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. CCXLIX.

Of SCIO, and the trade thereof.

I Have already declared in the trade of Smyrna, * 1.1 how that of late daies the principall seate of traffique was in this Iland in the towne of Scio, where a Consul for the English and other nations did reside; but finding the Port of Smyrna sea∣ted on the continent more proper for lading of Cottons and Cotton-yarne, and other grosse goods, the principall commodities of this seate, they removed their habitation thither, and with them is that trade that was here also removed, yet in that it was found a place where

great concourse of Merchants was found, we owe it a touch of its weights and measures, &c.

Accompts were and are kept in dollers of 80 aspers, and of Aspers as * 1.2 in Constantinople.

The monies are the same ingenerall mentioned in Constantinople, save that commerce, doth often-times make them be here 2 or 3 per cent. better esteemed.

The weights here, are derived from the dra•…•… of Turk•…•… that I * 1.3 mentioned in Constantinople.

100 drammes make a Rotolo, which is 19 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ℥ V•…•…ca sotile. 400 drams make an Oake. 100 Rotolos make a quintar, accompted in circa 118^l^' English, and should hold as in Smirna 120^l^', but daily expe∣rience findeth the contrary, both here and in Smirna, not making above 118^l^' sotile haberdupois.

Their measures are here two, the linnen picho q^t. 26 ynches, and the * 1.4 cloth picho usuall in Constantinople of 27 ynches, for other passages, vide further Constantinople and Smirna.

I will now proceed to the rest of those Islands in these seas, which are first Lesbos, in which, Mitylena is noted for the principall towne, * 1.5 where was borne Sapph•…•…, the inventresse of the sapphique verse, Pittacus, one of the Sages of Greece, Arion the Dolphin harper, and which have famoused this Island to posterity.

Negroponte is the next, where the Sea ebbeth and floweth 7 times * 1.6 a day, which because Aristotle cold not unriddle, he here drowned himselfe: the chiefe City is Col•…•…his, Caristia and others.

Here is also Seiros, Salamis, the 12 Sporades, also Delos, where * 1.7 Oracles were given to the Petitioners, and the 53 Islands of Ciclades, which afford nothing note worthy: also Samos the habitation of that fortunate infortunate Policrates, and Coos the birth-place of * 1.8 Apelles and Hippocrates, then Pathmos where S^t. Iohn wrote his Reve∣tions * 1.9 being confined hither by Domitian, which are now of small accompt, save onely in their number, and so I come in the next place to Rhodes.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Scio, and the trade thereof.
• * 1.2

  Accompts in Scio.
• * 1.3

  Weights of Scio.
• * 1.4

  Measures in Scio.
• * 1.5

  Le•…•…bos.
• * 1.6

  Negroponte.
• * 1.7

  Seir•…•… Salamis. Delos. Samos.
• * 1.8

  Coo•…•….
• * 1.9

  Pathmos.