The merchants mappe of commerce wherein, the universall manner and matter of trade, is compendiously handled. The standerd and currant coines of sundry princes, observed. The reall and imaginary coines of accompts and exchanges, expressed. The naturall and artificiall commodities of all countries for transportation declared. The weights and measures of all eminent cities and tovvnes of traffique, collected and reduced one into another; and all to the meridian of commerce practised in the famous citie of London. By Lewes Roberts, merchant. Necessary for all such as shall be imployed in the publique affaires of princes in forreigne parts; for all gentlemen and others that travell abroad for delight or pleasure, and for all merchants or their factors that exercise the art of merchandizing in any part of the habitable world.

CHAP. XV.

Of TUNES and the Trade thereof.

THE Kingdome of Tunes containes sundry Cities of * 1.1 trade, the principall being the citie of Tunes it selfe, then Bona, Biserta, Tripolis, and Africa, and here was seated that famous Citie of Carthage, who contended * 1.2 with Rome for the mastery of all the world, and challenged the prioritie in Africa as queene and supreame Lady thereof, now onely seene in her ruines, and knowne by her vast extent, and from whose ashes sprung up Tunes the abovesaid, sea∣ted upon a Lake six myles distant from the Sea; the Port com∣manded by the Fort of Golletta, and at this day acknowledging the great Turke for their Protectour, who every three yeares doth * 1.3 send hither a Bashaw to command; but the chiefe rule appertaines to the Die or Governour, chosen and elected by the natives of this Kingdome. This Kingdome is much bettered and inriched by the labour of those Moores which by thousands were banished from * 1.4 Spaine, who have here built many Cities, and Temples, according to their superstitious use, planted Vines, Oranges, Lemons, Figges, Dates, Almonds and Olives, and thereby have both much peopled and profited this whole Countrey; and where in Anno 1619. and 1620. in two severall voyages, at my residents there I obser∣ved in trade these things.

Their coines used in trade is here commonly most currant the * 1.5 Spanish both silver and gold; the Riall of ½ Spanish is accounted 46 aspers, the ℞. of 4/4 23 aspers, the ¼ 11½, and the Pistolet of Spaine commonly by them termed the scudo, is 64 aspers, but these rise and fall according to the plentie and scarsitie thereof: silver coines of their owne I have not observed any stamped amongst them, save the asper spoken of before, eighty whereof makes a sultany, chicquin, or hangar duccat, which is the common peece of gold knowne pas∣sable through all Africa & Asia, and through all the Dominions of the Grand Signeor: and these coines passe thus currant in Tripolis, Barbaria, in Africa, Vna, Biserta, and other maritime parts alongst the coast.

Their common waight is a cantar, or 100 li. being about two * 1.6 pound bigger than our 112 li. of England, so that their pound

waight hath been found to make neere 16 ounces Troy, and produ∣ceth in Lighorne the common scale of passage from Christendome 150 li.

This cantar cont. 100 Rotolos or li. each Rotolo is divided into 16 ounces, and each ounce into eight tamins, and hereby is waighed all sorts of commodities, except silver, gold, pearle, &c. which are waighed by a carrot waight and mitigals, as I shall shew in another place more convenient.

Their common measure of length is a pico cont. 27 inches Eng∣lish, * 1.7 by which all silkes and woolen are measured, and called the pico turkisco, but the Morisco pico, is an inch lesse and q^t 26 inches, by which all Linnens is onely sold, and no other commoditie.

Their liquid measure is a Mettor, which in oyles makes about 32 li. English, and accounting 7½ li. to a gallon is foure gallons and 2 li. by which is sold honey, wines, and such like liquid commodi∣ties.

Their accounts by Merchants are kept by dollers and aspers, and by some in sultanies and aspers, as being the proper coines and * 1.8 species of that kingdome.

The commodities of this Kingdome, are excellent horses, waxe, * 1.9 honey, raw and salted hides, corrall taken up at Bona on the coast where the Genoes and Marselians have built them forts and scales for trade and commerce with the Inhabitants, to this purpose spun∣ges, dates, almonds, rice, oyle, hard soape, Christian captives of all kinds and Nations.

The customes paid usually is ten per cent. upon all commodities * 1.10 entring, fo•…•… so much onely as is landed and sold, accounted upon the reall value sold, and what is not sold may be at all times shipt without payment of any custome or dutie whatsoever: a Broaker being appointed by the Dye of the Citie to attend the Merchants actions, who keepeth a register of the sales made, according to which the said ten per centum is paid by the Merchant seller. The Citie of Tripoly distinguished of Barba∣rie * 1.11 is found upon this coast, and to agree with Tunes in waights, measures, and coines: and thus much shall serve to have said of Tunes in Numidia.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Tunes and the trade thereof.
• * 1.2

  Bona. Biserta. Tripolis. Africa.
• * 1.3

  Golletta.
• * 1.4

  Moros franc•…•…s or Granatines.
• * 1.5

  Coins currant in Tunes.
• * 1.6

  Waights of the Kingdome of Tunes.
• * 1.7

  Measures of Tunes.
• * 1.8

  Accounts in Tunes.
• * 1.9

  Commodities of Tunes.
• * 1.10

  Customes of Tunes.
• * 1.11

  Tripoly in Bar∣barie.