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. CXXI.

Of the Trade in generall of Portugall and the Kingdome of Spaine.

THe Navigations and discoveries of the Spaniards and Protugals into the East and West Indies, though * 1.1 they carried to the world, at first the specious co∣lors of piety and Religion, by planting their su∣perstition in these heathen countries, yet ambition and profit was doubtlesse the secret designe of their intendments: Portugall whose Kings first sought those un∣knowne Regions of the East Indies, and seeking discovered, and dis∣covering in part conquered; presently made strict lawes and pro∣hibitions for any of his Subiects to trade for certaine the richest commodities thereof but himselfe, and thereupon s•…•…tled his con∣tractation house in Lixborne, where those commodities should be sold, waighed and delivered, and these bargaines being made by Commis∣sioners appointed by him, were first from thence called Royall Con∣tracts; and thus for a long time it continued till his Subjects ha∣ving made further and ampler discoveries of those Regions for their better incouragement, and to induce his people to those Na∣vigations, he permitted them afterward an ampler and larger li∣bertie of that trade, reserving certaine particular commodities onely to his owne use and benefit; neither did it otherwise appeare in the carriage of those who were discoverers of the West Indies, which we finde to be the Spaniards; for though there wanted not faire and plausible demonstrations of winning the soules of those poore people, yet by millions they were slaughtered, butchered and slaine, making a devastation in that Country of those inno∣cent inhabitants, as if there had beene no way to the eternall life of the soule but by a present death of the body, aiming thereby as may bee conjectured particularly at the possession onely of their

estates, which by many deaths and torments, was drawne from them, and converted to their owne and to their Soveraignes trea∣sury, as appeares (to the scandall of their Religion and of their King) in sundry of their owne Authors published in many langua∣ges: these two countries then thus discovered, and thus by rapine gotten and setled, and since unitedtogether under one King, hath af∣forded the present matter of trade to all Spaine and Portugall, which before that time afforded not any commodities almost whereby •…•…rade might be as much as discerned, much lesse maintained; and •…•…ow Lixborne for the East, and Sivill for the West Indies is become the Staple for all the rich commodities those two Countries doe af∣ford, and so continued till England and Holland by their late Navi∣gation shared with them in the traffique and riches thereof, which yet are seene to be but as petty branches comming from the prin∣cipall channell; but the West Indies affording to them great quan∣tity of Silver by the mines thereof, which now is found so aboun∣dantly plentifull in the world, may be called indeede and in effect, •…•…heir best commoditie, which ever since its first coinedge, they have maintained in its prime waight and finenes, which many of their Politicians have gone about at severall times to inhanse, as if it would •…•…ave prooved a great benefit to their Commonwealth, but wiser •…•…udgements have discovered that the raising of these monies in Spaine would prove altogether prejudiciall to that state, for all these •…•…ommodities that are brought to them, which for the most part they stand in great neede of, being necessary either for backe or belly would soone vanish, did not these their monies all•…•… and attract them: and contrariwise it may bee hence imagined, and I thinke granted, that what other Prince soever doth inhanse his Silver or the monies of his Countrey, it must needs prove to his owne pro∣per prejudice, and the Spaniards gaine, because they raise and in∣•…•…anse a commodity which is not theirs really, but transported to them at second hand by Merchants and others, and of which though happily possessing some small Silver Mines, of their owne, yet the grosse is still his, so farre forth as his quantitie and abun∣dance exceedeth theirs.

As for the other commodities which those Countries afford, ours and many other nations were with the same from Alexandria and Venice at first supplied, and then hence, but now having found the way to the spring head, we daigne not to buy of them at the second hand, except such, of which their Princes reserve to themselves a peculiar interest, either by farming the same to their Subjects or keeping the same in their owne hands, or by excluding all other na∣tions from the trade thereof, and these we and others are constrai∣ned to have from them, in which number may be accounted Su∣gars, Tobacco, Ginger, and some other drugges and the commodities of the West Indies in generall.

Now for the inhabitants both of Spaine and Portugall, they are in

generall lovers of Merchansing and traffique, neither so mu•…•… spising it as the French, nor yet so much addicted thereto as the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ans, yet more willingly adventuring their estates at sea than th•…•… who heerein are found to distrust the providence of Almig•…•… God in a lawfull calling, and preferre their owne wisedome 〈◊〉〈◊〉 providence on land before the protection of the Almighty at 〈◊〉〈◊〉 And as they are well-wishers to Trade, so are they found in a larg•…•… measure to practise it in such Cities as occasion and commodities doe either present or permit; for both in Sivill and Lisborne are found Merchants of great eminency, but yet are such as for the most par•…•… bend their Traffique into both the Indies and no where else, except peradventure a little to Antwerpe in Flanders, and into Naples, and Sicilia in the Mediterranean seas, and which seldome are noted to adventure their estates, or have any Factors resident but where their King is chiefe and Soveraigne. The Raw Silkes, Wines, and Fruits of this Kingdome are the prime commodities of import it now yeelds, as also Olives, Resins, figges, almonds, &c. which the English fet•…•… from them in great abundance; so that it is of late yeares observed, that the Planters of these Fruits, and their Wine Merchants have by our over greedy purchasing of these commodities, raised to them∣selves faire estates.

Two things I observed during my abode heere, that are great lets and impediments to the Trade of this Nation, the one is the banishment of the Moores that heere in great numbers inhabited, who painefully and industriously manured their land, and by their labour and thristy living raised to their Landlords and to them∣selves good and great estates, the which now for many thousand thousand acres lies waste and desolate, whole Towne and villages being depopulate and the Lords, Castles, and Man•…•…urs appearing ru∣ined and decaied, want the paines of these poore people that gave their Lords and Lordships meanes of subsistency. The second is the residence of many Genoa Merchants amongst them, who are found in good number to abide in every good Citie, especially on the Sea-coasts, whose skill and acutenesse in Trade farre surpassing the naturall Spaneards or Portugals, and who by meanes of their wealth and continuall practise of the Exchanges are found to devoure that bread which the inhabitants might otherwise be sufficiently fedde with, and by reason that the King of Spaine is ever engaged to their Common-wealth for great and vaste summes at interest, hee is their Debtour not onely for their monies, but also for their favour, which by many immunities throughout his Kingdome, hee is found continually to require them, and amongst the rest it is observed, that there is no Genoa Merchant resident in Spaine in any part, but hath a particular Licence to export the Rials and Plate of this King∣dome to a certaine round summe yearly, which they seldome use re∣ally to doe, but sell the same to other Nations, that are constrained to make their returnes in Plate for want of other more beneficiall

commodities, which for the certaine profit it is found ever to yeeld •…•…n other Countries is often preferred before all the other commo∣dities of this Kingdome. A third reason of hinderance I might •…•…dde hereto, which is the current Coine wherein all commodities are •…•…ould and bought; for in many parts of this Kingdome, being for •…•…he most part base and of Copper and Brasse, which to convert into •…•…ials and good money is found to cost the change in some places 5. •…•…n some 10. in some 15. in some 20. per cent. which is the first peny. The great Customes also paid in many parts of this Kingdome, is •…•…ikewise a great let and hinderer of Trading in generall; which wheresoever the same is by the Soveraigne levied, will in a short •…•…ime and insensibly devoure and consume a flourishing Traffique, •…•…nd enforce the suffering Merchant either totally to give over, •…•…r bend his Trade where hee shall finde the burthen thereof ligh∣•…•…er and more easily to bee borne and endured. Now as for Commo∣dities which other Nations are found to bring unto them, and of which they stand in need of, partly to supply their owne necessi∣•…•…ies, and partly to maintaine their West India Traffique, as this Eng∣•…•…and brings them, great store of Newlandish fish, Irish Salmon, Pil∣•…•…ards, Herrings, Lead, Tinne, Calves skinnes, Baies, Saies, Searges, and •…•…ther Englishmanufacturies; and in returne have only thence, wines, •…•…ruit, Oiles, some Indico and sugars, ginger, and the like India commo∣dities. East country furnisheth them with corne, cordage, masts, pitch, •…•…rre, rosin, firre-boords, and other timber, and only returne thence the commodities above named; onely it is ever lawfull to him that brings 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to carry out Rials of Plate in returne thereof. France sends them corne, linnens, Paper, and some few petty manufacturies, and returnes thence Plate, wine, fruits, and some India Spices. Italie affords them some Manufactaries, of Silke, and hath in returne some Raw Silke, SegoviaWools, Barillia, and such like: and herein is comprehended the generall Traffique of Spaine at this time: so passing the Pirene∣ans, I will enter into France.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Of the trade in generall of Por•…•…gall and Sp•…•…e.