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. CCXXIV.

Of Dantzke, and the trade thereof.

DAntzke is a very faire City, standing at the foot of a great mountaine that hangs over it, the famous river Vistula * 1.1 passing by it on the East side, and running towards the North, falls into the Baltique sea, a little Brooke enters the City on the South side, and runs through it toward the North, affording many commodities to the City: as first a faire water Conduit,

where by a Mill the waters are drawne into a Cesterne, and thence by pipes serving every private citizens house, then a Corne mill for the Senate (besides their private mils) which affords them in every houre a golden guilden throughout the yeere to their publike treasu∣ry, and besides many other mills; it hath one for sawing of boords and timber, having an iron wheele, which not onely driveth the •…•…aw, but hooketh in, and turneth the boords to the saw without the helpe of hands; the corne Garners of this towne are also faire, re∣markeable and many in number, wherein the citizens do lay up the •…•…orne comming out of Poland, and according to the wants of Europe, •…•…arry it into many Kingdomes, and many times relieve fruitfull Provinces in time of casuall dearth, into which Garners 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 containes three severall cities, governed by three distinct Senates, out of which one chiefe •…•…nate is chosen to governe the whole City, and according to the Romane superstition they have S^t. George for their Protector, whose •…•…ed crosse they carry, in their flags, as doth also England, Genoa in Ita∣•…•…, and the Island, Scio, in the arches; the City is seated about one •…•…glish mile from the Baltique shoare, the port being called Dermind, •…•…here the ships of burthen doe ride to lade and unlade their com∣•…•…odities; and the City being acknowledged, a free towne is found 〈◊〉〈◊〉 coyne monies, which as I finde observed, I shall note here, toge∣•…•…her with the weights and measures here in use.

Their accompts are kept here in sundry manners; the common •…•…eing by polish Guilders of 30 grosse and 12 pence to a groshe. * 1.2

But Merchants buy commodities here by the great Marke of 60 grosse, •…•…nd by the lesser of 15 grosse, and also by the doller of 35 grosse, of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 stivers the grosse.

Their monies currant being thus accompted: One great marke * 1.3 〈◊〉〈◊〉 two polish Guilders; one polish guilder, is worth two lesser •…•…arkes; one lesser marke worth 15 grosse, and the grosse 18 pence, •…•…esides which, they coine Hungarian duckets of gold, as they doe 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Poland, and they have two coynes in gold called a milres, and halfe 〈◊〉〈◊〉 milres; and each milres is three dollers and two ses•…•…int, 36 polish grosse •…•…aking here a doller.

The weight of Dansicke in use is the pound for fine goods, the 100^l^' * 1.4 〈◊〉〈◊〉 London making here 116^l^'. Besides which, they have a skippond and •…•…pond thus distinguished; 16 marke pound is one lispond, and 20 •…•…pond makes one skippond by the small stone of 24^l^' for spices &c.

But they have also a great stone to weigh grosse wares, as Flaxe, •…•…xe, and the like of 34^l^' whereof 10^l^' to the skippond of 340^l^'.

The measure for length of this City, is the ell, the 100 ells where∣of * 1.5 makes in London about 49 ells, and the 100 yards of London doth here render 162 or 163 ells incirca.

The measure of Beere in Dansicke is the fatt which containes 180 stoopes which is accompted 81 stoopes of Antwerp.

The measure of corne here, is the Last which containes 61 shepells, 56 whereof makes a Last in Amsterdam, or 10¼ quarternes English Lon∣don, 4 sheppells make one mudd, which is the shippond before mentio∣ned of 34^l^'.

Merchants for the most part throughout all Eastland are found to * 1.6 keepe their accompts in Florins, or Guilderns and in groshes and deniers, accompting 12 deniers to the groshe, and 20 groshe to the Guilderne or Florine.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Dantzke, and the trade thereof.
• * 1.2

  Accounts kept in Dansicke.
• * 1.3

  Coines cur∣rant in Dan∣sicke.
• * 1.4

  Wei•…•…hts of Dantzke.
• * 1.5

  Measures of Dansicke.
• * 1.6

  Accompts in Eastland.