof I willingly omit as not pertinent to my present purpose Without this City Walls are accounted 12 Suburbs of 3 or 4 miles long adjoyning to each of the aforesaid 12 Gates and here all Merchants Strangers and Foreigners do abide each Nation having a several Cane or Store-house where they both lodge and exercise their Merchandize and traffick one with another for the Commodities of these several Countreys The confluence of Merchants here cannot choose but be wonderful seeing it is reported that the City is so populous that the Cham maintaineth 5000 Astrologers here daily besides many thousands of Souldiers both of Horse and Foot that 12000 Horse is accounted but as his ordinary and daily Guard Exendu and the largeness thereof besides which the near neighbourhood of Exendu the principal place of the Grand Cham seated not many days Journey hence where Merchants are not permitted to enter is built in a four square figure every side extending eight miles in length within this Quadrant is another whose sides are six miles long and within that another of four miles square which is accounted the very Palace it self and between which several walls are found Walks Gardens Orchards Fish-ponds places for all manner of Courtly and Military Exercises and also Parks Forests and Chases for all manner of Pleasures and Game and the infinite number of Attendants and Servitours that of necessity is required to wait upon so great a Prince with the Officers thereto belonging cannot but much increase the Trade and Commerce of this City and place As for the Trade of this City of Cambalu and generally of all Tartaria it is observed that the Countrey though in a large Tract extending it self upon the North Ocean yet by reason of the long continued colds and frosts the Inhabitants have but little benefit thereof however it may be conceived that the Molucco's Japans and other Islanders thereabout in the season of the year have here a great Traffick and that hence these Tartarians are furnished with the Spices of India the Gems of Pegu and Bengala and peradventure with other the Drugs of Arabiaâ— but upon the Caspian Sea they are the Masters of many good Sea-Ports besides Astracan which of late they have lost to the Muscovite as Zahaspa Cosmi Melmesuach and others by which is conveyed to them the Silks Tapestries Carpets Arms and excellent Manufactures of Persia and in the Black-Sea besides Capha now in subjection to the Turks they enjoy the brave Ports of Curaropo Asow and others serving to convey unto them the Commodities of Turkey Trabesond Podolia Walacia and other Countreys bordering upon the famous River of Danubius Now for the other parts of this large Empire it bordereth on the one side with Muscovia with whom it is now in peace though not seldom at debate from whence by the benefit of Traffick which I find observed not to be of any great consequence they have rich Furs and other the Commodities of this Country But where it bordereth upon China which is for a very large extent of ground by some Author accounted 400 leagues the common report of the strict Laws and Customs of that Nation to debar entrance to all Strangers should perswade me of little Traffick that way yet I find it observed by some late Travellers whose Relation herein is questionable That the City of Cambalu receiveth yearly thence by way of Traffick 10000 Carts laden with Silks and Stuffs of the China Fabrick the truth thereof I refer to the censure of the Reader Coins current in Cambalu and through Tartaria of the bark of Mulberry-trees As for the Moneys current in this large Territory I find it to be diversly made yet neither of Gold nor of Silver coined but of the middle Bark of the Mulbery Tree which being made firm and cut into divers and round pieces great and little they imprint the King's mark thereupon and from this mean Stuff the Emperour causeth a huge mass of Moneys to be yearly made at Cambalu which sufficeth for his whole Empire and no Man under pain of death may coin or spend any other Money or refuse it in all his Kingdoms and Dominions whereby it cometh to pass That Merchants often coming hither from far and remote Countreys bring with them Gold Silver Pearl and pretious Stones and receive the King's Money for them and because the same is not current in their Country they therewith buy in this Empire other the Commodities here found which they carry hence away with them the King also payeth his stipends Officers and Armies with the said Moneys and buyeth whasoever else he needeth with the same so that no Prince in the World can exceed him in Treasure which is at so easie a rate provided and procured Of Coral polished Besides which I find it observed in some parts of this large Country subject to some subordinate Kings in subjection to the Great Cham that they use in some places pieces of polisht Coral in stead of Money and in others they have certain twigs of Gold in lieu of Money which is distinguished by weight into several parcels without stamp or character and this is accounted in matters of consequence Of Salt in Loaves hardned but they have a lesser Coin if I may so term it made of Salt which they boil in Caldrons for a certain time which congealed they make into lumps like our Peny-loaves which being made solid is signed with the Prince's Stamp and passeth thus current amongst them and wherewith they provide themselves of all necessaries In some others I find also that they use Porcelan for Money and weighed pieces of Gold for in some Countreys of this Empire Silver Mines are not found and they give in proportion one ounce of Gold for five ounces of Silver neither is it found in many places of this Country that they have the use of Letters therefore the Merchants make their Contracts and Obligations in Tallies of Wood the half whereof the one keepeth and the other the other half which being aftetwards paid and satisfied the said Tally is restored not much unlike the custom of Tallies in England And thus much shall serve to have said of the Trade in general of this Country the strange Customs
handled the way and method how the same is cast up which I shall only observe with such other principal places as may be sufficient for instruction and as a guide to rule that which is here omitted Accounts kept in Antwerp And the better to understand what shall ensue it is to be noted that in Antwerp Bankers and Exchangers do keep their accounts in pounds shillings and pence Flemish or gross which are cast up by 20 and by 12 because that 20 Sols or shillings make a pound and 12 pence or gross makes shilling CHAP. CCCCXXXVI Of the Exchanges of Antwerp with Lions Exchanges of Antwerp with Lions ANtwerp doth exchange with Lions and giveth posito 121⅓ gros to have in Lions one Crown of the Sun of Gold of 3 l. I demand then for l. 3486. 1. 9. money of Antwerp how many Crowns must I have in Lions First reduce the said sum of Livers into grosses multiplying the same by 20 and then by 12 adding to the multiplications 1 Sol. and 9 pence which are with the pounds and divide by 121⅓ gros the sum of Grosses which shall come of the said Livers reducing both them and others into thirds of Grosses and of the Division will come Crowns and multiplying the remainder of the Division by 20 and 12 to make them Sols and Deniers of Gold they will make Crow 6895. 11. 1. of Gold of the Sun which you shall have in Lions for the said sum delivered in Antwerp Example Proof the Proof of the said Rule is seen when that Lions doth exchange for Antwerp CHAP. CCCCXXXVII Of the Exchanges of Antwerp with Placentia Exchanges of Antwerp with Placentia ANtwerp doth exchange with Placentia and giveth posito Gros 124½ to have in Placentia one Crown of Mark I demand for l. 363. 10. 3. money of Antwerp how many Crowns of Mark shall I have in Placentia First reduce the said sum of Livers into Gros multiplying the sum by 20 and by 12 adding to the Multiplication 10 s. and 3 d. which are with the pounds and divide the Grosses that come thereof by the said Gros 124½ the price of the Crown of Mark bringing both the one and the other into half Grosses and by division it will come to Crow multiplying the remainder by 20 and by 12 to bring the same into pence and then they will be Crow 700. 14. 11 of Mark which will be due at Placentia for the said sum of Livers or pounds in Grosses Proof The Proof of the said Account is seen when that Placentia shall exchange with Antwerp CHAP. CCCCXXXVIII Of the Exchanges of Antwerp with Florence Exchanges of Antwerp with Florence ANntwerp doth exchange with Florence and giveth posito 112½ gross to have in that place one Crown of Gold I demand for l. 656. 10. 11. money of Antwerp how many Crow of Gold do they make and doing as in the precedent Rule it will appear to be Crow 1400. 12. 7. of Gold which I shall have in Florence for the said pounds Flemish Proof The Proof of the said Account is seen when that Florence shall be found to exchange with Antwerp CHAP. CCCCXXXIX Of the Exchanges of Antwerp with Venice Exchanges of Antwerp with Venice ANtwerp doth exchange with Venice and giveth posito 92½ Grosses to have in that place one Ducat of l. 6⅕ money of Venice I demand for l. 1468 14 6 money of Antwerp how many Ducats shall I have in Venice and doing as in the precedent Accounts it will come to Ducats 3810 17 24 and so many Ducats of l. 6⅕ will be due in Venice Example Proof The Proof of this Account is seen when that Venice shall exchange for Antwerp CHAP. CCCCXL. Of the Exchanges of Antwerp with London Exchanges of Antwerp with London ANtwerp doth exchange for London and giveth posito Shillings 33⅓ to have in that place one pound sterling I demand for l. 748 18 6 money of Antwerp how many pounds sterling shall I have in London First reduce as well the said sum of pounds sterling as the said sum of pounds Flemish into Grosse and Pence multiplying the pounds by 20 and then by 12 adding the shillings 18 6 d. which are with the pounds Flemish and the shillings Flemish 33⅓ multiplied by 12 adding 4 Gross for ⅓ of a shilling Flemish and the Gross which shall come thereof must be taken for Divisor against the sum of Grosses come of the said pounds and dividing the sum will come pounds sterling multiplying the remainder of the division by 20 and then 12 to make them shillings and pence sterling they will make pounds sterling 449 7 1 due in London for the said sum of pounds Flemish 748 18 6. Proof And for proof of the said Exchange multiply the said pounds sterling 449 7 1 by 1 l. 13 shillings 4 d. with the said 33⅓ shillings and it will make the abovesaid l. 748 18 5 pounds Flemish so that the account will appear to be just cast up And thus much shall serve to have said here of Exchanges Now to the Terms of Payments of Bills in Antwerp CHAP. CCCCXLI Of the Terms of Payment of Bills of Exchange in Antwerp Terms of payment of Bills of Exchange in Antwerp THE Terms of Payments of Bills of Exchange observed in Antwerp and to go from thence to other Cities is To Venice 2 months after date and so back To Florence at two months after date and back the same To Genoa at 2 months after date and thence the same To Avignon at 2 months after date and so back To Barselona at 50 days after date and so back To Valentia one month after sight and back 30 days after date To London one month after date and so back To Pisa 2 months after date and so back To Millan 2 months after date and so back To Paris one month after date and so back To Montpellier 20 days after sight and so back To Lions for the succeeding Fair. To Placentia for the next succeeding Fair. To Rouen one month after date and so back Now for the Orders and Commissions given in Antwerp I will here insert a word also according to my method CHAP. CCCCXLII Of Orders and Commissions given and received for Draughts and Remittances in Antwerp Orders and Commissions given and received for Draughts and Remittances in Antwerp ACcording to my proposed method for the better understanding of what is said I will insert some Examples of Draughts and Remittances made by Order and Commission in the City of Antwerp 1 Example At Venice then is found an Exchange for Antwerp posito at Gross 90 and for Placentia at Duc. 135 Order being given to Venice that at these prices they draw to Antwerp and remit to Placentia I demand at how much will come the Remittance from Antwerp to Placentia First you must multiply the said Ducats 135 the value of 100 Crow of Mark at the said
manner be increased to the Profit of the King who notwithstanding shall be sure in the end to have the greatest Loss if he prevent not such Unthrifty Courses as do impoverish his Subjects CHAP. VIII The Enhancing or Debasing our Monies cannot Enrich the Kingdom with Treasure nor hinder the Exportation thereof THere are three ways by which the Monies of a Kingdom are commonly altered The first is when the Coins in their several Denominations are made currant at more or less Pounds Shillings or Pence than formerly The second is when the said Coins are altered in their Weight and yet continue currant at the former Rates The third is when the Standard is either Debased or Enriched in the Fineness of the Gold and Silver yet the Monies continue in their former Values In all occasions of want or plenty of Mony in the Kingdom we do ever find divers Men who using their Wits for a Remedy to supply the First and preserve the Last they fall presently upon altering the Monies for say they the raising of the Coins in value will cause it to be brought into the Realm from divers Places in hope of the Gain and the Debasing of the Monies in the Fineness or Weight will keep it here for fear of the Loss But these Men pleasing themselves with the beginning only of this weighty Business consider not the Progress and End thereof whereunto we ought especially to direct our Thoughts and Endeavours A Notable service for Spain For we must know that Mony is not only the true measure of all our other means in the Kingdom but also of our Forein Commerce with Strangers which therefore ought to be kept Just and Constant to avoid those Confusions which ever accompany such alterations For first at Home if the common Measure be changed our Lands Leases Wares both Forein and Domestick must alter in proportion And although this is not done without much Trouble and Damage also to some Men yet in short time this must necessarily come to pass for that is not the Denomination of our Pounds Shillings and Pence which is respected but the intrinsick value of our Coins unto which we have little reason to add any further Estimation or Worth if it lay in our power to do it for this would be a special Service to Spain and an act against our selves to indear the Commodity of another Prince Mony is the measure of our other means Neither can these courses which so much hurt the Subjects any way help the King as some Men have imagined for although the Debasing or Lightning of all our Mony should bring a present Benefit for once only to the Mint yet all this and more would soon be lost again in the future great Incoms of His Majesty when by this means they must be paid yearly with Mony of less intrinsick value than formerly Nor can it be said that the whole Loss of the Kingdom would be the Profit of the King they differ infinitely for all Mens Estates be it Leases Lands Debts Wares or Mony must suffer in their Proportions whereas His Majesty should have the Gain only upon so much ready Mony as might be new Coined which in comparison would prove a very small matter All the ready Mony in this Kingdom is esteemed at little more than one Million of Pounds for although they who have other Estates in Mony are said to be a great Number and to be worth Five or Ten thousand Pound per Man more or less which amounts to many millions in all yet are they not possessed thereof all together or at once for it were Vanity and against their Profit to keep continually in their hands above Forty or Fifty Pounds in a Family to defray necessary Charges the rest must ever run from Man to Man in Traffick for their Benefit whereby we may conceive that a little Mony being made the measure of all our other means doth Rule and Distribute great matters daily to all Men in their just Proportion And we must know likewise that much of our old Mony is worn light and therefore would yield little or no profit at the Mint and the Gain upon the Heavy would cause our vigilant Neighbours to carry over a great Part thereof and return it presently in pieces of the New Stamp nor do we doubt that some of our own Country-men would turn Coiners and venture a Hanging for this Profit so that His Majesty in the end should get little by such Alterations Yea but say some Men If His Majesty raise the Mony great store of Treasure would also be brought into the Mint from Forein Parts for we have seen by Experience that the late raising of our Gold ten in the Hundred did bring in great store thereof more than we were accustomed to have in the Kingdom the which as I cannot deny so do I likewise affirm that this Gold carried away all or the most part of our Silver which was not over-worn or too light as we may easily perceive by the present use of our Monies in their respective qualities And the Reason of this Change is because our Silver was not raised in proportion with our Gold which still giveth advantage to the Merchant to bring in the Kingdom 's Yearly Gain by Trade in Gold rather than in Silver Secondly If we be inconstant in our Coins and and thereby violate the Laws of Forein Commerce other Princes are vigilant in these Cases to alter presently in proportion with us and then where is our hope Or if they do not alter what can we hope for For if the Stranger-merchant bring in his Wares and find that our Monies are raised shall not he likewise keep his Commodities until he may sell them dearer And shall not the Price of the Merchant's Exchange with Forein Countries rise in Proportion with our Monies All which being undoubtedly true why may not our Monies be carried out of the Kingdom as well and to as much profit after the raising thereof as before the Alteration But peradventure some Men will yet say that if our Monies be raised and other Countries raise not it will cause more Bulloin and Forein Coins to be brought in than heretofore If this be done it must be performed either by the Merchant who hath exported Wares or by the Merchant who intends to buy off our Commodities And it is manifest that neither of these can have more Advantage or Benefit by this Art now than they might have had before the Alteration of the Mony For if their said Bulloin and Forein Coins be more worth than formerly in our Pounds Shillings and Pence yet what shall they get by that when these Monies are Baser or Lighter and that therefore they are risen in Proportion So we may plainly see that these innovations are no good means to bring Treasure into the Kingdom nor yet to keep it here when we have it CHAP. IX A Toleration for Forein Coins to pass currant
there likewise a necessity that the same be truly learned and known and also the Commodity upon which the same is so imposed lest otherwise the Trader make a short reckoning in his accounts and find this Impost to deceive him of his expected and hoped for gain Fees to Officers to be paid and known To conclude Neither are these Duties thus to be only learned and duly satisfied according to the Customs and usance of every City and Country but also all such appurtenances as belong thereunto in the passing of all Goods in the said Offices and Custom-houses as in Bills of Entries Cockets Certificates passing of Bonds and all Fees thereunto appertaining and thereupon depending as to Waiters Searchers Clerks Visitors and such like be also known and satisfied the better to avoid the dangers and Inconveniences that may happen by the default thereof to the Goods whereupon the same is liable These Customs then and Impositions thus varying by time places and circumstances and imposed altered and changed oftentimes at the will of the Prince are not by the industry of any one hand to be punctually known in all places therefore it sufficeth me to have given here these General Rules and Observations conducing both to the knowledge and the necessity of the discharge and payment thereof for the better Reiglement of Commerce in this particular therefore I may be held excusable if I be found in this point to be defective in this MAP and so concluding herewith proceed to the next point which is of the Moneys and Coins of sundry Kingdoms used in the Traffick of Merchandizing CHAP. V. Of the Monies and Coins of sundry Countries used in general in the Traffick of Merchandize Silver and Gold the most excellent of Metals AMongst all the diversity of Metals which GOD the Creator hath shut up in the closet and concavity of the Earth none is accounted more singular and excellent than Silver and Gold of which the Communication and Commerce of Mankind have framed and invented the use of Money and Coin which Money and Coin may be properly termed to be the Universal Measure of all things in the World and though that thus naturally and originally they be but Metals and so to be in themselves accounted yet in value and estimation Moneys and Coins made thereof are to us as all things for they are to us converted once to thâ— use as Meat Cloth House Horse and generally what other thing soever Man hath else need of and thereby it is evident and manifested that all things are obedient and in subjection to Moneys and that by this device a mean was found out and invented whereby one thing should be to Merchants as all and therefore men thrust forward by natural inclination and worldly judgment chose to this end and use at first the thing that was found most durable proper and maniable which they only observed best to be Metal Coins made of Silver and Gold and amongst all Metals gave Silver and Gold the preheminence in the invention of Moneys which of their own nature was thus observed to be most durable and incorruptible and of which we find as well in these our times as in times past most Princes of the World to make their current Coins of between man and man in Trade of Merchandize Bartering and Exchanging before the use of Gold and Silver I deny not but in the innocency of those golden times of old when neither Silver nor Gold was put to this use there was yet a Traffick found and a Commerce practis'd amongst Mankind which may be imagined did not then extend it self to buying and selling in that same nature as now it is in use since the invention of Moneys but only to a Trucking Exchanging and Bartering and that only for things necessary to back and belly to feed and cloath and so to preserve life but these times worn out by a more acute age and men laying to themselves a foundation of Sovereignty and Greatness the stronger still depriving the weaker and riches thereby becoming desirable this Mystery crept up and was admitted and therefore from these two Minerals was found out a Body which once authorized by power of the Magistrate had a predominancy over all earthly things and by which was squared out and levell'd as by an indifferent measure all things appertaining to Mankind the abundance thereof brought with it the abundance of honour attendants necessaries and superfluities so that he that had most in his possession was accounted of as being the most eminent and greatest personage in the eye rule and esteem of the World But to come to the present Times though in general throughout all Europe it is now found that Coins and Moneys of Silver and Gold as is afore observed is only in use and that all Commerce and Traffick is principally drawn and maintained thereby yet it is noted in this MAP that all Nations have not yet submitted their judgment to the Prerogative of these two Minerals but retain still in use some other things serving in their stead and place Several sorts of Moneys in several Countries Moneys of Leather in S. Dominico c. for first in the Islands of Porto Riccio Saint Dominico and in many places of America they have in use small pieces of Leather current for Coins amongst them not that they want Silver and Gold for they enjoy it in greatest abundance but want the use and invention thereof as of late days it is found to be established there by the Spaniards as with us in Europe Neither was this only the custom of these parts alone for it is observable that in Peru and elsewhere where the greatest plenty of Silver and Gold was found out and digged it was never put to this use by the Inhabitants themselves Divers yet in this kind to this day is the custom of Coins and Moneys that are used and goeth current throughout the World for beside the aforesaid use whereto these Metals have been put as to be thus imployed the common Standard to rule all Trade and Commerce and the Estates as well of the Prince as Subject in Europe and many other parts of the World those Nations that have been defective in this point and that have not valued these Metals as the Europeans do have yet found out some particular thing or matter whereto they have by a National and unanimous consent as it were attributed this power to have a main stroak in their Negociation and Traffick and wherein their wealth is found principally to consist Moneys of Shells in Tombute In sundry parts of Africa they use for their small Coins a kind of Shells as current amongst them though their greatest payments be made either in Sand of Gold which they term Tiburin or an Ingot The same is the use this day also in the Kingdom of Tombuto and other adjoining Countries Of Iron in Massa In other places of that Continent they use Iron
0 10 4 2 7½ 2 8½ 4 6 Double Stiver 0 1 0 0 1◠0 1◠0 12 Cross Dollar 0 18 0 4 3 4 4¾ 2 0 Zealand Dollar 0 13 0 2 8 2 9 0 1 Single Milre of Portugal 0 7 4 1 9½ 1 10¼ 1 0 Old Phil. Dollar 1 2 0 5 0 5 2 0 1 Portugal Testoon 0 5 0 1 2◠1 3◠0 12½ Far. Dollar 1623. 0 18 6 1 3¾ 4 5½ 0 10½ Prince Orange Dollar 1623. 0 18 6 4 4¼ 4 6 0 9½ Leopold Dollar of 1624. 0 18 2 4 4 4 5¼ 0 10 Rodolph Dollar of 1607. 0 18 7 4 4½ 4 6¼ 0 4 Max Emp. Dollor 1616. 0 18 2 4 5¼ 4 7 0 13 Danish Dollar 1620. 0 13 0 3 0◠3 1◠0 0½ Half a new French Crown 0 8 18 2 2◠2 3◠0 0½ A new quart Card. 0 4 9 1 1◠1 1◠0 0½ The ⅓ of a new Card. 0 1 11 0 4½ 0 4½ The fineness compared with the Tower-Standard The Names of the Coins of Gold The Weight by Troy The Value as Bullion The Value Intrinsick  Car. gr  dw gr l. s. d. l. s. d. Worse 0 0¼ French Lewes 8 14 1 8 7◠1 9 2 Worse 0 0¼ Holland Rider 6 10½ 1 1 6¼ 1 1 11 Better 1 2 Hungary Ducket 2 6 0 8 0½ 0 8 2¼ Worse 0 0½ Pistolet of Spain 4 8 0 14 5¼ 0 14 8½ 2 0 Flemish Alber 3 8 0 10 11 0 11 1½ 3 1 Flemish half Alber 1 20       0 0¼ Double Sow of Flanders 7 3½ 1 3 10¾ 1 4 3½ 0 1¾ Italian Pistolet 4 6 0 13 11½ 0 14 2¼ 4 2½ The Gilder of 2 3 0 5 7 0 5 8 3 1¾ Gild Matth. Emperor 2 3 0 6 0 0 6 1½ 3 2¾ Gild of Norimberg 2 3 0 5 11¼ 0 6 0¾ 0 0◠Milre of Portu 7 12 1 5 0◠1 5 6 Better 1 3½ Venice Chequeen 2 5 0 8 0¼ 0 8 2 A Table of the Gold and Silver weights of several Nations taken from the Standards and compared with the Denarius or Pound Troy English consisting of 5760 Grains SUch parts or grains of the English Standard for Gold and Silver or of the Troy weight as the Denarius Consularis containeth 62 according to the weight of the best Coins or according to the weight of the Congius of Vespasian 62⅘ Grains The ancient and modern Roman ounce containeth 438 grains The ancient and modern Roman pound consisting of twelve ounces containeth 5256 grains The Troy pound or English Standard of Gold and Silver consisting of twelve ounces containeth 5760 grains The Troy or English ounce to which five shillings two pence of our Money in these times are equal containeth 480 gr The Paris pound or Standard for Gold and Silver of 16 ounces 7560 gr The Paris ounce 472½ gr The Spanish Pound or Standard for Gold and Silver of 16 ounces taken by me at Gibralter 7090 gr Another weighed by me at Gibralter 7085 gr The Spanish Pound in Vilalpondus is I know not by what error but 7035 gr The Spanish ounce at Gibralter the Pound consisting of 7090 grains English 443½ gr The Venetian Pound or Standard for Gold and Silver of 12 ounces 5528 gr The Venetian ounce 460⅔ gr The Neapolitan Pound or Standard for Gold and Silver of 12 ounces 4950 gr The Neapolitan ounce 412½ gr The Pound or Standard for Gold and Silver of twelve ounces at Florence Pisa and Legorn 5286 gr The ounce at Florence Pisa and Legorn 440◠gr The Pound or Standard at Siena for Gold and Silver of twelve ounces 5178 gr The ounce at Siena 431½ gr The ounce at Genoa for Gold and Silver 405½ gr The Turkish Oketh or Oke at Constantinople consisting of four hundred silver drams 19128 grains The Silver Dram generally used in the great Turks Dominions as also in Persia and in the Moguls Countreys if I be not mis-informed 47 41 50 gr The Turkish Sultani or Egyptian Xeriff being a Gold-coyn with which the Barbary and Venetian Chequeen and Norimberg Ducat within a grain more or less agree 53½ gr The Ratel or Rotulo for Gold and Silver of 144 drams at Cairo 6886◠dr The Ratel or Rotulo for Silk of 720 drams at Damascus with which I suppose they there formerly weighed their Gold and Silver because most Countreys use the same weights for Silks Gold and Silver 34430⅖ gr The Standard for Gold An. 1577. was 23 Carots 3 grains and ½ of fine Gold and ½ grain of Silver or Copper 12 oz. of Gold of the said fineness is valued at 36 l. 1 oz. of the same 3 l. 1 Kes of the same 1 l. 10. 1 Kes grain 7 s. 6. 1 Peny weight 3 s. 1 Small grain 1 d. ½ ob 1 Carot upon the ounce is in value 2 s. 6 d. 1 Carot is in value 7 d. ½ ob 1 Small grain 1 d. ½ ob 12 oz. of Angels of Gold hath in them half a Carot grain of Allay which is 30 small and 5730 small grains of fine Gold which maketh together 5760 grains being 24 Carots or 12 oz. Troy The Standard of Crown Gold is 22 Carots of fine Gold and 2 Carots of Allay which 24 Carots or 11 oz. fine Gold and 102 of Allay makes the Pound Troy by which reckoning 12 oz. of Crown Gold is in Money 33 l. 1 oz. of the said Gold is 2 l. 15 s. 1 Carot of the said Gold is 1 l. 7 s. 6. It is to be noted That all Gold is in value by the Ounce according as it is in fineness that is to say   l. s. d. The ounce of fine Gold is in value 3 0 0 23 Kes fine 2 17 6 22 Kes 2 15 0 21 Kes 2 12 6 20 Kes 2 10 0 And so losing its value 2 s. 6. d. per ounce as it wants a Carot in fineness in 24. or Pound Troy King James by Proclamation dated at Westminster 16 Nov. 2d year of his Reign appointed several Coins of Gold and Silver of one Standard with their weights according to the Account of the Mint-men of both Nations which is exprest in this following Table Note that the Pound Troy is greater than the Pound Scotch by 4 peny weight and 9 gr  English Weight  s. d. Peny wt 20. Grains 24. Mites 20. Droit 24. Perots 20. Blanks 24. Pieces of Gold 20  6 10 16 18 10  10  3 5 8 9 5  5  1 14 14 4 12 12 4  1 6 19 8 10  2 6 0 19 7 2 6 6 Pieces of Silver 5  19 8 10 8   2 6 9 16 5 4    12 3 20 18 1 10   6 1 22 9 0 15   2 0 15 9 16 5   1 0 7 14 20 2 12  ½ 0 3 17 10 1 6  Scotch Weight  Denies Grains 24. Primes 24. Seconds 24. Thirds 24. Fourths 24.  Pieces of Gold 7 21
knowing readily how to make his Calculations in all Contracts how the one weight doth advance of the other or what the one may want of the other making his Accompt of concordancy allowing or deducting where he finds the discrepancy arising by overplus or either by a want in the one or in the other Two manners of weighing in use Now for the manner of weighing in general so far forth as ever I have observed hath been noted to have been done two several ways that is either by a Beam or by a Romant or Stalier By Beams the weight by Beam I hold the best and justest performed with leaden brass or iron weights provided the same Beam be good and even both empty and laden with one equal weight and this is seen to be the common custom of weighing in England Netherlands and in many other places and Countries By Stalier The weight by Stalier which is used in Turkey Barbary and Italy and sundry other Countries I hold not so sure for thereupon is marked all the number of weights that may be weighed thereby which by the help of a small counterpoise removed to several stations supplies sometimes the place of a pound and sometimes the place of 100 pound wherein is oftentimes found great deceit which by the buyer and seller is carefully and heedfully in those places to be both prevented and avoided To abbreviate the labour of weighing Now if with a Beam one would abbreviate a long labour with a small time and pains and weigh much with few weights his weights must be made by an augmentation doubled as by pieces of 1 lib. 2 lib. 4 lib. 8 lib. 16 lib. 32 lib. and 64 lib. making in all 127 lib. with which all sums under that number may be comprehended and weighed and some exercised in great affairs by single weights tripled have gone further and procured 1 l. 3 l. 9 l. 27 l. 81 l. c. and thereby with little labour have performed very weighty and great business but I leave this to the ingenious and to him that shall fancy this method and manner of weighing Weights authorized by the Magistrate In all Cities then and places of Traffick there is found a weight as I said authorized by the Magistrate which to alter or diminish is ever held a capital crime this weight thus setled in every place and City of Trade is reputed the Standard of the place by which as well the Inhabitants as Strangers do make their bargains and contracts and without which many bargains cannot be made and perfected Weigh-house and therefore partly to avoid scruple and doubt and partly to do justice to all men and partly to decide all controversies incident in weighing there is in the most eminent Cities a publick Weigh-house set up and appointed where every man may repair unto either for necessity of weighing or tryal of his weights and which is authorized by the Prince as a rule for all men that shall have occasion to make use thereof in the said places serving sometimes as the Beam whereby his Customs and Duties are paid him Weigher sworn the Master Overseer or Weigher being ever sworn and deputed to do justice and right in his weighing not only between man and man but if need be between the Prince and the Subject By which weights the weight of this Book is calculated This Weight accounted thus the common and received Standard of Cities and Countries is it upon which as near as I could possible I have in all these following places made my Observations and from thence raised not only the agreement thereof with other neighbouring places and Cities but also with that which we call our Haberdepou weight of England wherein with all industry I have laboured to find out the truth and certainty thereof which as subject to error by reason of the diversity I must refer to the future trial of the better experienced concluding this point with a way and method invented by unequal weights to accord the weights of any two known places or Cities which briefly is thus performed A way to accord the weight of any two places Prepare a Ballance as exactly made as is possible that a very little thing may cause them to incline one way or other likewise prepare of the one place the just pound the half pound the ¼ the ½ the 1 16 the 1 â—8 the 1 64 the 1 1â—… and the 1 123 part of that pound if it be possible until you judge it to be sufficient then take the just pound weight of the other place and put it into one of the Scales of the Ballance and in the other Scale put such weights as may justly counterpoise the pound weight of that place as for example Say that the half the ¼ the 〈◊〉 and the 1 238 part of the pound of the first place do justly counterpoise the pound weight of the other place then by consequence it followeth that 128 lib. 64 lib. 32 lib. and 1 lib. that is in all 255 lib. of the first place do justly weigh 256 lib. of the other place Again say that the 1 lib. the â…› 1 â—… 1 â—… of the first place do justly counterpoise the pound weight of the other then I infer thereby that 512. 64. 〈◊〉 2. and 1. that is in all 579 lib. of the first place do justly weigh 512 lib. of the other place by which the calculation may be made both to the hundred and to the pound therefore the further search and consideration thereof I willingly here omit and refer the same to the curiosity of the more ingenious CHAP. VII Of Accounts and Account-keeping in general observed in this MAP of COMMERCE Accounts necessary in the Map of Commerce ALl rational Negotiators and Traders in general will grant That this Map of Commerce would appear to be very imperfect if it should want the due Rules and Observations whereby Accounts are in all Cities of Commerce ordered and kept which though found in themselves to vary in several Kingdoms and places as having oftentimes a dependency and sometimes concurrency with the Coins and Moneys of each Kingdom yet in all places they are not found to have the like agreement together Accounts kept diversly in divers Cities and Countries Some Countries being observed to keep their Accounts and the denomination thereof in imaginary Coins such as neither that Country not Place hath either proper Coin or Money that hath any affinity therewith as by daily practice is seen used in Venice by the Ducate of lire 6â…“ in Florence by the Crown of Gold of lire 7½ and as in England it is used in those antient Accounts kept in some Offices for the Revenues of the Crown by the name of Marks of which we find not at this day any proper Coin or Money in use Again it is seen by experience that one and the self-same place affordeth several denominations in their
allowance to rectifie both the one and the other in equality and true value But so far forth is this to be understood that this is truly seen practised where a course of quiet Traffick is settled between two Kingdoms and Nations continuing in amity and firm peace together But where Princes either by the necessity of Wars or accidental great disbursements have occasion or do use to inhanse the current Rates of their Moneys in their Payments or decrying them in the Receipts and that Moneys by that either casual or constant course become either more plentiful or more scarce than ordinary then these rules of parity hold not so justly The Exchanger rectifieth the disorders of Mints and the necessity of Princes yet ever so as having in its self a predominant power over the sudden affairs of Princes in matters of Moneys and with all expedition possible rectifying by a common knowledge and consent of Exchanges and Bankers the error or necessity of Princes and their Mints who indeed are the Sovereigns of all Coins and Moneys so that though the Exchanger be not called to the Princes Counsel nor yet admitted to give his opinion and verdict either in his Mint or in the allay of his current Moneys nor yet to his Proclamations and Decrees in the setling or rectifying of the goodness or current value thereof yet the over-ruling part or Ballance is in his hand and he orders by an invisible mystery of a visible Exchange the allay value debasement or inhansement thereof with the allowances circumstances places and times being rightly considered such as the necessity of the Countrey the plenty or scarcicy of Moneys or other such like accidents may admit regulating by this means tacitely in his Closet the disorders committed by Mints and the over-sights which the great Affairs of Princes necessities plunge them in and thus erecting to himself and others of his Profession a certain Rule and publick Ballance that shall serve as an equal Parr and Standard of all Princes Coins whatsoever thereby as with a Touch-stone taking the true valuation thereof distinguishing still the fineness and coursness according to the true worth and real goodness altering and changing the price and rate thereof as time place and occasion may admit and give consent thereunto How to find out the Parr of Exchanges It now remaineth that I should shew this true Parr of Exchanges and howit may be found out and discerned in all Exchanges Experience hath made it evident to all the Learned in this Art that the true Royal Exchange for Moneys by Bills of Exchanges is fairly and substantially grounded upon the weight fineness and valuation of the Moneys of each several Countrey according to the Parr which by Bankers is understood to be value for value as the truth thereof is seen in our Exchanges in England which hath its ground upon the weights and fineness of our Sterling English Moneys the weight and fineness of each other Countrey according to their several Standards proportionable in the valuation being truly and justly made giving also thereby the price of the Exchange in and for every place according to the denomination of the Money and by which all Exchanges are or should be in themselves framed cast up and calculated but besides this real Parr of Exchange there is also a Merchants Parr which in due place I shall declare These Exchanges then in the general property thereof do much differ both in the name and in the proportion between the Gold and the Silver observed in most Countreys and that to set down the Parr of Exchanges exactly we are to examine and compare not only our own weight as is aforesaid with the weight of other Countreys but also the fineness of our Sterling Standards with the fineness of the several Standards of the Coîns of other Countreys and if we be found not to differ with them in the proportion between the Gold and Silver then may our Exchanges run at one and the same price and rate both for Gold and Silver taking the denomination according to the valuation of the Moneys of each Countrey and hereby shall we find how much fine Silver or Gold of our pound Sterling containeth and what quantity of other Moneys either of France Germany Low-Countreys Eastland and elsewhere we are to have in exchange to countervail the same in the like weight and fineness answerable to ours be it by the Pound Doller Ducate Crown or any other imaginary or real Coin giving always a value for value and receiving the like which is called by Exchangers as I said before the Parr the which should in all Exchanges be so particularly known and considered that as Money is publica mensura or the publick measure within the Realm between man and man so should Exchanges thus made for these Moneys be the publick measure between us and forein Countreys for all Commodities either bought or sold which therefore necessarily requireth a certainty in the calculation of this Parr aforesaid admitting nevertheless as I said before an advantage upon the farne upon good ground and just occasion on either side The price of the Exchanges at the disposal of the Exchanger But as the price of Exchanges is at this day seen to be at the only and sole disposal of the Exchanger and Merchant and that the same carrieth with it a predominancy in the buying and selling of their Commodities as is observed especially beyond the Sea so ought they carefully and circumspectly to consider the true nature thereof and not only look upon the present object which is to know how the price of Exchange goeth at the time when they have occasion to deal therewith but also truly to consider the Reality of this Parr as is aforesaid and as it is in it self really found to be for it is observed both here in England and abroad elsewhere beyond Seas that those who altogether do practise this Exchanging and deal for Moneys by Exchange have this observation therein for they being Exchangers indeed know perfectly the weight and fineness both of our English and of forein Coins and comparing the same together make thereby to themselves the true calculation of the Parr aforesaid wherein they are not directed by the current valuation of Coins which is often seen to be inconstant and uncertain nor by the toleration of Moneys either here or beyond the Seas going sometimes and in some places current above the said valuation and this indeed is one of the most mysterious parts that is included in this Art of Exchanging which the Merchant ought considerately to learn and distinguish And concluding here all further Observations and Circumstances practised in the general Exchanges amongst Merchants I refer the Reader for what is here purposely omitted to the end of this Tract where I have inserted what I have conceived to be further needful hereunto The Office of Garbling That King Henry the Sixth did first give the Office of Garbling all
on them and hang them up in houses to dry from the heat of the Sun which would else scorch it to powder and in a months time or longer the leaves are stript from the stalk which is done commonly in moist weather and then sit to be pack'd in Cask or made up into Rolls Those stalks which are let grow for Seed the tops are not taken off but let run to their full length which is four or five foot and is ripe also in August The stalk of Tobacco is about the bigness of a child's arm and in an Acre of ground may grow fifteen hundred weight of good Tobacco New-England The chief Town of New-England for Trade and every other respect is Boston of late very much enlarged it hath two Meeting-houses about a thousand Families the building for the generality with Timber a few with Brick but most Brick Chimneys a State-house newly erected in the middle of the great Street Charlestown is not much increas'd in buildings and hath but a small Trade Salem much increas'd in buildings and Trade by reason of the Fish there and at Marblehead the next Neighbours Pescataqua River affords Timber Pipestaves Boards Masts as also Fish from Isle-shoals thrive much and begin to draw a Trade These are all the most remarkable places or Sea-Ports for Traffick at present Plimouth Jurisdiction Connectacute Jurisdiction and all the Towns upon that River as also New-haven Jurisdiction and Towns there afford little else but Provisions with which they supply this Town of Boston and the Dutch at Manatos as indeed all other Island Plantations and Islands do as Martins Vineyard Road Island Long Island Shelter Island c. and so all other Parts and Islands to the Eastward which are but so many scattered petty places where people raise only Provisions of which all that possibly they can spare is brought by Trading Boats to Beston which is the Center The Governour as also all other Magistrates and subordinate Officers are all chosen by the major part of the Free-men annually but none is made free till first he is a member of some Congregational Church here for their Religion is Protestantism indifferent between Independent and Presbyterian here is no Toleration for Anabaptists Papists nor Quakers nor any such Sectaries that are apt to sow Sedition or disturb the Peace But such as will sit down and attend the ways of God though they join not with them may be quiet But no Children are permitted Baptism except either the Father or Mother or both be a member of some Congregation But now of late if the Grandfather c. do present the Child he being a member though the Father and Mother be none it is accepted The chief places for to Ride Load and Unload are Boston Charlestown Salem Pescataqua where any Ship of any Burthen may come Here is a Mint set up a few years since and coins only Silver 12 d. 6 d. 3 d. which was occasioned by some who brought many base new Peru pieces of Eight which being discovered an Act was made against them that they should not go for current payment So the people into whose hands they were scattered were hereby necessitated to have them resined and so coined which was according to the Standard and though there was much loss yet something was saved Mexico and Sevil Rials of Eight pass for five shillings per piece and so the smaller proportionally in Coinage they will yield 5 s. 3 d. if good all charge deducted Now to carry out above five pounds at a time for necessary expences here is no rising nor falling of Money If Bullion were brought in and coined it would turn to account and purchase the Goods of the Countrey sooner than Goods and cheaper Accounts are kept by Merchants such as can do it according to the Italian manner and express their Moneys by pounds shillings pence Interest is set by Law not to exceeed Eight per cent per ann Our Weight is according to the English 112 to the Hundred Averdupois sixteen ounces to the pound Silk Silver Troy weight The dry measure for Corn Salt c. is by the Winchester Bushel strik'd Coals Apples Onions c. heapt A Boad and Shoes all one measure Wine Oyl and all liquid measure by the Gallon The long measure is Ell of 45 Inches and Yard of 36 Inches as in England They are not yet come so high as to transport Manufactures of their own for they cannot supply themselves The Commodities Exported are Fish Beef Pork Bisket Flour some Corn sometimes Beaver Musk-skins Otter-skins Pipestaves Boards Masts All sorts of Forein Commodities will vend here if such as the Countrey affords will purchase them with the Commodities above exprest and they are still cloathed with English Drapery for the colours the newest are now best in request for the quantity all sorts of course and fine Linnen and Woollen Shoes Stockings Thread Buttons and Pedlery Ware Silks Ribonds Lace Pewter Lead Shot Powder small Artillery Mault Wines Strong-waters Oyls Fruits Salt c. for take notice we as other Plantations want almost every thing but the particulars above express'd I think scarce a hundred thousand pound do suffice per annum the English in these parts Here is as yet no Society begun to encourage Trade and the Encouragement to Manusacture will be of necessity as people grow numerous Monopoly here is none only the Trade with the Indians for Poultry is committed to a few Nothing prohibited but Provisions which is forfeited if it be landed without License For Custom c. here is none upon any Commodity from any parts brought in by Inhabitant or Stranger either for Importation or Exportation of ought only upon Wines and Strong-waters which pay Importation Canary Malago and Sherry ten shillings per Butt Madera Lisbon and Greek six shillings eight pence per Pipe Fial five shillings per Pipe all Strong-Waters forty shillings per Tun to make Entry of them before Landing or else forfeited Consolage none Factorage from five to ten per cent for sales and returns No Rate set but as the Principal and Factor agree other charges are Boat-hire Wharsage Porterage and Ware-house room For Tret allowance or overplus c. is none allowed here yet only Custom hath crept upon us in the sale of Sugar to allow for Tare of the Cask as it is in London The most of our Negotiation for want of Money is in a way of bartering and do agree in what Commodities to pay and at what rates and time Little Shipping here but small Crost from twenty to eighty and an hundred Tuns and most Catches imployed to the Western Islands Madara Virginia and Caribbe Islands few or no Nation but our own frequent here The chief Fishing is made dry Dry Cod or Poor Jack which is taken by hook and line in Shallops the seasons the Spring and Fall the time for lading the Spring Fish which is the best is in June the Fall Fish in October
the fifth Arguer the sixth is Alcaser near to which the three Kings Sebastian of Portugal Mahomet of Fesse and Abdelmelech of Morocco competitors for this Kingdom were slain in one day together with many others of eminent quality and Stuckley that famous infamous English Rebel in An. 1578. and seventh FESSE the Metropolis which for its greatness merits a more serious consideration CHAP. XXI Of the City FESSE and the Trade thereof City of Fesse and the Trade thereof THis City bears the name of Fesse from the abundance of Gold as Writers record that was found in digging the Foundation thereof it is beautified with many goodly Buildings both publick and private it is divided by the River Sabu into three parts containing in all 82000 Housholds having 700 Moschs or Temples 50 of them being adorned with Pillars of Alabaster and Jasper and one seated in the heart of the City called Carucen is the most sumptuous containing a mile in compass in breadth cantaining 17 Arches in length 120 and born up by two thousand five hundred white Marble Pillars under the chiefest Arch where the Tribunal is kept hangeth a most huge Lamp of Silver incompassed with 110 lesser under every the other Arches hang also very great Lamps in each of which burn 150 Lights it hath 31 Gates great and high the Roof is 150 yards long and 80 yards broad and round about are divers Porches containing 40 yards in length and 30 in breadth under which are the publick Store-houses of the Town about the Walls are Pulpits of divers sorts wherein the Masters of their Law read to the people such things as they imagine appertain to their salvation the Revenues thereof in Anno 1526 was 200 Ducates a day of old rent accounted 100 l. sterling until the late Civil Wars it was a City of great Traffick and many Merchants of divers Nations resorted hither and were allowed a publick Meeting-place for their Commerce and lodging for their residence being in form of a Court or Exchange inclosed with a strong Wall with 12 Gates and limited with 15 Streets for several Nations to meet for their business and for the laying up of their Commodities and every night for security of their Goods and Persons the same was kept guarded at the Cities charge resembling the Besistens or Canes now in use in Turkey and other Southern Countreys There is here also divers Colleges where the Sciences are taught amongst which Madorac is the chief and accounted for one of the excellentest Pieces for Workmanship in all Barbary It hath three Cloysters of admirable beauty supported with eight squares Pillars of divers colours the Roof curiously carved and the Arches of Mosaique of Gold and Azure the Gates are of Brass fair wrought and the Doors of the private Chambers of in-laid work It is recorded that this Colledge did cost the Founder King Abuchenen 480 thousand Sultanies in Gold which is in English Money 192 thousand pound which would hardly in these days were it now to be built perform the twentieth part thereof and this was not above 150 years past and about that time Henry the Seventh King of England did build that sumptuous Chappel in Westminster which as I have been informed did in those days coâ— 7448 l. and let it be judged by Artists how much more would build the fellow of it in these our days They have also here for the commodity and pleasure of the Citizens 600 Conduits from whence almost every house is served with water besides what goeth to their religious uses at the entries of their Temples and Moschs but I have staid too long in surveying this City I will now see what Commodities and Merchandize this Kingdom affords Commodities in the Kingdom of Fesse The Commodities found in general as well in the Kingdom of Fesse as of Morocco and found transportable for Merchandize is Fruits of all kinds such as is principally of Dates Almonds Figs Raisins Olives also Honey Wax Gold and sundry sorts of Hides and Skins especially that excellent sort of Cordovant from this Kingdom of Morocco called Maroquins famoused throughout Spain France and Italy also Corn Horses Wools whereof the Inhabitants are observed of late days to make some Cloath here is found also for Merchandize fabricated here some sorts of Stuffs of Silks as Sattins Taffataes and some sorts of Linnen much in use in this Countrey made partly of Cotton and partly of Flax and divers other Commodities Moneys of Fesse and Morocco The Moneys of this Kingdom and generally of all the Kingdoms of Morocco is the Xeriff or Ducate in Gold deriving the name thereof from the Xeriffs who within these few years made conquest of these Kingdoms under Pretext and colour of the Sanctity of their Religion and is accounted to be about ten shillings sterling Money divided into 8 parts and esteemed â…› each part which may be compared to be about 14 d. in 15 d. sterling Accounts in Fesse and Morocco They keep their Accounts in these places by Ducates or old Xeriffs now almost out of use divided into 8 parts accounted in common value but 12 d. every â…› though worth more as above is declared Weights in Fesse Their Weight here is two one used in all ordinary Commodities which is the Rorolo containing ounces or drams it having been found by observation that the 100 l. Averdupois London hath made here 64 Rotolos and 100 Rotolos is here a Cantar The second Weight is here the Mitigal used in the weighing of Silver Gold Pearl Musk and the like agreeing with the Mitigal used in Argier and Tunis spoken of before Measures in Fesse The common Measure for length is here the Covado 12 whereof is accounted to a Cane and it hath been observed by Barbary Merchants hither trading that the 100 Yards of London make here about 181 or 182 Covadoes Customs of Fesse and Morocco The Customs of Fesse and Morocco are paid at the entrance thereinto as is likewise due at the entrance of any other the Cities of this Kingdom and is by the Subjects Natives upon all Commodities paid two in the hundred and by all Strangers ten in the hundred collected for what is sold or landed without leave for Exportation again if once landed which causeth divers of our Merchants bound for those parts to make their Ships their Shops and consequently land so much of their Commodities as they imagine their Market will vend and no more But because the Kingdom of Morocco obeyeth the same Rules in matters of Trade I will speak a word of that place likewise and then survey the Trade of them both together as they are known now to us to be as it were but one though indeed different Kingdoms CHAP. XXII Of the Kingdom of MOROCCO and the Provinces thereof Morocco and the Provinces thereof THE Kingdom of Morocco once of great splendor is now divided into six Provinces the first Tangovista having a Town also of that
name Fisidet is the second which giveth name likewise to a Province the third is Massa the principal of a Province abounding in Amber Alarach is the fourth fortified and kept by the only Garrison of this Countrey The fifth is Taradant in times past the second in this Kingdom and the principal for Traffick ruined by the late Wars whereunto yet the resort is commonly made by many English and French for Commerce The sixth and last is Morocco the Metropolis of which a word according to my intended Method CHAP. XXIII Of the City MOROCCO and the Trade thereof City of Morocco and the Trade thereof MOROCCO is the chief City of this Kingdom and in times past was accounted the Metropolis of all Barbary as once containing one hundred thousand housholds but now inferiour to Fesse in beauty spaciousness and populousness it is strongly walled about and within adorned with many private and publick Edifices the chief being the Castle or Arsenal and the Churches or Moschs one whereof is bigger though not so beautiful as that of Fesse seated in the midst of the City and built by Hali their King augmented 50 fathom in spaciousness by Abdullmumen and Mansor his Son with many exquisite Pillars brought from Spain he also covered the same with Lead and made a Cistern of the same greatness as this Temple was to receive the Rain-water that came therefrom besides which he made therein a Tower of Masonry in form of the Roman Colossus equal in height to the famous Tower in Bolonia which being ascended the Hills of Asaffi being 130 miles distant may be easily discerned The Castle is also very large and strong of the bigness of a reasonable Town in the midst whereof is a Temple which hath a Tower whereon is fixed a Spindle of Iron passing through three great round Globes made of pure Gold and weighing 130 thousand Barbary Ducates which is 58500 l. sterling which divers Kings have gone about to take down and convert into Money but have all desisted by reason of some strange mis-fortune that hath been inflicted on them so that the common people imagine they are kept by a Guard of Spirits They have here also a Burse for Merchants which is now taken up by Artisans the late Civil Wars having eclipsed the glory of the famous Trade that was seated in this Countrey which in its former splendour was found to have several Streets for several Artsmen and no one Artsman permitted to make his abiding but amongst those of his own Profession Commodities of Morocco The Commodities of this Kingdom are the same as in the Kingdom of Fesse spoken of before save that the same abounds more in Sugars especially in Taradant where divers Merchants are found to reside purposely for that Commodity from whence it is Exported into other Regions Coins of Morocco The Coins current is also the Xeriff common with Fesse and all these parts of Barbary and by some called the Ducate of Gold having eight divisions or parts esteemed to be about nine shillings and four pence sterling each â…› worth fourteen pence sterling Weights of Morocco They are found here to have two several Quintals one that doth accord with the Quintal of Fesse specified formerly and the other which doth agree with the Quintal of Sevil which may be seen more at large in the ensuing Tract and there it may be observed how the same doth agree with the weight of London and other places besides which it is observable that sundry Commodities are weighed by this Quintal yet comprehending more or less Rotolos according to the custom in sale of that Commodity which the Merchants must learn to know Measure of Morocco The Measure of length here is also Covado agreeing with that of Fesse as you shall find in the Chapter before touched Customs of Morocco The Customs of Morocco are the same as specified in the Kingdom of Fesse at the entrado 2 per cent by the Subject and 10 per cent by the Merchant stranger Barbary Merchants But the Civil Wars have given a period to that famous Traffick here maintained by the Barbary Merchants of London which from this Kingdom had its original and which flourished in the days of Queen Elizabeth the faction dissention and banding for this Kingdom and Fesse overthrew that Company The Original of the Turkey and East-India Company from whose ashes and dissolution arose the Society of Merchants trading into the Levant Seas known by the name of the Turkie Company which now we find to be grown to that heighth that without comparison it is the most flourishing and most beneficial Company to the Common-wealth of any in England of all other whatsoever into whose Patent was at first inserted the Eastern-Indies as only proper to their Navigation which within few years after being by way of Turkey better discovered and gathering thereby new strength it was in the beginning of King James's Reign incorporated a Society by it self and for incouragement to Adventurers in consideration of the length of the Voyage and of the great charges and dangers incident thereto it was permitted that all men of what Quality and Profession soever might be Adventurers therein and be admitted thereunto contrary to the Custom and Priviledge of the Turkey and said Barbary Company and of all other Societies of Merchants who admit not any to be a Member thereof but such as are meer Merchants and none others The Trade general of Barbary The Trade of these Countreys by reason of their discontent is almost come now to nothing every Town and Province for the most part acknowledging a several Sovereign and where Peace and Unity is wanting Trade must decay Some good Ports these two Kingdoms are found to enjoy for Traffick as Tituan within the Streights Tangier and Ceuta at the Streights mouth Larache Maxinara Sali the old and new a second Argier and sure receptacle for Pirates lately reduced to better conformity with the English Subjects by the valour of some English under the fortunate and happy conduct of Captain William Rainsborough to whose worth Powe this particular remembrance Assasse Mogador and Santa Crux with some others and lastly Taradant the only Mart of all these Countreys seated upon the River of Sens Taradant in a spacious Plain between the Mountain Atlas and the Sea abounding with Sugar and all other kind of Provision the good regard and continual abode that Mahomet Xeriffe one of their late Sovereigns made in this place hath greatly augmented and ennobled this Town the Observations upon the present Trade thereof I am constrained by reason of my ignorance to refer to another hand CHAP. XXIV Of Numidia and Lybia and the Provinces thereof Of Numidia and Lybia NUmidia hath on the East Aegypt on the West the Atlantique Ocean on the North Atlas on the South Lybea It will not be material to relate the Provinces for in them are found but few Towns by reason
fraudulent tricks for they coming to Anchor together with the English to sell their Commodities and finding that the English vended more Wares and had a larger Traffick by the concourse of the native Merchants from ashore with these Tolkens above-mentioned than they had hired these Pilots Boat-men and Tolkens that were thus employed to carry their Passengers and Merchants aboard under-hand to carry them aboard their Dutch Ships and not aboard the English and so to trade with them only which the English at last perceiving and smelling out their craft were by the same craft compelled to prevent the same so that by this means the one out-vying the other these fellows for their good will and Brokage have by this means drawn the duty or rather courtesie of Dachia to 6 in 7 per cent to the prejudice of all Traders upon this Coast but this rested not here for this dealing drew on a greater inconvenience in their Trade for when the Flemmings had first been the Authors of this ill custom or courtesie of Dachio to these Boat-men and Tolkens which necessarily were by all succeeding European Merchants to be imitated or their Voyage lost and their Commodities remain unsold It was found that many Merchant Moors Inland-men coming to the Sea-side to buy Wares of them bringing great store of Gold with them for Traffick and having divers Slaves some 20 some 30 and some more according to their means and Trade to carry back those Wares they had thus bought on Ship-board and these Moorish Merchants taking their Lodgings in the Houses of these Tolkens and using to acquaint them with their full Commissions and Intents and then receiving of them their Gold repaired aboard the Ships to Trade and Barter and if the Moorish Merchants were not skilled in the Portugal Tongue those Tolkens would presently tell the Flemmings and desire them not to speak Morisco to them because their Merchants were such as dwelt far within the Land thereby giving them to understand that they meant by this Watch-word to deceive him and afterward to share those so ill-gotten purchases amongst them and it did nor doth it seldom fall out but that the Merchant Moor not accustomed to the Sea lies Sea-sick aboard all the while the knavish Tolken makes his Bargain for him with the crafty Dutch conniving at the Flemmings great inhansed prices of his Commodities to draw the greater gain and more Gold from the Moor whom sometimes he cozens by stealing some of his Gold and put it into his mouth ears or otherwise which the Moor finding by the Scale and Weight to want adds some more knavery thereto by blowing into the Christians Scale and Ballance to make it weight and when all these his intended Bargains are finished and the Moor again landed the Tolkens and Boats-men return again aboard to divide the cozened profit and ill-gotten gain between them wherein it may be imagined that the Flemming for his part of the knavery and connivance must have a share of the gains which hath proved such a hindrance and detriment to the English and other Christians that Trade upon this Coast that unless they also connive at the Tolkens Villany and deceit as the Dutch do their Voyage will be lost and their Commodities to their prejudice remain unsold this is in brief the manner of their Trade the means now follow Customs of the Golden Coast of Guiney and Bâ—…in As for their Customs due to the Kings and Sovereigns upon this Coast it is found to vary in divers Ports and Havens and only paid by Inhabitants in case the Christian bring not his Goods ashore to sell every Haven having a peculiar Officer and every Merchant that cometh with an intent to buy Wares at a Port-Town payeth a Toll or small Custom for his Person though he buy nothing and that no deceit may be used in the Collector there is ever a Sen or some near Kinsman of that Prince joined in Authority with the said Collector or Customer and if the Merchant buy any Commodities aboard a Ship for less than two ounces of Gold at a time then he must compound with the Customer for the Custom as he can at his pleasure as that which is the Customers own profit fee and wages but if he buy above two ounces of Gold which they call a Benda then the Custom is an Angel of Gold for every Benda as I am given to understand The Coins current in Guiney and Bâ—nin I have shewed that Coins acknowledging any Sovereignty by stamp are not here in use but Gold passable either in Sands or Ingots according to the fineness and goodness is the current Coin passable which our Merchants very well distinguish by 24 artificial Needles made by allay of Metals from the lowest sort of Gold to the finest of 24 Carots fine having exact Rules for the valuation thereof accordingly as the same is found either in fineness or courseness neither use they any Money or any kind of minted Coin wherewith to pay each other but when any Commodity is bought the payment thereof is made with Gold and that likewise by weight and it must be a very small parcel that hath not some kind of weight to distinguish and weigh it withal and they pay each other with four square pieces of Gold weighing some a grain and some half a grain Kacorawns and about Mina a Castle of the Portugals they pay each other with Kacorawns which is Gold drawn out into Wire and cut afterward into small pieces for all trivial Commodities and in other places with little pieces of Iron of a finger in length with some Characters stamped thereon and in some places they have not the Art of melting their Gold but sell it or rather pay it one to another in Sand by weight according as they shall agree both in the value and in the quantity The weights of Guiney and Benin The Weights are made of Copper of divers sorts and have little round Copper Scales like a hollow Orange Pill for Gold A Bendâ— is the greatest weight and weighs two ounces A Benda Offa is half a Benda and is an ounce Asseva is two Pesos and a half Egebba is two Pesos and accounted half an ounce or the fourth part of a Benda Seron is accounted for one Peso and a half Eusanno is accounted a Peso Quienta is three quarters of a Peso Each Peso is held a Loot Mediataba is a quarter of a Peso Agiraque is half a Peso so that by those that have made the trial of their weights with ours they have found them to be in every pound Troy a Peso and a half in every pound heavier than our Troy pound used in England and this weight is the Rule for their Gold in passing for Commodities Coins of many parts of this Coast where note that all Countreys have not in this and other these large Coasts Moneys current of Metal as we have in Christendom for in
common moneys here current is called the Pardaus Xeraphin Coined here and worth 300 Res of Portugals and is as much as three Testons which is English money about four shillings six pence sterling One Pardon is five Tanga's which is an imaginary coin and is in both sorts of the coins in use as accounting five Tanga's bad money being the same in worth as four Tanga's of good mony One Tanga's is worth four good Ventins and five bad Ventins a coin also imaginary and not real and is worth seventy five Basaruco's A Vintin is worth 15 bad Basaruco's and 18 good Basaruco's which is the lowest and smallest coin here in use Tree Basaruco's is worth two Res of Portugal money and by this account the Pardu Sheraphin is worth 375 Basaruco's and these are all the proper coins of Goa the other here current are The Persia Larins a coin of very fine silver and worth 110 Basaruco's The Pagode of gold worth about 10 Tanga's is 8 s. sterling The Venetiander of gold worth 2 Pardaus Sheraphin The St Thomas of gold worth 8 Tanga's The Rial of â— called Pardaus de Reales worth commonly 440 Res of Portugal but these and the Larins of Persia may here be accounted for Commodities rising and falling in price as the occasions of Merchants inforce them Sheraffâ—… But note that all moneys are here paid and received by the hands of Sheraffs as is the manner in Turkey and other Eastern Countreys who make good the loss and damage either in tale or goodness for a small consideration and by the Portugals termed Cernidors Weights of Goa The weights common in Goa and along the coast of India that is subject to the Crown of Spain are divers the usual known is as in Portugal the Quintal and the Rove and this is most in use for all European Commodities But they have in use another proper for Honey Sugar Butter which is called the Maund being 12 l. of the weight above-mentioned Another proper only to Pepper and other such Indian Spices they have which they call the Bahar accounted three Quintals and a half of Portugal weight which by reason of the meer concordancy that it hath with the hundred of London I shall not need to say any thing further thereof Measures of Goa The measure of length is the same as is used in Lisborn The measure of Grain Rice and such like Commodities is called a Medida being about a spâ—… high and half a finger broad 24 whereof is accounted a Maund Maunds 20 is accounted one Candil which is about 14 Bushels English and by this measure they account their Tunnage in shipping yet it is found that some sort of Rice is here sold by the Fardo being round bundles wrapt in straw and bound about with cords and these should weigh by the custom of the place 3½ Maunds There is upon this coast a great trade in use for Pearls which because it is of great moment in this and other places of India it will be fit I should shew the manner thereof The order how they fish and trade for Pearls The fishing for Pearls beginneth yearly in March and April and continueth but 50 days but yet they fish not always in one place every year but change their places by certain appointed and settled orders amongst the principal that have the over-sight thereof Now when the time of this fishing draweth near then they send very good Divers that go purposely to discover where the greatest heaps of Oysters are under water and on the shore opposite to that place there they set up and plant a Village with Houses and a Bazaro or market-place of stone and other materials which standeth as long as the fishing time lasteth and is for that time furnished with all things necessary which now and then happeneth to be near unto places inhabited and now and then afar off according to the place appointed for that years fishing The fisher-men themselves are for the most part Christians natives of that Countrey neither is any other debarred from this fishing that will paying a certain tribute or acknowledgment to the King of Spain and to the Jesuites who have sundry Churches upon that coast now during the said Fishing there are always maintained three or four Fasts or Galliots armed to defend the fishers from injuries and Rovers The order of which fishing is observed to be thus There are commonly three or four Barks and their companies that make consortship together much resembling our English Pilot-boats having eight or ten men in a boat and in the morning they go out together from the shore and anchor in 15 or 18 fathom water which is the ordinary depths of this whole coast and being thus moored to their Anchor they cast a Rope into the Sea and at the end of that rope usually make fast a great stone and then they have in readiness a Diver who hath his nose and his ears well stopped and anointed with Oyl and a basket fastned about his neck or under his left arm then he sinketh down by the said rope to the bottom of the Sea and as fast as he can be filleth the said basket and being full he then shaketh the rope and his fellows that hold the other end and are in their Bark instantly hale him up with his filled basket and in this wise they go one by one until they have laden their said boat with Oysters and in the evening returning a shore to the Village every company maketh their own heap or mount of Oysters by themselves one distant from another in such wise that there is seen a great long row of mounts or heaps of Oysters which remain untouched until such time as the fishing be ended and at the end whereof every company sitteth down about their mount or heap and fall to opening of them which they may easily do because that then they be both dry dead and brittle and if every Oyster should prove to have Pearls in them it would prove a very good purchase unto them but many are found to have no Pearls at all in them therefore when their fishing is done they then perceive whether their said fishing and gathering proveth good or bad Now there are certain men expert in the choice and distinction of Pearls which here they call Chittini which set and make the price of Pearls according to their carracts each carract being four grains and these with an instrument of Copper having holes therein of several greatness serving to distinguish the sorts to which also they consider their beauty and goodness and then thereof make four several sorts The first sort be the round Pearls which they call Aia or Unia of Portugal because the Portugals by them The second sort which are not round are called Aia of Bengala the third sort which are not so good as the second they call Aia of Canora that is to say the Kingdom of Bisnagar The fourth and last and
whilst he remains there and then having chosen one to his mind he contracts with her friends for her use for the said time at an easie rate which done he bringeth her to his house or lodging and she serveth him willingly in all his affairs both by day and night as both his slave and wife but then he must take care that during that time he keepeth not company with any other woman for so he might incur a greater danger and peril of his life by the Law of the Countrey Now when the time of his residence is expired he payeth the Parents of the Maid the price agreed for and departeth quietly away and she returneth with credit to her friends being as well esteemed of as ever she was before and if afterward this Maid chance to marry though with the principallest of the Countrey and that the aforesaid stranger should again return hither to trade he may again demand his wâ—man and he shall have her by the Law of the Countrey without the resistance of her husband or any shame unto him and she remaineth by the stranger as long as he abideth there and he travelling from thence she goeth home to her husband again which amongst them is held for a most sure and inviolable Law and Custom Coins current in Pegu. The Coin current here and throughout all this Coast is called Gansa which is made of Copper and Lead and is not the proper money of the King but every man may stamp it that will and that is able because it hath its just value in stuff and materials there is much counterfeiting of this Coin but it is soon discerned by the Brokers Tellers of Money who readily spy it out and therefore not passable nor will it be taken by any with this money Gansa you may buy Gold Silver Rubies Drugs Spices and all Commodities and no other Money is current amongst them This Gansa goeth by a weight called a Biso and this name of Bise goeth for the account of the weight and therefore a Bise of a Gansa is accounted by strangers there trading ½ â„ž 8 â— or 2 s. 6 d. sterling and albeit that Gold and Silver as all other Commodites do rise and fall yet this Bise never altereth in value or estimation Every Bise maketh a hundred Gansaes of weight and so it doth come to pass that the number of the money is Bisa Martaven In this Countrey is also seated the Town of Martaven a place of great Traffick and the last of this Coast the Inhabitants whereof are wonderful expert in making of hard Waâ— which hence is dispersed throughout India and into many places of Europe here is also made those great earthens Jars or vessels which serve them to keep Water Oyl or any other liquor and are much used in India and aboard their Ships in stead of Cask Barrels and such Vessels and throughout all these Countries are called of the name of the place Maatavanas and in some places by the Portugals Benajos CHAP. XCVI Of Siam and the Trade of the Coast thereof Of Siam and the Trade of the Coast thereof UNder the title of Siam I will comprehend the City of Tenaserim a famous Town of Traffick and the Metropolis of a Kingdom also Pattana another City on this Coast not far distan from Siam it self being a place where the English Merchants have a residence and hold a Factory and lastly Siam as the principal and as one upon whom the rest have a dependency both in matter of Government and Trade This City then of Siam some years past as appears by relation of that worthy Merchant Ralph Fitch and others was the prime of all these and the neighbouring Regions but being for twenty one months besieged by the King of Pegu who after four months march incompassed it with a million and four hundred thousand Souldiers at length by means of treason and not of strength gained it drove the King thereof to that desperation that he poisoned himself with all his wives and children The fortune of Siam and Pegu since which time it hath obeyed several Princes and been subject to sundry Masters according to the various chance of war and of this Country which in one Age is seen here so diversâ—y to alter into sundry shapes for a petty King which now commands one only Town or Province in a few years comes to be a great Emperour over several Kingdoms and peradventure that great Emperour who now commanded so many several Nations within few years after is glad to rule over a small Province City or Island which the Princes of Pegu and Siam have of late years to their great grief found too true by experience The City of Siam is yet notwithstanding the former suffered calamity a place of great Traffick not only hence to Couchin-China Macau Cantor Malacca Cambaia and the Islands Summatra Borneo Banda and others by Sea but also is much augmented by the inland Trade thereof partly to Martavan Tenaserim and others which are seated on the same Land but as seated on the back-side thereof and as enjoying thereby the Commodity of another Sea but the same is found proper for Trade by its own commodious situation River Menan being on the banks of that great and famous River Menan which runneth hither through or rather thwarteth India arising in the lake of Chiama as they term it at least 22 degrees from this City where it issueth into the Sea and is here found about the month of March so to over-swell his banks and the neighbouring Country that it covereth the earth for 120 miles in compass and therefore the Inhabitants are said to retire themselves during this Inundation to the upper part of their houses so purposely made to avoid the inconveniency of the waters every house then having a Boat or Frigot belonging thereto by which means they converse together and traffick as on dry shore till the said River return to her wonted Channel again The Kings of this Country as indeed of all these Regions are for the most part Merchants who gave the English admittance to trade and residence here about 1612 upon whom he bestowed also a fair House for their abode and Ware-houses to lay up their Merchandize where since for some years they have continued but of late years have left it off and discontinued upon the little benefit this Scale and Country afforded them Commodities of Siam and Pattana The principal Commodities of this City and Coast are Cotton Linnens of several sorts and that excellent Wine or distilled Liquor called here by the name of Nipe made of Cocos or India Nuts and hence transported into all parts of India and the adjoining Regions here is also great quantity of Benjamin and of Lac wherewith the hard Wax is made that is brought hence into sundry parts of the World also that costly Wood called by the Portugals Palo Dangula and Calamba which being good is weighed against Silver
Land sometimes winning and sometimes losing according to both their force and fortunes in all their occasions adding violence to Trade trading peaceably where they cannot otherwise choose and robbing and pilfering when and where they cannot otherwise make up their mouths to profit in which practice of Trade and Thievery or thievish Trade I leave them and those Islands and come next to Java CHAP. CIV Of Javas and the Trade thereof Javas and the Trade thereof IN this Tract is found Java major and Java minor the greater being in compass 3000 and the lesser 2000 miles the nearness of these two Islands to the Aequator maketh these Countries so wonderful fertile that they are termed the Epitome of the World The chief Cities here are Palauban Mega Pegar Agaim and Ballambua and in the lesser Java Bosnia Samara Limbri and others but their principal Trade is driven at Sunda Calapa Bantam Jacatra now baptized by the Dutch Batavia and lastly Japarra in which three last the English have residence and Factories Commodities of Java Islands The Commodities of these Islands is Rice in abundance Oxen Kine Hogs Sheep Indian Nuts and all Provisions for food also all kind of Spices as Cloves Nutmegs and Mace which the native Merchants transport to Malacca and other neighbouring Islands in great measure also Pepper in great quantity esteemed far better than that of India or Malabar principally growing about the Straights of Sunda of which there is yearly laden hence about ten thousand Quintals English it hath also much Frankincense Benjamin Camphora also Diamonds and many other precious Stones which are found therein Commodities of India fit for Javas The fittest and most proper Commodities for these Islands Trade are divers and different sorts and colours of Cotton Linnens which are made at Cambaia Cormandel and Bengala called Serasses Sarampurus Cassus Sateposas black Cannequins red Turrias and divers other sorts found made in the places abovesaid Batavia alias Jacatra Here the Hollanders are found to be Masters of Jacatra of late years called by them Batavia the best and greatest Port of their Trade and rendezvous in these parts where by little and little they have so fortified themselves that they prescribe Laws to the Inhabitants and endeavour to debar both English and all other from enjoying any benefit of the Trade thereof Coins current in Java Sunda Bantam Jacatra In Sunda which I account here as the principal Mart Town and in a manner the greatest in Java major they have no other kind of money than certain Copper pieces minted which they call Caixa in the middle whereof is a hole to hang them on strings for commonly they put 200 or a 1000 upon one string wherewith they make their payments as by this following account A Satta is 200 Caixas Five Satta's is 1000 Caixa's which is a Crusado Portugal money or about 6 shilling sterling Accounts in Java Bantam Jacatra The Merchants of Europe here resident keep their accounts in ℞ ◠◠and pence accounting 60 pence to the ℞ ◠◠Spanish Weights in Java Bantam Jacatra Japatra Sunda The weight at Bantam Jacatra Japarra and at Sunda is the Picul the Cattee and Babar A Cattee being less than the Cattee of Maccau contains but 20 ounces English and the other 20 ¾ ounces A Picul is 100 Cattees and consequently is 125 l. English A Bahar is 330 Cattees of China of 20 ounces as abovesaid and may make in England 412 l. Measures in Java Bantam Jacatra Japatra Sunda Their Measure for length is Their dry measures for Grain Rice and Pepper is a Timbam and contain ten Sacks principally used in Pepper and Rice consisting of five Piculs so that by this computation each Sack should contain in weight 62½ l. English two Sacks for a Picul Prices of Commodities in Javas The common prices of Commodities as I find them here observed are Pepper of Sunda is sold by the Sack weighing ½ a Picul or 45 Cattees of China each Cattee being 20 ounces at 5000 Caixa's and when it is at highest at 6 or 7000 Caixa's Maces Cloves Nutmegs white and black Benjamin and Camphora are sold by the Bahar good Mace commonly sold for 120 thousand Caixa's the Bahar and good Cloves after the same rate but bad and foul Cloves are sold at 70 or 80000 Caixa's the Bahar Nutmegs commonly sold for 20 or 25 thousand Caixa's the Bahar white and black Benjamin sold for 150 or 180 thousand Caixa's and if extraordinary good 200 thousand the Bahar but how far these agree with the now common current rates I refer to the better experienced CHAP. CV Of Summatra and the Trade thereof Summatra and the Trade thereof SUmmatra anciently Traprobana and Solomon's supposed Ophir was esteemed the biggest Island in the World but modern experience hath found the contrary being only 700 miles long and 200 miles broad Commodities of the Island Summatra The Aequator cutteth through it so that the Sun's vicinity makes it abound in several precious Commodities for Traffick as first it hath Pepper in abundance whereof above twenty Ships of burthen is hence yearly laden also Ginger Alces Cassia raw Silk Gold and Silver Brass and some other Drugs This Island is subject to many Princes the principal whereof are the Kings of Pedor and Achin it is here a custom that the Natives do eat their slain Enemies and did earst account their Skulls for a great treasure which they exchanged for other necessaries he being accounted the richest man that hath most store of them in his house this custom is almost extinguished for the Trade of Merchants from other Countries thither of late years having brought Silver and Gold in request amongst them hath made them since know better Rarities found in Summatra In this Island is found a Hill of Brimstone continually burning and two very strange and admirable Fountains the one yielding pure and excellent Balsamum and the other most excellent Oyl The chief Cities of this Island is Daren Pasen and Androgede the habitation of so many Kings Achin Tico Jambe and Priaman English Factories in Java but the principal places and parts for Trade known to the Europeans are Dachem or Achin Ticko Jambe and Priaman all maritime and good harbours where the English are found to have residence and Factories also Pedir Campar and Manancabo to the which the Portugals generally do trade but the Inhabitants for the most part transporting the native Commedities of this their Island to Malucca which is not distant above twenty miles off are not much troubled with the Portugals Commerce though in lieu of them the Dutch have of late got footing and built Fortresses to their as great trouble vexation and slavery Coins current in Summatra Achin Priaman c. Within these few years these Islanders were not known to have any Coins current in payment for Merchandize amongst them but the Skulls of their slain Enemies
as I said before which they accounted as their greatest treasures and with which their barters and exchanges for things necessary were made but now of late the Kings of Achin in imitation of other adjoyning Princes and so the near neighbourhood of Malacca now in possession of the Portugals have coined moneys which in these days are observed to be these A Mass which is here accounted for 4 Cappans which is 12 d. sterling A Tail is 16 Masses or 3â…• â„ž â— â— or sterling money 16 s. A Cattee is 8 Tails in ordinary account and worth 25â…” â„ž â— Spanish or 6 l. 8 s. sterling and sometimes in exchange from hence to other adjacent parts they account 7¼ and 7½ Tails to one Cattee Accounts kept in Java In other parts of this Island as Jambe Ticho and Priaman they have no Coins of their own but the most current is the Spanish â„ž â— in which the Europeans keep their accounts and for distinction divide it to be 60 Deniers or Pence to a â„ž â— Weights of Summatra Achin Priaman Jambe The common through all Summatra is a Bahar but yet found to vary in many places and consisteth of Cattees which in greatness also vary and from thence cometh the difference but in Achin Priamam Ticcou and Jambe where the English reside the Bahar is found to be in each of these places 200 Cattees every Cattee is 29 ounces English so that by this computation the Bahar must make 360 l. English sotile Measures in Summatra The measures here in use are CHAP. CVI. Of Borneo Island and the Trade thereof Borneo Island and the trade thereof THe next Island in this Tract is Borneo and is equally divided by the Aequinoctial into two parts putting as it were a bound between the Dominions of the King of Borneo on the North-side and of Laus on the South in compass accounted above 2200 miles and held the greatest of all this Ocean Commodities of Borneo Island The Country doth yield in great abundance the wood which we call Camphora also that wood known by the Portugals by the name of Polo d' Aguila and also that costly sweat wood which is called Collamba which being good is weighed against Silver and Gold also here is found some Gold Diamonds Nutmegs Maces Agarick and other Spices and great abundance of that excellent Antidote which in Europe is called the Bezoar-stone Towns of Borneo Island It is plentifully stored with many fair Towns and Harbours as Cabura Taioparra Tamorutas and Borneo the Metropolis and most magnificent above all the rest containing 25 thousand Inhabitants and seated in a Marish of the Sea after the manner of Venice Secodana and Benicrmasa English Factories in Borneo Also Secodana where many Diamonds are found and where the English some years past had a factory and residence as also the same in Beniermasa another good Port in this Island I have not met with the Coins current here in payment for Merchandize nor yet with the Weights and Measures in use in this Island therefore must refer the same to the better experienced and to the Traders thither CHAP. CVII Of Celebs Island and the Trade thereof Island Celebs and the Trade thereof THE Island of Celebs is the next in this Tract nor far distant from Borneo Island through part of which runneth the Equator yielding by the vicinity of the Sun the same Commodities proper to Summatra Borneo Gilolo and others seated under the same line it is subject to several Princes and enjoyeth some eminent Towns frequented by European Merchants for the sake of their rich Commodities as Durati Mamaio Tubon and Maccasar the English Factory in Celebs Maccasar the chiefest Port for the Trade and Commerce of this Island and where the English have a residence and factory and following their observations made in this place I find Coins current in Celebs and Maccasar Their Coins current here in use are found to be the Mass Cupan and Tail thus valued A Tail is accounted for 16 Masses in current value and is reckoned to be worth 15 Rials of Eight A Mass is a Gold Coin as is the Tail and wants somewhat of 5 s. or a Rial of â— 8 Spanish And this Mass is 4 Cuppans each Cuppan esteemed to be about 14 d. sterling money and by this calculation the Tail should make sterling 3 l. 14 s. 8 d. and by the account of â„ž â— 8 at 5 s. sterling the Tail is 3 l. 15 s. sterling Weights in Celebs and Maccasar The common weights in use are the Ganton Zicoyan and Mass thus agreeing with the English weight Averdupois The Ganton is both a weight and measure in weight it is found to be about 5 l. English and in measure about two English Gallons A Mass in weight is 40 Gantons which is 200 l. English or 80 Gallons English A Zicoyan is 20 Masses in weight which is 4000 l. English or 800 Cantons of this place To proceed to the rest of the Islands in these Seas is a work past my skill or I think most mens else considering the multitude thereof Philippiâ—… the Philippines being discovered by the Spaniards in Anno 1564 being in number 110 thousand as some Authors report Over against China are also found 7448 Islands and about India 127000 great and small more which in many places stand so nigh one to another that they seem not only to such as are afar off to touch and to be all one firm land but whosoever passeth between them may with his hands touch the boughs of the Trees both on the one and on the other side Many Commodities are found growing upon these Islands with which the Inhabitants of many of them maintain a Traffick with their Neighbours the knowledge whereof I leave to the better experienced The Portugals the first Masters of the Trade of East-India 1498. Now forasmuch as Portugals Dutch and English have of late years discovered those Countries of India and that some of them have since settled themselves by Forts and Castles there It will not be improper I should here survey their strengths and holds built for defence and their Factory settled for Traffick throughout this Continent of Asia and the Islands thereof The Portugals then were the first that brake the Ice and in Anno 1498. departing from Lisbon under Command of Vasco di Gamma doubled the Cape of Bona Esperance which hath proved so successful to them since that time that they have mastered conquered and fortified themselves beyond that Cape in Soffala Quiloa Mosambique Mombasa and in Ormus in the Persian Gulph lately again lost In India they have the Castles and Towns of Diu Daman Basain Châ—… Goa Honor Barsola Mongalor Cananor Cronganor Cochin and Colan In Silon they have Collumbe bragging of one of the best Ports of the World on the Coast of Chormandel they hold Negapatam and St. Thomas In Bengala they have Porto Pequenio
great Nations but my Ignorance herein doth silence me Therefore it shall content me to have surveyed it in the general and to have left behind me what Observations I have been able to collect of the Traffick and Traders of those vast and large Territories and Countries knowing that their strange Customs and the manner of their Laws and Government debar all easie access into their Dominions and what others must not dare to see I must not dare to offer to recount To conclude then having thus run over and surveyed the general Commerce and Traffick of ASIA I will now turn my self towards EUROPE the last division of the World and of this Work and as the best known to us and the best reputed of us OF EUROPE AND THE Provinces and Cities of Trade THEREOF CHAP. CX Of EUROPE the last Division of the World here handled and the Kingdoms thereof Europe 15 parts EUROPE which I have willingly omitted as last and principal cometh now to be surveyed that the Trade thereof may the better appear in her particular Provinces and Cities should be in prerogative of worth the chief and first but following the custom of Merchants I shew the best last and the worst first Europe then is divided into these Provinces and Islands 1 Spain 2 France 3 Italy 4 Belgia 5 Germany 6 Denmark 7 Norway 8 Sweden 9 Muscovia 10 Poland 11 Hungary 12 Dacia 13 Slavonia 14 Graecia The Islands of Europe are dispersed through these Seas 1 Greek Seas 2 Egean Seas 3 Cretan Seas 4 Ionian Seas 5 Adriatick Seas 6 Mediterranean Seas 7 British Seas 8 Northern Seas Of all which in order and of each of these Divisions in order CHAP. CXI Of SPAIN and the Cities thereof Spain SPAIN the most Western Continent of Europe is invironed on all sides with the Seas except towards France from which it is separated by the Pyrenaean Mountains and the Fortress of Pampelona on the North-west and Perpignan on the South-east Commodities of Spain The Commodities that this Countrey yields for Merchandise are Wines Sugars Oils Metals Liquorish Rice Silks Wooll Cork Rosin Steel Oranges Limons Raisins Almonds c. Anniseeds Anchoves Soda Barillia Figs Tunny-fish Iron Shumack Saffron Soap Coriander Hony Wax c. Spain is found at this day to be divided into twelve Provinces which formerly were petty Kingdoms viz. 1. Leon Oviedo 2. Navarre 3. Corduba 4. Gallicia 5. Biscay 6. Toledo 7. Murâ—ia 8. Castile 9. Portugal 10 Valentia 11. Catalonia 12. Aragon Of which in order with their Cities of note and traffick Leon 1. Oviedo 2. In Leon and Oviedo I find no City of Trade memorable the City of Leon being the principal and is the Principality belonging to the Princes of Spain under the name of Asturiaâ— Navarra 2. In Navarre is of note the City of Pampelona famous for her Fortification and not for her Negotiation Corduba 4. Corduba is accounted the most fertile soil of all Spain and hath Corduba for a principal City from whence cometh that excellent Cordovant Leather known to us 2. Marchena a principal breeder of the best Genets in Spain also 3. Medina Sidonia whose Duke was principal Commander of that pretended Invincible Armado 1588. Also Lucardi Barameda a great Haven-town Xeres which yields the Wines known Sherry Sacks because the Spaniards are found to pronounce x as sh in English and also Sevil which requireth according to my Method for her worth and eminency of Trade a Chapter by it self CHAP. XCIII Of SEVIL and the Trade thereof SEVIL is accounted the fairest City of all Spain in compass six miles invironed with beautiful Walls and adorned with many stately buildings as Palaces Churches and Monasteries one whereof is endowed with 25000 Crowns annual rent The River Baetis divides it into two parts yet joyned by a stately Bridge from hence the Spaniards set out towards the Western India and hither return again to unlade the riches of those Western parts of the World which principally are found to be Silver Tobacco Ginger Cottons Sugars Brasil and Ferinand Bucquewood and some Drugs Here is 30000 Geneâ—s maintained continually for the King of Spain his service and the Trade of this place is of that greatness that some are of opinion the Customs of this Town only is worth unto the King half a million of Gold yearly and the Archbishop of Sevil is held so rich that his rent amounts to 100000 Crowns yearly and hath under his Jurisdiction 2000 small Villages and consequently in his whole Diocese 2000 Benefices besides Frieries Nunneries and Hospitals and esteemed the next in degree to him of Toledo The rarities of this place I willingly omit as well known to out Nation Accounts kept in Sevil and Madera In Sevil Madera c. the Merchants keep their Accounts by Marvedies of which 375 are esteemed to make a Ducate of Exx o 11 Rials every Rial being 37 Mal. and so is but 374 Mal. But our English there resident keep their Accounts in Rials of 34. Mal. the Rial Coins of Sevil Their current monies are these A Ducate of Gold of Sevil is worth 375 Marvedies accounted 5 s. 6 d. sterl A Rial of Castile is worth in Sevil 34 Marvedies and is so worth throughout all Spain which is accounted 6 d. sterling money A Dobra current is worth of Carlin money â—1 â—7 Marvedies every 1000 Dobras are 80 V. 883 Marvedies and is accounted in Merchandise 71 Mar. and is worth in Valentia at even hand 4 Sold. 7. Den. 1 10 of Valentia money without charges of Exch. A Dobra of Castile is worth 375 Marvedies or is above a Ducate of Gold A Castilian of Merchandize is worth 485 Marvedies about 7 s. ster Vide monies in Castile current in all Spain Exchanges in Sevil. Their Exx o are made upon the imaginary Ducate of 375 Mar. payable in Banco with five per centum which is the Banco's salary or without the Banco to be paid without the same and this Ducate is commonly termed Ducato de Oro or de Peso and is worth as above 375 Marvedies In Sevil they make their payments as following if you say in Ducate di Oro oâ— de Castilia upon Banco those are then paid in Banco without loss at all but if you say to be paid in so many Ducates Doro in Pistolets forth of Banco they will pay in the said money but if it be said to pay in Carlins it will cost ½ and sometime ¾ per centum loss But because I have at large in the Tract of Exchanges in the Chapters 294 and 426 treated of the Exchange of this place therefore I will to avoid repetition refer the Reader thereunto for further and ampler satisfaction Weights of Sevil. There is used in Sevil three Weights or Kintars As first the smaller which comprehends 112 l. of four Roves of 28 pound a Rove The next is of 120 l. of four Roves of 30 l. to a Rove The
gathered these Observations of the Trade of these places The Coins are here current with all Spain which is a Spanish Rial distinguished into white Quarties four to a Rial and 4½ black Quartiles to a single Rial and accounted by 34 Marâ—…dies to the said Rial Weights of Bilboa There is here in use two Quintars the one proper to the Iron here made which produceth in London 158 l. and the other being the Sutle 100 l. produceth here about 111 to 112 l. Measures of Bilboa Their Measure here of length is the Vare 100 yards is here 109 Vares and the 100 Flemish Ells whereby Bays are bought in England is here 80 Vares Corn is here sold by the Hanega and five Hanegaes have been observed to make a Quarter English Customs of Bilboa The Customs here are 2½ per centum and valued as they shall be sold and not paid till sold but note That no Commodities pay here any Custom but what is either to be eaten drunken or burned and if a Merchant hap to make a bad debt of above 500 l. the Custom thereof is not paid all Toledo In Toledo is the City of Toledo famous for its Archbishoprick whose Rents look as high as 300000 Crowns yearly it is seated in the centre of Spain but of no great consequence in matter of Trade known to us as improper for the same by its situation being an In-land City and over-traded by Shurchmen In Murcia there are three Towns of note Murcia Murcia the first as principal of the Province Cartagena Cartagena the second as having a most excellent Haven and agreeing in Weights and Measures with Alicant that is the third that hath choice Wines and good Trading by its commodious situation Of the two former I cannot say much in the latter having lived some years I observed these Rules in the course and Trade of the place CHAP. CXV Of Alicant and the Trade thereof Alicant and the Trade thereof ALicant seated on the Mediterranean Shore as Malaga Almeria and Cartagena are is of late years become by reason of its commodious Road to be the Scale of the City of Valentia where the principal Merchants thereof reside and have here their Factors and Respondents that negotiate their Affairs for them it affords Wines Raisins Licoris Soda Barillia Basse ropes Soaps hence called Alicant Soaps Aniseeds and such Coins of Alicant The Moneys are those of Valentia see there farther Accounts kept Merchants keep their Accounts here in Livers Solds and Deniers twelve Deniers make a Soldo twenty shillings a Liver which is accounted to be five shillings sterâ— as the Soldo three-pence and the Denier a farthing Weights of Alicant Their known great Weight is a Cargo which is 10 Roves of 24 l. and of 36 l. to the Rove the Rove of 24 l. being 18 ounces and the Rove of 36 l. being twelve ounces by which is sold Pepper Rice Almonds Cloves Spices and other Commodities of value All gross Commodities are weighed by 24. l. to the Rove and four to the Quintal the Cargo making 280 l. Averdupois and the Quintal making 96 l. in England All Sugars Drugs and Tin is weighed by a small Quintal which is 120 l. of twelve ounces to the pound which is about 18 or 20 per centum less than the English 112 l. Soda Barillia carried hence to Venetia to make Glasses and to Marselia to make hard Shap hath been found to make a Cantar 133 lib. of Provence A general rule in Alicant Weights but because this diversity of Weights may seem troublesome to be understood observe this general Rule 96 l. of 18 ounces is 144 l. of 12 ounces and is the great Quintal 80 l. of 18 ounces is 120 l. of twelve ounces and is the small Quintal the difference found is 16 l. of 18 ounces per libram and 24 l. of twelve ounces l. from the great to the small Quintal Measures of Alicant Their common Measure is the Vare which is â…™ less than the English yard Their Wine Measure is a Cantaro which is about 12 quarts English Their Corn Measure is a Cassise about 3 bushels English Custom Their Custom is 11 Deniers per centum Liver which is 4½ per cent and is payable 8 Deniers to the Duana and 3 Deniers Sisa which is paid as well by the buyer as the seller and as often as any goods are either bought sold or bartered so often is the said Custom paid by buyer and seller 9 per cent see Valentia farther Castile The next is Castile the most prevalent Province of all Spain and whence the Spainiards entitle themselves Castilians and to which all the other are united either by conquest or intermarriages it is divided into the New and Old Segovia in which is first the City of Segovia whence comes our fine Segovia Cloth made by Woolls that first had their original from our English Sheep Valladolid Secondly Valladolid an University which yields no Commodity but English Papistical Fugitives Burges Next Burges famous as contending with Toledo for the Primateship of Spain Salamanca Next Salamanca the most Famous Academy of all Spain these are in Old Castile In New Castile are found these Cities Madrid first Madrid the Seat of the Kings of Spain and from a little Village become a populous and large City Alcala Secondly Alcala Thirdly Alcantara Escurial And lastly the Escurial built by Philip the Second and which cost four Millions the Sructure In this Tract I have not observed any eminent City of Trading yet because the whole Countrey of Spain in general hath in many things a dependency upon the rules and orders in matter of Trade belonging hereunto I will therefore to shorten my work as well in the succeeding as in some precedings Towns give you a Touch of the Trade hereof under the Title of Madrid or Castile CHAP. CXVI Of Madrid in Castile and the Trade thereof Castilia and the Trade thereof Coins of Castilia THE general Coins of Castile I account as the general Coins passing throughout Spain which is to be considered when I treat of the Trade of any City under the subjection of the Key of Spain In the then Court of Spain being commonly in Madrid in Castilia the Ducate is worth 〈◊〉 Marvedies and is called by some a Dobra of Castile A Castiliano is worth 485 Marvedies A Florin of Castile is worth 265 Marvedies almost four shillings sterling Quento A Ducate Count or Quento of Marvedies is a million A Count or Quento of Marvedies is Ducates 2666â…“ and at Dobra it is worth 2739 57 78 〈◊〉 which is sterling 733 l. 6. 8 d. A Rial single of Castile is worth 34 Marvedies which is 6 d. sterling A Quento of Marvedies is worth 3258 Rials and 3 Marvedies A Crown of Castile is worth 323 Marvedies but of them you need not make payment
but of 600 only The Ducate of Spain hath 11 Rials of Plate and every Rial as I said before 34 Marveâ—… and every Ducate 374 Marvedies which is 5 s. 6 d. English the Rial 6 d. and the Marâ—… less than our farthing the single Pistolet of Gold 11 Rials ¾ being 400 Marvedies which is according to 6 d. a Rial 5. s. 10â…› Esterling Exchanges in Castilla In Castilia they that give money upon Exchange do agree to be paid in Ducates of Gold 〈◊〉 their worth in Gold or Silver for if they should not do so they should be paid in base 〈◊〉 ney which would prove to be more than five per cent loss The orders of the Fairs in 〈◊〉 are thus Fairs of Castilia The first is the Fair of May and is made in Medino del Campo and begins the first of 〈◊〉 and lasteth 50 days The second is the Fair of August and is made in Medina di Riosecco and begins the first 〈◊〉 August and lasteth 30 days The third is the Fair of October made in Medina del Campo and begins the first of November lasting 50 days The fourth is the Fair of Villa Lion begins the first day of Lent and lasteth twenty dayâ— but is no Fair of Exchange the time expired there may no Goods be sold nor payment made upon pain of forfeiture of the Goods and Moneys And it is to be noted that the Lâ—ters be there fifteen days before the time The payments The payments upon all the Fairs they make in Banco not saying forth and they are to recâ—…in Ducates de Oro in Oro largo and forth of Banco where they say forth of Banco and 〈◊〉 ready money there is gotten thereby one per cent and when they say Ducates of Gold or 〈◊〉 worth it is understood in Marvedies 375 for a Ducate and when they say forth of the Fair 〈◊〉 understood for ready money and this shall suffice to have said of Castilia in general and a for the custom and manner of their Exchanges here practised see the Chapter 426 of the fachange of Spain at the end of this Tract Portugal In Portugal once a Famous Kingdom and the rather for the fortunate discoveries made in the Eastern Indies by the Inhabitants there is many fair Towns of Trading but all of theâ— giving precedency to Lisbon the Metropolis of this Kingdom I shall willingly therefore 〈◊〉 the rest and inlarge my self thereupon Commodities of Portugal The general commodities this Countrey abounds is are these Honey Wine Oyl Allum Fruits Fish white Marble Salt c. and those many other Commodities that it is now in great abundance found to yield are the proper Commodities of the East-Indies such as are Pepper Cloves Sugars Nutmegs Ginger Cottons Calliâ—… the Gems of India the Spices and Drugs of Arabia and the Silks and Fabricks of Persia and China which though here to be had yet I have here omitted the mentioning as not being the native Commodities of Portugal CHAP. CXVII Of Libon and the Trade thereof Lisbon and Trade thereof LIsbon is accounted to be seven miles in compass and to contain 20000 families having 67 Towers upon the Walls and 22 Gates to the Sea-ward and 16 to the Continent it is seated upon the River Tagus accounted most famous and commodious for Traffick and Commerce from hence the Portugals set out to the East Indies and hither do return again with all those Spices Drugs and other the rich Merchandize which East-India Arabia Persia and China do afford at the entrance of the River Duero stands Porto also a Town of good Trade where the Galiies used in times past to land the Merchandise and therefore is called Porta Gallorum by which means some Authors do infer the whole Countrey took its name of Portugal But to proceed to Lisbon I will note what I have observed thereupon in matter of Traffick according to my proposed Theme Coins of Portugal The Coins in Portugal found current are these A Croisado of Gold is worth 400 Reas. A Ducate of Portugal is 10 Reals which is 400 Reas which is five shillings sterl A Rial is 40 Res or 6 d. sterling a mill Reas is 22 Rials A Testoon is 2½ Rials or 100 Res or 15 d. sterl A Vintin is 20 Res or 3 d. sterling A Mirle of Gold is 1000 Res which is 2½ Ducates A single Rial Spanish is 2 Vintins or 4 Res. Weights of Portugal Their Weights are these a small and a great the great Cantar is divided into four Roves and each Root is 32 Reals which is 128 l. at 14 ounces per l. which hath been found to make in Florence 149 l. their small Quintar for Pepper and Ginger is near 112 l. English the Rove or Quatern is 2â— l. the great Quintal holdeth 15 in 16 per cent more than the English 112 l. The King hath a Quintar for his Contractation house to sell the Spices of India by which is 150 l. of Florence and is about 114 l. English the great Cantar of Lisbon making in Florence 170â…“ or 130 l. English but all fine Goods is by custom of the place to be sold by the said Kings-Beam These Observations upon 100 l. small of Lisbon have been made in and yield The 100 l. small of Lisbon doth yield in London 113½ li. Marselia 126½ l. Venetia sotile 168½  Venetia gross 106 3 â— Â Sicilia 63¼  Florence 149¼  Antwerp 107¾  Lions 119 â— â— Â Sevil 110¾  Dantzick 130½  Genoa 162.  Aleppo 23 Rials Aleppo Silk 24 6.  Irip. Soria 27 6.  Irip. Barbaria 98 l. Baruti 22.  Alex. Zera 51 3.  Alex. Forsia 117 6.  Seio 102 10.  Constantinople 93 6.  Rhodes 20 7.  Acria 18 3.  Babilonia 15 10 Ma. Balsera 4 5½ Ma. Ormus 113.  Which for trial I refer to the experienced Measures of length in Portugal Their Measures of length dry and liquid here used are these first their Measure of Cloth is the Coveda which is near ¾ of an English Yard the Measure Linnen is the Vare and iâ— an Ell less nail of the English measure by which may be made the computation for other Countreys and by some found to be 8 per centum less Of Corn in Portugal The Measure of Corn is the Alquier three Alquiers is a bushel 1½ is 8 Gallons Winchester Measure and five Alquiers is a Hannep of Spanish Measure Of Salt in Portugal The Measure of Salt is called the Muy and 60 Alquiers makes a Muy and 2 Muyes and 15 Alquiers is a Tun of Bristol water-measure which is 10 Gallons Winchester and 40 of those Measures do make a Tun. Note that 4½ Alquiers of Lisbon make a Fanega or Hannep in Andalusia by some observations which Fanega is 2 Staios and somewhat more of Florence in such manner that a Staâ—… oâ— Florence may be accounted half a Fanega
and an Alquier of Lisbon may be accounted half a Staio of Florence which makes Gal. Eng. Customs of Lisbon The Customs is inwards 23 per centum that is to the Dechima 10 per cent to the Siâ—e 10 per cent and to the Consolado 3 per cent and the Customs outwards is onely 3 per centum Observations upon the dry Measures of Lisbon These observations have been also made upon Measures of this place 22 Alquiers of Lisbon have made in Sicilia upon Corn 1 general Salmo Alquiers 3â…› have made in Marselia one Mina and it is to be understood that the Muy of Corn and Salt are all alike but that there is given one in 24 more upon Salt because the Salt loseth and not the Corn. The 〈◊〉 of Wine in Lisbon is 52 Almudin and one Almudin is 13 Chanate c. which is in Eâ—gland Gallons Valentia The next Province is Valentia giving name or taking it from a City of the same name the principal of this Province which is seated some two miles from the Sea where there a found an open Road called La Grevo and not capable of great Ships nor indeed safe for Ships of any noted burthen therefore is Alicant become the principal Scale for this City iâ— which place having resided for some time Anno 1617. I shall touch the Trade thereof as observed by me in those days CHAP. CXVIII Of Valentia and the Trade thereof Valentia and the Trade thereof VALENTIA the principal City of the Province of Valentia giveth Rules to all the adjoyning places as well for matter of Trade as Judicature wherein is vented yearly great quantity of Pepper Tin Lead Baies Linnens Fish as Pilchards Herrings and Neâ—land fish and such other like Commodities having their Moneys current Weights and Measurâ—… as followeth Coins of Valentia A Liver of Valentia is worth 20 Sold. of that money and is 5 s. Sterling A Ducate of Gold is 21 Sold. of the said money A Castiliano is 27 Sold. and 4 Deniers of the same money A Liver of Valentia is worth 365 Marvedies of Castilia and changing them at Naples for Valentia 18 sold 4 Deniers which with the charges comes even because a Ducate of Carlins is worth at Naples after the rate of sold 18 Den. 3½ and this because your money is at 15 peâ— centum Their greatest money is a piece of 6 sold which is three Rials Castile then have they three sold which â—… Rials and the half of three sold which is 18 Deniers which is 1½ sold every soldo is 12 Deniers and 24 Deniers is a Rial Castiliano which is 6. d. sterl Accounts in Valentia Their Accounts are kept by Liver Sold. and Deniers 12 Deniers accounted to a sold and 20 sold to a Liver which is 10 Rials Castile 50 souls French and 5. s. sterl Weights of Valentia The Weights are these and thus distinguished The greatest Weight is a Cargo or Load which is 360 l. of Valentia and hath been sound to encrease 3 or 4 per centum after the Weight of Florence Cargo fine Ditto gross This Cargo is accounted to be 12 Reves as well of sine as gross goods a Rove suttle being 30 l. and by this Weight is weighed Corn Sugar Oyl Spice and other fine goods A Rove Gross is 36 l. and by this is weighed Wool and such other gross goods A Quintar as well the small as great is four Roves which makes 120 l. of fine goods and 144 l. of gross goods in which observe this true Rule for all the Weights of Valentia Note in weights 98 l. of 18 ounces to the l. is 144 l. of 12 ounces to a pound and is accounted the great Kintar and 80 l. of 11 ounces to the l. is 120 l. of 12 ounces per. l. the small Cantar so that the difference is 16 l. of 18 ounces and 24 l. of twelve ounces from the great to the small and these two Weights have been observed to yield in other Cities of Trade after this manner   Suttle l.  Gross l.  100 l. Suttle doth produce the first Row 100 l. Gross doth produce in the second London 96½  115¼  Marselia 107  128  Venetia sotile 140  168  Sicilia 54  64  Lisbon 84  102  Florence 122  147  Antwerp 92  110  Lions 101  122  Sevil 94  113  Dantzick 110  133  Malage 26 Rials 31 Rials Barcelona 104 l. 125 l. Majorque 102  124  Paris 102  124  St. Maloes 105  128  Aleppo 196 Rials 234  Tripoli Syria 234 Rials 249  Baruti 188  224  Alexand. zera 445  532  Scio 876  105  Constantinople 79  95  Rhodes 17  21  Genoa 133  163  Measures of Valentia Their Measures are these following Four Palms of Valentia make a Vare which is 1â…” Braces of Florence and is 1â…š parts of an English Yard 100 Vares after this account may be in London 83 in 85 Yards Of Corn. Corn is sold by the Caffiso in Valentia which is twelve Barsellas which weigh 10½ Roves of 36 l. la Rove of twelve ounces per l. which is in Florence 7½ Staios and 37 Barsellas is there 24 Staios which is a Mayo Barsellas 17 making a general Salmo in Sicilia and is of the measure of Corn in England Gallons Of Salt Salt is also sold by the Caffiso which weighs 18 l. of the Gross weight of Valentia eight Caffises making one Modino in Juice and one Caffise making 3 bushels English Of Wines Wine is sold by the Cantaro which is a pitcher and contains twelve quarts of English Measures Note that 1480 Salms of Wheat in Sicilia have made in Valentia 1480 Saffici Commodities of Valentia This Country affords as I said before hard Soap commonly worth 80 Rials a Kintar rising and falling as Oyls are in request Aniseeds are worth 24 Rials the Rove and daily is transported for France and England Barillia is used in making Glasses and hard Soaps and worth 16 to 18 Rials per centum Denia Raisins of Denia a small Village anciently a famous Town of this Province not so well esteemed as Malaga Fruit is sold here at 18 Rials per cent and I have paid here for a whole Ships lading of 200 Tuns Anno 1618. 24 Rials per cent proving commonly best when dearest Almonds are here also plenty worth commonly 12 Ducates a Cargo which is 220 l. English which 280 l. Customs in Valentia Customs here paid is 9 per cent 4½ by the buyer and 4½ by the seller and as often as any Commodity is bought or sold so often is this Custom paid being 8 Deniers Duana and 3 Deniers Sisa and if any Goods come in to be shipped out again commonly called a Transito the general Duty of four
Deniers per l. is only paid and no more Their payments in Customs and all other ways are in Valentia money and worth 3 per cent to be converted into Spanish Rials There is also a Duty called a Mottahecos which is a pound of Pepper on each Quintar and so upon other fine Goods And this is as much as I remember needful in this Argument and so I will proceed to the next Province which is Catalonia and as for the Exchanges here practised see farther in the 291 and 426 Chapters Catalonia In Catalonia is only famous the City of Barcelona the principal of this Province where having good cause of the remembrance of my being here by reason of my imprisonment in the Inquisition Anno 1618. I must according to my Method afford the Cities Traffick a 〈◊〉 of observation in acknowledgment of their love and pains in my Release moved thereto partly by the affection I had gained with many the chief Merchants but especially left the same might deter other English from coming to traffick and inhabit amongst them and furnish their necessities with English Commodities which they seem much to desire and oftentime much stand in need of CHAP. CXIX Of Barcelona and the Trade thereof Barcelona BArcelona is seated on the Mediterranean shore and entring into that Gulph which is so terrible to Navigators in these parts called The Gulph of Lions It hath a reasonable commodious and safe Harbour and the Citizens do winterly enlarge and lengthen the same by adding to their Mould that Ships of burthen may come within the same what I obserred here Anno 1618. I will briefly declare Coins in Barcelona Their Moneys current in Merchandize besides the Rial of Castile is a Liver which passeâ— here at 20 sold and a Ducate of Gold of Castile is worth 24 sold of the said money and the soldo is twelve Deniers of that money wherein they are found to keep their Accounts Weights in Barcelona Their Cantar is a 100 l. which is English 92 l. or thereabouts and hath made by observation In Florence 123 l. Genoa 130 l. Valentia 106 l. Marselia 104 l. Venetia Sotle 140 l. Measures of length Their Measure is a Can consisting of eight Palms and hath been found to make thâ—… Braces in Florence and in England found to produce 1â…œ Yards English and in Naples 〈◊〉 been found to make 6â…œ Palms Of Corn. Corn is sold by a Measure called the Quarter one Salmo is four Quarters sold always 〈◊〉 of all Customs 2â…“ Quarters making a Cargo or load which is accounted 360 l. as is that 〈◊〉 mentioned aforegoing in Valentia Woolls are sold by the Rove which is 30 l. making 26 l. of Venetia gross whither the same is commonly transported and in Florence 36 l. All gross Goods are sold by the Cargo accounted 3 Kintars which is 440 l. Sutle of Venâ—… and 278 l. gross there which is 372 l. in Florence and hath been found to make English 3000â— Averdupois Tortosa In this Province lieth also Tortosa a fine small City but the principal of the Inhabitants â—…ing accounted as Moors were some years before my being here banished this Country 〈◊〉 therefore most places lie waste and many Villages are here along found without Inhabitâ—… and the Grounds to want Labourers Aragon The next Province is Aragon wherein is Tarragon a fine and handsome City but 〈◊〉 the banishment of many of the Inhabitants as above is said now made poor in my 〈◊〉 there in 1618. I found it most to consist in making of Silk here bought and carried to Irlentia to be wrought Saragosa The principal City hereof is Saragosa which should challenge a 〈◊〉 particular relation as being commodiously seated for Traffick on the banks of the River 〈◊〉 Ebro but being an University it were too great an honour for an inland Town to prodâ— famous Scholars and eminent Merchants yet in the current Coins it is observed to rule as 〈◊〉 Vâ—dentia and because there is found practised here a great Exchange I have inserted 〈◊〉 same by it self Chapter 292 in the end of this Tract with all circumstances thereunto appeâ—taining And these are all the principal Cities of Traffick found at this day comprised 〈◊〉 the Kingdom of Spain CHAP. CXX Of the Weights and Measures of Spain reduced to the English hundred Weights of Spain reduced to the 100 l. of England THE principal Cities of Spain and Portugal thus surveyed it will not be unworthy our observation first to see how the Weights and Measures of some other lesser Cities here omitted concur with the Weights and Measures of England and then take a general view of the Trade which is in general found in the compass of those Kingdoms now united and subject to the Crown of Castilia First then to begin with the weights of Spain and Portugal I will reduce them to the suttle 100 l. of London which by observation hath been found to make in Sevil 108 l. by great Quintar of 144 l. of four Roves of 36 l. smaller Quintar of 112 l. of 4 Roves of 28 l. by lesser Quintar of 120 l. of 4 Roves of 30 l. Granado and Almeria bona 104 l. is the pound of 16 ounces 89 l. is of Silk and Copper of 18 ounces 52 l. great weight for Flesh 32 ounces Castilia Medina del Campo 98 l. Burgos 89 Rot. Aragon and Barcelona 102 l. 92 l. great weight for Woollen 126 l. small weight for Saffron Valentia 102 l. by Quintar of 4 Roves of 30 l. for Spices 129 l. by Quintar of 4 Roves of 36 l. the Cargo is those Quintars of 360 l. and the greater of 432 l. The 100 l. of London Leon 105 l. Saragosâ—… 108 l. and by the small Quintar 126 l. Savalonâ—… and Salanico 126 l. Viliaco 77 l. Note here that the Islands of the Canaries and all the Islands of Spain use the weights of Sevil as foresaid now for the Kingdom of Portugal 100 l. London makes in Portugal Rot. 104 l. the great Quintar of 128 l. the small Quintar of 112 l. containing each 4 Roves of 32 l. and 28 l. Note here that there is allowance made four upon the hundred upon Sugars and two and 3 per cent upon Cotton Woolls and such like the small Quintar is the weight of the Contractation-house of the Indies All Spice is weighed thereby but all are weighed by the great Quintal and reduced upon the lesser Quintar one Quintar of Wax is one Quintar and half of 112 l. is 168 l. Madera 104 Rotolos Cape Verd. 104 Rot. Saint Thomas 104 Rot. Guinea 104 Rot. Marocâ—… in Barbary 104 Rot. or Pounds by the Quintar of 128 l. Feas and Suus in Barbary 92 l. Calicut 77 Aracoles Note here they sell by the Baccar or Bahar being at Lisbon four Quintars of 112 l. and observe That the Bahar is 4 Quintars for 120 Aracoles The Bahar or Bahor is 20 Faracoles of
100 l. and makes in London 78 l. In Venetia gross 73 l. In Venetia sotile 116 l. In Florence 98 l. Measures of Ancona Their Measure here is a Brace 106 whereof have made in Venice 100 Braces 10 Cones of Cloth in Florence have made here 37½ Braces Corn is here sold by the Staro 6½ have made a sum in Florence Spoleto The next Province is the Dutchy of Spoleto the principal City bearing the Name of Spalata whereof is not any thing in Merchandizing worthy the note that I find and their Weights and Measures do in all points agree with Venetia Civitaveccia The last part of this Country is Saint Peter's Patrimony wherein are principal Cities of Commerce Civitaveccia which hath a pretty Harbour and near which the Allum is made which we call Romish or Roche and here the Pope doth for Trade sake allow a Gentleman the Title of Causul for the English Nation to see that the Mariners who are apt enough to give Offence be not wronged or abused at whose hands in Anno 1619. going thence as a Merchant to Rome I sound all Courtesies and Friendship and passing through Pollidor a pretty Town in the Christmas Hely-days I came to Rome where what I did observe in matter of Trade besides the Devotion of the season and time I shall in the next Chapter declare CHAP. CL. Of Rome and the Trade thereof Rome and the Trade thereof THis City in her antient Splendor was fifty Miles in circuit and had 750 Towers that beautified her Walls and inhabited by 463000 Families but now the compass exceeds not ten Miles and a third part thereof is also waste Ground and hath two third parts of the Inhabitants Clergy men and Courtesans which latter are here accounted to be 40000 and pay 30000 Ducats yearly Tribute which doth maintain Civitaveccia two Gallies furnished known by the Names of the Saburrahs as the place of their abode in Rome but leaving this private Trade to the Virgin Friers I come to the publick Commerce of this City which according to my observation is following Rome and the Territory thereof affordeth for Merchandize Corn Wine Oyl Silk Gloves Allum Lute-strings Kid-skins and some Fabricks made of Silk And from England it receiveth Lead Tin Bays Says Stuffs Pilchards Herrings white and red Newland fish Calves-skins Salt Salmon Tallow Wax c. which are landed at Civitaveccia and thence transported by Boats and Birks to Rome along the so much famoused River of Tiber which passeth through the same Coins in Rome The Coins of all Italy pass here current but the principal of this Country that are current is the Ducat or as they call it the Crown of Gold which is worth 11 Julios or Paulos The Crown of Silver is worth 10 Julios or Paulos which is 100 Baioches or 400 Quatrins The Julio is worth 10 Baioches or 40 Quatrins The Baioche is worth 10 Quatrins or 1 Sold. 4 Den. small Money of Rome Accounts in Rome Their Accounts are kept in Crowns Julios Baioches and Quatrins as above and sorne in Ducats of Camera or Destampe of which 97 11 3. make 100 of Gold Weights in Rome Their Quintal in Rome is 100 and makes in London 80 l. and with other Countries is found to be in Venetia sotile 119 l. In Naples 106 l. Venetia gross 75 l. Florence 102 l. Genoa 110 l. But note that of these Quintars of 100 l. is framed two different Weights with allowances given thereupon as in sale of Spices and such like The Quintar thereof is accounted to be of the abovesaid Weight 160 l. And the second for the Weight of gross Goods accounted to be 250 l. to the Quintar which is to be observed in the sale of a Commodity and therefore the Commodity and the Weight whereby it is sold is to be observed Measures in Rome They use also two Measures in length the one for Linnen and Woollen called the Cane divided into 8 Palms and 30 Canes is 100 Braces Venetia the other which they call the Brace which is 3â…“ Palms of the said Cane which Brace renders in Flerence 1½ Brace the first making in London inches and the latter inches Corn is sold by a Measure called the Rugio which renders in Genoa 1â…ž Mins and in Florence 8¼ Stâ—ios and is 412 l. of Rome and is in England gallons But by reason of the great occasion that Clergy-men from most parts of Europe have to use Money in this City the Exchanges thereof are most worthy observation therefore I have handled the same in the 278 and 326 Chapters with all circumstances thereunto belonging to which I refer you From Rome I will take my way to Venetia and to that Republick and see what is there more worthy in matters of Commerce CHAP. CLI Of the Commonwealth of Venetia and the Cities of Trade therein Venetia and the Trade thereof THE Commonwealth of Venetia containeth these Provinces La Marca Trevigiana Friâ—… Histria part of Dalmatia and the Islands of Candy Corfu Cephalonia Ithaca Zâ—… Lucaia Cythera c. In which I find these principal Cities of Trade first Treviso next Palâ—… a famous University for Physick next Vicentia next Bressia which is accounted the second for greatness in Lombardy next Verona also a fair City of Crema a strong Fort Aquilegia once of great circuit now devoured by the Neighbourhood of Venetia Parma a modern Town built by the Venetians within these late years next is Cape de Istria Pola and some others of lesser Note and last of all the Metropolis of all this Commonwealth which is Venice it self of these or as many as have gathered any Observation I shall declare CHAP. CLII. Of Treviso and the Trade thereof Treviso and the Trade thereof TREVISO is the principal City of that Province which to the Venetians is known by Marca Trevigiana and commodiously seated for an Inland-Trade the chief City Venetians depriving all the rest of any eminent Honour in matter of Traffick therefore herein I shall be the briefer and first For their Coins current and their Accounts kept I willingly omit the same as to be found more at large under the Title of Venetia As for the Weights and Measures thereof it will not be improper that I set here the agree ments thereof with Venetia as being seated within that Commonwealth Weights of Treviso Treviso is found then to have two several Weights a gross and suttle in the same mannâ— as Venetia which thus agree together 100 l. gross in Treviso makes gross in Venetia 92½ l. 100 l. suttle in Treviso makes suttle in Venetia 112 l. 100 l. suttle Venetia gives in Treviso suttle 89½ l. 100 l. suttle Venetia gives in Treviso gross 58â…“ l. 100 l. suttle Treviso makes gross in Venetia 70 l. All which considered the thousands are found thus to accord Measures of Treviso 1000 l. suttle Treviso is 1125 l. suttle Venetia 1000 l. gross
of some of the late Kings of England to their own Subjects for their incouragement in Trade and their general inclinations thereto so they in themselves have been chiefly wanting to themselves and have suffered a loss to fall insensibly upon them that hath been the greatest Ruin of their Traffick comprised within Mystery the of these their new Imposts and the decay of the Shipping and Navigators which that Prince must ever carefully avoid that would have his Country and Subjects thrive thereby and having now lost all their Trade to all other places the Dominions of the Great Turk only excepted their Ships and Gallies are decayed and their Mariners fled from them some sparks are seen yet to remain but the great Fire of their mighty Traffick being extinguished it will not be needful for me to rake the Ashes and observe further that little Coal that is yet resting unconsumed amongst them CHAP. CLIX. Of Florence and the Cities of that Kingdom Florence and the Provinces thereof THE Dukedom of Florence containeth the greater part of Tuscany and now may be said to be comprehended under the Signiory of the Great Duke with the Republick of Pisa and Siena the principal marine Port whereof is Leghorn which may be accounted the best and one of the greatest Towns of Trade in all the Mediterranean Seas not only thus continued and preserved by the Industry of the Inhabitants alone but of other Nations which by reason of the great Immunities and Privileges of this place and the freedom given to Strangers and Merchants and principally because all sorts of Merchandize may be here landed free of all Customs Duties and Imposts this Scale is grown to that height that it is famous throughout all the Mediterranean and Ocean Seas In this Republick I find only four Cities of Consequence that challenge in matter of Commerce my Observation which is Florence it self the principal City of this Dukedom next Siena then Pisa and lastly the above mentioned Town of Leghorn Commodities of Tuscany These Countries afford for Merchandize some Marble Rice Wines Oils quantity of Silks both raw and wrought in Stuffs famous for their Fabricks throughout Europe as Satins Taffaties Velvets Grograms Plushes and the like called commonly of Florence From England is here vended Pepper Cloves Maces Indico Callicoes as being East-India Commodities and Lead Tin Clothâ— Bays Serges Perpetuanos as Native and the English also bring hither Herrings white and red pickled Salmon Newland Fish Pilchards Calves-Skins and many other Commodities The Duke of Florence a great Merchant The Duke of Florence hath ever been found to be a great lover of Merchants and Merchandizing and is conceived to be at this day the greatest Merchant in Europe forgetting not that his Ancestors did raise themselves by Traffick to the greatness and height he now doth hold and to this end is found in Leghorn a Stock properly running in Trade for his Account which is imployed in Traffick as occasion of Profit upon Merchandize doth present it self The Estate of the Great Duke of Tuscany and the Trade thereof Cosmi the Second was the first Duke of Florence that had the Title of Great Duke of Tuscaâ—y conferred upon him being crowned in the Court of Rome with that Title given to him and his Heirs for ever by Pope Pius the Fifth in the year 1570. Since which the Great Dukes Successors have desired of succeeding Popes the Title of King but it hath been always obstructed by the Kings of Spain who would indure no King in Italy but himself and refused by the Pope as too Lordly a Title This Duke and his Predecessors have ever been found to be great Lovers of Merchants and Merchandizing knowing that his Predecessors raised themselves by Traffick to the greatness he now doth hold His Territories are separated on the East from the Lands of the Church by the River Pisco on the West from the Commonwealth of Genoa by the River Macra on the North from Romandiola and Marca Anconitano by the Appenine Hills are bounded on the South by the Tyrrhenian Sea being about 260 Miles in length and in some places as much in breadth The Country between Florence and Leghorn being about fifty Miles is full of spacious Fields and fruitful Valleys here and there a pleasant Mountain equalizing them for fertility abundantly furnished with all sorts of delicious Wines and beautified with many delicate Cities and Towns and in a word plentifully stored with all the Benedictions of Nature The Inhabitants profess the Reman Catholick Religion and are governed by the Civil Law The Great Dukeâ— Dominions may be fitly divided into four Parts viz. The Cities and Territories first of Florence 2. Pisa 3. Siena 4. and lastly the Islands situated in the Tyrrhenian Sea The Estate of Florence taketh up the North Part of the Great Duke's Dominions being bounded on the South by the Territories of Pisa and Siena and on the North with the Appenine Hills so called from Florence the principal City for Beauty and Trade within this Territory Nicholas Machiavel that unhappy Man was once Secretary to the Duke of Florence who but for publishing that which was frequently practised by Princes hath intailed an edium upon his Name for ought any knows to all Posterity But to our Business next to be handled which is the Description and Trade of Florence CHAP. CLX Of Florence and the Trade thereof Florence and the Trade thereof THE City of Florence is seated near the confluence of the two Rivers Arne and Chian and is a very fair City and abounding with publick and private Buildings of great Beauty and therefore by some supposed to be called Florentia à situ Florenti it is in compass six Miles and is the Residence of the Duke who here hath a sumptuous Palace the greatest part of the Trade thereof doth consist in Fabricks of Silks that here are made and are hence properly call'd and in the Exchanges here are used and practised by Bankers for all Parts of Europe the Inhabitants having lost the honour of Merchandizing which anciently they had when eminent Factors from hence were sent into Flanders and England and to other Countries to reside who managed a very great Trade now totally decayed What I have found from others or observed my self 1619. when I was here I shall set down for the present occurrences of the place Accounts in Florence The Merchants do here keep their Accounts in Livres Sold and Deniers 12 Deniers making a Sol and 20 Sol a Livre and others again in Crowns Sol and Deniers of Gold of Livres 7½ per Crown accounting 12 Deniers to a Sol and 20 Sol to a Crown but all their Commodities are sold by Lavres Sold and Deniers of their Moneys and to reduce Livres into Crowns multiplied by 2 and divided by 15 because 15 half Livres make a Crown and to reduce the said Livres into Ducats 1 7 is to be taken Coins current in
Florence The Coins current are the Ducats of Florence and the Picols The Ducat is worth 7 Livres or 70 Bolognini The Crown is worth 7½ Livres in Picholi whereas the Custom is different from other Countries wherein the Crown of Gold is not found to have any constant Rate with the current Money of the place and is adjusted therewith according to the Rate of the Exchange The Livre is 20 Sold and accounted to be 9 d. sterling The Ducat being 7 Livres is accounted there 5 s. 3 d. sterling The Seudo or Crown of 7½ Livres is consequently 5 s. 7½ sterling The Livre is also divided to 12 Craches whereof 8 is a Julio which is 6 d. sterling 5 Quatrins is a Crach and 60 Craches makes a Livre Weights of Florence Divers Observations have been made upon the Weights of Florence which is 100 l. or Quintel of 12 Ounces to a Pound the most noted I will here insert and refer the truth to him that hath a cause of trial because I have received them upon trust The 100 l. then hath been found to produce in these places The 100 l. of Florence hath rendred in Anvers 73 l. Lions 76  Dantzick 88  Venetia sotile 114  Venetia gross 71  Siena 103  Pulia 104  Lucca 102  Bollonia 95  Farrara 101  Padua 117  Millan 103  Cremona 113  Roma 98  Genoa 108  Marselia 91  Barcellona 71  Valentia 96  Granado 66  Sevil 75  Lisbon 92  Paris suttle 90  Paris gross 112  Brussia 78  London 78  Ancona 98  Majorca 92  Sicilia sotile Rot. 44  and gross R. 48  Tunis 100  Aleppo R. 15¾ R. Ditto Silk 16¾  Tripoli Soria 19  Ditto Barbaria 67¾  Baruti 152  Alex. Zera 162  Alex. Forfori 81 6  Scio and Smyrna 71  Constantinople 64  Rhodes 14 3  Acria 12 8  Babylonia 10 10  Balsara 500½ M. Ormus 75 10  Measures of Florence As of Weights formerly compared so do I find the Brace of this place whereby all Commodities are measured and upon the 100 Braces of Florence hath been made these Observations and to make The Cane is 4 Braces and the 100 Braces are in London 49 Ells Anvers 81  Frankford 102  Dantzick 67  Vienna 71  Lions 49  Paris 46 Aulns Rouen 42  Lisbon 49 Vares Sevil 24  Madera 50  Venice 88 Braces Lucca 97  Millan 112  Genoa 235  Note that all Wrought Silks are here bought by the pound weight and not by the Cane noâ— Brace above-mentioned Of Wine Wine is sold by the Cogno which are 10 Barrels and 1 Barrel is 40 Metadels or 20 Bottles or Flasks each Bottle being 2 Metadels the Barrel is to weigh 120 l. Of Oyl Oyl is sold by the Orcio which is a Barrel and contains 32 Metadels which ought to weigh 85 l. Of Corn. Grain is sold by the Moggio and is Staio 24 and the Staio is 50 l. Of Salt Salt is also sold by the Staio which weighs 72 l. Agreement of dry Measures of Florence The agreement of the Staio of Corn I find thus computed with other Cities Staios 3¾ of Corn in Florence is 1 Sache of Venetia Staios 3 in Florence make 1 Sache in Pisa Staios 2â…˜ in Florence make in Plombino 1 Staio Staios 8¾ in Florence make in Rome 1 Rotulo Staios 10½ in Florence make in Palermo a general Salmo Staios 13 in Florence make in Misnia a gross Salmo Staios 1½ in Florennce is in Naples 1 Tomolo 16 Tom. is a Salm. there Staios 6½ in Florence is in Ancona 1 Somo of Corn. Moggio 1 in Florence is in Arles 10½ Sesterces Staios 3 in Florence is in Marselia 2 Mines Staios 60 in Florence is in Britany a Tun of Corn. I have been the larger in the Weights and Measures of Florence because I shall have occasion to accord other Cities to this and therefore to make this the more absolute I have added the following concordancy of the dry Measures of this place with other Countries following which I refer to the better experienced for due trial CHAP. CLXI Of the dry Measures of several Cities in Italy with other Cities in the Mediterranean Seas Agreement of dry Measures in sundry Cities of Italy c. NOW forasmuch as I find it very difficult to accord so many Cities in the Measures of Corn Salt Wine c. I will here add what I have collected therein which properly may best follow the preceeding agreement of the dry Measure of Florence First then a Mine of Corn in Avignon is 1 Staio of Pisa An Anne of Lions is 8 Staios of Florence which Anne of Lions is there accounted 6 Buccets A Quarter of England is 11 Staios of Florence A Moggio of Grain in Florence is 3 Annes in Lions which Moggio is accounted 10 Sesterce there and the same in Provence Alquiers 104 of Portugal are 40 Buccets of Lions 1 Muy of Orleans and 12 in 13 Mines makes 13 Buccets of Lions 1 Tun of Grain either in Picardy or Normandy to be laden aboard their Ships is 16 Mines which are 2â…” in Moggios which are 24 Mines and the 24 Mines there are 3â…“ Moggio of Florence and 1 Mine of the said places is 3½ Staios incirca of Florence 1 Tun of Corn laden in Britany is accounted to hold and make 60 Staios of Florence 1 Fanega in Calais is 2â…› Staios of Florence 1 Salmo general of Sicilia is in Portugal Alquiers 22½ The said Salmo of Sicilia is 11¼ Staios in Florence The gross Salmo of Sicilia is 17 per Cent. greater than the general The Salmo of Calabria is 6 Tumelles of Naples The Tomolo of Naples is 2 Staios of Florence The Carro of Apulia is 3 Moggio of Florence Alquiers 4½ of Lisbon are 1 Fanega in Andalusia 1 Fanega is 2 Staios of Florence and a little more so that the Staio of Florence may be accounted the Fanaga and Alquier of Lisbon 2â…™ Staio One Moggio of Florence makes in Arles 4â…“ Sesterces And in Marselia doth make 2 Sesterces The Staio of Venice comes to make one Sack of Pica or little less The Mine of Corn of Genoua are 4½ Staio of Florence The Sesterces 5 of Grain in Avignon are one Salmo of Sicilia A Car of Corn in Padua is in Calais 34½ Fanega and makes in Lisbon 145 Alquiers of 36 Tomolos of Naples the Carro The 500 Retibe of Corn in Alexandria is in Leghorn 1090 Sacks The Staio 63 of Corn of Ferrara makes just a Carro and this Carro makes in Constantinople 57 Cassise The Retibe of Alexandria is in Legborn 6â…• Staios The Cillâ—a of Chavella is 3 Staios of Florence 1 Tun of Grain in Britany is 60 Staios of Florence The Cassise of Corn in Valentia in Spain is â…” of a general
These are only worth the mentioning as to our business of Trade CHAP. CXLIV Of the Dukedom of Millan Dukedom of Millan THE Dukedom of Millan being under the command of the Spaniard is rich in Natures gifts as esteemed the Garden of Italy affording plenty of Corn Rice Wines Oils Silks Raw and Wrought and sundry other Commodities it hath therein also many fair Cities the principal whereof are First Millan the principal of the whole Dutchy Secondly Pavia Thirdly Alexandria de la Pallia Fourthly Cremona And fifthly Como of as many of which as is needful I shall touch the particulars CHAP. CXLV Of Millan and the Trade thereof Millan and the Trade thereof MIllan is a fair City and the greatest of Lombardy the Castle whereof is accounted impregnable it is very populous and contains seven Miles in Circuit it is furnished in matter of Trade with many great Merchants or rather as I may more properly call them Shop-keepers abounding in many rich Manufactures of Silks and Iron for Sword-blades for Cannons Muskets and Pistols c. as Silk-Stockings Chamlet Fustians Gold-Thread and sundry other Commodities here dispersed into Savoy France and other adjoyning Countries Accompts in Millan Their Accompts are kept in Millan by Pounds Shillings and Pence Or as they call them Livres Sol and Deniers 12 Deniers make a Sol and 20 Sols a Livre which Livre may be sterl 12 pence as I shall shew in the Tract of Exchanges in 280 and 410 Chapters Coins in Millan The Coins Current in Millan are these A Ducate of Gold of Millan is incirca 100 Sol of that Money A Crown of Gold of the Sun is worth about 96 or 98 Sol. A Crown of Gold Italian is 5 Livres and 6 Sol Imperial A Ducate of Gold of Livres 5 and 18 Sol is Livres 6 Imperial A Ducace Imperial is esteemed 4 Livres A Ducate of Millan or Imperial of Livres 4 per Duc. and so they count it in Exchange the which they pay in Crowns of Italy at 101 Sol per Duc. Note that the Crown in Millan runs in Merchandise for Sol 110 and the Ducate for the same Note also that the Imperial Coins are the current of this Country but French Italian and Spanish pass here also in Merchandise as being placed between the two former and subject to the last Weights in Millan The Weight of Millan is the Pound and the 100 l. which is the Quintal which 100 l. is In Venetia sotile 108 l. Venetia gross 66  Florentia 97  Genoua 106  Lions 69  London 70  Measures of Millan In Millan they have two Braces the Cloth and the Silk upon the 100 Braces Silk hath been made these Observations and to have made In London 43 Ells. Antwerp 72  Frankfort 90  Dantzick 60  Vienna 63  Lions 44 Aulns Paris 41  Genoua 207 Palm Rouen 37 Auln Lisbon 43 Var. Sevil 58  Madera 44  Venetia 78 Brac. Lucques 86  Florence 88  Exchanges of Millan Which I refer to the experience of him that shall have occasion to make trial herein farther and so I will proceed to Cremona as for the Exchanges here practised I refer you to the general Chapter thereof in the end of this Tract viz. 280 and 410 Chapters CHAP. CLXVI Of Cremona and the Trade thereof Cremona and the Trade thereof CRemona is the second City of Trade in this Dutchy which endeavoureth by the Industry of the Inhabitants to imitate and second Millan in her Manufactures of Silk Gold-Thread c. Weights Their common Weight is the Pound and the 100 l. which hath by tryal been found to make in Venctia Sotile 104 l. and by the Gross of Venetia 65 in 66 l. in Florence 86 l. Measures Their Measure is the Brace agreeing the same as that of Florence Oil is sold by the Carigas 18 thereof is 1000 l. Venetia in Oil Carrigas 15 are accounted for a 1000 l. of Cheese in Venetia Carigas 11 are accounted of Honey 8¼ Staios of Venetia CHAP. CLXVII Of Como and the Trade thereof Como and the Trade thereof COmo is made more famous by the Lake whereon it is seated being 50 Miles about than by the Trade thereof though it may well be imagined the same doth add a good furtherance thereto by the benefit and commodity thereof and by Transporting Wares to Neighbouring places seated thereabout Weights The Weight thereof is the Pound and 100 l. which hath been observed to produce in Venice Suttle 108 and Gross 67 l. which in London is 72 l. Averdupois or thereabout Measures Their Measure is a Brace accounted to be Corn is sold by the Mosa which are here 14 Pesos and every Peso is 10 l. at â—0 oun per l. which in Venetia is 378 l. Suttle which is 305 l. Gross so that the said 14 Pesos is in Venetia 1â…› Staios And thus have I done with the Dutchy of Millan and proceed to Mantua and the Dukedom CHAP. CLXVIII Of Mantua and the Trade thereof Mantua and the Trade thereof MAntua hath some other Cities of quality subject thereto but being debarred from the Sea and environed with potent Neighbours that hinder the Commerce thereof I will therefore reduce what I have collected more-worthy to the City of Mantua it self which is a very fair and strong Town environed on three parts with a Lake of good breadth and with a strong Wall on the rest through this Lake runneth a River that leadeth into the Po which is a famous stream in these parts and much enricheth this Country and furthers the Trade of this Dutchy Commodities of Mantua The chief Commodities of this Dukedom are certain Fabricks of Silks such as are Taffetaes Sattins Camlets watered and the like Accompts in Mantua Their Accompts are kept in Livres Sols and Deniers 12 Deniers make a Sol and 20 Sols a Livre 5 of which Livres make a Ducate of Gold large 9. 12 Sol making a Ducatoon of Mantua or 115 Sols of Millan which is accounted Sterl Weights in Mantua They weigh in Mantua by a Peso and by the 1000 l. 25 l. being the Peso and 100 l. the Quintal which hath made in Venice Suttle 108 l. and Venice Gross 66â…” l. in Florence 98 l. and in London by Observation of some 71 l. Averdupois Measures in Mantua Their Measure of length is the Brace which doth agree with the Cloth brace of Venice within a small matter Corn is sold by the Staio 100 whereof are in Venetia 40 Staios and 1 Staios weighs about 80 l. of Mantua weight Aste a Fair. In this Dukedom is also Aste where is yearly kept a great and notable Fair for many sorts of Merchandise where many Immunities are granted to Merchants during the time that the said Fair doth continue and is held in the beginning of September and thus much I have observed of this Dutchy
CHAP. CLXIX Of Urbin and the Trade thereof Vrbin and the Trade thereof URbin is a fair City seated on the bottom of the Appennine where it hath for Sea-Ports Pisauro and Fano the English here do enjoy many Immunities and sundry Privileges the original whereof did arise in the Reign of Henry VI. of England who created the Duke of this place a Knight of the Noble Order of the Garter and he to requite the Honour to himself done returned it thus to the said King his Subjects It now affordeth the common Commodities of other parts of Italy which it also followeth in matter of Trade Accompts in Vrbin Their Accompts are here kept in Livres Sols and Deniers 12 Deniers making a Soldo and 20 Sols a Livre The Current Coins of this place are the Romaine and do as in most parts of these Italian Principalities partake one anothers Coins which passeth Current with some small distinction from one City to another Weights The weight is here the Pound and the Quintal being 100 l. which produceth in Venetia Suttle 112½ and Gross 72 l. and hath produced in London 77 l. Averdupois Measures in Vrbin Their Measure of length is the Brace the 100 Braces of Cloth in Venice rendring here 94 Braces and the 100 Braces of Silk rendring here 102 in 103 Braces which is in England Inches CHAP. CLXX Of Parma and the Trade thereof Parma and the Trade thereof PArma the chief City of this Principality affording the Commodities common with the rest of Italy doth over and above afford that excellent Cheese known through Europe by the name of Parmesane it is not noted for any eminency in Trade the greatest fame that of late it obtained was by being subject to that Alexander Farnese who was Duke thereof and made such a noise in the Netherlands during his Regency there to his Masters great Expence but to little purpose Accompts in Parma For Trade observe That their Accounts are kept in Livres Sols and Deniers 12 Deniers to the Sold and 20 Sols to the Livre which is Sterling The Coins current of Parma are Weights in Parma The Weight is the Pound of 12 Ounces and 100 l. to a Quintal which is in England about 60 l. and in Venice sotile Measures in Parma Their Measure is the Brace agreeing with the Brace of Florence and now to Placentia also subject to this Principality CHAP. CLXXI. Of Placentia and the Trade thereof Placentia and the Trade thereof PLacentia is a commodious City for Trade and seated properly to that end upon the River Po affording the ordinary Commodities of Italy but in nothing so famous as for the Fairs in Exchanges here quarterly hept to which place all Italy Germany and other Countries do make their Exchanges rather for the Fairs than for any Commodities wherein they intend to have the said Monies invested and for the Monies of the Country there is no account had therein thereof but only of that wherein the Exchanges is made which is called the Crown of Marque wherein only Bankers and Exchangers do keep the account of this City and of those Crowns Accompts in Placentia their Accompts are framed in Crowns Sols and Deniers of Marque as I have more at large treated of in several Chapters of Exchanges vide 276 and 382 and others following which by reason of the great concurrency I have there amply specified and to which I refer you Weights in Placentia The weight of Placentia is the Pound and 100 l. the Quintal which 100 l. is in Venice gross 66 l. Venice suttle 108 l. and by that computation in London suttle Pound 72 l. incirce Measures in Placentia The Measure is a Brace which is 27 Inches English in this Principality is Mirandola accounted of which a word passando CHAP. CLXXII Of Mirandola and the Trade thereof Mirandola and the Trade thereof MIrandola being a City also belonging to this Principality I thought good to insert in my way what I have observed in the Weights and the Measures thereof Weights The Weight of Mirandola is the l. 12 Ounces 100 l. whereof is a Quintal and found to be Averdupois 75 l. Measures The Measure is the Brace found to be 26½ Inches English and so much for Mirandole and now to Legorn therewith to finish the Trade and Commerce of Tuscany and of these petty Dukedoms CHAP. CLXXIII Of Legorn and the Trade thereof Legorn and the Trade thereof LEgorn is situated on a sandy Plain close to the Sea-side it hath an inward Mould where the Grand Duke of Tuscany's Gallies are kept and some small Vessels permitted to Ride and is accounted the strongest modern City in the Mediterranean Seas purchased not many years past for 120000 Ducates of the Genoese by the Duke of Tuscany who reedifying or rather building a new City to the old new fortified and walled the same giving safe Conduct to all Men of what quality and degree soever to live here so that at the first it was a Sanctuary for all Thieves Pirats Murtherers and wicked Rascals and because here was also granted a liberty in Conscience the Town was also stored with all Religions but as the City became populous and Merchants being granted a freedom in Customs the place became in a short time to be filled with Inhabitants and to add to these Immunities there were Dwellings for seven years given to any that would come hither to reside and all such should be free from all Arrests or Punishments for Acts committed in all other Countries of what nature soever they were found to be and by these means at first and since by the incouragement of the Great Duke of Tuscany it is become one of the principal Towns of Trade in all those Seas and is properly accounted the Scale of the Florentine Dominions In matters of Commerce it is ruled by Pisa and Florence which are the principal Cities of this Dutchy and which yield the Commodities that drives the Traffick of this place the principal Notes that I observed at my being in this place in several Voyages are as followeth Accompts in Legorn Their Accompts are kept in Livres Sols and Deniers 12 Denters to a Soldo and 20 Soldo accounted to a Livre which is Nine Pence Sterling Coins in Florence Their Monies are those of Florence which current is the Ducate of 10½ Julios or of seven Livres which is five Shillings three Pence Sterling and a Scudo or Crown of Gold is 7½ Livres and one Crown of Gold in Gold or as they say De Oro in Oro is 8 Livres Also Note That 12 Craches make a Livre which is 9 d. 8 Craches make a Julio which is 6 d. Sterling 5 Quadrins make a Crache â—0 Quadrins a Livre 3 Quadrins make a Sol. Mote That the Craches are ½ Silver and the Quadrine Copper To bring Ducates of Florence of seven Livres the Ducate into
Crowns of Gold of Florence of 7½ Jul. per Crown Divide by 15 and Subtract the Quotient from the sum divided and the remainder is your demand Again to bring Crowns of Gold of Florence of 7½ Jul. into Ducates of 7 Livres divide by 4 and the Quotient added to the sum divided will answer your desire There is ever found between the Monies of Florence and the Money of Legorn a Lagio which being both subject to one Prince is conceived by some that the same may be removed by Merchants if they would endeavour it but they that are well versed in the Trade of this place hold the contrary Opinion therefore I will omit the Reasons given on both sides and advise him that hath Monies in Florence and is resident in Legorn to make the best use thereof and take the benefit of the Lagio as the current rate will permit him till the business may be better rectified and the Controversie by an equality may be decided and determined Weights in Florence The Weights are the same as in Florence the Pound 12 Ounces and the Quintal is 100 l. which is English 75 l. but some Commodities are found to be sold by the Quintal of 150 l. which is 113 l. English and some by a Quintal of 160 l. as Fish Woolls and which is 121 l. English the English 112 l. making about 147½ l. of this place 112 l. of London is 146 l. Legorn Note that 150 l. is here a Kintar of Allom and is 113â…ž l. 151 l. makes a Kintar of Sugar is 114â…“ l. English 1â—0 l. makes a Kintar of Fish is 121½ l. English 100 l. is a Kintar of all other Commodities and is 75 11 12 l. English and is 108 l. in Genoua Measures in Florence The Measure of this place is the Brace 4 Braces making a Cane 50 Canes is 200 Braces and found to agree with the English 1 Brace of Florence is 23 Inches English of 12 to a Foot so that 100 Braces makes â—0 Yards 48 Ells. Their Corn and Salt measure is a Stare 3 Stares is a Sack and 3â…” Sacks is a Salmo or 41 Stares is a Salmo and this Salmo iâ— accounted a London Quarter Also they have another Measure called a Maggio which is 8 Sacks or 24 Stares is a Maggio and a Stare of good Corn hath been noted to weigh 50 l. in Legorn English Commodities vended in Ligorn From England is vended here Bays Says Serges Cloths Perpetuanoes Lead Tin Calves-Skins Hides Oistracan-Hides Salt Salmon Pilchards Cavear Herrings Tallow also Pepper Ginger Mace Cloves Nutmegs Indico and such Indian Commodities Commodities of Tuscany This place being the greatest Scale of Trade in Tuscany is found hence to be sent into other parts Oils Wines Silks Raw and Wrought Rice Anniseeds Argal and all other Italian and Turkish Commodities Custom in the Port of Legorn All Goods entring here to be Sold are not liable to the payment of Custom for a year but if kept a full year do then pay a Custom and if Sale present not in that time the Merchant may Ship the same out again without Charges but if for the advance of his Commodity he send the same into other parts of the Dutchy of Tuscany then the Custom is to be paid at Pisa as is there mentioned to which I refer the Inquirer and leaving Tuscany I will pass over to Genoua CHAP. CLXXIV Of Genoua and the Trade thereof Genoua and the Trade thereof THE State of Genoua comprehends Finali Sarasena and Noli Cities of small import the Metropolis Genoua being the Mistress of this Republick being accounted eight Miles in Compass and inhabited by the greatest Money-Mongers or Usurers in the World who if they would not distrust God with their Wealth by Sea would easily become and be accounted famous Merchants their Usury is excessive and hath more than once brought the King of Spain into their Books for vast sums of Money but he having the trick of failing in his Payments and performance hath been observed to have satisfied them in blanco in lieu of being paid in banco but I refer this to them that are constrained to suffer and to draw to my Observations being such as I have gathered upon this City This City would prove the most Famous in all these Seas for Trading were not the Inhabitants such noted Politicians and great biters by Exchange that no Strangers can live among them for they envy the great Commerce practised in Legorn their Neighbour and yet may exceed Legorn would their greedy Covetousness permit them and suffer Merchants to bring their Goods thither upon small Charges but that Sovereign must not expect a plentiful Trade that will have also a great Custom paid upon all Goods and he that desires to lose the Traffick of his Country needs no other way to do it but by imposing heavy Customs upon Merchants and their Commodities but to their better considerations I refer this point and publish to the World their own common Proverb which admits hardly any Merchants to live or theire amongst them Genoua fatta per noi their City is only made for themselves Accompts in Genoua In Genoua they keep their Accompts in Livres Sols and Deniers current the Denier being 12 to a Sol and 20 Sol to a Livre which is 120 Rays of Portugal and 16 d. Sterling Monies in Genoua Their Current Monies are divers as bordering upon so many Neighbours the most Current is the Deniers 12 to a Soldo Soldo 4 make a Cavalet Cavalets 5 or Sols 20 make a Livre which is 16 d. Sterling Livres 4 Sold 8 is a Crown Sold 7 Den. 6 is a Spanish Rial of 6. d. Sterling Sold 90 is a Crown of Gold Ducate in Silver is 4 Livres 16 S. l. being 6 s. 5 d. Sterling Ducate Current is 4 Livres Sterling 5 s. 4 d. circa Ducate of Gold is 68 Sold of Gold Lire 3 Sols 1 makes a Rial of Eight Lire 4 13 4 of Genoua hath made 1 Ducate in Legorn Weights in Genoua Their Weight is the Pound of 12 Ounces and the Quintal is 100 l. ditto which is called the Suttle Quintar and the Gross Quintar is 150 l. thereof is 157½ l. suttle Venice and this Gross Quintar agrees with the Gross Weight of Venice between which two places these Notes have been observed that 100 l. Suttle Genoua makes Suttle in Venetia 105 l. 100 l. Gross Genoua is Gross Venetia 100 l. Suttle 157½ l. The said 100 l. hath made in London 71 l. circa and 92½ Legorn And the 150 l. their Gross Quintar is London 105 l. circa And the 112 l. London hath made here 143 l. And by proof 100 l. in Florence hath made here 109 l. The Gross Quintar is 150 l. of 18 Ounces per l. by which is sold Cottons and Cotton-Yarâ— Cummin and Anniseeds Honey Rice Brass Lead Tin Soap and Woolls and some other Commodities Measures in
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
able with wind and Oar to break through them and the Country is the pleasantest of all Denmark Blesida In Blesida is found the City of Malmogia and the strong Castle of Colmar against the Sweedlande◠The principal Trade of this Kingdom is contained in Copenhagen and Elsinour therefore under the title of these two I will comprehend the Traffick of this Kingdom CHAP. CCXI. Of Copenhagen and the Trade thereof Copenhagen and the Trade thereof COPENHAGEN is the Seat of the Kings of Denmark in Winter and may be interpreted the Merchants Haven on the East-side is the Kings Palace or Castle which bordereth on the Sea shore where the Haven is found to be the Sea being not far distant from the North side thereof the City is of a round form affording little beauty as being but meanly built of wood and clay and the Castle of stone Here are found some Merchants yet for the mostipart of no great eminence for the Country affordeth no rich commodities that may allure others thither or serve to be transported to other regions whereby a gain may be expected The Coins of Copenhagen The Monies of this Kingdom commonly current is the Dollar and shilling two Danish shillings make one Lubeck shilling and 66 Danish shillings accounted for a Rix Dollar which is five shillings Sterling Accounts in Denmark Their accounts are kept by marks of 16 shillings Danish Their exchanges are here practised by the Rix Dollar above mentioned the common current Coin of these Countries Measures and Weights c. Their Measures and Weights I will briefly observe by themselves and therefore hasten to Elsinour CHAP. CCXII. Of Elsinour and the Trade thereof Elsinour and the Trade thereof ELSINOVR of it self is but a poor Village but much frequented by Sea-men by reason of his neighbourhood to that straight Sea called the Sound where the King of Denmark hath laid so great Impositions upon all Ships and Goods coming out or going into the Baltick Sea as this sole profit surpasseth far all the Revenues of his Kingdom the strong Castle of Cronburg lies in this Village upon the mouth of this straight to which on the other side of this narrow Sea in the Kingdom of Norway another Castle is opposite called Elsburg which two are the keepers of this Straight that no Ship can pass in or come out of the Baltick Sea without their leave and consequently without due payment of this Imposition On the South side of Cronburg Castle is the largest Road for Ships toward the Baltick Sea where the King is said to have his lodgings which cannot choose but be a delectable prospect to all men but especially to him for Ships go in and out here by Fleets of a hundred and he is certain that none do pass either way but according to their burthen and loading adds somewhat to his treasury The Haven is able to contain a great Fleet for it hath Cronburg Castle on the North side the Castle of Elsburg on the East side and Seeland the chief Island of the Kingdom on the West side and the Island Fimeria or Whern on the South side in which I noted before that Tycho Brahe the samous Mathematician had his residence The Danes conceive this Island to be of such importance as they have a Fable That Henry the seventh of England offered for the possession of it as much Scarlet Cloth as would cover the same with a Rose Noble at the corner of each cloth If any such offer were made doubtless the wildom and judgment of that Prince knew how to make that Island being fortified peradventure to return him his charges again with good Interest but it is not credible by reason that it cannot benefit a foreign Prince whole Territories heth out of the Sound by which he must needs enter those before mentioned Castles commanding the entrance though it might prove more beneficial to some Prince bordering upon the Baltick Seas and to whom the Sea is open for passage CHAP. CCXIII. Weights in general of Denmark reduced to that of London Weights in general of Denmark NOw for the Weights of this Kingdom they are found to differ in many places so many as have come to my hand I have reduced to the suttle hundred of London which suttle hundred is found to produce in these Cities of Traffick and some others adjoyning  l. Aldar 87 Copping ham 92 Cracou 119 Dantzick 116 Hamburg 92 Wilde 116 Elsinour 92 Lubeck 92 Melvin 120 Revel 116 Rhiga 116 Stacar 108 Stralsont 88 Bergen Norway 92 Where it is to be noted that generally in Copenhagen and in most parts of Denmark they hare a great and small hundred one of 112 pound to the hundred and another of 120 pound to the hundred accounted twelve stone of ten pound to the stone Also they have a Skip-pound 32 stone of ten pound the stone or 20 Lispound of 16 mark pound is a Skip-pound and 20 times 16 pound is 320 pound CHAP. CCXIV. Measures in general of Denmark reduced to London Measures in general of Denmark AS I have done with their Weights so I will proceed with their Measures reducing then to the hundred yards English and makes in  Ells. Arsnis 166⅔ Breme 162½ Breslow for cloth 148 Ditto for Silks 160 Connixborough 166 Lubeck 160 Munster 80 Ockermond 141½ Revel 166 Rhostick 158⅓ Wismar 157¾ Dantzick 162½ Doinin 163 Embden 163 Gripswould 163 Hamburg 163 Melvin 162 Narva 166 Ossenbrighs 84 Rhiga 166 Statin 141½ And thus much shall serve to have said for the Measures of this Country whereto I have added the Measures of some other the adjoyning eminent Cities of Trade and Commerce CHAP. CCXV Of the Trade in general of Denmark Of the Trade in general of Denmark TO conclude the Trade of Denmark driven by the Inhabitants is not great their Country partly not affording Commodities for Merchandize and their Seas I mean principally the Baltick not being for many Months in the year navigable for Frost The Inhabitants are frugal in Food and Apparel and therefore not much addicted either to Silks or Spices and the great Traffick and Concourse of other Nations through the Sound that furnisheth them with all Necessaries makes the Inhabitants less desirous to sail abroad to fetch the same at the first hand Stock-fish and other Salted Fish they send into forein Countries and so also they do their Oxen and Cattel in great Quantity besides the Commodities which the Country doth naturally afford mentioned in the former part of this Country's Description neither have I heard any great fame of their Navigations or Mariners which principally sail Northward and little to the Southward tho otherwise it is conceived that next to the English their Vessels are the strongest built to indure the Blasts of the colder Climates and the Scorchings of the warmer Regions yet of late days I have understood they have undertaken some new Discoveries and Trade to the East-Indies
may be some benefit to a Merchant for by this Rule the greatest Loggerhead shall have consequently the largest Measure Of Corn. Corn is here sold by a Measure called a Loop 23 Loops make a Last in Amsterdam or 10 Quarters in London CHAP. CCXIX. Of Moscovia and the Trade thereof Moscovia and the Trade thereof MOscovia is bounded on the East with Tartary on the West with Livonia Lituania and part of Sweden on the North with the Frozen Ocean and on the South with the Caspian Sea the Turks and Palus Mâ—…otis Commodities of Moscovia This Country affordeth for Merchandise Furs of many sorts Flax Hemp Whales-grease Honey Wax Canvas Ropes Cables Caveare Astrican Hides Tallow Raw-hides and Bulgars Famous Rivers of Moscovia The many Rivers that are found to be in this Country do much further Trading in general Fâ—st Tanais which disburtheneth it self into Palus Moeotis Secondly Dunia which entreth into the Scythian Seas at the Abby of St. Nicholas where our English since the Discovery of the Northern Passage use to land and disperse themselves into all parts of this vast Empire Thirdly Boristhenes that entreth into Pontus Euxinus Fourthly Onega which openeth it self into the Balâ—…k Sea And lastly Volga which with no less than 70 mouths disgorgeth it self into the Caspian This Empire is divided into nine principal Provinces which together with the chief Towns thereof I shall only touch Novograde Novogradia is first the chief Town being Novograde seated on the Dunia and once one of the four ancient Mart-Towns of Europe now of late decayed since the Discovery of the new Passage unto the Town of St. Nicholas by the River Obye. Plescovia Plescovia is the second wherein is the City Plescove the only walled City in Moscovia and yet of no great Eminence Veladomira Valadomira is the next having also a Town of that Name Rhesen Rhesen is the fourth wonderful plenty in Corn that neither can Birds fly nor Horses run through it for thickness the chief Town Rhesen was the Metropolis of Russia it is the first part of Moscovia abounding in Grain Honey Fish and Fowl without number Servia Servia is the fifth the chief Towns are Staradab and Pativola Permia Permia is the sixth the chief City â—s Sickwiardley abounding in Stags Candora Candora is the seventh Petrosa Petrosa is the eighth in both these Countries the Inhabitants do live under ground and have for half the year together perpetual Day and the other half perpetual Night as situated beyond the Arctick Moscovia Moscovia is the ninth Mosco and so named of the principal City Mosco being about five miles round having therein 16 Churches of which the one half are made of Wood and Dirt as most of the Houses are the Emperours Palace standeth in the midst and is fortified with 3 Bulwarks and 17 Turrets continually guarded with 25000 Souldiers This is the most populous Province of all this great Empire for it extendeth 2000 miles in Length Smalensko Besides these there are yet some petty Provinces wherein are found the Towns of Smalensko then Toropiers next Colopigrod Landiskron and some others of lesser note which I willingly omit till my Observation be better The Trade of the English was begun here in the time of Queen Elizabeth of England and Basiliades King of this Country about the year 1575 and within 10 years after it was perfectly setled and because the Trade of Moscovia is confined to a small Circuit in these vast Dominions it will not be improper that I comprehend the same under the Title of the Metropolis of this Kingdom Mosco CHAP. CCXX Of Mosco and the Trade thereof Mosco and the Trade thereof MOsco is the Metropolis of all this large Kingdom to which the Emperour some years past repair'd most fit for the Government of so large an Empire as accounted the midst of all his Dominions It is pleasantly seated on the River Mosca running into Tanais where it loseth its name and passing Assaw disgorgeth into the Palus Meotis and so into the Euxinus About fifty years past it was esteemed ten miles in circuit and in its height of Greatness then burnt by the Tartars wherein 80000 Persons were consumed and since reduced to five miles compass beautified with 16 Churches some of Stone some of Timber and Earth and with the Palace of the Great Duke situate in the very Heart thereof enriched with the Branches of two Rivers for Use and Ornament which water two strong Forts that defend the place St. Nicholas At the Abby of St. Nicholas the Patron of this Country upon the River of Dunia or Obby the English Merchants use to land and thence disperse themselves to Smalensko Novograde hither and into all other parts of this vast Empire amongst whom they find kind entertainment and by the Favour of the Prince have larger Immunities granted unto them than to any other Nation their trafficking attributed to the never dying Fame of Queen Elizabeth in whose days the Trade was here first settled and to the plausible Behaviour of the English Merchants in general Accounts in Moscovia The Merchants here are observed to keep their accounts in several manners some as the English by Rubbles and Pence or as the Inhabitants term them Muskofkins 200 whereof making a Rubble which is accounted two Rix Dollars Some again as the Dutch and other Nations by Rubbles Grevens and Muskofkins or Pence accounting 20 pence to a Greven and 10 Grevens to a Rubble which is most in use here this Rubble being found an imaginary Coin and not real Coins current in Moscovia The Current Money here is a Capeck in value a Stiver Flemish and somewhat more than as English Penny for 10 Capecks is a Greven which the English call 12 pence sterling because that 10 Grevens is a Rubble which is 10 shillings sterling Three Capecks they call an Altine by which name all Receipts and Payments are made in bargaining and Contracts 33 Altius and 1 Capeck making a Rubble Exchanges of Archangel At Archangel is sound practised amongst the Merchants an Exchange for Moneys rising and falling according as the Russ Moneys are observed to be plentiful or scarce the English sometimes among themselves giving 11 shillings and 11 shillings 6 pence sterling in England for the Rubble here and the Moneys commonly taken there in August to be paid in London the last of December following Weights of Moscovia The Weight of Moscovia common in use is the Pood for fine Goods and the Bercovet for gross Goods the one being derived from the other By the Pood is weighed Silk Bever-wooll Yefts c. and is accounted for 40 l. Russ weight and 3 Pood hath been observed to make 112 l. English which by this computation should make 37â…“ l. Averdupois and all Goods there bought by the Pood is 10 per cent Loss in England By the Bercovet is weighed
many times relieve fruitful Provinces in time of casual Dearth into which Granaries under a great Penalty no Man may carry either Fire or Candle lighted by a Law enacted amongst them The City is compassed with one Wall yet contains three several Cities governed by three distinct Senates out of which one chief Senate is chosen to govern the whole City and according to the Roman Superstition they have St. George for their Protector whose Red Cross they carry in their Flags as doth also England Genoua in Italy and the Island Saio in the Arches the City is seated about one English mile from the Baltick Shore the Port being call'd Dermind where the Ships of Burthen do ride to lade and unlade their Commodities and the City being acknowledged a Free Town is permitted to coin Moneys which as I find observ'd I shall note here together with the Weights and Measures here in use Accounts in Dantzick Their Accounts are kept here in sundry manners the common being by Polish Guilders of 30 Gross and 12 d. to a Grosh But Merchants buy Commodities here by the great Mark of 60 Gross and by the lesser of 15 and also by the Dollar of 35 Gross of 3 Stivers the Grosh Coins current in Dantzick Their Moneys current being thus accounted 1 great Mark is 2 Polish Guilders 1 Polish Guilder is worth 2 lesser Marks 1 lesser Mark worth 15 Grosh and the Grosh 18 d. Besides which they coin Hungarian Ducats of Gold as they do in Poland and they have 2 Coins in Gold called a Milres and half a Milres each Milres is 3 Dollars and 2 Soslins 36 Polish Grosh are here a Dollar Weights of Dantzick The Weight in use here is the Pound for fine Goods the 100 l. in London making here 116 l. Besides which they have a Skip pound and a Lis-pound thus distinguished 16 Mark pound are a Lis-pound and 20 Lis-pound make a Skip-pound by the small Stone of 24 l. for Spices c. But they have also a great Stone to weigh gross Wares as Flax Wax and the like of 34 l. whereof 10 l. to the Skip-pound of 340 l. Measures of Dantzick The Measure for Length of this City is the Ell the 100 whereof makes in London about 49 Ells and the 100 yards of London do here make 162 or 163 Ells incirca The Measure of Beer is the Fat which contains 180 Stoops and is accounted 81 Stoops of Antwerp The Measure of Corn here is the Last which contains 61 shepels 56 whereof make a Last in Amsterdam or 10¼ Quarters of London 4 shepels make a Mud which is the Ship-pound before-mentioned of 34 l. Accounts in Estland Merchants for the most part throughout all Estland are found to keep their Accounts in Floriâ—… or Guilders and in Groshes and Deniers accounting 12 Deniers to the Grosh and 20 Grosh to the Guilder or Florin CHAP. CCXXV. Of Elbin and the Trade thereof Elbin and the Trade thereof ELbin a small yet a fair City and of late days compassed with Walls grown great and large by the Trade and Residence of the English Merchants who since upon some Grievance and Discontentment are hence removed In this City lies the Gross of the Trade of Prussen especially for all the gruff Goods of that Dukedom it once appertained to the Testonick Knights but now to the Kings of Poland and whom for the present the Citizens acknowledge for their Protector and otherwise it yields him but little Obedience being of it self a Free City from this City towards the North-east is a Channel that runneth up to Conixburg the Seat of the Dukes of Prusland by which all Commodities are transported and conveyed from one to the other Weights of Elbin The Coins current and the manner of their Accounts here kept I have touch'd before and the Weight in use here is the Pound 40 whereof make a stone and 10 stone of 40 l. make the Ship pound which is 400 l. and is 350 l. of their great Weight and the 100 l. of London hath been found to make here 120 l. The Last of Wheat is here accounted for 5200. Measures of Elbin The Measure of Length in use here is the Ell and the 100 yards of London are found to make here 163 Ells. There are also in this Tract found for eminent Cities of Trade Conixburg Stetin Straelsond Reuel Riga of which a word or two and first of Conixburg CHAP. CCXXVI Of Conixburg and the Trade thereof Conixburg and the Trade thereof COnixburg vulgarly called Queensburg and in Italian Mount Royal is the Metropolis of this Dutchy seated upon an Inlet of the Baltick Sea and washed with the pleasant River Fiegol it is found to have an Academy for Sciences and well stored with Merchants from all the Northern parts of the World and here the Merchants of Prusen keep their Factors for the vending of their inland Commodities Upon this shore is also found in some quantity that excellent Amber which the Inhabitants call Berstein which in English may be translated the Burning Stone of which some Writers make three sorts the first coming from certain Gummy Trees the second made by Art of Gold and Silver and other ingredients and the third this sort coming naturally from the bottom of these Seas which for six Months are frozen up and deny the Sea-man and Merchant the use of Navigation Weights of Conixburg The Monies and Accounts here in use are mentioned before and the common Weight used amongst Merchants is the Stone containing 40 pound and 10 Stone makes a Ship pound of 400 pound and the 100 l. Averdupois of London doth yield here about 120 l. or 112 l. besides which they have also the Ship pound of Dantzick in use for some Commodities of 350 l. but this Weight is to be avoided by the Strangers as being ever accounted too favourable to the Citizens Measures of Conixburg The common Measure of length is the Ell here for all Commodities measureable the 100 Yards of London hath made here by Observation 166½ incirca And thus much shall suffice to have said of this City from whence proceeding I come next to Rhiga and Revel two eminent Cities in this Tract CHAP. CCXXVII Of Rhiga and the Trade thereof Rhiga and the Trade thereof RHiga is the principal City of Livonia or Lissland seated near the Embosure of the River Dunia strengthened with an exceeding strong Wall many Ordnance to desend it against all Enemies and bordering upon the Lissland Sea it was formerly the chief residence of the Teutonick Knights and then and now reinforced by the Garrison of Dâ—…mund accounted one of the impregnable Forts of this Northern Climate where all Ships entring are searched and pay a certain Toll or Duty the Inhabitants curious for the preservation of their Liberty acknowledge the King of Poland for their Protector to whom they pay a yearly Contribution but else are governed by their
and Island Accounts in Palermo and all Sicilia Their Accounts are here kept by Ounces Taries and Grains One Ounce is 30 Taries One Tarie is 20 Grains Moneys current in Sicilia Their Moneys are also Ounces Taries and Grains accounted one Ounce to be 30 Tariâ—s which is 5 Florins of Carlins 12 the Florin One Tari to be 20 Grains and is 12 Sol. 6 Den. small Money One Tari to be two Carlins One Carlin to be 10 Grains and is 12 Livres One Grain is 6 Picholies and is 7½ Den. Money Siciliano One Poncto is 8 Picholis A Ducat of Gold is worth 13 Taries Note that for the Money which they pay by Bills of Exchange they give allowance 1½ per Cent. for bad Money Weights in Palermo It is to be observed that throughout all the Kingdom of Sicilia there is but one Weight in use only in Messina excepted which I shall shew in its due place now this Weight of Sicilia in general is the Rotolo 30 Ounces which is 2½ l. Sicilian 300 Rot. making the Cantar which 100 l. hath been observed to have made in London 173 l. circa Some have found it to yield 148 l. English or properly in gross to say 1 C. 2 Quarters 4 l. incirca and in Venetia suttle to have produced 260 l. or Venice gross 163 l. circa and hath been found to render in Florence 225 in 230 l. but yet by the calculation I made it should be but 221 l. just it is in Rhagusa 218 l. in Cattarro 78 l. Alexandris Zera 83 Rot. ditto Forfori 185 Rot. in Damasco 43½ Rot. c. Measures of length Their Measure of length is the Cane which is in London about 80 or 81 Inches by the Rule which is 2¼ Yards English this Cane is divided into 8 Palms which is about 10 Inches the Cane making 3 Cloth Braces in Venetia Of Corn. Corn which is the prime Commodity of this Place and Kingdom is sold by the Salmo of which there is the gross Salmo and the general Sicilian Salmo which is the small Salmo upon which general salmo these Observations have been made and that the same is found to agree thus with these Countries In Rhagusa staro 3â…• Dalmatia staro 3¼ Ancoma somma 1½ Ricanati somma 1â…” Rimine staro 1½ Bolonia corbe 3½ In Andalusia 5 Fanegos In Portugal 22½ Alquiers In Florence 11¼ staios In Avignon 5 sesteros In Venetia 3 staros and 1 quarter In Pisa 11 18 staros Bergamo staro 13. Millan mesni 4â…› Genoua measure 2â…“ In Ferrara staro 9. In Tripoli cafesie 15. In Tunis cafesie 15. Alexandria ribebe 1 l. 1. Candia measures 14. Corfu mosie 2â…“ Catarro staro 3¼ Verona minali 7 quastero Vicentia staro 9¾ Padua staro 9¾ Treviso staro 3. Modena staro 3 5 7. Parma staro 6½ Mirandola staro 3 5 7. The gross Salmo of Palermo and Sicilia hath been observed to make in Spalatto staro 4. Rhagusa staro 3â…“ Segnia quart 12. Arbe staro 4. Istria staro 4. Padua staro 12. Vincentia staro 12. Ferrara staro 11. Forli staro 3 quaterroli 14 Bollonia corbe 4â…“ Mantua staro 10. Cremona sommas 2. Bergamo staro 16. Verona minali 8 11½ quarteroli Brassia sommas 2â…” Millan Mesini 5 1 9. Florentia staro 14. Wherein I have been somewhat the larger by reason of the general use of this measure in the Lewant Note that both the gross and general Salmo are divided into into 16 Tomelos and that the gross Salmo is greater than the general Salmo about 17 per Cent. and observe that the ordinary charge of Corn here bought is 3 Taries and 15 Grains the Salmo but if Corn be above 18 Taries per Salmo it pays also a new impost which is per Salmo Of Salt Salt is also sold by the Salmo which in Trappano is made in great quantity where at my being here I observed to be as great as 3 ordinary Salmos of Corn divided also in 16 Tomelos which made Sicilia weight about 7 Cantaros Of Oyls Oyl is here sold by the Cantaro which is 2¾ Barrels of Florence and hath made 180 l. English Customs of Sicilia The Custom of the Island is commonly 9 and 10 per Cent. but Fish and other Commodities for food pays 12 per Cent. Exchanges Palermo is also a place of great Exchanges which briefly at my being there did run thus with other places always noting that all Bills coming from abroad pay one Carlin per ounce to make good Money and they exchange by Ponctos as I have noted elsewhere With Naples and they give in Palermo 160 Pomutos incirca to have in Naples a Ducat current and their Account is made as in the particular of Naples is expressed With Rome They give in Palermo 26 or 27 Carlins to have in Rome a Ducat de Camera With Valentia They gave in Palermo 6 Taries accounted and 1 Carlin per Ounce more to have in Valentia 10 Sold. 3 Den. and a Crown of 12 Taries is 20 Solds and a Ducat of 13 Taries is there estimated for 21 Sold. With Messina With Messina and Syracusa and other places of the Kingdom they exchange with the Crown and the same Moneys This note of Equality or Par I also learned here for current For Valentia Sold 9 dc 10¾ per Florin For Barselona Sol. 11 d. 3â…– per Florin For Majorca Sold 14 d. 10½ per Florin and for the aforesaid places they consider the interest to him that takes by Exchange at the rate of one Carlin per Ounce which they recover accordingly for the other particular Circumstances thereof I refer the Reader to the end of this Tract where the Exchanges of this Place and Messina is largely handled and as the same may more amply there appear in the Chapters 419 420 421 422 423 424 and 425. with all particular Circumstances whereto I desire to be referred for better satisfaction And in the next place survey the Trade of Messina the second eminent City of Traffick in this Island CHAP. CCLVIII. Of Messina and the Trade thereof Messina and the Trade thereof THE last Province of this Kingdom and Island is Mona wherein are the Cities of Nicosia in the Midland Milaso on the North Promontory and Messina in the face opposite to Reggio in Calabria which fare hath in times past been accounted to be very dangerous by reason of those anciently accounted perils Scylla and Charybdis the one a Sand and the other a Rock opposing each other at the entrance thereof now not so much feared by our Sea-men by being more expert this Town is the most eminent Town of Trade in all this Island and inhabited by many Merchants which the benefit of the Haven doth much further and the commodiousness of the Situation and the Privileges and Immunities of the yearly Fairs much augmenteth The Commodities proper hitherto as also to the whole Island as also the
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
City exchanging and in what Region or Country seated Secondly the Manner and Method wherein the Accounts in that City is kept by Exchangers Thirdly the Quality of the Moneys in use is observed and in what Coin imaginary or real that City is accustomed to make its Exchange with the others there mentioned Fourthly underneath that is orderly set down the Names of all the other Places the which by a Line are found to be joyned and knit together and lastly in the midst of the Line is written the Name of the Place and City it self for which the said Table in the said Leaf is made As for Example in the first Leaf which is for Placentia in Italy where besides the Name of the Place it self is found these words Placentia exchangeth with the which words by reason of the including Line drawn from the highest to the lowest hath reference to every one of the Names of the other Places which are so included together so that it is to be understood as that Placentia exchangeth with Lions Placentia exchangeth with Reâ—e with Genoua c. and so in the rest from one to another Next to every one of the said Names of Places followeth the Species or Moneys exchanged either by an entire and whole Sum or by a broken and lesser denomination which the place in the Table giveth in exchange by proportion with the other to whose Name the said Moneys are placed and put unto as to say Placentia exchangeth with Lions 100 Crowns that is understood that in Exchanging between Placentia and Lions 100 Crowns of Placentia are supposed and put by an equivalency or in value to that quantity or sum of Money which is found to be noted in Lions following As in the said Example Placentia exchangeth with Lions Crowns 100 for Crowns 97¾ so likewise is it to be understood that in the said Exchanges that for every 100 Crowns of Placentia or of Fiera or of Mark it is as much as to say as Lions counter-payeth or giveth 97¾ of his Crowns that is of the Sun Also Placentia exchangeth with Genoua Crown 1. for Sol. 67. 10 d. that is to say that Placentia Exchanging with Genoua it giveth or as I said before it selleth Crownâ— of Mark to have in Genoua Sol. 67. 10 d. of Gold and in the same manner the rest of the said places are to be understood Though the Tables of Exchanges differ from the present Rates yet the use thereof is not any way lessened and whereas the Rates and Prices of these Exchanges may here be sound to disagree from the current Rates of the same in sundry places as at this very day and time yet that cannot take away the Benefit that may redound to Merchants by the use thereof nor prejudice the Labour or Judgment of him that calculated the said Table because we see by experience that the Rates of Exchanges do hourly differ and the Moneys also are found to rise and fall daily in sundry places upon which these Exchanges have their Ground work and Foundation and though a Table were calculated precisely to this present day and time yet e'er the same could be published it would find a disagreement in divers places CHAP. CCLXXVI The Use of the Table of Exchanges The use of the Table of Exchanges by three Examples THE method being thus understood the use thereof is easily comprehended which by three Examples I shall illustrate and make plain where by the way it is to be noted that in Exchanging of any Sum of Moneys whatsoever the Rates mentioned in this Table are not observable save only for the Examples sake and for Instruction in the Contract that may be made thereupon but the Rate agreed upon and by which the Exchange is conditioned by both the Giver and Taker is the true and firm Rule whereby the question is to be wrought First Example notwithstanding for the first Example we will propound a Question by a contracted Price according to the current Rates mentioned in this said Table and that from Naples a Merchant would exchange Ducats 738. 4. 10. with Placentia and the Price of the Exchange shuâ— be that which is mentioned in the Table of Naples with the Town of Placentia where it is found that Naples exchangeth with Placentia at Grains 133 for a Crown By these three Numbers in the Tables mentioned I work thus then by the Rule of Thres saying If 133 Grains give 1 Crown how many do 738 Ducats 4. 10. give and working Arithmetically according to the said Rule it makes 555 Crowns 11. 3. of Mark in Credit to be given in â—…era of the said Placentia Second Example For a second Example I will propound that Naples would exchange 500 Ducats with Placentia at Sold. 18. 2 d. c. This Example considered will not be found to differ from the former save that in the former Naples gave the lesser or broken Number and in this Naples gives the whole and entire Number notwithstanding which the Rule is not found to differ as in other the like Questions in simple Exchanges wherein it is to be observed that Sol. 18. and Den. 2. of Valentia are paid for 1 Ducat of Naples and by that Price and Rate I would know how many Livres of that Money of Valentia the proposed Sum of 500 Ducats in Naples come into and by that which we find in the Table by the same Rule of Three I say if one Ducat is worth 18 Sol. 2 Den. how many shall 500 be worth and by working the Question it makes 454 Livrâ—s 3 s. 4 d. and so much Credit will 500 Ducats of Naples give at the Price aforementioned thus Third Example All other Exchanges have their Resolutions as these two former but yet sometimes it is true some accidents may interpose which may cause the Question to have a double working as if I should say that Genoua would exchange with Venetia Crowns 1000 of Livres 4. to Livres 7 l. 10 Sol of that Money and the Credit is required in Ducats Now then because the simple Exchange gives the Money in Livres you must make another reckoning to reduce the same into Ducats but yet for all this neither in this nor in any other case would I have but one account made the which may be done by the Rule multiplied I say then if 1 Crown be worth 7. 100. Den. and that 6 s. 4 Den. is worth one Ducat how many Ducats will a 1000 Crowns make and by working the Question it will be found to make 1209 Ducats 13. 6 d. for Credit which from Genoua will be produced by a thousand Crowns in Venice the Question being well observed it will be found to be wrought in this manner It is to be noted that in what place soever the Moneys are accounted by Livres Sols and Den. or as we say in England by Pounds Shillings and Pence it is accounted by 20 and by 12 because that Sol. or Shill 20
make a Livre or Pound and 12 Deniers or Pence makes a Soldo or Shilling the same Rule also holds in those places whose greatest Moneys are imaginary and feigned or who keep not this orderly Succession as are the Ducats of Catalonia of Castilia of Rome and of Pertugal also those Crowns who have no proper parts also the Ducatoons in what Country soever and the Florms in Germany all these I say which ought to succeed in 20 and 12 that is in Solds and Den. or Shillings and Pence and each of the other sorts of Moneys shall be accounted according to the property of that Country and as shall be signified in the front of the following Table of that place amongst which there are some which are commonly resolved by the more principal of their own Moneys as the Exchange of Sicily with Catalonia Castilia Portugal Brabant and England and howsoever they make their Exchange either by the Sicilian Florin or by the Ducat notwithstanding the parcel is resolved in Ounces Tarins Grains and Pichols which is throughly declared in the following Tables And lastly forasmuch as the terms and days of Bills of Exchange are found in many Countries to differ in length of time and are limited of divers days and that the Rates â—…sing and falling of Exchanges have a course set by a continual meeting of Exchangers and their Opinions in equality of value I have thought good to insert the same with some other needful Circumstances of this Art of Exchanging at the end of the Tables to which I refer the Learne where also he shall find at large how most of these Exchanges are cast up and reckoned from one place to another and now I will proceed to the Tables themselves as I find them calculated by the said Geo Bapt. Zuletta and others following him CHAP. CCLXXVII Of the Exchanges of Placentia a Place of Fairs or Fiera of Exchanges in Italy The Exchanges of Placentia THis Town is considered as a Fair or Staple of Exchanges and not as a City of Trafficle and therefore there is no esteem made of the current Money of the place but only of that which is made by Exchanging which are Crowns of Mark in which Moneys Bankers and Exchangers do only treat and account in and the same is held by Crowns Sold and Deniers of Mark. And in the Custom of Exchanges here in use it giveth the entire and whole Sum to all other places being either Crowns one or Crowns one Hundred Placentia doth exchange with Lions Crowns 100 for 96¾ Crowns Rome Crowns 100 99½ Ducats Genoua Crown 1 67. 10 Sol. of Gold Millan Crown 1 134. 9 Sol. Venice Crowns 100 130 Ducats Florence Crowns 100 109½ Crowns Lucca Crowns 100 116¾ Ducatoons Naples Crown 1 134 Grains Lechi Crown 1 135½ Grains Bari Crown 1 135 Grains Palermo Crown 1 29 Carlins Mesina Crown 1 29¼ Carlins Antw. Col. Crown 1 128 Grosses London Crown 1 81½ d. sterl Valentia Crown 1 24 Sold. Saragosa Crown 1 24 Sol. 6 Den. Barcelona Crown 1 24 Sol. 4 Den. Siv al. Med. Crown 1 432 Marvedes Lisbon Crown 1 482 Rais Bollonia Crown 1 119 Ducatoons Bergamo Crown 1 118¾ Ducatoons Frankford Crown 1 103½ Quarentins In the 382. Chapter the Reader may find how these Exchanges are cast up and calculated CHAP. CCLXXVIII Of the Exchanges of Lions Paris and Rouen in France The Exchanges of Lions c. IN Lions Paris Rouen and through all France they keep their Accounts in Livres Sols Deniers and Turnois and they here do exchange in Crowns of the Sun and Deniers of the Sun this Livre is also called in some places of France a Frank and 3 Livres or Franks is accounted for the said Crown of the Sun and the Crown of Italy by a Decree and Standard of the Country passeth at 58 Sol. of the said Crown And in the Custom of Exchanging it giveth the entire and whole Sum or Number either one Crown or one hundred Crowns of the Sol. Lions doth exchange with Placentia Crowns 100 for 103½ Crowns Rome Crowns 100 99½ Ducat Genoua Crown 1 66½ Sol. of Gold Millan Crown 1 115 Sol. Venice Crowns 100 116¾ Duc. Bank Florence Crowns 100 106½ Crown Lucca Crowns 100 117½ Ducatoons Naples Crown 1 124 Grains Lechi Crown 1 122½ Grains Bari Crown 1 123 Grains Palermo Crown 1 29½ Carlins Mesina Crown 1 29½ Carlins Antw Col. Crown 1 96 Gross London Crown 1 62 Pence sterl Valentia Crown 1 23 Sol. 10 Den. Saragosa Crown 1 23 Sol. 8 Den. Barcelona Crown 1 24 Sol. Siv al. Med. Crown 1 436 Marvedes Lisbon Crown 1 485 Rais Bollonia Crowns 100 119½ Ducatoons Bergamo Crowns 100 119â…• Ducatoons Franckford Crown 1 104 Quarentins Vide Chap. 302. and so following of the Calculation of the Exchanges of this place CHAP. CCLXXIX Of the Exchanges of Rome in Italy The Exchanges of Rome IN Rome the Bankers and Exchangers keep their Accounts in Crowns Julios Bacochs and Quatrins and they Exchange in Ducats Sols and Deniers of Camera The Crown of the abovesard Money is worth 10 Julios or 100 Bacochs or else 400 Quatrins the Julio is 10 Bacochs or else 40 Quatrins and the Bacoch is 4 Quatrins The Ducat of Camera according to the old Value is worth 2½ per Cent. more than the Crown of Gold so that 100 Ducats are 102½ Crowns In the Custom of Exchange amongst Merchants the place giveth the broken Number to all Italy excepting to the Kingdom of Naples to Sicilia Bollonia and Bergamo and to all others 〈◊〉 giveth the whole Number which is either one Ducat or by a 100 Ducats Rome doth exchange with Placentia Ducats 97¾ for 100 Crowns Lions Ducats 97½ 100 Crowns Genoa Ducats 97â…› 100 Crowns of Gold Millan Ducats 97¼ 100 Crowns of Gold Venice Ducats 85â…“ 100 Ducates Florence Ducats 91¾ 100 Crowns Lucca Ducats 84 100 Ducatoons Naples Ducats 100 135 Ducats Lechi Ducats 100 134â…” Ducats Bari Ducats 100 134½ Ducats Palermo Ducat 1 14 15 Tarins Mesina Ducat 1 14 17 Tarins Antw. Col. Ducat 1 125 Grosses London Ducat 1 87½ d. sterling Valentia Ducat 1 24 2 Sol. Saragosa Ducat 1 23 Sol. 8 Deniers Barcellona Ducat 1 23 Sol. 10 Deniers Siv al. Med. Ducat 1 440 Marvedes Lisbon Ducat 1 482 Raies Bollonia Ducats 100 119 Ducatoons Bergamo Ducats 100 119½ Ducatoons Frankford Ducat 1 103 Quarentins Vide how these are calculated Chap. 326. and so following CHAP. CCLXXX Of the Exchanges of Genoua the Metropolis of Liguria The Exchanges of Genoua IN Genoua Exchangers keep their Accounts in Livres Sols and Deniers current and they exchange in Livres Sols and Deniers of Gold The Moneys current is it that is the common in use of which the Crown of Gold is worth Sol. 90. and in times past was worth less The Moneys of Gold are imaginary and valued according as the Fairs of Exchanges permit of which the Crown of Gold is always worth 68 Sol. In the Custom of
Exchanging this place giveth the whole Sum to all excepting Placentis and Lions the which are either one Crown or 100 Crowns the which Crowns are accounted of Gold for all the Places excepting Millan Venice and Germany to which they are accustomed to give the Crown of 4 Livres current Genoua doth exchange with Placentia Sold. 66 of Gold for 1 Crown Lions Sol. 664 of Gold 1 Crown Rome Crown 100 of Gold 98½ Ducats Millan Cro. 1 of 4 Liv. cor 119 Sold Venice Cro. 1 of 4 Liv. cor 7 Liv. 10 Sol. Pico Florence Crown 100 of Gold 106¼ Crowns Lucca Crown 100 of Gold 118 Ducats Naples Crown 1 of Gold 134 Grains Lechi Crown 1 of Gold 135 Grains Bari Crown 1 of Gold 134½ Grains Palermo Crown 1 of Gold 29â…“ Carlins Mesina Crown 1 of Gold 29½ Carlins Antw. Col. Crown 1 of Gold 124 Grosses London Crown 1 of Gold 83 d. sterling Valentia Crown 1 of Gold Sol. 23. 9. Saragosa Crown 1 of Gold Sol. 23. 10. Barcellona Crown 1 of Gold Sol. 23. 8. Siv al. Med. Crown 1 of Gold Marved. 436. Lisbon Crown 1 of Gold Raies 470. Bollonia Crown 101 of Gold Ducat 118½ Bergamo Crown 110 of Gold Ducat 118â…“ Frankford Cro. 1 of 4 Liv. cor Quarentin 92. Vide Chap. 360. how the Exchanges of this place are calculated CHAP. CCLXXXI Of the Exchanges of Millan in Lombardy The Exchanges of Millan IN Millan Exchangers keep their Accounts in Livres Solds and Deniers Imperial and some in Crowns Sols and Deniers of Gold The Moneys current is accounted the Imperial Moneys there is also the Crown of Gold of no settled Price but now worth Sol. 135. The Crown of 6 Livres is it which some do use in Exchange with Genoua The Crown of 117 Sol is in use for the Exchange of Venetia In the Custom of Exchanging this place giveth the broken Number to Placentia Lions and sometimes to Genoua and to all the other the whole Number which is either one or 100 Crowns of Gold excepting only to Venetia which is of Sol. 117 as aforesaid Millan doth exchange with Placentia Sold. 134 for 1 Crown Lions Sold. 135½ 1 Crown Rome Gold Crowns 100 98¼ Ducats Genoua Gold Crown 1 Liv. 4. 10 current Venice Cro. 1 of 117 Sol. 1 Liv. 7. 6. Florence Gold Crowns 100 Crowns 105. Lucca Gold Crowns 100 117 Ducats Naples Gold Crowns 100 133 Ducats Lechi Gold Crowns 100 134 Ducats Bari Gold Crowns 100 133½ Ducats Palermo Gold Crown 1 29¼ Carlins Mesina Gold Crown 1 29â…“ Carlins Antw. Col. Gold Crown 1 124 Grosses London Gold Crown 1 84½ d. sterl Valentia Gold Crown 1 24 Sol. Barcelona Gold Crown 1 23. 9 Sol. Siv al. Med. Gold Crown 1 434 Marvedes Lisbon Gold Crown 1 465 Raies Bollonia Gold Crowns 100 118 Ducatoons Saragosa Gold Crown 1 23. 10 Sol. Bergamo Gold Crowns 100 118 Ducatoons Franckford Gold Crown 1 103 Quarentins Vide Chap. 440. how these are calculated CHAP. CCLXXXIII Of the Exchanges of Venice in the Adriatick Seas The Exchanges of Venice IN Venetia they keep their Accounts in Livres Sols and Deniers of Picol and some in Livres Sols and Deniers gross and others in Ducats and Grosses The Moneys which here is called Picoli is the current Moneys of the place The Moneys which we here call Gross is worth 1 Livre Sol. 62 of Picols or 10 Ducats The Ducat is always worth Livres 6. Sol. 4. of Picol or else accounted 24 Grosses The Gross is worth Sol. 5. 2 d. of Picol and in the Livre of Grosses it is accounted and reckoned as in Deniers In the Custom of Exchanging it giveth the broken Number only to Placentia Lions Genoua Millan and Bollonia and to all the rest the whole Number either by one Ducat or by 100 Ducats Venetia doth exchange with Placentia Ducats 129 for 100 Crowns Lions Ducats 129½ 100 Crowns Rome Ducats 100 77½ Ducats Geno Liv. Pic. Ducats 7. 10 1 Crown of 4 Liv. current Mill. Liv. Pic. 7. 6 5 1 Crown of 117 Sol. Florence Ducats 100 82 Crowns Naples Ducats 100 100 Ducates Lechi Ducats 100 100¼ Ducats Bari Ducats 100 99¼ Ducats Palermo Ducat 1 Tarins 11. 2 Mesina Ducat 1 Tarins 10. 18. Antw. Col. Ducat 1 91 Grosses London Ducat 1 60 d. sterling Valentia Ducat 1 Sol. 7 6. Saragosa Ducat 1 Sol. 17 8. Barcellona Ducat 1 Sol. 17 10. Siv al. Med. Ducat 1 Marvedes 320. Lisbon Ducat 1 Rates 350. Bollonia Ducats 115 Ducatoons 100. Bergamo Ducats 100 Ducatoons 117. Frankford Ducats 100 Florins 127. Lucca Ducats 100 Ducatoons 91. Vide Chap. 368. how these are calculated CHAP. CCLXXXIII Of the Exchanges of Florence the Ducal City of Tuscany The Exchanges of Florence IN Florence the Exchangers keep their Accounts in Livres Solds and Deniers Picoli and Exchange in Crowns Sols and Deniers The Moneys which is here called Picol is the Money current of the place the Crown is always worth Livres 7. Sol. 10. of Picol wherein the Custom of other places is divers in which the Crown of Gold with the current Moneys and here the variety is accorded by the Exchange They use also a Ducat which is worth Livres 7. or else Bolonini 70. In the use of Exchanging it giveth the broken Number to Lions Placentia Genoua Millan and Venice and to all others the entire or whole Number found to be either one Crown or 100 Crowns Florence doth exchange with Placentia Crowns 105 for 100 Crowns Lions Crowns 105½ 100 Crowns Rome Crowns 100 96 Ducats Genoua Crowns 106 100 Crowns of Gold Millan Crowns 106½ 100 Crowns of Gold Venetia Crowns 82½ 100 Ducates Lucca Crowns 100 112 Ducatoons Naples Crowns 100 130 Ducats Lechi Crowns 100 129 Ducats Bari Crowns 100 129¼ Ducats Palermo Crown 1 28½ Carlins Mesina Crown 1 28â…“ Carlins Antw. Col. Crown 1 118 Gross London Crown 1 80 Pence sterl Valentia Crown 1 23 4 Sold. Saragosa Crown 1 23 6 Sol. Barcelona Crown 1 23 2 Sol. Siv al. Med. Crown 1 432 Marvedes Lisbon Crown 1 460 Rais Bollonia Crowns 100 115½ Ducatoons Bergamo Crowns 100 115 Ducatoons Franckford Crown 1 89 Quarentins Vide Chap. 400 how these are calculated CHAP. CCLXXXIV Of the Exchanges of Lucca a Republick in Tuscany The Exchanges of Lucca IN Lucca Exchangers do keep their Accounts in Livres Sol. and Deniers of Picols and do change in Ducatoons Sol. and Deniers the Moneys here called Picols is the current Câ—… of the place The Crown of Gold is always worth Liv. 7. Sol. 10. of Picols as in Florence the Ducatoon is worth 7 Livres of Picol and is commonly called the Crown of Silver In the Custom of Exchanging it giveth the broken Number to Placentia Lions Genous Millan and Venetia and to all other the entire or whole which is one Ducatoon or 100 Ducatoons Lucca doth Exchange with Placentia Ducate 117¼ for 100 Crowns Lions Ducat 118¼ 100 Crowns Rome Ducat 119 100 Duc. Genoa Ducat 118 100 Crowns of Gold
here properly in the general said to be of two distinct kinds the one as appertaining to the State and Prince and belonging to the Profit and Loss of the Kingdom and the other to the Merchant or Exchanger and appertaining to the Profit and Loss of his private Estate and Interest The first I hold proper and fit the knowledge of Counsellors and Statesmen and the other is proper and fit the knowledge of the Trading-Merchant the finding out of both which Pars in Exchanges is thus 1. Princes Par. The first Par in Exchanges which I term here the Prince's Par or the Sovereign's Value for Value is grounded upon the weight fineness and valuation of the Moneys of each several Kingdom City or Place the several Standards thereof so equally proportioned so truly and justly by the Art of the Mint rectified that each Prince his Coin in Exchanges may have its due allowance according to the goodness and fineness coarsness and badness thereof and therefore herein to make and to settle this above-named Par exactly betwixt one Kingdom and another we are to examine and compare not only the weight and fineness of our own Coins as they are in themselves but also the weight and fineness of those of other Princes and Countries with the real proportion that happeneth therein not only between our own Gold and Silver but also between the Gold and Silver of other Countries This examination comparison and proportion duly rightly and really examined compared and proportioned and no difference inequality or disproportion found or admitted therein then may our Exchanges run at one and the same Price and Rate both for Gold and Silver taking the denomination according to the valuation of the Money of each Country and Kingdom hereby finding how much fine Silver or Gold our own Pound sterling containeth and what quantity of other Moneys either of France Italy Germany Netherlands Eastland c. this Kingdom is to have in Exchange to countervail the same in the weight and fineness answerable to our own be it by the Pound Dollar Ducat Crown or any other real or imaginary Coin giving always a Value for Value and receiving the like which by reason of the great Consequence depending thereon I here call the Prince his Par in the Exchanges of his Moneys by Bills of Exchange with other Countries and Kingdoms 2. Merchants Par. The second Par I call the Merchants or Exchangers Par in Bills of Exchange and is grounded partly upon the Sovereign or Prince's Par above-mentioned but principally upon the current value of the said Coins the plenty and scarcity thereof the rising and falling inhansement and debasement of the same and therefore such Merchants as are Exchangers do endeavour by certain Rules of Exchanges to equalize the valuation of the Moneys of one Prince or Country with another And therefore every Man that delivereth his Money in one Country or Place to have it in another is and ought to be ever curious to understand either the Loss or Gain that cometh thereof which is only and properly distinguished by the knowledge and finding out this Par afore-mentioned For finding out of which it is requisite for him that remitteth to know either by his own Advice Judgment or otherwise how much the Crown Dollar Ducat or Pound whence he remitteth is worth in the place whither he would make his remittance unto As for Example having Money in Lions in France which I would remit for Antwerp I ought to know how much the Crown of France is really worth in Antwerp as presuppose that the Crown of France of 67 Sols or 3 l. 7 Sols Turnâ—… is worth by Exchange according to the course thereof 100 Grosses there I would then know what a real Crown of 60 Sols or 3 l. Turnois the Crown wherein Exchanges are made is worth multiplying and dividing as the Rule requireth it it will appear to be Sols 89 â—… 67 Gross which is indeed the true value of the Crown if then the Bill of Exchange be made for less than 89 â—… 67 Gross per Crown of 3 l. Turnois there is a loss thereby and if for more there is a Gain thereby so that it is hereby evident that 89 â—7 67 Gross is the Par in Exchanges between these two Countries in the Crown of France and in the Gross of Antwerp the which Rule may serve as an Example in Remittances for all other places for it is not otherwise to be imagined that any positive Rule can be set down herein considering the diversity of species which as I said before daily riseth and falleth and the Price of the Exchanges which every day according to presenting occasions likewise altereth found to be sometimes at one Rate and sometimes at another And this Par is the matter whereupon all Merchants Exchanges for Profit and Loss is grounded and is the Par or Value for Value which in this following Tract I principally and fundamentally aim at Now the last thing considerable in this place and now to be observed is the method form and manner how the Accounts of these divers Exchanges from one Country to another is between one Merchant and another cast up and calculated which indeed principally is the work of the Pen and Hand of the Aâ—ithmetician which as a necessary adjunct and needful furtherance to the mystery of Exchanging I have hereto inserted and have herein pitched upon the principal places here mentioned willingly omitted the least and rest of them having fitted to such as I have conceived the most worthy apt Questions and their Solutions from one Town or City to another with the denomination of their several Accounts and Species the manner of the brief calculations thereof and the short proof of each prescribed Rule and Position adding for conclusion to each general City of Exchanges some Examples of Orders and Commissions given and received in Draughts and Remittances made according to the common Custom and use of the place omitting some other principal Points wherein I might have enlarged both this Matter and Subject that the ingedious Head and Hand of the Learner may have room and scope to work upon according either to his Desire Capacity or Inclination CHAP CCCIII. Of Examples upon the Exchanges practised at Lions and how the the same are calculated Examples upon Exchanges in Lions I Have formerly noted that the payments of Bills of Exchanges at Lions is only in use four times a year which are first 1. The payment of Roys beginneth the 6th of March after their Stile and continueth the rest of that Month. 2. The payments of Pasques or Easter the 6th of June 4. The payments of August the 6th of September 4. The payments of All-Saints the 6th of December The Custom of acceptation of Bills of Exchange in Lions The Acceptance of all Bills of Exchange here is always made the first day of the Month of each payment which Acceptances hold in themselves both a promise and
of Lions with Genoa LIons exchangeth with Genoa and giveth one Crown of the Sun have in that place positâ— of mony in Gold 59 s. 9 d. I demand for Cro. 9432. 9 of the Sun how much credit shall Lions have in Genoa in current mony To do which first multiply the said Crown of the Sun by Sol. 59. 9 d. and it maketh Sol. 563588. 10 d. which reduced into Livers makes Lib. 28179. 8. 10 Mâ—ny of Gold which divided by 68 Sol which is the price of a Crown of Gold in mony of Gold and that which resteth of the division you must multiply by 20 to make them Sols of Gold and then by 12 to make them Deniers and they will be Crowns 8288. 1. 5 of Gold the which multiply by 4½ which is the price at present of the Crown of Gold in current mony and of its prodâ—ct will come Lib. 37296. 6. 4 of mony current and so much credit shall Lions have in Genoa for the said Crown 9432. 9. of the Sun And you must note That the Livers of the mony of Gold cannâ—e be reduced into current mony unless first it be reduced to Crowns of Exchange Proof The proof of this Rule is seen when that Genoa doth Exchange for Lions CHAP. CCCXIV Of the Exchanges of Lions with Millan Exchanges of Lions with Millan LIONS Exchangeth with Millan and giveth a Crown of the Sun to have in Millan posito 118â…“ s. I would know how many Livers makes Crowns 1564. 15. 6. of Gold of the Sun in Millaâ—t To do which you must multiply the said sum of Crowns by 5 l. 18. 4. which are the Sols 118â— beginning to multiply the l 5 by the 6 Den. and then by the 15 which are with the Crown of the Sun the proceed of the multiplication shall be l. 9258. 5. which shall be had in Millan for the said Crown of the Sun as for Example Proof The proof of the said account shall be manifest in the Example of Millan with Lions CHAP. CCCXV. Of the Exchange of Lions with Venetia Exchanges of Lions with Venetia LIONS Exchangeth with Venice and giveth 100 Crowns of Gold to have their Dâ—cates posito 119â…” of Livers 6â…™ per Ducat I demand for Crowns 3549. 10. of the Sun how much credit shall Lions have in Venice To know which multiply the said sum of Crowns by the said 119â— Ducats and the remainder produced by the said multiplication shall be divided by 24 because that the Ducat is worth 24 Gross and out of that product cut the two last figures the which being multiplied by 24 to make them Grosses they will make Dacâ—t 48 38 1 12 which Lions shall have credit in Venice for the said Crowns of the Sun as Example Facit 4238 Ducat 2 Gross And the proof of this account shall be manifested by Example Proof in the Exchanges of Venetia back for Lion CHAP. CCCXVI. Of the Exchanges of Lions with Bolonia Exchanges of Lions with Bolonia LIONS Exchangeth with Bolonia and giveth 100 Crowns of the Sun to have in Bolonia Crowns 113 of Livers 4¾ per Crown I demand then for Crowns 3879. 13. 4. of the Sun how much credit shall Lions have in Bolonia To do which multiply the said Crowns of the Sun by 113 and from the product cut the two last figures then multiply them by 20. and 12. to make them Sols and Deniers and it will come to Crowns 4282. 6. 5. in Bolonia the which you must bring into Livers by multiplying them by l. 4. 15. which is the value of the Crown in Bolonia and they make l. 20341. 0. 5. which Lions shall have credit for in Bolonia The proof hereof serveth to know how to make the account when Bolonia exchangeth for Lions and is done by the Rule of 3 saying If Crowns 213 give 100 Crowns how many shall 4282 Crowns 5. s. 6 d. give CHAP. CCCXVII Of the Exchanges of Lions with Placentia Exchanges of Lions with Placentia LIONS Exchangeth with Placentia and giveth 119â…” posito Crowns of the Sun to have in Placentia Crowns 100 of Marc. I demand for Crowns 3489. 15 of Gold of the Sun how many Crowns shall be due to me in Placentia To find which I say by the Rule of three If Crowas 119â…” give 100 Crowns of Marc. how many will Crowns 3489. 15. give the product of which Rule giveth Crowns 2916. 4. 6. d. of Marc. and so much shall be due to me in the said place of Placentia for the said sum of Crowns of the Sun for example The proof of this rule is seen when that Placentia shall exchange with Lions CHAP. CCCXVIII Of the Exchanges of Lions with Antwerp Exchanges of Lions with Antwerp LIONS Exchangeth with Antwerp and giveth one Crown of the Sun to have in Antwerp posito 121â…“ Gross I demand then how many Livers of Grosses I shall have there for Cro. 6895. 11. 3. To do which I multiply the said sum by the said 121â…“ Gross and it giveth Grosses 836661 out of which take 1 12 to make them Sols and they make Sols 69721. 9. which to make into Livers you must cut the two last figures and take the ½ of the others and it will come to l. 3486. 1. 9. of Grosses which I should have in the said place of Antwerp for the above-mentioned sum of Crowns of the Sun as by Example Proof The proof of the said account will appear when that Antwerp exchangeth with Lions and therein is to be noted that in the manner of the Exchange that Lions maketh with Antwerp the Calculation will serve in the same manner with Colonia because the same Moneys are used in Exchanges in the said City of Colonia as in Antwerp and the same also is in use in Amsterdam and throughout the Netherlands CHAP. CCCXIX. Of the Exchanges of Lions with London Exchanges of Lions with London LIons exchangeth with London and giveth a Crown of the Sun to have in London posito Pence sterling 58 I then demand for Crowns 7693. 10. 0. Crowns of the Sun how many Liens of Pounds sterling shall I have in London working the same as in the precedent Rule and accounâ— from Lions to Antwerp and it will make sterling Pounds 1859. 5. 3. d. And so much Credit shall the same give me in London as shall appear by Example following Proof The proof of this account shall appear when I come to the Exchanges of London with this place of Lions Paris Rouen Here also is to be noted That the account is calculated in the same manner when either Pâ—ris Rouen or any other part of France doth exchange for the City of London or for any other City in England CHAP. CCCXX Of the Exchange of Lions with Francfort Exchanges of Lions with Francfort LIons exchangeth with Francfort and giveth a Crown of the Sun to have in the said place Quarentines posito 95¼ I demand for 1500 Crowns of
govern which every day is observed to alter that no set Rule can be Peremptorily laid down for the same yet is in it self so beneficial that thereby the ignorant may make his calculation either in his Draughts or Remittances the way of making which account now remaineth to be handled observing the same with so many other places as may be fit to understand the ground thereof It is also there noted for the understanding of what is to follow That Bankers and Exchangers in Rome do keep their accounts in Crowns of Stampe or Camera Sols and Deniers of Gold named of the Eight Stampe which are numbered by 20 and 12 because that 20 Sols of Gold makes a Crown and 12 Deniers a Sol. The Crown of Stampe being worth 12 Julio's The Crown in Money worth 10 And the Julioâ— worth 10 Baio's CHAP. CCCXXVII Of the Exchanges of Rome with Lions Exchanges of Rome with Lions FIrst then Rome exchangeth with Lions and giveth Cro. 85 of Gold of the Eight Stampe to have in the said City of Lions Crowns 100 of the Sun I demand for Crowns 3842. 10. 7. of Estampe how many Crowns of the Sun shall Rome have in Lions To know which you must say by the Rule of Three If Crowns 85 give 100 Crowns of the Sun how much will 3842. 10. 7. Crowns give and it will come to Crowns 4520. and the Remainder of the Divident multiply by 20 and by 12 to make Sols and Deniers of Gold and it will be Crowns 4520. 12. 5. of the Sâ—… that Rome ought to have in Lions for the said sum as may be seen by the following Example Proof The proof of this account is seen when Lions doth exchange with Rome CHAP CCCXXVIII Of the Exchange of Rome with Placentia Exchanges of Rome with Placentia ROme exchangeth with Placentia and giveth posito 99¼ Crowns of Gold of Estampe to have here Crowns 100 of Marc. I demand for Crowns 1382. 5. 8. of Estampe how many Crowns of Marc. Placentia shall have You must reduce the price and the sum of Crowns into Deniers multiplying the same by 20 and by 12 and adding 15 for the ¼ of a Crown then say by the Rule of Three if the Deniers come of the said price give Crowns 100 of Marc. how many will the Deniers come of the said sum of Crowns give and multiplying the remainder of the division by 20 and by 12 to make them Sols and Deniers of Gold in doing which they will amount to Crowns 1385. 14. 11. of Marc. which must be had in the said place of Placentia for the said sum of Crowns of Estampe as may be seen by the following Example Proof The proof of this account is seen when Placentia doth exchange with Rome CHAP. CCCXXIX Of the Exchange of Rome with Florence Exchanges of Rome with Florence ROme exchangeth with Florence and giveth posito Crowns 92¼ of Gold of Estampe to have in this place 100 Crowns of Gold I demand for Crowns 1476. 2. 3. of Estampe what Credit shall Rome have in the said Florence To know which you must reduce as afore is said the price and the sum of Crowns into Deniers of Gold multiplying by 20 and by 12 and adding 5 Sol for the ¼ Crown then say by the Rule of Three If the Deniers come of the said price give Crowns 100 of Gold how many will the Deniers of the abovesaid sum of Crowns give and multiplying the remainder of the division by 20 and by 12 to have Sols and Deniers of Gold it will appear to come to Crowns 1600. 5. 2. of Gold and so much Credit must Rome have in Florence As for Example Proof The proof of this account is seen when as Florence doth exchange with Rome CHAP. CCCXXX Of the Exchange of Rome with Venetia Exchanges of Rome with Venice ROme exchangeth with Venice and giveth Crowns 73½ posito of Estampe to have in that place Ducats 100 de Banco of Livers 6â…• per Ducat I demand for Crowns 850. 15. 8. of Estampe what Credit in Banco shall I have at Venice To do which I must reduce as in the precedent accounts the price and the sum of Crowns into Deniers of Gold multiplying the same by 20 and by 12 and add 10 Sols for the ½ Crown and then say by The Rule of Three If the Deniers come of the price give Ducats 100 how many will the Deniers give me that come of the abovesaid sum of Crowns and multiplying the remainder of the Division by 24 to bring them into Gross because that 24 Grosses are worth in the said City of Venice 1 Ducat of l. 6â…• then it will make Ducats 1157½ which Rome hath Credit at Venice as for Example Proof The proof of this account may be discerned when as Venetia doth exchange with Rome back CHAP. CCCXXXXI Of the Exchanges of Rome with Millan Exchanges of Rome with Millan ROme exchangeth with Millan and giveth posito Crown 87â…˜ of Estampe to have in that place Crowns 100 of Livers 5. Sol. 17 per Crown I demand for Crowns 2140. 16 of Estampe how many Livers of Millan shall I have First reduce the price and the Crowns into Sols of Gold multiplying them by 20 and to the multiplication add 16 Sol. â…˜ of a Crown and then say by the Rule of Three If the Sols coming of the price give Crowns 100 how many will the Sols coming of the abovesaid sum of Crowns give and multiplying the remainder of the Division by 20 and by 12 to make them Sols and Deniers of Gold they will make Crowns 2438. 5. 4 d. the which you must reduce into Livers by multiplying them by l. 5. 17. and they will make l. 14263. 17. 2 d. which I must have at Millan for the said sum of Crowns of Estampe as appeareth plainly by this Example Proof The proof of this Rule is apparent when Millan shall exchange with Rome CHAP. CCCXXXII Of the Exchanges of Rome with Naples Exchanges of Rome with Naples Rome Exchangeth with Naples and giveth Crowns 100 of Gold of Estampe to have in that place posito Ducates 135â…” I demand for Crowns 2346. 15. 4 of Estampe how many Ducates shall I have To do which you must multiply the said sum of Crowns by Grains 135â…” per Crown seeing it is the same grains 135â…” per Crown as in Ducates 135â…” per cent because the Ducate is worth in Naples grains 100 and of the product will come Grains 318377 off the which you must cut the two last figures to make them Ducates and then it maketh Ducates 3183 Taries 3 Grains 17 and these Taries and Grains make Grains 77 because that the Tarie is worth Grains 20 and so much you are to have in Naples for the said Crow of Estamp as appears by this Example following Proof The proof of the said account is seen when Naples doth exchange this sum back with Rome CHAP. CCCXXXIII Of the
Exchanges of Rome with Genoa Exchanges of Rome with Genoa ROme exchangeth with Genoa and giveth posito Crowns 101 of Gold of Estampe to have iâ— the said place Crowns 100 of Gold of Italy I demand for Crowns 4000. 10. of Gold of Estampe what Credit shall Rome have at Genoa You must first reduce the said Crowns of Estampe into Crowns of Gold of Italy at the rate of Crowns 100 of Estampe for Crowns 102½ of Gold and therefore you must multiply by 102½ in cutting the two last figures the which you must multiply by 20 and by 12 and they will make Crowns 4100. 10. 3. of Gold of Italy then say by the Rule of Three If 101 Cro. give 100 Crowns what shall 4100 Crowns 10. 3 give And it will come to Crowns 4059. 18. 3 of Gold in Gold of Italy and for to reduce them into Livers you must multiply them by Livers 4 3 2 the value of a Crown of Gold and in so doing it will come to l. 18269. 12. 1 current money that Rome shall have Credit in Genoa for the said Crowes of Estampe as for Example Proof The proof of the said rule is more apparently demonstrated when Genoa doth Exchange this parcel back with Rome CHAP. CCCXXXIV Of the Exchanges of Rome with Palermo or Mesina Exchanges of Rome with Paelermo and Mesina ROme Exchangeth with Palermo or Mesina and giveth 1 Crown of Gold of Estampe to have in one of the two said places posito Carl. 29â…• I would know then for Crowns 4000. 10. 6 what Credit in Ounces shall Rome have in Palermo or Mesina To do which you must multiply the said Crowns by 29â…“ and the Product will be Carlins 117348. 7. 2. the which must be reduced into Ounces by cutting the last sigure and by taking the â…™ of the rest and the 48 remaining are Caâ—lins of which take the ½ and they shall be Taries and in this working it will make Ounces 1955 Taries 24 Grains 7 and Picolies 2 which Rome must have Credit for in one of the aforesaid places for the above-mentioned Crowns of Estempe as is apparent by the following Example Proof The proof of this account is seen when Palermo or Mesina shall exchange back with Rome CHAP. CCCXXXV Of the Exchanges of Rome with Antwerp Exchanges of Rome with Antwerp ROme Exchangeth with Antwerp and giveth one Crown to have in the said City of Antwerp posito 114 gross I demand then for Crowns 2000. 17. 8 how many pounds in gross or gresses shall Rome have Credit in Antwerp To do this you must multiply the said sum of Crowns by 114 and of the Product will come grosses 228100 the which reduced into Pounds Flemish will make l. 950. 8. 4. and for so much shall Rome have Credit in the said City of Antwerp as for Example Proof The Proof of this account is demonstrated when this parcel is Exchanged back from Antwerp to Rome And Note That when Rome shall Exchange with Frankfort Amsterdam or any other part of the Netherlands the account is made as in the abovesaid manner of Rome with Antwerp CHAP. CCCXXXVI Of the Exchanges of Rome with London Exchanges of Rome with London ROme Exchangeth with London and giveth one Crown there to have in the said City posito 65 pence sterling I demand then for Crowns 4000. 14. 8. of Estamp how many pouads sterling shall Rome have Credit in London which must be wrought as in the precedent account of Rome with Antwerp and it will be found that it will amount unto 1083. 10. 8. den which lought to have in the said City of London for the said sum of Crowns of Estamp as may appear by the Example following Proof The Proof of this Rule will more evidently appear when the sum of 1083 l. 10 s. 8¼ den Sterl is remitted from London to Rome which I hope is not in these days used in England CHAP. CCCXXXVII Of the Exchanges of Rome with the Cities of Valentia Saragosa or Barselona Exchanges of Rome with Valentia Saragosa and Barcelona ROme doth exchange with Valentia Saragosa and Barselona and giveth 1 Crown of Estamâ—… to have in one of the said places Sols posito 25. den 6. I demand then for Crowns 6000 14. 4. of Estampe what Credit shall Rome have in one of the said places To know which you must multiply the said sum of Crowns of Estampe by l. 1. 5. 6. and they will make l. 7650. 18. 3 d. which Rome shall have in Credit in one of the said places for the said sum of Crowns of Estampe as shall appear by this Example Proof The Proof this Rule is best seen when this sum shall be remitted back from these Cities to Rome and because that the Calculation to all these three places is made in one and the same manner I have put them thus together the price only giving the alteration in Exchange more or less in each City CHAP. CCCXXXVIII Of the Exchanges of Rome with Sevil. Exchanges of Rome with Sevil ROme Exchangeth with Sevil and giveth 1 Crown of Estampe to have in Sevil posito 456 Marvedes I demand then for 400 Crowns of Estampe how many Marvedes shall Roâ—… have in Sevil To do which you must multiply the said sum of Crowns of Estampe by 456 Mâ—…evedes and they make 182400 which Rome must have Credit in the said Place And it is hereto be noted That throughout all Castilia the Exchanges are made in the same manner as at Sevâ—l and they likewise keep their accounts in the denomination of Marvedes and when as they amount to a million they term it in Spanish a Quintos Proof At Alcala and other places in Spain the Account is as above made and the further Proof thereof is seen when that Sevil shall Exchange with Rome CHAP. CCCXXXIX Of the Exchanges of Rome with Lisbon Exchanges of Rome with Lisbon ROme doth Exchange with Lisbon and delivereth one Crown of Estampe to have in the said place posito 513 Raes I demand what Credit in Raes shall Rome have in Lisbon for 325 Crowns 9. 6. d. this question is to be wrought as in the precedent account is shewed and it 〈◊〉 appear that Rome shall have Credit in Lisbon for Raes 166968 as shall be seen by the worâ—ing thereof following Proof The proof of this Account is apparent when that Lisbon shall Exchange back Raes 166968 with Rome at 513 Raes per Ducat CHAP. CCCXL Of the Terms of Payment of Bills of Exchange in Rome Terms of payment of Bills of Exchange in Rome From Rome the Terms are To Naples at 8 days sight and from thence back at 10 days To Bruges and Antwerp at 8 days sight To Palermo at 15 days sight and from thence back at 10 days To Florence at 10 days sight and so back To Venice at 10 days sight and so back To Avignon at 45 days sight and thence at 10
Crowns 73â…” give 93â…“ Crowns what will Crowns 74â…“ give And it will give by the said Rule Crowns 94. 3. 6 d. so that this Order and Commission may be accomplished and performed with benefit because that remitting to Venice at Crowns 74â…“ it ought to be drawn to Florence at Crowns 94. 3. 6 and there it is found at more videlicet at Crowns 94â…” As for Example And thus much shall serve for instruction and method to the Exchanges and Commissions practised at Rome and now I will proceed to the next eminent place of Exchanges according to my intended method which is Naples CHAP. CCCXLIII Examples of the Exchanges practised in Naples and how the same are to be calculated Examples of Exchanges practised in Naples I Have shewed in the general Exchanges of Naples with how many other places this City is found to Exchange and there also shewed the common rates how the same doth govern which every day is so found to alter that no set rule can peremptorily be set down for the same yet it is in it self so beneficial that thereby the Learner may know how to make his account either in his Draughts or Remittances the way of making which account now remaineth to be handled observing the same with so many other places as may be fittest to understand the ground thereof Accounts in Naples It is also there observed that the Bankers and Exchangers of the place do keep their account in Ducats Taries and Grains the which are cast up by 5 and by 20 because that 5 Taries do make a Ducate and 20 grains a Tarie also that the Crown of Gold in Gold of this Kingdom is 13 Carlins or 6½ Taries and the Crown of money or Silver is 11 Carlins or 5½ Taries the Ducute of Gold being worth 6 Taries and the Ducate current is worth 5 Taries CHAP. CCCXLIV Of the Exchanges of Naples with Lions Exchanges of Naples with Lions NAples then Exchangeth with Lions and giveth posito Ducates 127½ to have in this place 100 Crowns of Gold of the Sun I demand then for Ducates 3295 and 1 Tarie how many Crowns of Gold shall I have in Lions To know which you must say by the Rule of Three If Ducates 127½ give 100 Crowns how many will Ducates 3295â…• give Multiplying the remainder of the Division by 20 and by 12 to make them Sols and Deniers and it will make Crowns 2584. 9. 4. of Gold of the Sun which I should have at Lions Proof The proof of this account is seen when Lions exchangeth back either for Naples Bery Lechy or any other City of that Kingdom CHAP. CCCXLV. Of the Exchanges of Naples with Placentia Exchanges of Naples with Placentia NAples Exchangeth with Placentia and giveth posito Ducates 132¼ to have in this place Crow 100 of Mark I demand then for Duc. 3416 Taries 2 and Grains 8 how many Crowns of Mark shall I have at Placentia To do which I must first reduce the said sum of Duc. into Grains and if there were neither Taries nor Grains it were done by the only addition of two Cyphers because that the Ducate is worth 100 Grains and because that there is in this Question 2 Taries and 8 Grains 48 Grains is to be added and take Grains 132¼ for Divisor of the said sum seeing it is as much at Grains 132¼ per Crown as at Duc. 132¼ per Crown 100 multiplying as well the one part as the other by 4 to bring them into quarters of Grains and after Division by multiplying the rest of the Divisor by 20 and 12 to bring them into Sols and Deniers of Gold and all this done it will come to Crow 2573. 12. 4 of Mark which I must have in the said place of Placentia for the said sum of Ducates above-mentioned as for Example Proof The proof of this Account is more apparently demonstrated when this sum or parcel is exchanged back from Placentia to Naples Bary Lechy or other Cities of this Kingdom CHAP. CCCXLVI Of the Exchanges of Naples with Rome Exchanges of Naples with Rome NAples doth exchange with Rome and giveth posito Ducats 135â…” in this place to have in Rome 100 Crowns of Gold of Estampe I demand then for Ducats 3183. 3. 17. what credit in Crowns shall Naples have in the said City of Rome To know which the question is wrought as is before mentioned in the precedent Exchange of Naples with Placentia and it cometh to Crowns 2346. 15. 2. of Gold of Estampe or de Camera and for so much shall Naples have credit in Rome as for Example Proof The proof of this Rule is manifested when this parcel is Exchanged back from Rome to Naples Bary Lechy or to any other City of this Kingdom CHAP. CCCXLVII Of the Exchanges of Naples with Florence Exchanges of Naples with Florence Naples exchangeth with Florence and giveth Duc. posita 119â…” to have in Florence 100 Crowns of Gold I demand then for Duc. 934. 1. 10. how much shall Naples have Credit in the said City of Florence This must be wrought as the precedent question of the Exchange of Naples for the City of Rome and it will come to Crowns 780. 15. 0 of Gold and so much shall Naples have credit in the said place of Florence as appeareth by this Example Proof The proof of this Account is declared when this parcel is Exchanged back from Florence to Naples CHAP. CCCXLVIII Of the Exchanges of Naples with Venice Exchanges of Naples with Venice NAples Exchangeth with Venice and giveth posito Ducats 97¼ to have in Venice Ducas 100 of Livers 6â…• of this Money which now is termed in Banco I demand then for Ducats 1799. 1. 13 of Naples how many Ducats shall I have in the place of Venetia This is to be wrought as the precedent multiplying the remainder of the division by 24 to bring the same into gross because that the Ducats of Livers 6. 4 s. maketh 24 gross and it will come to Ducats 1850 5 24 and so many Ducats shall Naples have in the said place of Venice as by the Example following Proof The proof of the said Account appears when this parcel of 1850 3 24 is exchanged baâ—… from Venice to the aforesaid place of Naples CHAP. CCCXLIX Of the Exchanges of Naples with Millan Exchanges of Naples with Millan NAples exchangeth with Millan and giveth posito Duc. 98½ to have in Millan Crow 100 of Livers 5 per Crow of the money of this place I demand then for Duc. 850 how many Crow shall I have in Millan To know which I must do as in the precedent exchanges multiplying the remainder of the division by 20 and 12 to bring the same into Sols and Deniers and by this working it will make Crow 862. 18. 10. and to know how many Livers they are they must be multiplied by 5 Livers beginning to multiply the Den. then the Sols and afterward's the
the same are concluded Exchanges practised at Genoa I Have shewed elsewhere the general Exchanges of Genoa and with how many other places this City is found to Exchange and there also declared the common rates and prices how the same is found to govern which notwithstanding is found so subject to alteration that it cannot admit of any great certainty yet so far it is conducible to this knowledge that it may serve as a certain rule for the calculation thereof either in the Draughts Remittances or Orders that may happen to fall within the limit of this City the forming of which accounts now remaineth to be handled observing the same with some other principal places which being well understood will enlighten the way to what is here by me for brevity sake willingly omitted Accounts in Genoa To give then Introduction thereto it is to be noted that Exchangers do here keep their accounts several ways as some in Livers Sols and Deniers of current money and others by Livers Sols and Deniers money of Gold and both these accounted and summed up by 20 and 12 because 20 Sols make a Liver and 12 Deniers do make a Sol. Moreover it is to be noted that the Crown of Italy of Gold in Gold is worth here in current Money 90 Sols of Genoa though it is found sometimes to be worth more and sometimes less as Moneys are requested Notwithstanding the said Crown is always given for 68 Sols Money of Gold Again it is to be observed that in Genoa all or the most part of Exchanges that are practised are effectively for Placentia Lions Millan Venice Naples and Rome and therefore in the handling thereof I shall to avoid tediousness be the briefer CHAP. CCCLXII Of the Exchanges of Genoa with Placentia Exchange of Genoa with Placentia GEnoa doth Exchange with Placentia and giveth posito Sol. 87¾ current money to have there 1 Crow of Mark I would know then for Livers 10269. 19. 3 d. current money how many Crow of Mark I shall have in Placentia 1. Example First then multiply the said Sol. 87¾ by 4 to bring them into 4 4 adding the ◠4 and they make 351 quarters and then multiply the said sum of Livers by 20 to make them Sols and then by 4 to make them quarters of Sols adding to the multiplication ¼ for the 3 Deniers and it will be in all 821 597 which divide by 331 the price of the Crown of Mark and the division will be 2340 multiplying the rest by 20 and by 12 to make them Sols and Deniers and they will be in all Crow 2340. 14. 7. of Gold of Mark which you must have in Placentia as by Example will be more evident To prove this account you must multiply the said Crowns of Mark by Lib. 4. 7. 9. beginning to multiply by the Deniers and then by Sols calculating it by 12 Deniers for one Sol and by 2◠for one Liver and of the product will come l. 10269-18-11 so that it is evident that the account is just the difference being in some small parts of the division which is lost as by Example Another Example of the said Exchanges At Genoa it is oftentimes seen that the Exchange is made for Placentia in Sols of Money of Gold and the difference of this money is that the Crown of Gold by decree of the estate is worth Sols money of Gold and in current money 90 Sols and though that the said price of the current money rise and fall the money of Gold never varieth from the said price of 68 Sol. If then I would know for Livers 2816. 13. 4. money of Gold which one exchangeth at 66 5 d. money of Gold per Crown how many Crowns of mark shall one have Do thus Reduce the abovesaid Livers into Deniers multiplying them by 20 and the Sols resting by 12 likewise reduce the said Sols 66. 5 Deniers into Deniers multiplying them by 12 and that which will come thereof shall be the Divisor of the sum of Deniers come of the said Liv. the which divided will be 848 Cro. 3. 7. of Mark. Proof To prove this Rule multiply this by 5 d. and the product will be 2186. 13. 3. which shews the account to be just cast Third Example In Genoa I would deliver for Placentia lib. 3248. 15. of current money which is exchanged at 67 Sol. 10 d. of money of Gold I demand how many Crowns of Mark they will be First reduce the said sum of Livers of current money into Livers of money of Gold dividing the same by 90 Sols the price of the Crown of Gold in current money and they will be Crowns 721. 18. 10 which must be multiplyed by 3 l. 8 s. the price of the Crown in money of Gold and it will come to lib. 2454. 12. money of Gold which divided by 67. 10 to see what the Crowns of Mark are worth and they will make Crowns 723. 14. 3. of Mark and so much shall Genoa have medit in Placentia for the said l. 3248. 15 of current money as the example shall more evidently demonstrate To reduce Livers of current money into Livers of Gold in Geona If in Genoa you would reduce any sum of current money into Livers of money of Gold by a short rule because that the Crow of Gold in current money is 90 s. and in money of Gold 68 s. you must take of the current money twice ⅓ placing them the one under the other and out of one of the said ⅓ take ⅕ and of that which cometh of the said ⅕ you must take ⅓ and adding these 4 parcels together will come Money of Gold as will appear by this Example Proof For proof of the said account if by the same method you would reduce Livers of Money of Gold into Livers of current Money you must add to the said Livers of Money of Gold the ¼ and of that which will come thereof take 1 17 adding the said two parcels together and they will make Livers of current Money Example And thus much shall serve for the Exchange of Genoa with Placentia wherein I have thought fit thus far to enlarge my self by reason of the great Exchanges continually practised between the said two places CHAP. CCCLXIII Of the Exchanges of Genoa with Lions Exchanges of Genoa with Lions GEnoa Exchangeth with Lions and giveth posito Sols 59. 9. Money of Gold to have in Lions a Crown of the Sun I would know then for Livers 37296. 6. 0 of current Money in Genoa how many Crowns of the Sun I shall have in Livers First reduce the said sum of Livers of current Money into Livers of Money of Gold by the former Rules dividing by Sol. 90. the price of the Crown of Gold in current Money and they will make Crowns 8288. 1. 4. which must be multiplyed by l. 3. 8. 5. the price of the Crown in Money of Gold and it will come to
with how many other places Placentia is found to Exchange and there also set down the common rates how the same is for the most part found to govern which every day is so subject to alteration that no positive rules can be set down for the same yet it is in it self so beneficial that thereby the unexperienced may know how to make up the account thereof at what rate soever the same be found to be either in Remittances or Draughts the which only now remaineth to be handled observing the same with so many other Towns as may be fittest to understand the ground thereof Accounts kept in Placentia It is then first to be noted that all Bankers and Exchangers here do keep their Accounts in Crowns Sols and Deniers of Gold of Mark which are cast up by 20 and 12 because that 20 Sels of Gold make a Crown and 12 Deniers make a Sol. CHAP. CCCLXXXIV Of the Exchanges of Placentia with Lions Exchanges of Placentia with Lions ANd first then Placentia is found to Exchange with Lions and giveth posito Crowns 85½ to have at Lions 100 Crowns of the Sun of Gold I demand then for Crowns 1516. 12. of Mark what will be due to me in Lions To do which say by the Rule of Three If Crowns 85½ of Mark give 100 Crowns of the Sun what will the said Crowns 1516. 12. give And it will come to Crowns 1773. 16. 0. of Gold of the Sun And so much will be due to me in Lions for the said sum of Crowns of Mark as by Example following Proof The proof of this Rule is seen when that Lions doth Exchange with Placentia CHAP. CCCLXXXV Of the Exchanges of Placentia with Genoa Exchanges of Placentia with Genoa PLacentia Exchangeth for Genoa and giveth one Crown of Mark to have posito Sols 67. 10 Money of Gold in Genoa I demand then for Crow 723. 14. 3. of Mark how many Livers of current money shall I have in Genoa First multiply the said Crow of Mark by Li. 3. 7. 10 per Crow which are the said 67 Sols 12 Den. beginning to multiply the said Li. 3. by 3 Den. and afterwards by Sols 14 which are with the Crow calculating for 12 Den. one Sol. and for 20 Sols one Liver and the product will come Li. 2454. 11. 9. Money of Gold which must be divided by 68 Sols the price of the Crown of Gold in Money of Gold to bring them into Crowns multiplying the rest of the division by 20 and by 12 to make them Sols and Deniers and they will make Crow 721. 18. 9. of Gold which must be multiplied by Li. 4½ per Crow the present price of the Crow of Gold in current Money and it will make Li. 3248. 14. 4. And so much in current Money I shall have in Genoa for the said Crow 723. 14. 3. of Mark. As by Example Proof The proof of the said Account is seen when Genoa exchangeth for Placentia CHAP. CCCLXXXVI Of the Exchanges of Placentia with Rome Exchanges of Placentia with Rome PLacentia Exchangeth with Rome and giveth 100 Crowns of Gold of Mark to have in that place posito Crown 99¾ of Gold of Estampe I demand then for Crowns 1385. 15. of Mark how many Crowns of Estampe shall Placentia have credit for in Rome To do which multiply the said sum of Crowns of Mark by 99¾ per cent and taking the remainder of the multiplication to be divided by 20 Sols cutting off the two last figures of the production the which multiplyed by 20 to make them Sols of Gold and then by 12 to make them Deniers and they will make Crowns 1382 5. 9. of Gold And so much will the credit be in Rome as by the Example following Proof The proof of the said account is seen when that Rome doth Exchange back for Placentia CHAP. CCCLXXXVII Of the Exchanges of Placentia with Florence Exchanges of Placentia with Florence PLacentia doth Exchange with Florence and giveth 100 Crowns of Mark to have in that place posito Crowns 110½ of Gold I demand for Crowns 4500. 10 of Mark how many Crowns of Gold shall I have in Florence To know which working according to the preceeding Example and Rule of Placentia with Rome and I find it giveth Crowns 4973. 1. 0. of Gold which Flacentia must have Credit for in Florence As for Example Proof The proof of this account is discerned when Florence doth rechange for Placentia CHAP. CCCLXXXVIII Of the Exchanges of Placentia with Palermo Exchanges of Placentia with Palermo PLecentia doth Exchange with Palermo and giveth Crow 100 of Mark to have in Palermo posito Duc. 132¼ of Taries 5 per Duc. I demand then for Crow 2573. 12. 4. of Mark what credit shall Placentia have in Palermo To do which you must multiply the said sum of Crowns by Grains 132¾ per crow seeing as hath been said it is alike so many Grains per Crow as so many Ducats per 100 Crowns and of the product will come Grains the which to turn to Ducats you must cut off the two last figures and there will remain Duc. 3416. and the Grains 47 which are the two last cut figures which are 2 Taries and 7 Grains So that for the said Crow 2573 12. 4 of Mark Placentia shall have Credit in Palermo Duc. 3416. 2. 7 d. As for Example Proof The proof of the said Account is discerned when that Palermo is seen to rechange for Placentia Exchanges with Mesina the same as with Palermo And note that when the said place doth exchange with Mesina in this Kingdom the Account is made as above with Palermo the price and rate is only found to differ and to be either higher or lower CHAP. CCCLXXXIX Of the Exchanges of Placentia with Venice Exchanges of Placentia with Venice PLacentia doth Exchange for Venice and giveth Crowns 100 of Mark to have in the said place Duc. 134½ more or less of Livers 6⅕ per Duc. I say in Banco I demand for Crow 1078. 12 of Mark how many Ducats shall it make in Venice Multiply the said sum of Crowns by Duc. 134½ per cent and the remainders of the multiplication are to be divided by 24 to bring them into Grosses and from the product cut off the two last figures which are to be multiplied by 24 to make them Grosses and it will make Duc. 1450 17 24 of Livers 6⅕ per Duc. And so much will Placentia have in Venetia for the said sum of Crowns of Mark. As by this Example Proof The proof of the said Account is discerned when that Venetia is found to rechange for Placentia CHAP. CCCXC Of the Exchanges of Placentia with Millan Exchanges of Placentia with Millan PLacentia doth Exchange with Millan and is found to give one Cro. of Mark to have in the said place posito Sols 133⅔ I demand then for Crow 1450. 15. 6 of Mark how many Livers ought I
the Crown of Mark there will remain Sol. 134â…” and at that price should Placentia Exchange with or for Millan Question for Genoa Again at Millan is Exchange made for Placentia in expedition of a Fair there at Sol 133½ and for Genoa at Sol 118â…” I demand by the said Exchanges at what price should Placentia Exchange for Genoa I say by the Rule of Three If Sols 118â…” of Millan the price of the Crown of 4 l. of Genoa give Sols 80 what will Sols 133½ give the price of the Crown of Mark in money of Millan and it will be 90 Sols of current money the which without making the reduction into money of Gold seeing it hath been already said that 90 Sols of current money is worth 68 Sol. of Gold and at this price should Placentia exchange with and for Genoa Question for Lions Again at Venice is Exchange made for Placentia in expedition of a Fair there at Duc. 141. and for Lions at 116½ I demand by the said Exchanges at what price should Placentia exchange for Lions I say by the Rule of Three If Duc. 141. of l. 6. â…“ of Venice give in Placentia Crow 100. how many will Duc. 116½ give the value of the Crow 100 of Gold of the Sun of Lions and it will be Crow 82â… or circa and at that price should Placcntia exchange with Lions Another At Placentia there is Exchange made for Lions at Crow 83½ and for Florence at Crow 113 and from that place we have advice that they exchange for Lions at Crow 95â…“ I would know by the said Exchanges if it be beneficial to remit from Placentia to Lions and to draw from Florence by inordering my Factors at Florence to prevail upon Lions at the said price of Crow 95â…“ To know which you must multiply the said Crow 83½ of Mark being the price of Crow 100 of the Sun of Gold by Crow 113. of Gold per cent seeing that the said Crowns of Gold are the value of 100 Crowns of Mark and from the product cut off the two last figures and there will remain Crow 94. 7. 1. to which adding â…– per cent for the provisions which are paid the one at Florence the other at Lions and they will be Crow 94. 19. 8. so that it will be profitable to draw and to remit according to the abovesaid order and manner because that at Florence may be taken by Exchange for Lions at Crow 95 or circa and finding Crow 95½ upon which consideration is to be had what the moneys of Florence may do by Exchange for Lions which thus I work by Example Now for the terms of payments of Bills of Exchanges in Placentia it is expressed in the Trade of that City in Chapter 383. And this shall suffice to have said of the Exchanges practised at Placentia where by reason of the great and continued practises here daily made for vast sums I have somewhat more than ordinarily inlarged my self and so I proceed to the next place of Exchanges which is Florence CHAP. CCCC Examples of Exchanges practised at Florence and how the same are to be calculated Exchanges practised in Florence I Have shewed in the general Exchanges of Florence with how many other places the said City is found to Exchange with and there also shewed the common rates how the same is observed to rule which every day is so subject to alter that no set price can be peremptorily set down for the same yet in it self it is so beneficial that thereby the ignorant may be furthered to make his Accounts either in Draughts or Remittances The way of making which Accounts upon this place now remaineth here to be handled observing the same with so many other places as may make a man capable to understand the same with any of the rest here omitted Accounts kept in Florence And by the way it is observable here That all Exchangers here do keep their Accounts in Crowns Sols and Deniers of Gold or Lire or Livers 7½ of that money per Crown the which are cast up by 20 and by 12 because that 20 Sols of Gold do make one Crown and 12 Den. one Sol. CHAP. CCCCI Of the Exchanges of Florence with Lions Exchanges of Florence with Lions FLorence then is found to Exchange with Lions and giveth posito Crow 95¾ of Gold to have in Lions 100 Crowns of the Sun of Gold I demand for Crow 1268. 9. of Gold how many Crowns of the Sun shall I have in Lions I say by the Rule of Three If Crow 95¾ give Crowns 100 what will Crowns 1268. 9. give And it comes to Crowns 1324 and the remainder of the division being multiplied by 20 and by 12 to bring them into Sols and Deniers of Gold they will make in all Crowns 1324. 15. of Gold of the Sun which I should have Credit in Lions for the said sum of Crowns of Florence The calculation thereof here followeth Proof The proof of this Rule is seen when Lions doth Exchange with Florence CHAP. CCCCII. Of the Exchanges of Florence with Placentia Exchanges of Florence with Placentia FLorence doth Exchange with Placentia and giveth posito 110½ Crowns of Gold to have there 100 Crowns of Mark I demand then for Crowns 4973. 1. 0. of Gold how many Crowns of Mark is due to me First reduce the said Crowns 110½ into Sols of Gold multiplying them by 20 adding to the multiplication 10 Sols for the half Crown and they make Sol. 2210 likewise reduce the said sum of Crowns of Gold into Sols and it will be 99461 Then say by the Rule of Three If Sols 2210 give Crow 100 of Mark what will Sol. 99461 give To which adding two cyphers for the 100 and then dividing it will come to Crowns of Mark and multiplying the rest of the division by 20 and then by 12 to make the same Sols and Deniers of Gold and they will make Crowns 4500. 9. 11. of Mark and so much must I have Credit in Placentia for the said Crow 4973. 1. 0. of Gold of Florence as by Example calculated Proof The proof of this Account is seen when the Exchange is made from Placentia to Florence c. CHAP. CCCCIII Of the Exchanges of Florence with Venetia Exchanges of Florence with Venice FLorence doth Exchange with Venice and giveth posito Crow 81½ of Gold to have Duc. in Banco 100 of Livers 6â…“ I demand then for Crow 2037. 10. of Gold how many Duc. shall Florence have credit in Venice To do which bring the Crow 81½ into half Crowns multiplying them by 2 and so in the same manner the said sum of Crow of Gold adding half a Crown for the 10 Sols then say by the Rule of Three If the half Crowns produced of the price of the Exchange give at Venice Duc. 100 what will the half Crowns give proceeding from the said sum of Crow of Gold and so by adding two cyphers for the
100 and dividing the same it will make Duc. 2500 which Florence is to have in Venice and if there were any remaining of the division they must be multiplied by 24 to make them Grosses because that 24 Gross make a Duc. of Lib. 6. 4 Sols Example Proof The proof of the said Account is more evident when Venice doth rechange for Florence CHAP. CCCCIV Of the Exchanges of Florence with Rome Exchanges of Florence with Rome FLorence is said to Exchange with Rome and giveth 100 Crowns of Gold to have in the said place posito Crowns 92¼ of Gold of Estampe I demand then for Crow 1600 2 Sols 5 Den. of Gold of Florence how many Crowns of Gold of Estampe shall Florence have credit for in Rome First multiply the said Sum of Crowns of Gold at 92¼ per cent and multiply the remainder by 20 and by 12 to bring them into Sols and Deniers of Gold and they make Crowns 1476 2 Sols 2 Den. of Gold which should be had in Rome As for Example Proof The Proof of the said Rule is evident when this parcel is rechanged from Rome to Flounce CHAP. CCCCV. Of the Exchanges of Florence with Naples Exchanges of Florence with Naples FLorence Exchangeth with Naples and giveth Crow 100 of Gold to have in Naples posito Duc. 119⅔ of Taries 5 per Duc. I demand then for Crow 780. 15 of Gold what credit in Duc. shall Florence have in Naples To do which first multiply the said sum of Crow of Gold by Grains 119⅔ per Crown because it is so many Grains per Crow as it comes to be Duc. for Crow 100. and they make Grains 93429. of which cut off the two last figures to make them Ducats saying that the Duc. is worth 100 Grains and they make Duc. 934. and for the Grains 29 Taries 1 and Grains 9. And so much Credit shall Florence have in Naples as by this Example is shewed Proof The proof of this Rule is manifested when Naples is seen to exchange with Florence CHAP. CCCCVI Of the Exchanges of Florence with Antwerp Exchanges of Florence with Antwerp FLorence doth Exchange with Antwerp and giveth one Crown of Gold to have in the said place Groff 112½ posito I demand then for Crowns 1400. 12. 8. of Gold how many pounds of Groff am I to have in Antwerp To do this multiply the said sum of Crowns by the said price of Gross 112½ and it maketh Grosses 157571. of which take the 1½ to make them Sols and they make Sols 13130 and Gross 11. which to reduce to pounds cut off the last figure of the said Sols or Shillings and take ½ of the rest and it maketh pounds 656 and for the tenth that is remaining it is to be accounted 10 Sols and if the figure cut off had been any number it should have been added to the 10 Sols and it thus makes pounds 656. 10. 11. Money of Antwerp Proof The proof of the said Account is seen when that Antwerp doth exchange with Florence Note Florence with London Note That when Florence doth Exchange for London which is seldom in use the rule of casting up the same in sterling Money is this as above with Antwerp in Flemish Pounds CHAP. CCCCVII To Reduce Crowns of 7 l. in Florence into Crowns of Gold of Lire 7½ IF in Florence you would reduce any sum of Crowns of money of Lire 7 l. per Crow into Crowns of Gold of Lire 7 l. ½ you must take the 1⅕ of the Crow of money and the remainder will be Crowns of Gold And if again you would reduce Crowns of Gold into Crowns of Money you must add contrarily to the Crow of Gold 1¼ and they will be so many Crowns of Money As for Example CHAP. CCCCVIII Of the Terms of Payment of Bills of Exchange in Florence THE Term of Payment of Bills of Exchange is found to be from Florence To Naples at 10 days sight and from thence at 15 days sight To Rome at 10 days sight and so back To Venice at 5 days sight and thence at 20 days after date To Bollonia at 3 days sight and so back and so for Pisa To Ferrara at 5 days sight and so back To Perugia and Sciena at 2 days sight and so back To Genoa at 8 days sight and so back To Avignon at 30 days after date and thence 45 days after date To Gaietta at 10 days sight and so back To Paris 2 months after sight and so back To Padua at 5 days sight and so back To Palermo and Mesina at 15 days sight and so back To Ancona at 10 days sight and so back To Barselona at 2 months after date and so back To Valentia at 40 days sight and so back To Bruges and Antwerp at 2 months after date and so back To London at 3 months after date and so back To Genoa at the Fairs and thence 15 days sight back To Lions to the Fair and from Fair to Fair. To Millan at 10 days fight and so back To Aquila and Sermona at 11 days sight To Comerino at 8 days sight and so back CHAP. CCCCIX. Of Orders and Commissions given and received for Draughts and Remittances by Exchanges in the City of Florence in Tuscany Orders and Commissions given and received for Draughts and Remittances by exchange in Florence ACcording to my proposed method I will here set down an Example or two of Draughts and Remittances made by Order and Commission in Florence 1 Example To Florence then cometh advice from Venice that the Exchange for the said place of Florence cometh at Crow 80½ and for Placentia at Duc. 135½ they inorder in the said place of Venice That at this rate they make a Remittance to Florence and draw from Placentia at how much then will the Draught of Florence for Placentia come unto To do this Multiply Duc. 135½ which is the value of 100 Crow of Mark by Crow 80½ of Gold per cent because the said Crow of Gold is the rate of the Duc. 100 of Venice and it will be Crow 109. 19. from which take 2 ◠per cent for the provision payed at Venice and there will rest Crow 108. 12. 10. and so many Crow of Gold is imbursed at Florence for 100 Crow of Mark for a debt at Placentia As thus for Example 2 Example Again one of Venice is Creditor in Florence Crow 3000 of Gold who inordereth that the same be remitted unto him at Crow 81½ or by Placentia at Crow 110 where the most advance and profit shall appear to be that is to say That finding a Remittance in both places to benefit of the price limited the Remittance should be where the profit and benefit is greatest and finding the Remittance to loss the Remittance be made where the damage is least there is then Bills found for Venice at Crow 82¼ and for Placentia at Crow 110⅚ I demand by which of the two
should the Remittance be made By both the said places there is found a delivery to loss and to know which of the two is the least say by the Rule of Three If Crow 81½ give Crow 110 the price limited what will Crow 82¼ the price found give and it will come to Crow 111. 0. 2. So that the Remittance should be made by Placentia because that remitting to Venice at Crow 82¼ to run at the Par the delivery should be for Placentia at Crow 114. and the Bills is at Crow 110⅙ As in the following Example 3. Example Again one of Rome is debitor in Florence in Crow 2500 who inordereth that the draught be made at Crow 91 or by Placentia at Crow 110½ where the most profit shall appear to be now there is found money for Rome at Crow 92◠l. for Placentia at 109⅙ Crow I demand whither should this draught be made seeing that to both the places the draughts happen to be to loss in both the limited prices And to know which is the least of both say by the Rule of Three If Crow 92⅕ the price found for Rome seeing that Placentia receiveth the uncertain rate from Florence give Crow 110½ what will Crow 91 the price inordered give It will make Crow 109. 1. 2. so that the draught shall be made for Placentia seeing that drawing for Rome at Crow 92◠to run upon a Par should be taken for Placentia at the said price at Crow 109½ or thereabout and there is found at more that is at Crow 109⅙ As by Example And so much shall suffice to have said of the Orders and Commissions in Draughts and Remittances by Exchange of Florence CHAP. CCCCX Examples of Exchanges practised at Millan and how the same are to be calculated Exchanges practised at Millan I Have shewed in the general Exchanges of Millan with how many other places this City is found to Exchange and there also set down the common current rates thereof which every day is found so to alter and no positive rule can be observed in the same yet is in it self so beneficial that thereby the unexperienced may know how to make his Accounts either in his Draughts or Remittances the way of framing these Accounts now remaineth observing the same with some few other the principal needful hereunto Accounts kept in Millan It is also to be noted That Exchangers do there keep their Accounts in Lire Sols and Deniers and cast up by 20 and 12 because that 20 Sols do make a Lire and 12 Deniers a Sol. CHAP. CCCCXI Of the Exchanges of Millan with Lions Exchanges of Millan with Lions MIllan then exchanges with Lions and giveth posito Sols 118⅓ to have in the said place one Crown of the Sun of Gold I demand then for l. 9258. Sol. 5 of Millan how many Crowns shall I have credit in Lions First reduce into Sols the said sum of Livers of Millan and they make Sols 185165 the which must be multiplied by 3 to make them thirds of Sols likewise bring the Sols 118⅓ into thirds multiplying them by 3 and they make 355 for division of the said sum and by division it will come to be Crowns and multiplying the remainder of the division by 20 and 12 to make them Sols and Deniers of Gold and they will be Crowns 1564. 15. 5. of Gold of the Sun and so much will be had in Lions for the said sum of li. 9258. 5 of Millan Money as by this Example Proof The Proof of the said Account is seen when that Lions exchangeth with Millan as before CHAP. CCCCXII Of the Exchanges of Millan with Placentia Exchanges of Millan with Placentia MIllan doth exchange with Placentia and giveth posito Sols 133⅓ to have in Placentia one Crown of Mark I demand then for Livers 9671. 16. 8. of Millan how many Crowns of Mark must I have in Placentia First reduce into Deniers the said 133⅓ Sols multiplying them by 12 and adding 4 Deniers for the ⅓ of a Sol. and they make Deniers 1600 and then to reduce into Deniers the said sum of Lire multiply them by 20 and by 12 adding to the multiplication Sol. 16. and Deniers 8 which account with the Livers and they make Deniers 2321240 the which must be divided by Deniers 1600 the price of the Crown of Mark and by division they will come to be Crowns multiplying the rest of the division by 20 and then by 12 to make them Sols and Deniers of Gold and they make Crow 1450. 15. 6. of Mark and so much will the said sum be in Placentia Example Proof The Proof of the said Rule is manifested when that Placentia exchangeth for Millan CHAP. CCCCXIII Of the Exchanges of Millan with Venice Exchanges of Millan with Venice MIllan exchangeth with Venice and giveth a Crown of Livers of 5. 17 s. to have in that place posito 148 l. ½ Sols money of Piccoli I demand for l. 7260. 10. 0. of Millan how many Ducats of l. 6⅕ shall I have in Venice You must divide the said sum of Livers by Livers 5. 17. reducing them and the other price into Deniers and it will be Crow 1241. 0. 9. the which must be multiplied by l. 7. 8. 6. the Crown which are the abovesaid 148. 6 beginning to multiply the l. 7. by the Den. 9. 4. then by the Sols if there were any with the said Crowns calculating for Deniers 12 one Sol and for Sols 20 one Lire and they will be l. 9214. 14. money of Piccoli of Venice which to be reduced into Ducats must be divided by l. 6⅕ the value of the Ducat and it will make Duc. 1486 ◠24 of l. 6◠and so much shall I have in Venice for the sum above mentioned in Livers of Millan as by Example is more apparent Proof The proof of the said account is seen when Venice doth exchange for Millan CHAP. CCCCXIV Of the Exchanges of Millan with Rome Exchanges of Millan with Rome MIllan exchangeth with Rome and giveth posito Crow 115½ of l. 5. 17. per Crow to have in the said place Crow 100 of Gold of Estampe I demand then for l. 7820. 18 of Millan how many Crowns of Gold of Estampe shall I have in Rome You must first see for the said sum of Millan Livers how many Crowns they will be dividing them by l. 5. 17 per Crown and they make Crown 1336. 18. 1 then say by the Rule of Three If Crow 115½ of Millan give in Rome Crowns 100 of Estampe how many Crowns will the said Crow 1336. 18. 1. give and it will amount to Crowns 1157. 9. 9. of Gold of Estampe which will be given in Rome for the said sum of Millan Livers as abovesaid Example Proof The Proof of this Rule is seen when that Rome doth exchange with Millan CHAP. CCCCXV. Of the Exchanges of Millan with Naples Exchanges of Millan with Naples MIllan doth exchange with Naples
and giveth Crow 100 of l. 5 per Crow to have in Naples posito 98½ Ducats I demand for l. 4314 14 2 of Millan how many Ducats shall I have in Naples First take â…• of the said sum of Livers to reduce them into Crow of 5 l. and they make Crow 862. 18. 10. which must be multiplied by grains 98½ per Crow seeing it is the same as at Ducats 98½ per 100 Crow and it makes grains 84999 and cutting off the two last figures there will remain Ducats 849 and for the two figures cut off which are grains 99 will be Livers 4 grains 19 in all Ducats 849. 4. 19. which is to be had in Naples for the said sum of Livers of Millan As for Example Proof The Proof of the said Account is seen when Naples shall exchange with Millan CHAP. CCCCXVI Of the Exchanges of Millan for Genoa Exchanges of Millan with Genoa MIllan exchangeth with Genoa and giveth posito Sols 118½ to have in Genoa one Crown for 4 l. of that money I demand for l. 5703. 18. 0 of Millan how many Livers of current Money shall I have in Genoa First reduce the said sum into Sols multiplying them by 20 and adding to the multiplication the 18 Sols which account with the Livers and then of the Sols produced and of the said Sols 118½ taken for division bring into ½ Sols and dividing the same will become Crowns and the remainder of the Division multiply by 20 and by 12 to make them Sols and Deniers of Gold and they will make Crowns 962. 13. 8. of l. 4. money of Genoa the which to bring into Livers must be multiplied by l. 4. per Crow beginning to multiply the said l. 4. by Deniers 8 and by the Sols 13 which are with the Crowns calculating for 12 Deniers 1 Sol and for 20 Sols one Liver it will come to l. 3850. 14. 8. and so many Livers of money current shall you have in Genoa for the said Livers 5703. 18. of Millan Proof The Proof of the said Rule is seen when that Genoa doth exchange for Millan CHAP. CCCCXVII Of Terms of Payment of Bills of Exchange in Millan Terms of payments of Bills of Exchange in Millan THE Terms of Payment found to be in Millan are observed to be from thence To Genoa at 5 days sight and so back To Pisa at 10 days sight and so back To Florence at 10 days sight and so back To Venice at 10 days sight and so back To Paris at 2 months after date and so back To Bruges and Antwerp at 2 months after date and so back To Barselona at 20 days sight and so back To Montpellier at 20 days sight and so back To Lions for a Fair and so from Fair to Fair. And thus much shall serve to have spoken of the Exchanges of Millan and now to Orders and Commissions in use in the said place CHAP. CCCCXVIII Of Orders and Commissions given and received for Draughts and Remittances Orders and Commissionâ— given and received for Draughts and Remittances in Millan ACcording to my proposed method I will here briefly insert some Examples of Draughts and Remittances made here by Order and Commission from other places 1 Example From Naples then cometh Order to Millan to remit for Placentia at 133 Sol. and to prevail for Genoa at Sol. 118½ the parcel being for 3000 Crowns of Mark. Now there are Bills found for Placentia at Sols 131. considering then the benefit which is found in the Remittance at how much may the Draught be for Genoa Say by the Rule of Three If Sol. 133 give 118½ the price inordered what will 131 give the price found for Placentia And it will be Sol. 116â…” and at this price the Draught must be made for Genoa in remitting to Placentia at Sol. 131 and the Commission will remain effected according to the Order given 2 Example Again from Lions is order given to Millan that they may draw for Lions at Sol. 118 and reâ—it to Venice at Sol. 145 the parcel being for Duc. 5500 of l. 6â…“ per Duc. there is money for Lions at Sol. 119 and Bills for Venice at Sol. 144â…“ I demand if at these prices the order may be performed Say by the Rule of Three taking one of the prices which is found for divisor by reason that Millan giveth according to my former method the certain price to Venice and the uncertain to Lions and say If 144â…“ the price found for Venice give Sol. 118 what will 145 the price inordered give And it will make 118½ so that the said Commission at the prices found may be effected to benefit because that remitting to Venice at the said price of 144â…“ the Draught may be made for Lions at 118½ and there is money found at Sol. 119. As by Example 2 Example Again from Rome cometh Order to Millan to draw on them at Crow 115 and remit to Plaâ—…ntia at 132 Sol the party being for Crow 4000 there is Bills found for Placentia at Sol. 133½ and mo for Rome at Crow 11. 6â…” I demand if at these rates the Commission may be performed without loss Say by the Rule of Three If Sol. 132 give Cro. 11. 5. tho price limited what will 133½ give the price found for Placentia And it will come to Crow 116. 6. 1. so that the Commission may be performed to benefit because that remitting to Placentia at the said price of Sol. 133½ the Draught may be made for Rome at Crow 116 3 18 and there is found at more that is to say at Crow 116â…– as per Example And thus much shall serve for the Exchanges of Millan next is Palermo and Mesina CHAP. CCCCXIX Of Exchanges practised in Palermo and Mesina and how the same are to be calculated Exchanges practised in Palermo and Mesina I Have shewed in the general Exchanges of Palermo and Mesina with how many other places these Cities in Sicilia are observed to Exchange and there also set down the common current Rates thereof which every day are found so subject to alteration that no positive rule can be observed in the same yet it is in it self so beneficial that thereby the unexperienced may know how to make his calculation both in his Draughts and Remittances The way of casting the sum up is now to be handled observing the same here with some few principal places which is sufficient for instruction to those others omitted Accounts kept in Sicilia First it is to be noted that in Palermo and Mesina and generally throught the Island of Sicilia the Exchangers keep their Accounts in Ounces Taries and Grains which are cast up by 30 and 20 because that 30 Taries do make an Ounce and 20 Grains make a Tarie And also it is to be observed That the Ducat is worth Taries 13 which is Carlins 26 the Crown of money is worth Taries 12 which is Carlins 24. The Florin is worth Taries 6 which is
3 of Mark which is due to be had in Placentia for the said sum of Barselona Proof The proof of this Rule is apparent when that Placentia doth Exchange for Barselona CHAP. CCCCXXIX Of the Exchanges of Barselona with Saragosa Exchanges of Barselona with Saragosa BArsclona exchangeth with Saragosa and giveth 10 Ducats of 24 Sol. per Ducat to have in this place posito 104 Ducats of Sols 22 per Ducat of that money I demand for Livers 6000 of Barselona how many Livers shall I have in Saragosa First reduce into Sols the said sum of Livers multiplying them by 20 and divide the Sols coming thereof by Sol. 24. the price of the Ducat and it will be Ducats 5000 the which Duc. 5000 of Barselona must be multiplied at the said price of Duc. 104 per cent and from the sum cut off the two last sigures the which multiplied by 20 and by 12 to make them Sols and Deniers of Gold will be Duc. 5200 of Sâ—ragosa which must be multiplyed by l. 1. 2 Sol. the price of the Ducat and they make Livers 5720 which should be rendred in Saragosa for the said 6000 l. money of Barselona Proof The proof of this Rule is manifest when that Saragosa doth again rechange back for Barselona CHAP. CCCCXXX Of the Exchanges of Barselona with Valentia Exchanges of Barselona with Valentia BArselona doth Exchange with Valentia and giveth Duc. 100 of 24 Sols to have in Valentia posito Duc. 108 of Sols 21 per Duc. of that money I demand for l. 7000 money of Barselona how many l. shall I have in Valentia In this you must do as in the preceding account of Barselona for Saragosa multiplying the Ducats of Valentia which shall come thereof by Livers 1 1 the price of the Ducat and it will be Livers 16615 and so much will be due in Valentia for 7000 l. delivered in Barselona Proof The proof of this Rule is apparent when that Valentia doth rechange for Barselona CHAP. CCCCXXXI Of the Exchanges of Barselona with Sevil. Exchanges of Barselona with Sevil. BArselona doth exchange with Sevil and giveth Duc. 100 of 24 Sol. per Duc. to have in this place Duc. 108 posito more or less of Marvedes 375 per Ducat I demand for l. 7500 how many Marvedes must I have in Sevil You must do as in the precedent Rule of Barselona for Valentia multiplying the Ducats of Sevil which come thereof by Marvedes 375 the price of the Duc. and it will make Marvedes 2531250 which is due to have in Sevil for the said sum of 7500 l. in Barselona Example Proof The proof of this Rule is manifested when that Sevil doth rechange for Barselona CHAP. CCCCXXXII Of the Exchanges of Barselona with Lisbon Exchanges of Barselona with Lisbon BArselona doth exchange for Lisbon and giveth Duc. 100 of 24 Sols per Duc. to have in Lisbon Ducats posito 113 of 400 Raes per Duc. I demand for 4000 l. of Barselona how many Racs shall I have in Lisbon Here you must do as in the account precedent of Barselona for Sevil multiplying the Ducats of Lisbon which shall come thereof by 400 Raes per Duc. and they make Raes 1506666 which is due to be had in Lisbon for l. 4000. in Barselona Example Proof The proof of this Rule is apparent when that Lisbon doth rechange back for Barselona CHAP. CCCCXXXIII Orders and Commissions given and received for Draughts and Remittances in Barselona Orders and Commissions given and received for Draughts and Remittances in Barselona ACcording to my proposed method I will here briefly insert some Examples of Draughts and Remittances made in this City by Order and Commission from other places 1 Example To Sevil then cometh Order from Barselona to draw upon them at Duc. 93½ and remit to Placentia at Marvedes 413 clear of all charges the partido being for Crow 3000 of Mark. Now there is found money for Barselona at duc 93 and Bills for Placentia at Marvedes 413 I demand if at these rates the Commission may be accomplished and performed You must say by the Rule of Three taking one of the prices which are found for divisor because that Sevil giveth to Barselona the certain and to Placentia the incertain price saying If duc 93 the price found for Barselona give Marvedes 413 what will duc 93½ give the price inordered and it maketh vedes 415â…• out of which deduct â…– per cent for Provision which is taken there will remain Marvedes 413 11 20 incirca so that the said Commission may be effected to profit seeing that drawing to Barselona at the said price of Duc. 93 it may be delivered for Placentia at Mar. 413 20 21 and there present Bills at less that is at 413 Marvedes as by Example 2 Example Again in Barselona cometh Order from Valentia that Remittance may be made to them at Duc 108¼ and to prevail from Placentia at Sol. 23 the Partido made for 3000 Crow Mark Now there is Bills found for Valentia at Duc. 107 I demand then for the loss that is given by the Remittance at what price may the Draught be made for Placentia Say by the Rule of Three taking one of the prices found for Divisor because then Barselona giveth the certain to Valenria and the uncertain price to Placentia saying if Duc. 107 the price found for Valentia give Sol. 23. what will Duc. 108¼ give being the price inordered and it will come to Sols 23¼ and at less price cannot be drawn for Placentia remitting to Valentia at Duc. 107. Examples CHAP. CCCCXXXIV Of the Terms of Payments of Bills of Exchange in Barselona Terms of payment of Bills of Exchange in Barselona c. THE Terms of Payment found accustom'd in Barselona is noted to be thence To Venice at 2 months after date and so back To Florence at 2 months after date and so back To Avignon at 18 days sight and so back To Bruges and Antwerp at 50 days after date and so back To Genoa at 20 days after date and so back To Lisbon at To Sevil at To Saragosa at To Valentia at To Lions for the Fair and so from Fair to Fair To Placentia and from Fair to Fair. And thus much shall serve to have said of the Exchanges in general practised in Barselona Valentia Saragosa Sevil and Lisbon in Portugal CHAP. CCCCXXXV Examples of Exchanges practised in Antwerp and how the same are to be calculated Exchanges practised in Antwerp I Have shewed before in the general Exchanges of Antwerp with how many other places this City is found to exchange and there also observed the common current rates thereof which in it self is found every day so subject to alteration that no positive rule can be set down therein however the same is so beneficial to the unexperienced that he may easily make his calculation thereby either in his Draughts or his Remittances there resteth now to be
price of 90 Gross per Ducat and of the Grosses which shall come thereof you must cut off the two last sigures and there will remain Gross 121½ and so many Gross and ⅖ more per cent for provision which is payable in Venice is disbursable in Antwerp for one Crown of Mark in credit in Placentia 2 Example Again at Venice is Exchange found for Antwerp at gro 90⅓ and for London at 56 pence sterling there is hereupon Order given to Venice that at these prices they draw for Antwerp and remit to London the question is At what price will the Remittance be from Antwerp to London To do this say by the Rule of Three If 56 pence sterling give gros 90⅓ seeing that the one and the other is the value of a Ducat of Venice what will 240 pence sterling give being the price of the pound sterling of London It will be gros 387 which reducing to shillings in taking the 1 12 and it will be 32¼ shillings and so many shillings Flemish and ⅖ more per cent for the provision payable in Venice comes to be disbursed in Antwerp for one pound sterling money Credit in London 2 Example Again a Merchant of London is Creditor in Antwerp 2000 l. Flemish who inordereth that it be remitted him at Shillings 33¼ or to Placentia at 121 gro where the most profit shall be found that is to that place which shall be most beneficial or to least loss of the prices limited Now there are found Bills for London at Shillings 33½ and for Placentia at gro 121¼ I demand to which of the said places should the Remittance be made seeing that by both there is found Remittance to loss And to know where is the least say by the Rule of Three If shil 33¼ give gros 121 the price inordered what will shil 33½ give being the price found for London It will come to gros 121 9 10 so that the Remittance should be made to Placentia because that remitting to London at shil 33½ to go to the Par should be delivered for Placentia at gro 121 9 10 and there is found Bills for loss that is at 121¼ gross And thus much for the Exchanges practised in Antwerp CHAP. CCCCXLIII Of the Exchanges practisd in London and how the same are to be calculated Exchanges practised in London I Have shewed in the general Exchanges of London with how many other places this City is found to Exchange and there also set down the common current prices and rates thereof which every day is found to be so subject to alteration that no positive rule can be observed rightly to set down the same yet it is in it self so beneficial that thereby the unexperienced may know how to make his calculation thereof and that as well in his Draughts as in his Remittances Now only there resteth to conclude this Tract of Exchanges and this Map of Commerce to handle the way how the same is cast up and how by Arithmetick it is performed which I will observe here with some other principal places which may serve for a sufficient ground and instruction to those here omitted Accounts kept in London It is here to be noted for the better understanding of what ensueth That all Bankers or Exchangers do keep their Accounts in London in pounds shillings and pence commonly called sterling and cast up by 20 and by 12 for 20 Shillings make a pound and 12 pence make a shilling And morcover that London exchangeth in the Denominator of pence sterling with all other Countreys Antwerp and those Countrys neighbouring of Flanders and Holland excepted with which it exchangeth by the entire pound of 20 shillings sterling CHAP. CCCCXLIV Of the Exchanges of London with Lions Exchanges of London with Lions LOndon exchangeth with Lions and giveth posito 61 pence more or less to have in Lions a Crown of Gold of the Sun of 3 l. piece I demand then for 348 l. 15 shillings sterling how many Crowns of the Sun shall I have Credit for in Lions First reduce the said sum of pounds sterling into shillings multiplying the same by 20 and adding thereto 15 shillings and then by 12 pence adding thereto the pence if any were and then divide the same by 61 pence and the Divident will make Crowns multiplying the remainder of the Division by 20 to make them Sols and by 12 to make them Den. of Gold and then they make in all Crow 1372008 Pence of the Sun of Gold that I shall have in Credit at Lions for the said sum of 348 l. 15 sterling delivered in London Proof The proof of this rule is manifested when that Lions shall exchange the said sum of 1372⅛ Crowns for London Exchanges of London with Paris Rouen c in France And here also it is to be noted that the rule is the same when London shall exchange with either Paris or Rouen or any other City of the Kingdom of France CHAP. CCCCXLV Of the Exchanges of London with Florence Exchanges of London with Florence LOndon doth exchange with Florence and giveth posito 70 pence ster more or less to have in Florence a Crow of Gold I demand then for pounds 656 10 6 d. ster how many Crowns shall I have Credit in Florence This is to be cast up as in the precedent rule of London with Lions and it will appear That for the said 656 10 6 sterling I am to have Credit in Florence the sum of Crow 2250⅛ as per Example Proof Note That this Exchange is seldom practised from London and therefore not in use in these days but when many Florentine Merchants resided in London it was much in use yet the Rule is right and the proof thereof is evident when Florence rechangeth again for London CHAP. CCCCXLVI Of the Exchanges of London with Venice Exchanges of London with Venice LOndon is found to Exchange for great Sums with Venice and giveth posito 50 d. sterling to have in the said place one Ducat in Banco of l. 6⅕ money of Venice I demand then for 555 l. 17 6 d. sterling how many Ducats shall I have Credit for in Venice This is done as in the precedent rule reducing the pounds sterling into shillings by the multiplication of 20 and adding 17 and then multiplying that again by 12 to bring it into pence and adding thereto 6 d. and it will make Duc. 2668⅕ which should be rendred in Venice for 555 l. 17 6 d. sterling in London as per Example Proof Difference between money in Banco and current money in Venice Note that for distinction of the current money in Venice which is 21 per cent at present worse than the money payable by Exchange it is termed in Banco in which all Bills of Exchange are payable and the proof of this rule is apparent when that the said sum of 2668⅕ Ducats is rechanged for London CHAP. CCCCXLVII Of the Exchanges of
London with Antwerp Exchanges of London with Antwerp LOndon doth exchange with Antwerp and giveth one pound sterling to have in Antwerp posito Shillings 35. 6 pence or gross money of Antwerp I demand then for 445 l. 15 and six pence sterling how many pounds Flemish shall I have in Antwerp First multiply the pounds sterling by 20 and bring them into shillings and then by 12 to bring them into pence sterling do also the same with the pounds Flemish bringing them first into shillings Flemish by a multiplication of 20 and then to pence or gross by multiplication of 12 d. accounting the 35 s. 6 d. for l. Flem. 1. 15. 6 d. and say then by the Rule of Three If one pound sterling give 35. 6 d Flemish the price proposed what will 445 l. 15. 6 sterling give which will make l. 791. 5. 0 d. Flemish for which you must have credit in Antwerp Proof The proof of the Rule is more apparent when that Antwerp doth Exchange for London London Exchange with Amsterâ—… Câ—olondâ—… and note That the account is the same when that London doth exchange for Colonia Amsterdâ—m and other places in the Low-Countries CHAP. CCCCXLVIII Of Orders and Commissions given and received for Draughts and Remittances in London Orders and Commissions given and received for Draughts and Remittances in London ACcording to my proposed method I will here for conclusion of the Exchanges practised in London briefly insert some Examples of Draughts and Remittances made by Commission and Order in the City of London Example 1. To London then cometh Order from Venice to remit to them at 60 pence and to draw for Placentia at 82 per sterling the partido being for Crow 40000 of Mark I find then Bills for Venice at 61 pence I would know considering the loss that presenteth in the Remittance at how much should I draw my Draughts for Placentia you must say by the Rule of Three If pence 60 give pence 82 the price inordered how many will pence 61 give the price found for Venice and it will be pence 83â…“ sterling or thereabouts and at less must not the Draught be for Placentia Example 2. Again posito Florence is found to exchange for London at pence 83 sterling and say for Placentia at Crow 108 and that there is Order given to Florence that at these rates they draw for London and remit to Placentia at how much then will the remittance come from London to Placentia to do this I multiply the said Crow of Florence which properly are to the value of Crowns 100 of Mark by pence sterling 83 as is above-mentioned and out of the pence that are thence produced I cut off the two last figures and there will remain pence sterling 89â…” incirca and so many pence together with â…– per cent for the provision that is commonly paid in Florence comes to be disbursed in London for one Crown of Mark credit in Placentia 3 Example Again to Antwerp cometh Order from London to draw thither and to remit to Venice at such a price that the remittance from London for Venice come but to 55 pence sterling clear of charges the partido being 1000 pound sterling now there is found money for London at s. 33â…“ and Bills for Venice at gro 90â…” I demand if at this price the said Commission may be essected First reduce the said s. 33½ into gros and they make 400 then say by the Rule of Three if pence 240 the value of the pound sterling give 400 gro what will 55 pence sterlâ—…g give being the price of the Ducats of Venice it will make gross 91â…” from whence mull be deducted â…– per cent for provision taken and there will remain gro 91 3 10 so that the said Commission may be effected to profit because that drawing for London at s. 33 â— â— may be delivered for Venice at gross 91 3 10 and there present Bills at less that is at gross â…– 90 Example And this is as much as I conceive needful at this time to insert concerning the Exchanges practised in London now there only resteth Terms of payment of Bills of Exchange in London CHAP. CCCCXLIX Of the Terms of Payments of Bills of Exchange in London Terms of payment of Bills of Exchange in London THE Terms for the Payment of Bills of Exchange in London are observed to be with other Cities thus To Venice at 3 months after date and so back To Antwerp at one month after date and so back To Genoa at 3 months after date and so back To Florence at 3 months after date and so back To Pisa at 3 months after date and so back To Lions for the Fair and so from Fair to Fair. To Placentia the same as Lions To Rouen and Paris at one month after date and so back CHAP. CCCCL Of the Abreviation of Division and Multiplication after the Italian and foreign manner and method Of Division and Multiplication abreviated after the Italian manner FOr as much as I have in many parts of this particular Tract of Exchanges followed the Arithmetical method and manner of those rules practised in the calculation of these Exchanges by the Bankers and Exchangers of Italy it will be here needful for the better enlightning of the same and the easier casting up and calculation thereof that I shew how the Italian Brokers and Exchangers do abreviate their labour and shorten their task therein and the rather I have presumed to add the same here and in this place partly in regard that I have not found it published by any of our English Arithmeticians but princinally to shew the learner the ways how the same are there wrought and Arithmetically calculated It is generally confest by all Arithmeticians that the whole Art of Arithmetick depends upon five principal Rules now commonly in all Countreys received and taught that is by Numeration Addition Substraction Multiplication and Division and that no one proposed question in Arithmetick can be perfected without the help of some of these for the three former I find not any disagreement in the common received manner by them and us and therefore I will omit to speak any thing thereof but of the two latter whereby is observed that most Rules and Questions of all Exchanges are perfected and performed I will here insist upon induced principally as I said before to enlighten thereby the precedent Examples that I have handled in the calculations of the Exchanges before-mentioned I will then in the first place contrary to the custom of our English Masters in this Science begin with that part of Arithmetick which we call Division and by an example or two of the working thereof explain the same to such as either shall be desirous to learn it or such as shall desire to make use of the before-mention'd Tables Division abreviated in Calculations of Accounts A certain Merchant then bought 46 Cloths which cost him 673 l.
rate of so many Shillings and so many Pence Flemish Mony for every Pound sterling the Exchange from London to Hamburgh is on the Pound sterling to pay so many Shillings and Pence Hamburgh Money per Pound sterling which differeth something from the Flemish Mony The Exchange from London for Paris and Rouen is valued on the French Crown that is to pay so many Pence and so many parts of a Peny sterling for every French Crown The Exchange from London to Venice is made on the Ducat so many Pence and parts of a Penny sterling for every Ducat And the Exchange from London to Legorn is made on the Dollar or Piece of Eight to pay so many Pence and parts of a Penny sterling for every Dollar and these are the most usual Places for which there is a Price currant of Exchange at London at present The PAIR of several Countries THE Pair at Antwerp Amsterdam Middleburgh Lisle and Rotterdam with our Pound sterling is 33 s. 4 d. Flemish to a Pound sterling which 33 s. 4 d. Flemish do make 10 Gilders at 2 s. sterling the Gilder or 10 Livres Tournois Pair at France THE Pair at Paris Rouen and other Parts of France with our sterling Mony is at 71 Soulz the Crown or 6 s. sterling the French Crown of 3 Livres Tournois which 3 Livres make 6 s. sterling every Livre at 2 s. sterling and every 10 Soulz French rekoned at 12 d. sterling Pair at Legorn THE Pair at Legorn with our sterling Mony is at 4 s. 6 d. or 54 d. per Dollar or Piece of Eight Pair at Venice THE Pair at Venice with our sterling Mony is at 6 Livres and 4 Soulz of Venice per Ducat or 4 s. 3 d. or 51 d. sterling per Ducat Pair between Antwerp and Paris or any part of France THE French Crown of 60 Soulz or 3 Livres Tournois wherein Exchanges are usually made for France is worth 89 31 67 gross of Antwerp which is indeed the true Value of the Crown If then the Bill of Exchange be made for less than 89 37 67 gross per Crown of 3 l. Tournois there is a Loss thereby and if for more there is a Gain So that 89 37 67 gross being the Pair in Exchanges between these two Countries in the Crown of France and the Gross of Antwerp you may presently see whether there be Loss or Gain by any Parcel done by Exchange And the like may be done between any other two Places having first found out the Pair or equalizing the Mony of one Country with that of the other Country where the Exchange is to be made and knowing at what Price the Exchange then goes the Loss or Gain will soon appear But this Pair being grounded principally upon the currant Value of Coins the Plenty and Scarcity thereof the rising and falling Inhancement and Debasement of the same it must necessarily follow that the same is subject to change as Experience doth shew Hamburgh Pair TWenty Shillings sterling for Hamburgh at Pair is wont to be reckoned four Rix-Dollars which makes Flemish 33 s. 4 d. Receive your Mony before you part with your Bill by Assignment to receive the Mony elsewhere WHen a Bill of Exchange is due and the Party to whom it is payable or his Servant comes for the Mony to the Party who hath accepted the Bill and ought to pay the same demanding Payment thereof and he writes him a Note to go to a Goldsmith or to such a Place to such a Man and there orders the Mony to be paid Or that he gives him another Bill of Exchange due upon another Man and sets his Name on the Backside thereof leaving some space above his Name to make a Receipt for the Mony as is usual I would advise the Party who is to receive the Mony to keep his Bill I mean the first mentioned Bill of Exchange in his Custody till he hath received his Mony by Assignment as above and then he may either leave his Bill with the Goldsmith or Party of whom he hath received the Mony or else he may carry the Bill back to the Party that gave him the Note or other Bill of Exchange to receive the Mony by according as he shall order him But I should not advise to part with the first-mentioned Bill and to give it up to the Party upon whom it is drawn upon the Receipt of his Note or other Bill of Exchange for the Mony till such time as he be actually possessed of his Money I know the contrary is sometimes practised namely upon the receipt of such a Note c. to give up the Bill of Exchange but then here is the Inconvenience If the Mony be not presently paid me at the time upon such Note c. I am hindred from protesting my Bill of Exchange which I have deliver'd up as satisfied and so whereas I before had both the Drawer and Accep or bound and it may be the Endorsers also I have now only the Acceptor upon his single-sol'd Note c. And if the Acceptor or Party on whom my Bill is drawn in this Case of Assignment will not trust me with his Note c. whereby to go to receive my Mony I have less reason to trust him with my Bill of Exchange before I have my Mony for should I receive my Mony upon his Note c. and afterwards not deliver him up his Bill of Exchange if I am a solvable Man and of known Residence his Bill will do me little good for the Payment will appear upon the Testimony of the Goldsmith or Party that paid the Mony upon the Note c. but if I deliver up my Bill upon the receipt of his Note c. and then have not my Mony I must rest only upon him for my Mony and dance after his Pipe which I hold not convenient only I concieve it good for the Party that makes such a Note to mention in it the Party's Name to whom the Mony is to be paid and upon Payment of the Mony to take up that Note and Bill of Exchange and then there can be no Danger But suppose I give such a Note to receive the Mony by not mentioning in it to take up my Bill of Exchange the Party to whom I give this Note receives the Mony assigns his Bill of Exchange which he hath on me to another Man and plays the Knave and absents himself Cannot this other Man sue me for the Mony on my accepted Bill I answer he can and therefore it is good to know the Party to whom I give such a Note and mention in my Note that upon payment of the Mony the Goldsmith c. do take up my Bill of Exchange with that Note But now if he give me another Bill of Exchange to receive my Mony by and I go to the Party to whom it is directed and he do not presently pay me it being the third day after the Bill is due I ought
those Armies which are composed of Strangers and lie so far remote that they cannot feed cloth or otherwise provide for them out of their own Native Means and Provisions but must receive this Relief from other Nations The effects of different Wars concerning Treasure Which kind of War is far different to that which a Prince maketh upon his own Confines or in his Navies by Sea where the Soldier receiving Mony for his Wages must every day deliver it out again for his Necessities whereby the Treasure remains still in the Kingdom although it be exhausted from the King But we see that the Spaniard trusting in the Power of his Treasure undertakes VVars in Germany and in other remote Places which would soon begger the richest Kingdom in Christendom of all their Mony the want whereof would presently disorder and bring the Armies to Confusion as it falleth out sometimes with Spain it self who have the Fountain of Mony when either it is stopp'd in the Passage by the force of their Enemies or drawn out faster than it flows by their own Occasions whereby also we often see that Gold and silver is often so scant in Spain that they are forced to use base Copper mony to the great Confusion of their Trade and not without the undoing also of many of their own People But now that we have seen the Occasions by which the Spanish Treasure is dispersed into so many places of the VVorld let us likewise discover how and in what Proportion each Country doth enjoy these Monies for we find that Turky and divers other Nations have great plenty thereof although they drive no Trade with Spain which seems to contradict the former Reason where we say that this Treasure is obtained by a Necessity of Commerce But to clear this point we must know that all Nations who have no Mines of their own are enriched with Gold and Silver by one and the same means which is already shewed to be the Ballance of their Forein Trade And this is not strictly ty'd to be done in those Countries where the Fountain of Treasure is but rather with such Order and Observations as are prescribed For suppose England by Trade with Spain may gain and bring home Five Hundred Thousand Ryals of Eight yearly if we lose as much by our Trade in Turky and therefore carry the Mony thither it is not then the English but the Turks which have got this Treasure although they have no Trade with Spain from whence it was first brought Again if England having thus lost with Turky do notwithstanding gain twice as much by France Italy and other Members of her general Trade then will there remain Five Hundred Thousand Ryals of Eight clear Gains by the Ballance of this Trade And this Comparison holds between all other Nations both for the manner of getting and the Proportion that is yearly gotten But if yet a Question should be made whether all Nations get Treasure and Spain only lose it I answer No for some Countries by VVar or by Excess do lose that which they had gotten as well as Spain by VVar and want of VVares doth lose that which was its own CHAP. VII The Diversity of Gain by Forein Trade IN the course of Forein Trade there are three sorts of Gain the first is that of the Common-wealth which may be done when the Merchant who is the Principal Agent therein shall lose The second is the Gain of the Merchant which he doth sometimes justly and worthily effect although the Common-wealth be a loser The third is the Gain of the King whereof he is ever certain even when the Common-wealth and the Merchant shall be both lofers Concerning the first of these we have already sufficiently shewed the Ways and Means whereby a Common-wealth may be Enriched in the course of Trade whereof it is needless here to make any repetition only I do in this Place affirm that such happiness may be in the Common-wealth when the Merchant in his particular shall have no occasion to rejoice As for Example suppose the East-India Company send out one hundred thousand Pounds into the East-Indies and receive home for the same the full value of three hundred thousand Pounds Hereby it is evident that this Part of the Common-wealth is trebled and yet I may boldly say that which I can well prove that the said Company of Merchants shall lose at least Fifty thousand Pounds by such an adventure if the returns be made in Spice Indico Callicoes Benjamin Refined Saltpeter and such other bulky Wares in their several Proportions according to their Vent and Use in these parts of Europe For the Freight of Shipping the Insurance of this Adventure the Charges of Factors abroad and Officers at home the Forbearance of the Stock His Majesties Customs and Imposts with other petty Charges incident cannot be less than two hundred and fifty thousand Pounds which being added to the Principal produceth the said Loss And thus we see that not only the Kingdom but also the King by his Customs and Imposts may get notoriously even when the Merchant notwithstanding shall lose grievously which giveth us good occasion here to consider how much more the Realm is enriched by this noble Trade when all things pass so happily that the Merchant is a Gainer also with the King and Kingdom In the next place I affirm that a Merchant by his laudable endeavours may both carry out and bring in VVares to his Advantage by Selling and Buying them to good Profit which is the end of his Labours when nevertheless the Common-wealth shall decline and grow Poor by a Disorder in the People when through Pride and other Excesses they do consume more Forein VVares in value than the Wealth of the Kingdom can satisfie and pay by the Exportation of our own Commodities which is the very Quality of an Unthrift who spends beyond his Means Lastly the King is ever sure to get by Trade when both the Common-wealth and Merchant shall lose severally as afore-written or jointly as it may and doth sometimes happen when at one and the same time our Commodities are over-ballanced by Forein Wares consumed and that the Merchant's success prove no better than is before declared But here we must not take the King's Gain in this large sense for so we might say that his Majesty should get although half the Trade of the Kingdom were lost we shall rather suppose that whereas the whole Trade of the Realm of Exportations and Importations is now found for to be about the Yearly value of Four Millions and a half of Pounds it may be yet increased Two hundred thousand pounds per Annum more by the Importation and Consumption of Forein Wares By this means we know that the King shall be a Gainer near Twenty thousand pounds but the Common-wealth shall lose the whole Two hundred thousand Pounds thus spent in Excess And the Merchant may be a Loser also when the Trade shall in this
with good Profit the first Part whereof being made as we have supposed in Spain from thence I consider where to make my second Gain and finding that the Florentines send out a greater Value in Cloth of Gold and Silver wrought Silks and Rashes to Spain than they receive in Fleece VVools West-India Hides Sugar and Cochineal I know I cannot miss of my purpose by delivering my Mony for Florence where still upon the same Ground I direct my course from thence to Venice and there find that my next Benefit must be at Franckfort or Antwerp until at last I come to Amsterdam by a shorter or longer Course according to such occasions of advantage as the Times and Places shall afford me And thus we see still that the Profit and Loss upon the Exchange is guided and ruled by by the Over or Under-ballance of the several Trades which are Predominant and Active making the Price of Exchange high or low which is therefore Passive the contrary whereof is so often repeated by the said Malines To the Second Fourth Fourteenth and Twenty Third I say that all these are the proper VVorks of the meer Exchanger and that his Actions cannot work to the Good or Hurt of the Common wealth I have already sufficiently shewed in the last Chapter and therefore here I may spare that labour To the Third It is true I can deliver one Thousand Pounds here by Exchange to receive the Value in Spain where with this Spanish Mony I can buy and bring away so much Spanish Wares But all this doth not prove but that in the End the English Mony or Commodities must pay for the said Wares For if I deliver my Thousand Pounds here to an English-man he must pay me in Spain either by Goods already sent or to be sent thither or if I deliver it here to a Spaniard he takes it of me with intent to employ it in our Wares so that every way we must pay the Stranger for what we have from him Is there any Feats in all this worthy our admiration To the Fifth Thirteenth Twentieth and Twenty First I must answer these Wonders by heaps where I find them to be all one Matter in divers Forms and such froth also that every Idiot knows them and can say that he who hath credit can Contract Buy Sell and take up much Mony by Exchange which he may do as well also at Interest yet in these Courses they are not always gainers for sometimes they live by the Loss as well as they who have less credit To the Sixth and Seventh Here is more poor stuff for when I know the currant Price of my Wares both here and beyond the Seas I may easily conjecture whether the Profit of the Exchange of the Gain which I expect upon my Wares will be greater And again as every Merchant knows well what he gains upon the Wares he Buyeth and Selleth so may any other Man do the like that can tell how the said Merchant hath proceeded But what is all this to make us admire the Exchange To the Eighth and Twelfth As Bankers and Exchangers do furnish Men with Mony for their occasions so do they likewise who let out their Mony at Interest with the same hopes and like advantage which many times notwithstanding fails them as well as the Borrowers often labour for the Lender's Profit To the Ninth and Eighteenth Here my Author hath some secret Meaning or being conscious of his own Errors doth mark these two VVonders with a ☞ in the Margin For why should this great VVork of Enriching or Impoverishing of Kingdoms be attributed to the Exchange which is done only by those means that do Over or Under-ballance our Forein Trade as I have already so often shewed and as the very words of Malines himself in these two Places may intimate to a Judicious Reader To the Fifteenth and Sixteenth I confess that the Exchange may be used in turning Base Mony into Gold or Silver as when a Stranger may coin and bring over a great Quantity of Farthings which in short time he may disperse or convert into good Mony and then deliver the same here by Exchange to receive the Value in his own Country or he may do this Feat by carrying away the said good Mony in Specie without using the Exchange at all if he dare venture the Penalty of the Law The Spaniards know well who are the common Coiners of Christendom that dare venture to bring them store of Copper-mony of the Spanish Stamp and carry away the Value in good Ryals of Eight wherein notwithstanding all their cunning devices they are sometimes taken tardy To the Seventeenth The Bankers are always ready to receive such Sums of Mony as are put into their hands by Men of all Degrees who have no Skill or good Means themselves to manage the same upon the Exchange to Profit It is likewise true that the Bankers do repay all Men with their own and yet reserve good Gain to themselves which they do as well deserve for their ordinary Provision or Allowance as those Factors do which Buy or Sell for Merchants by Commission And is not this likewise both Just and very Common Lex Mercatoria pag. 410. Maintenance of Free Trade p. 17. To the Eleventh I must confess that here is a VVonder indeed that a poor Prince should keep either his VVars or VVares I take both together as the Author sets them down both ways differing in his said two Books upon Interest-Mony for what needs the Enemy of such a poor Prince deal with the Bankers to disapoint him or defeat him of his Mony in time of want when the Interest itself will do this fast enough and so I leave this poor Stuff To the Nineteenth I have lived long in Italy where the greatest Banks and Bankers of Christedom do trade yet could I never see nor hear that they did or were able to rule the Price of Exchange by Confederacy but still the Plenty or Scarcity of Mony in the course of Trade did always over-rule them and made the Exchanges to run at high or low Rates Exchange hinders not Princes of their Customs To the Twenty Second The Exchange by Bills between Merchant and Merchant in the course of Trade cannot hinder Princes of their Customs and Imposts For the Mony which one Man delivereth because he will not or hath not occasion to employ it in VVares another Man taketh because he either will or hath already laid it out in Merchandize But it is true that when the Wealth of a Kingdom consisteth much in ready Mony and that there is also good Means and Conveniency in such a Kingdom to Trade with the same into Forein Parts either by Sea or Land or by both these Ways if then this Trade be neglected the King shall be defeated of those Profits and if the Exchange be the Cause thereof then must we learn in what manner this is done for we may Exchange
Estate they seem not the same People Those Princes which willingly support the Dutch would as resolutely resist the Spaniard for who knows not that the Condition of those Provinces was mean and Turbulent under the Spaniards Government which brought rather a greater Charge then a further Strength to to their Ambition neither would it prove over difficult for the Neighbour Princes in short time to reduce those Countries to their former Estate again if their own safety did require the same as certainly it would if the Spaniard were sole Lord of those Netherlands but our Discourse tends not to shew the Means of those Mutations otherwise than to find out the chief Foundation of the Hollander's Wealth and Greatness For it seems a wonder to the World that such a small Country not fully so big as two of our biggest Shires having little natural Wealth Victuals Timber or other necessary Ammunitions either for War or Peace should notwithstanding possess them all in such extraordinary Plenty that besides their own wants which are very great they can and do likewise serve and sell to other Princes Ships Ordnance Cordage Corn Powder Shot and what not which by their industrious Trading they gather from all the Quarters of the World Much Policy but little Honesty In which courses they are not less injurious to supplant others especially the English than they are careful to strengthen themselves And to effect this and more than hath been said which is their War with Spain they have little Foundation besides the Fishing which is permitted them in His Majesty's Seas being indeed the Means of an incredible Wealth and Strength both by Sea and Land as Robert Hichcock Tobias Gentleman and others have published at large in print to them that list to read And the States-General themselves in their Proclamation have ingeniously set out the Worth thereof in these words following Part of the States Proclamation dated in the Hague 19. July 1624. The great Fishing and catching of Herrings is the chiefest Trade and principal Gold Mine of the United Provinces whereby many Thousands of Households Families Handicrafts Trades and Occupations are set on work well maintained and prosper especially the Sailing and Navigation as well within as without these Countries is kept in great estimation Moreover many returns of Money with the Increase of the Means Convoys Customs and Revenues of these Countries are augmented thereby and prosper with other words following as is at large expressed in the said Proclamation set forth by the States-General for the Preservation of the said Trade of Fishing without which it is apparent that they cannot long subsist in Sovereignty for if this Foundation perish the whole Building of their Wealth and Strength both by Sea and Land must fall for the multitude of their Shipping would suddenly decay their Revenues and Customs would become small their Countries would be Depopulated for want of Maintenance whereby the Excise must fail and all their other Trades to the East-Indies or elsewhere must faint So that the Glory and Power of these Netherlands consisteth in this Fishing of Herrings Ling and Cod in his Majesty's Seas It resteth therefore to know what Right or Title they have thereunto and how they are able to Possess and Keep the same against all other Nations The Answer to these two Questions is not difficult For first It is not the Netherlandish Author of Mare Liberum that can intitle them to Fish in His Majesty's Seas For besides the Justice of the Cause and Examples of other Countries which might be alledged I will only say that such Titles would be sooner decided by Swords than with Words I do believe indeed that it is free for the Fish to come thither at their Pleasure but for the Dutch to carry and carry them away from thence without His Majesty's Licence I harbour no such Thought There may be good Policy to connive still and so long to permit them this Fishing as they are in perfect league with England and in War with Spain But if the Spaniards were Masters of the United Provinces as heretofore it would nearly concern these Kingdoms to claim their own Right and carefully to make as good use thereof for Increase of their Wealth and Strength to oppose that Potent Enemy as now the Netherlanders do and are well enabled for the same Purpose By which particular alone they are ever bound to acknowledge their strong Alliance with England above all other Nations for there is none that hath the like good Means to lend them such a Powerful maintenance Fishing and Money compared Nor were it possible for the Spaniard if he had those Countries again to make a new Foundation with the Power of his Money to increase his Strength either by Sea or Land to offend these Kingdoms more than he is now able to perform with the Conveniency of those Provinces which he hath already in his Possession for it is not the Place but the Employment not the Barren Netherlands but the Rich Fishing which gives Foundation Trade and Subsistence to those multitudes of Ships Arts and People whereby also the Excises and other publick Revenues are continued and without which Employment all the said great Dependences must necessarily disbandon and fail in very short time For although I confess that store of Mony may bring them Materials which they altogether want and Arts-men to build them Shipping yet where are the Wares to Freight and Maintain them If Mony then shall be the only means to send them out in Trade what a poor number of Ships will this employ Or if the uncertain Occasions of War must support them will not this require another Indies and all too little to maintain the Tenth Part of so many Ships and Men as the Hollanders do now set on work by the Fishing and other Trades thereon depending But if it be yet said that the Spaniard being Lord of all those Netherlands his Expence of the present War there will cease and so this Power may be turned upon us The Answer is that when Princes send great Forces abroad to invade others they must likewise increase their Charge and Strength at Home to defend themselves and also we must consider that if the Spaniard will attempt any thing upon these Kingdoms he must consume a great Part of his Treasure in Shipping whereby the Means of his invading Power of Money and Men to land will be much less than now it is in the Low-Countries Nor should we regard them but be ever ready to beard them when our Wealth and Strength by Sea and Land might be so much increased by the Possession and Practice of our Fishing of which particular I will yet say something more where occasion shall be offered in that which followeth And here in this Place I will only add that if the Spaniard were sole Lord of all the Netherlands he must then necessarily drive a great Trade by Sea to supply the
find out the distance of two places or Cities To find out then the distance betwixt any two places do thus Set the one foot of your Compass on the one place and the other foot on the other place and apply that wideness to the Equinoctial and look how many degrees of the Equinoctial that wideness comprehendeth and allowing 60 Italian miles to every degree you shall have the distance by a right line of those two places demanded But if the said two places have both either North or South Latitude then substract the lesser Latitude out of the greater so shall you find the difference which difference if you multiply by 60 the product will be the number of miles and if to the whole degrees of difference there be annexed any minutes then you must add to the product for every minute a mile But if one of the two places have North Latitude and the other South Latitude then you shall find their difference by Addition only and not by Substraction The distances of two places having different Longitudes and East and West Latitude Now if you would find the distance of two places differing only in Longitude both places having either East or West Latitude then substract the lesser out of the greater so shall you have the true difference which difference you must multiply by the number of miles belonging to their Latitude which commonly is found on the North-West side of the Maps or by the Table of miles answerable of one degree of every Latitude and the product thereof will be the number of miles whereby the one place is distant from the other but if one place have East Longitude and the other West Longitude then you must find the difference as well by Addition as by Substraction To conclude this point I conceive it not much material to my purpose further to insist hereupon for the diligent and ingenious will easily hereby comprehend the benefit that may redound to him by a general inspection in this Art referring what is here by me willingly omitted to his own private search and study and to such Authors as have learnedly written of this Subject more at large and therefore from the universal knowledge of Maps that pointeth out the General Divisions of the World I will come to the Particulars comprised therein and view the Subdivisions thereof as Potency Might and Sovereignty have prescribed Rules thereunto This World then consisting as I noted before of four Principal Parts and every Part consisting of several Empires Kingdoms and Provinces in which many Commodities both natural and artificial are found fit for Commerce and Traffick and also wherein are noted to be divers eminent Cities and Towns of great concourse of Shipping Merchants and Trade which Trade is maintained and driven by the said Commodities and Wares and by the natural inclination of Mankind to inâ—ich themselves by Invention and Time hath devised the Art of Merchandizing and by the means of Weights Measures Coins Exchanges and Accompt-keeping have drawn the same to certain Heads and Principals which in this MAP OF COMMERCE I shall endeavour to demonstrate But before I fall to Particulars it is requisite I should first say somewhat of the same in general CHAP. II. Of the Art of Merchandizing and the General Parts thereof Merchandizing accounted an Art MERCHANDIZING truly considered in it self and rightly practised may well be said to be an Art or Science invented by ingenious Mankind for the publick good commodity and welfare of all Common-wealths for thereby some places and Kingdoms are supplied and furnished with those necessary things whereof Nature her self hath proved deficient in and which in some other places or Kingdoms hath abandoned tending either to the need ornament or commodity of humane life and is performed by exporting the superfluities that are found in the one to furnish the defects and wants that are found in the other and the Arts-men that are seen thus to practise and exercise the same and which do thus transport these things from one place to another are generally known to us and commonly termed by the name of Merchants and the things themselves wherewith they Negotiate and Traffick are termed Merchandizes or Commodities Merchandizing what Merchandizing then of it self in effect is nothing else but a Commutation Bargaining Contracting or Exchanging of one man with another and by giving by one so much of one thing or Commodity to have of the other so much and the like value of some one other differing Commodity else and the 〈◊〉 themselves subject to this Commutation or Exchanging are principally observed in all places to be two The materials of Merchandizing are Commodities and Moneys first Wares or Goods and secondly Moneys or Coyn which two are usually observed to be contracted and bargained for in three several distinct manners Commutations distinguished into three manners or kinds The first is Goods for Goods and this is termed Bartering The second is Goods for Money and this is termed Bargaining and the third is Money for Money and this is properly amongst Merchants in these days termed Exchanging from whence it proceedeth and may be concluded that all merchantile affairs and commerce-like Negotiations may be distinguished into three kinds or sorts that is into Bartering commonly called Trucking Bargaining commonly called buying and selling and into returning of Moneys from one place to another by Bills commonly called Exchanging The first of these was taught to Mankind by necessity who to provide himself of things that were needful gave in lieu and in truck thereof and for the same the things whereof he had store and plenty The second kind was found out and invented to facilitate the first and the third and last to facilitate the second Bartering In the times of old amongst us and yet in these days in many places of America Asia and Africa the first manner of Bartering was and is yet in use and practised where though Gold and Silver and Brass was not known nor accounted as a stamped Coin yet it was then both here and is still here held in greater estimation than was any other commodity or mettal the which Homer inferreth in his relation of the Trojan War where he mentioneth that Achilles his Golden Armour was valued in barter at one hundred Oxen and that the Brass Armour of Diomedes was valued in barter but at nine But Man in process of time finding it too too difficult a thing and too too troublesome a business to carry about him all things thus barter'd and trucked from one place to another chose out one singular thing which as a common standard or measure should countervail and be in Value as all other things and which should be received and accounted of in payment satisfaction and equivalency to all others and the things thus chosen and estimated was Gold Silver and Brass the most excellent of Metals which being then and since by the Authority of princes divided
3. The Party that is to pay the Bill for the Taker directs the Bill to his Friend or Servant to pay the same Now this way of Exchange is very useful according as occasion may be For suppose I were to go from London to Plimouth there to employ some Monies in the buying of some Coromodity I deliver my Monies here in London to some body who gives me his Bill of Exchange on his Friend Factor or Servant at Plimouth payable to my self so I carry the Bill along with me and receive my Mony my self by virtue thereof at Plimouth Another way wherein only three Persons are needful in the Negotiation of Monies by Exchange namely First the Drawer Secondly the Party on whom it is drawn Thirdly the Party to whom it is payable 1. The Drawer having Monies in his hands belonging to the Party to whom he orders the Bill to be paid doth make a Bill of Exchange himself confessing the value received in his own hand 2. Charging it on his Friend or Factor 3. Payable to the Party to whom he was indebted There is yet one way more wherein Monies may be remitted by Exchange only with the help of three Persons 1. The Taker 2. The Deliverer 3. The Party to whom payable As thus If I were at Dartmouth or Exon and intended to come to London I would take up Monies by Exchange at Dartmouth or Exon and subscribe Bills of Exchange for the same confessing the Value received of the Deliverer directed or drawn on my self payable to whom the Deliverer should appoint in London Two Persons to make an Exchange LIkewise a Parcel of Money may be done by Exchange between two Persons First the Drawer and secondly the Party on whom it is drawn the Drawer he makes a Bill of Exchange payable to himself or Order for the Value in himself and subscribes the Bill and directs it to the Party that owes him Money and is to pay it by Exchange by which Bill when the Party on whom it is drawn hath accepted it he becometh Debtor to the Drawer and he before the Bill falls due doth negotiate the Parcel with another Man and so draws in the Money at the place where he liveth and makes only an Assignment on the Bill payable to him of whom he hath received the Value The Usefulness of framing Bills of Exchange after these several Forms before-mentioned will be found out according as each Man's Occasion shall present in his Trade and Commerce by Exchange which is so necessary that there is fearce a Merchant but at some time or other one way or other doth either receive or pay Monies by Bills of Exchange All these manner of Exchanges before-mentioned are termed Real Exchange because it is a thing really done and the Mony really Exchanged from one place to another There are other Exchanges of Monies so called but improperly as Dry Exchange Feigned or Imaginary Exchange Small or Petty Exchange Dry Exchange DRY Exchange is when I having occasion for Monies desire a Banker to lend me 100 l. at Interest for a certain time the Banker unwilling to deliver at Interest offers me 100 l. by Exchange for Amsterdam whereunto I agree but not having any Correspondence there the Banker bids me make my Bills of Exchange for so much Mony to be paid at double or treble Usance at Amsterdam by any imaginary Body at the Price the Exchange shall there go at which I do the time being run out comes a Protest from Amsterdam for Non-payment with their Exchange of the Mony from Amsterdam to London all which with Costs I must repay him here in London for the Mony he lent me Feigned Exchange FEigned Exchange is when I ow a Banker Monies and have none at present to pay I desire time the Banker grants it me but I am to pay him his Mony by Exchange at the time at Rouen yet we are agreed between our selves that if I pay it him here in London at the time then I am free otherwise I am bound as above In the interim the Banker writes to his Friend at Rouen that against such a time he send him from thence a Bill of Exchange for the like Sum feigning that he oweth it him there After the time is expired comes a Bill of Exchange from Rouen to pay here so much as he owed there with the Rechange all which the Banker puts to my Accompt and per our Agreement will force me to pay in case I do not pay him here at the time agreed upon Petty Exchange PEtty Exchange is the Changing of one sort of Mony for another as to exchange 20 s. in Silver for 21 s. in Brass or Copper Farthings and the like But these three last-mentioned kinds of Exchanges I intend not to insist upon in this ensuing Treatise in regard they are not so commendable as the Real Exchange nor as I conceive much practised in these parts PAIR PAir as the French call it is to equalize match or make even the Mony of Exchange from one place with that of another when I take up so much Mony per Exchange in one place to pay the just Value thereof in other kind of Mony in another place without having respect to the price currant of Exchange for the same but only to what the Monies are worth and do currantly pass for in each place according whereunto is easily found out the Profit and Loss which from time to time is made in whatever Parcels of Mony drawn or remitted by Exchange and it is likewise delivering Mony at Pair when there is received in one Town just so much Mony as was delivered by Exchange in another Town as when I deliver by Exchange 100 l. sterling at York to receive 100 l. sterling at London which is done only by the Loss of time For what Parts the Exchange is made THE Price of Exchange of Monies from one Country to another is usually made from and to the most eminent Cities or Towns in each Place or Country where Commerce and Trade is held between Merchants in Exchange of Monies and the Trade ceasing at any Town the Price currant for Exchange for that Town ceases with it As for instance when the English Merchant-Adventurers had their Factors and Company at Delft then there was a Price currant of Exchange from London to Delft but the Company removing from Delft to Rotterdam where they are at present there is now no Price currant of Exchange from London to Delft but from London to Rotterdam Upon what the Exchange is valued NOW most Countries using several kinds of Monies different in Value one from another the Exchange is valued or rated upon some one certain most considerable Species or sort of Mony for each Country or Town as followeth The Exchange of Monies from London to Antwerp Amsterdam Middleborough Lisle and Rotterdam is usually accounted and valued on the Pound sterling of 20 s. English Mony that is to say to pay after the