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. LXXXI.

Of HISPAHAN, and the Trade thereof.

HISPAHAN in times past was called Hecatompolis, * 1.1 or the Citie of 100 gates, which name it may well still retaine, seeing that the walles thereof con∣taines a reasonable dayes journey on horsebacke, it is now become the greatest Citie in all the Persi∣an Dominions, and so much the more populous and magnificent, as being the common residence of the Persian Sophies; it is strong by scituation, defended by a high wall, deepe ditches, and a good Castle; on the west side stand two stately Palaces or Seraglios, for the King and his Women, farre exceeding in state and magnificence all others the proud buildings of this Citie. The walles are of red marble, and pargetted with divers colours, and all the Palace is paved with checkerd and fretted worke, and on the same is spread curious Carpets both of silke and gold; the windows are of Alablaster, of white and other spotted marble; the posts and wickets of massie Ivorie checkerd with glistering blacke Ebony, so curiously wrought in winding knots, as may easilier stay than satisfie the eyes of the wondring beholder; to which is ad∣ded a pleasant Garden, wherein is seene a thousand fountaines, brookes and lesser rivolets; and also what may els be wanting, to make it fit for so great a Monarch.

The Inhabitants of this Citie do all their affaires one horsbacke, both publique and private, going from place to place, they con∣ferre one with another on horsbacke; and so doe the Merchants buy and sell and negociate; the difference here betweene the Gentlemen and the slave being, that the slave never rideth, nor the gentleman never goeth on foote.

It is not questionable but that this Citie, the splendor of all Persia, the continuall residence of the Kings, and inhabited by so many eminent persons, as alwayes attend this Monarch, but that it is of great trade and concourse of Merchants, and furnished not onely with all the native commodities of Persia, but also of those of Arabia, Turkie, India and China, hither brought in great abun∣dance

to be exchanged for the native commodities of this place: and though it want the commodiousnesse of the Sea, yet by Cara∣vans it is supplyed with all those things that are conducible ei∣ther to beautie, necessitie, or ornament. The Caspian Sea affoords it the commodities of Turky, Russia, and Moscovia and Iasques with Ormus; his two Sea-ports in India affoords it the commodities of India and Arabia; all other commodities from either the Turke or Mogur is supplyed by Caravans Dromedaries and Camells: which hath cost by late observations in portage and cariage of commo∣dities thus:

The cariage of 100 maunds of wares from Sciras to Hispahan * 1.2 costeth 70 sehids, and from Spahan to Casan 60 sehids, from Hispa∣han to Ormus by Scyras 120 sehids, and from Hispahan to Tauris 40 sehids.

The common commodities of Hispahan I have already nomina∣ted, and though all commodities in generall are subject to rise and fall in price amongst Merchants, yet the maund of cotton is here * 1.3 commonly at 12 sehids, the maund of Rice 7 Beste, the maund of Dragant 2 Beste, of Enapp 2 Beste, of Non 3 Beste, of Laghem 4 Beste, of Anil 40 mamhodies, and the Cattee of sugar is worth 400 Tomans, which is () pound English.

Their coines currant in Hispahan, and generally throughout all the Kingdome of the Sophie are of severall sorts, partly of brasse, partly of silver and partly of gold. The principall whereof is the * 1.4 Toman, which formerly hath beene accounted to be worth 6 li. starling, since 4 li. and by reason of the late warres imbased, and worth now onely 3 li. 6 s8. 8 d. at Sea side starling, and by some ac∣counted 3 li. 12. sh. 6 d.

This Toman is worth 200 Saheds or Shahees, 14½ or 15 ℞. 8/8 span. or 10 asures, which have beene accounted 4 li. star. a piece, a Ma∣mothy of silver, is 2½ Bestees of copper.

The Riall of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 span. is here accounted for 13 Shahees, and 1 cosbeg or 5¼ lorins.

The lion dollor currant in these parts is 10 Shahees, every Shahee is 4 d. starling, or 50 deniers here in account.

A Rupias, which is the coine of the Mogull is abashees, 4¼ which is 2 sh. 3 d. starling.

A Mamothy is 9 cosbegges or 32 dores, or 100 deniers.

A Bestee of copper is 4 cosbegges, or 20 deniers.

An Abaisce silver is 2 Mamothies, or 20 shahees, or 200 deniers.

A Chickeene of gold, sheriffe or solton is 18½ shahees, yet in some places of Persia they passe for 20 shahees, and in some for 24 sha.

An asure of gold is 20 shahees, and 10 asures is a Tomano 3-6-8 d. st.

A Larin is 5½ shahees, and in some places onely 5 about 10 d. or 10½d. starling, here 25 cosbeggs.

A Fonan is 9 Cupans. A mitigall is 3•…•…½ or 34 shahees.

A sadee is 40 flosses. A shahee is 10 cosbeggs.

A mitigall is 33½, and in some places 34 shahees.

A Tanger is 12 pulls, which is shahees.

They here keepe their accounts in sundry species and denomi∣nations, * 1.5 some in Sheriffes, some in Spanish Rialls, and some in to∣mans, and some in Shahees: The common account is thus distin∣guished.

The Abashee is	200 deniers, or 20 shahees.
The Mamothy is	100 deniers, or 10 shahees.
The Sadon	50 deniers, or 5 shahees:
The Uiste is	20 deniers, or 2 shahees.
The Cosbegge is	5 deniers.

And those that keep their account in shahees, onely they reckon them to hundred thousands, and hundred thousands, as the proper knowne coine of the Countrey; and this manner hath seemed the best to our English there resident, which they account 60 shahees for 20 sh. starling.

The weights of Persia are subsistent of 3 sorts, of the Dramme, the * 1.6 Mitigall, and the Mand or Mandshaw:

The dramme is the least, 100 whereof makes 66⅔ mitigals.

The mitigall is the next, 100 whereof makes 150⅓ drams.

The mand or mandeshaw is the greatest, and makes 1200 mitigals, or else 1800 drams; which hath made by the observation of some Factors that have resided there 14 li. 9 ounc. haberdepois.

The summe or cargo of silke is accounted here 36 Mandshaw, which accounted as above, makes English 524 li. haberdepois, and is great pounds of 24 ounc. incirca 350 li. But the east India company find it to be 300 great silke pounds and no more by often triall: But it is to be noted that these mandshaws is found to differ in ma∣ny Provinces and Cities in Persia, and the bordering Countries, and doth differ in many commodities; but the mandeshaw common of Persia is 1200 drams for silke.

The mandeshaw of Tauris is but 600 drams.

The mandeshaw of Syrrat is 5 maunds of tauris above-named.

The maund of hispahan is accounted one and halfe mand of Sira•…•…, besides which they have these weights in some places;

1 Dubba is counted 5 maunds.

1 Sherway is counted 50 maunds.

1 Rellaij is counted 7 maunds.

1 Maund is counted by observation pounds English.

In Tauris also before named, a City in times past of great trad•…•…, in this Countrey they have 2 Mands, the one of silke which hath made by a Florentines observation 5⅝ li. Florence, and another for all other commodities; the 100 whereof hath made there by the said observation 264. li. Florence.

The measures of length used in Persia is of 2 sorts, and both of * 1.7 them called a Covedo; A long and A short:

The long accounted to be 37½	inches English measure, agreeable to the pico of Turkey.
The short accounted to be 27

Thus is what I find observable in the particular trade of Persia, I will now view it as it stands in the generall parts thereof.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Hispahan and the trade thereof.
• * 1.2

  Carriage of Commodities by Caravans.
• * 1.3

  Prices com∣mon of Com∣modities in Spahan.
• * 1.4

  Coines cur∣rant in Persia.
• * 1.5

  Accounts kept in Persia.
• * 1.6

  Weights cur∣rant in Persia.
• * 1.7

  Measures used in Persia.