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. CCLIII.

Of the Iland of Zante, Zeffalonia, and Ithecea, and the trade thereof.

HAving before treated of these Ilands, and their si∣tuation, I now come to the trade thereof, as * 1.1 found at the times of my being there which was in Anno 1619. and Anno 1624. with the needfull observations remarkable thereupon.

The commodities that these three Ilands do yeeld for merchan∣dise, * 1.2 are Honey, Waxe, Oyles, Wines, and Corance, of which last here is found growing such abundance, that some yeares the English have laden here 3000 tonnes and upwards, besides what the Dutch, French, and other Countries do export, and is com∣puted to yeeld to the inhabitants 300000 Chequins incirca year∣ly, &c. and to the Signorie of Venice for custome, which is hereon very great 40000 Chequins.

Of these Corance, Sefalonia doth yeeld the greatest quantity, but is commonly the smallest, and least esteemed: Zante doth * 1.3 next yeeld a lesser proportion, but a better and larger sort: Itha∣ca, vulgarly Theaca, doth commonly produce the best and fai∣rest, but withall, the fewest in quantity.

The commodities that this place doth vent comming from Eng∣land, is little, some Cloaths, Perpetuan•…•…s, Sarges, Lead and Tinne, and some Fish of New-found land, also some Herrings and Pil∣chards, but the principall commodity brought hither is Rials Spa∣nish, with which these Corance above said are usually provided and bought, and no other commoditie is so welcome amongst them.

Their moneyes currant are those of the Signior of Venice, as be∣ing under their government, and especially the Rials Spanish, * 1.4 which is hither by the English brought in great quantity, and also by all such other nations as have occasion of this fruit.

Their accounts are kept by the Ilanders, as in Venice, but by the Merchants Strangers here resident, in Dollers, which are those * 1.5 Rials of 〈◊〉〈◊〉. and gassets 80 to a doller.

Their weight is the pound of 12 ounces, and the quintart is * 1.6 100 li. and found thus to agree with Venice and other places.

100 li. sotile of Venice makes here 63½ li. in these Ilands.

100 l. grosse of Venice, agrees with the common 100 l. hereof.

The pound sotile in Venice, makes here 7 ounces, 2 sac. 16 per c.

Corance are here bought by the 1000 li. which by the com∣putation of concordancie, specified in this tract, should be sutle English 1070 li. which is grosse of London 9. C. 2. 6 li. but either by the deceit of weights, the falshood of staying, or the fraud of factors, it commonly produceth not so much by 2 or 3 per cent. and this mischiefe is increased to that height of late yeares, that it is found often times to produce but 9 C. grosse, or about 1020 li. sutle English, but let them that are herein guilty, indeavour to amend it in the future for their credit sake: for the 100 li. grosse Venice, is never found to yeeld lesse then 107 or 106 li. in England, and what is found wanting thereof to their principals, commeth by all probability by their default.

Their measure is the brace, and found to be twofold in use, the long brace being for Cloth, Linnens, &c. agreeing with the * 1.7 cloth brace in Venice, and found to be 27 inches English, and the short brace for silkes to be 6 in 7 per cent. the lesser oile is sold by a measure called the liver, and should weigh 13 li. English, 10 * 1.8 whereof makes a candie barrell.

Wine is sold by a measure called a Iarre 3½ is a candie barrell. * 1.9 Corne is sold by the measure called a Bachelo, 3 whereof is a staro, and weigheth 44 li. and 5 killowes make 6 Bachellos, which * 1.10 Bachello hath been observed to be in England gallons, and a Moya of corne here makes 2 staro in Venetia, and 7 Iarres of wine here, makes 3 quarts in Venetia. * 1.11

The customes of these Ilands some few yeers past upon Corance, were small, till the Venetians perceiving the trade of that City to decay, thought to augment the revenues by the customes of the fruit of these Ilands, which accordingly they have effected, for seeing the English to covet the same unmeasurably, which at first the vulgar judged they used in the dye of their cloathes, or which was worst, in the feeding of their Swine, and finding on a time, sundry ships of burthen laden therewith, and ready to depart, their departure was stayed till the Merchants were com∣pelled to pay 5 Duckets, which is 25 sh. star. the 1000 li. upon which the Merchants English made complaint in England therof to his Majestie deceased, and for the taking away of that custome, it was thought fit to put as much more here in England thereup∣on, by way of an imposition, which hath been found to be so far from gaining a remedy, that the same continues in England, contrary to the first intent, and the State of Venice hath added 10 D. more to the former, as imagining England cannot subsist without this commodity, at what charge or discommodity whatsoever, yet it is now levied with this proviso, that the Co∣rance be laden in a vessell that doth come hither purposely to lade them, but if she landeth her outward fraught in Venice, or the•…•… thereof, and then commeth hither, she is freed therof, as I have shewed in the trade of that City.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Zante, Zeffalo∣nia, and trade therof.
• * 1.2

  Commodities of these I∣lands.
• * 1.3

  Corants in Zant, Seffalonia and The•…•…ca.
• * 1.4

  Coines currāt in Zant, &c.
• * 1.5

  Accounts in Zant, &c.
• * 1.6

  Weights of Zant, &c.
• * 1.7

  Measures in Zante, &c.
• * 1.8

  Of Oiles.
• * 1.9

  Of Wines.
• * 1.10

  Of Corn.
• * 1.11

  Customes of Zant, &c.