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. CCXLVI.

Of Salonica and the trade thereof.

OF Modon, Coron, and Petras, the three prime Ci∣ties of Morea, I have already handled, now * 1.1 there rests a word of the trade of this an∣cient and famous Citie of Solonica, anciently called Thessalonica; to the inhabitants where∣of Saint Paul writ one of his Epistles: it is yet a rich and large Citie, and the residence of the S•…•…giac of Macedonia under the Grand Sig∣niour. The present inhabitants are Greekes, Turkes, and principally Iewes; who are here found to be very rich and eminent Merchants, 80 Synagogues of them being accounted to bee in this towne em∣ploying themselves in severall Arts and Merchandising. It is sea∣ted in the bottome of a gulph called by the Cities name; and by the demurre that happened in the English trade to Turkie some yeares past, these Iewes and inhabitants, and some Moores banished out of Spaine, have here set up some Loomes, and made cloth, in imitation of our English Suffolke clothes, which hath proved a great detri∣ment to the sale of Hampshire kersies; once vented in great quanti∣ty generally throughout Turkie, and especially in these parts; be∣sides which sort of cloth now here made, and hence taking name, the place affoordeth the generall commodities of the Morea, as pou∣der of Berry Orgrame for Diers, Wools, Cottons, Wax, Hony, Cordovants, Aniseeds, and the like.

The weights here in use are two, the one called the quintar turcesco, * 1.2 and the other the quintar petrafin.

The quintar turcesco of 100 pound makes in English pounds 119 pound to 120 pound in Venice grosse 112 pound, in Venice sotil 176 in 178 pound.

The quintar or 100 pound Petrasin make English 88 l' as is before mentioned: by this all silke, powder of graine, and other fine goods are sold; and by the quintar turcesco is wooll, cotton, cavlare, wax, hony, and some other grosse commodities sold and weighed.

The measures of length is the Picho, which is 27 inches English, * 1.3 and the hundred braces of cloth in Venice holds here 112 picho, and the hundred braces of silke in Venice, holds here 106 picho.

Ne•…•…re this Citie is the Towne of Siderocapse, so well knowne to * 1.4 the Turkes for the rich mines of gold there adjoyning, from which the great Turke doth monthly draw for his own share above 20000 Dollers besides the charges.

Neare the entrance of the gulph of Salonica is found the high and craggie hill of Athos, now the holy mountaine; whereon is found * 1.5 foure and twenty monasteries of Colloires, or religious Grecian Friers, with such devotion and zeale, that the Turkes themselves not onely admire their quiet living, but oftentimes communicate to their necessities, giving them gifts and almes. Here it is repor∣ted the ancient learning of many Greeke Fathers •…•…es buried, or at least immured, till by some divine hand they may bee freed and dis∣persed through Christendome.

And now to the rest of the Provinces of this fruitfull and fa∣mous Countrey.

The next province is Achaia, wherein was that famous Athens, * 1.6 now Salines, also Marathron, where Darins was overthrowne.

Then Megara, famous in times of old. Thebes built upon the ri∣ver Cephisus: here is also the straights of Thermopilae 25 foot in bredth, defended by 300 Spartans against Xerxes to the losse of 30000 of his men. Here is also the mount Helicon and Parnassus, * 1.7 famoused amongst Poets, and the Pythian Citie accounted the midst of all the world, and many other remarkeable places, which were here in times past, all having yeelded to age, and therefore merit not a longer stay, or a more serious survey of the trade thereof.

Epyrus is the next province, wherin was found famous, 1 Antigo∣nia, * 1.8 2 Casiope, 3 Ambrasia and others now ruined and or no account.

Albania is the next, wherein is 1 Albanopolis, 2 Sfetigrade, 3 Du∣razzo, * 1.9 a strong towne, 4 Croia, under whose walles Amurath the se∣cond died; now affoording little knowne trade unto us.

Macedonia is the next, wherein is Scidra, Adessa, Eribea, all faire * 1.10 Cities, but little knowne to the English for matter of trade: onely it is not to be forgotten, that this countrey is famous for Philip and Alexander the great his sonne; who from hence had their originall.

Thessalie is the next province, where the Cities of Tricca, Lomia, * 1.11 Demetria, Pharsalia and others stood, now also ruind and forgot.

Migdonia is the next province, wherein was Stagira, next Apollo∣nia, * 1.12 Nepolis, Antigonia, who also are now all ruined; giving prehe∣minence to Thessalonica, now called Salonica, seated in a Bay of that name, as I have mentioned in the chapter beforegoing.

Thracia is the last province comprised in Grecia, wherein is * 1.13 found the Cities of Sestos opposite to Abidos upon the Helle∣spont, famous for the loves of Hero and Leander, and now the Castles or keyes of Constantinople, Abdera the birth place of Democritus, who spent his life in laughing, Calipolis situated on the northerne pro∣montorie of the Chersonesse, the first towne that ever the Turkes took * 1.14

in Europe, Trajanopolis, founded by Tra•…•…anus, and Adrianopolis built by * 1.15 Adrian the Emperour, and by Bajaset taken in 1362, and made the seat of his Empire, till the taking of Constantinople about 90 yeeres after, and Pera, a city of the Genowaies opposite to Constantinople: and lastly, * 1.16 here is found the famous City of Constantinople it selfe the Metropolis of Greece, and the present seat of the Emperors of the Turkes, where∣in having resided for some yeeres, and finding that it comprehen∣deth most part of the traffique of his European Dominions, it will not be amisse for mee to observe it in a particular Chapter, as well meriting the same.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Salonica and the trade thereof.
• * 1.2

  Weights of Salonica.
• * 1.3

  Measures of Salonica.
• * 1.4

  Syderocapse rich in mines of gold.
• * 1.5

  Mount Athos.
• * 1.6

  Achaia. Athens. Marathron. Megara. Thebes. Thermopila.
• * 1.7

  Parnassus.
• * 1.8

  Epyrus.
• * 1.9

  Albania.
• * 1.10

  Macedonia.
• * 1.11

  Thessalia.
• * 1.12

  Migdonia.
• * 1.13

  Thracia.
• * 1.14

  Calipolis.
• * 1.15

  Adrianople.
• * 1.16

  Pera.