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. LXXI.

Of Assyria, Mesopotamia, and Chaldea, and the Cities thereof.

ASsyria hath on the East Media, on the West Meso∣potamia, * 1.1 on the North Armenia minor, on the South a part of Persia; in which I find no Citie at present of any note: heere is seene to this day the ruines of that Ni•…•…iveh whose walles were of three dayes iour∣ney in compasse about, one hundred foot high, and thirtie foot broad, and beautified with 1500 Towres of 200 foot high; through which ran the famous River of Euphrates, and to which place was Ionas sent to preach; heere being 120000 per∣sons found so ignorant in the things of God, that they are said in Scripture not to know the right hand from the left.

In Mesopotamia is seated Caramit a famous Towne and Bashaw∣like * 1.2 of the grand Signior whose commerce is unknowne unto us by reason of its scituation; in Genesis 12 it is called Padan Haran, and is the place where Abraham dwelt after he had left Vr; and in this Countrey was Abraham borne, and to which place hee sent his servant to choose a wife for his sonne Isaac; and here in some Authors opinion, (which in this description I followed, did Paradise stand. * 1.3

In Chaldea wee find many Cities to have beene of old; and a∣mongst * 1.4 others Babel, famous for the confusion of Languages that heere happened in building that stupendious Edifice which was raised 5164 paces high, and who had its basis and circumference

equall to that heighth; it is now much lessened of its ancient greatnes, and from Babel it became first Babylon, and now Bagdat, * 1.5 a Bashawlike of the grand Signior, through which runs the River Euphrates, which is in part the cause of her present traffique which dayly is found to be maintained by the helpe of Aleppo, where is kept (by the intercourse of Merchants, and the commoditie of Caravans, and intelligence of Pigeons carrying letters) a neigh∣bourlike commerce; Bagdate oftentimes venting into the land, what Aleppo doth receive by Seas.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Assyria, Mesopo∣tamia, and Chal∣dea.
• * 1.2

  Mesopotamia.
• * 1.3

  Paradise.
• * 1.4

  Chaldea.
• * 1.5

  Babylon, now Bagdate.