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. VIII.

Of Measures in generall used in Merchandizing, and com∣prehended in this MAP of COMMERCE.

THE next materiall point here handled, is the Mea∣sures * 1.1 in generall, used in all Kingdomes and knowne Cities of trade, by meanes whereof a certaine way and method was found out and invented to distin∣guish and order by rule the length and bredth of all commodities measurable, especially accustomed in all manner of fabricks, either linen, wollen, silkes or other stuffes; and this is ob∣served also (as in weights,) to have a speciall prerogative in many bargaines and contracts, where either buying or selling of things measurable is subsistent and in use; being granted to be a funda∣mentall point of all the traffique and commerce of the Universe; for thereby as by weights many commutations are regulated, many accounts are framed, and profit and losse is also thereby found out and distinguished: It is also estimated to be one of the standards of Kingdomes and Cities; and therefore (aswell as weights) carieth with it the approbation and authority of the Soveraigne Magi∣strate; and therefore to adde or detract therefrom, is ever in all Countries held punishable, and accounted a capitall crime.

The measures of length are found so diversly to vary, that every * 1.2 City and Province is noted almost to have aswell a distinct mea∣sure as a distinct weight, which in themselves oftentimes are found much to differ; and some particular Cities are observed by cu∣stome to have divers measures, for divers sorts of commodities, as * 1.3 it is seen practised by example in the City of London, where the yard is accounted the common measure for cloth of woollen, and silke &c. the elle accounted the common measure for linen, and the goad for frizes, cottens and the like, which in many other Countries is also observable. And as for measures in the generall, It is a recei∣ved opinion that the first measure that was to this end invented

was the cubit, agreeing as some imagine with the halfe elle, the which was divided into 4. parts or quarters, and every quarter * 1.4 into 4. inches; peradventure this was in those times a generall rule to all Nations: but time and traffique have since given to eve∣ry Countrey a particular measure, and therewith a peculiar law of measuring, which containes a succinct length by it selfe; which at this day wee see practised through most parts of the knowne World in severall waies: and thus diversity of places gave also di∣versity of names to their measures, such as are the ell yard, goad, fathome, cane, alne, brace, pico, sticke, palme, vare, covado, and the like.

But Invention by the helpe and asistance of time, growing * 1.5 more perfect and absolute, and finding that neither weight nor yet this measure could extend it selfe to all commodities used in and by the way of merchandize; the art of measuring of solid bodies became to be hence produced, as we see it in use in the measuring of timber, stones and such like commodities: neither yet was com∣merce satisfied herewith; for the ingenious Merchant found it still defective, and therefore to have it yet more perfect, invented the art of concave measures, that should serve aswell for dry as for liquid commodities, as it is seen practised at this day for graine, rice and such like commodities; and for oyles, wines, waters, liquors and such like commodities, setting by this way by art and invention, in * 1.6 most of these commodities, a concordance of measure with weight, as in other commodities was set a concordance of weight with measure: but forasmuch as this knowledge in the generall is of it selfe too capacious and large to be particularly handled, as the subject required, I have been therefore constrained to confine my selfe to measures of length; onely as being the most necessary part of this MAP of COMMERCE, yet so as I have not omitted the rest where they have fallen within the compasse of my obser∣vation; and if I have therein been found defective, the vastnesse of the subject may plead my excuse.

He then that intendeth by way of traffique to make use of this tract, must aswell be skild in measures, (as I have observed) he * 1.7 ought to be in weights; for he must not onely readily know his owne measure as it stands, and is found to be in it selfe in use, but also the measure of that place whereto he bendeth his trade and ne∣gociation, allowing or deducting by addition or substraction where the overplus or want doth challenge a part, to make a due proportion of both, and be so well versed therin, as that all mea∣sures may be to him as one measure, by a true calculation of the length or the shortnes therof.

Againe it is found by the observation of Merchants, that in all Countries and well governed Cities, there is for the reiglement * 1.8 of things measurable, instituted a publike measurer, authorized by the Soveraigne Magistrate, who is sworne to decide all con∣troversies

that happen in and about the Art of measuring; to whose honesty and faith is intrusted this publike measure, and to which all Merchants and traders may in time of need and diffe∣rence repaire and have recourse unto, and by which in many pla∣ces * 1.9 it is seen that Princes doe receive their duetie of customes up∣on commodities measurable; and by this common, known and re∣ceived publike measure, I have made my observation in all places, and as neere as I could, not onely rectified the same in the agree∣ment thereof with other neighbouring places and Countries, but also with our own use in England: and therefore to conclude this point, I have inserted the forme of an Instrument here fol∣lowing, easie to be made, and purposely invented to accord the measures of any two known places or Countries, whether they be ells, vares, yards, canes or any other measure whatsoever.

First then learn the order and custome of measuring of all those sorts of commodities in both the places which you would inquire after, then prepare a smooth straight borde, plate or such like, and draw upon the same a straight line of the length of the measure in one of the places with his allowance of measuring, either an inch or shaftnet or such like; which for example I will demonstrate in the Figure following, A B. Frst then divide the line A B into 4. equall parts, which is CDE, and divide the quarter of A C in∣to 250. equall parts, and number them from 10. to 10. upwards, making the print C the 750. part; for the number of parts con∣tained in the other three empty quarters:

Then marke upon the line A B the length of the measure of the other place, with his allowance, which is for example from B to F being just in the 900. parts; therefore 900. of those mea∣sures in the first place, make just 1000. of those measures in the o∣ther place: but if the measure of the other place be longer then the measure of the first place, as for example, if it were from B to G, then take the distance of A G with a compasse, and set the one foot in C, and extend the other towards A, which for ex∣ample doth come to rest in F, being 150. parts from C; there∣fore then 1150. measures of the one place makes just 1000. of the other, by which you may calculate to a lesser proportion; and this is as much as I conceive needfull to insert con∣cerning the knowledge of measures in generall, and proceed to the next, which is the know∣ledge in generall of commodities used by the way of Merchandizing.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Of Measures in generall.
• * 1.2

  False measure is punishable by the Magi∣strate.
• * 1.3

  Divers Coun∣tries have di∣vers Measure
• * 1.4

  Cain the first inventor of Weights and Measures, Io∣sephus.
• * 1.5

  Measures of solid bodies.
• * 1.6

  Measures of dry and liquid commodities.
• * 1.7

  All measures to the Mer∣chants must be as one Mea∣sure.
• * 1.8

  All Cities of trade have sworne and publique Mea∣sures.
• * 1.9

  An Instru∣ment to find out the agree∣ment of Mea∣sures in any •…•…wo Cities.

  [illustration]