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. CII.

Of SILON and the Trade thereof.

SILON lyeth in the gulph of Bengala, in length 250, and in bredth 140 miles; found so fruitfull, that the * 1.1 grasse groweth, and the trees beare fruit all the yeare long without intermission: it is commanded in chiefe by the great Mogul; the principall Townes are Zi∣lan, the Metropolis of the Iland, and Columbo, fortified by the Por∣tugals; and as it is conceived commanding over the best harbour in India.

For commodities it hath many, and almost all things that are found in India, through all the severall Provinces and places * 1.2 thereof; first it hath nutmegs, cloves and pepper trees good store, and the best cynamon in all India, which is here had and found grow∣ing in whole woods, and hence dispersed into all parts of the

World: also it affords all kinds of precious stones (except dyamonds) as Saphirs, Rubies, Topasses, Spinals, Granati; also a plentifull fishing for Pearl, yet not accounted so good as at Bareim by Ormus; it hath likewise mines of gold, silver, and other mettalls; also iron, flax, brimstone, ivorie bones, and sundry other commodities. Here is also a hil•…•… of that great height, that the Inhabitants hold it the highest in India, and call it Adams hill, upon which they say Paradise stood, and that Adam was there created; whose footsteps, if they may be * 1.3 beleeved, doe remaine yet ingraven there in the Rocke, and goes not out: but the Inhabitants being most active in their bodies, may be imagined to be so also with their tongues, for throughout India they practise nothing but jugling, and Hocus Pocus, and other feats of activity; being the most excellent mannagers of hobbyhorses, and tumbling, by which trade they get money throughout all the neighbour regions; and therefore not surveying this their traffique * 1.4 further, I will leave them to their come aloft jack, passe and repasse, and passe my selfe over to the next Ilands, being those famous of the Moluccoes, the onely Ilands of all India, affording in such store and plenty, that excellent and admirable spice, knowne to us by the name of cloves.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Iland Silon and the Trade thereof.
• * 1.2

  Commodities of the Iland Silon.
• * 1.3

  Adams hill the Silon Paradise.
• * 1.4

  Siloners ex∣cellent tum∣blers.