To the READER.
I Formerly published a small Treatise concerning Bills of Exchange, which having found good Acceptance by all into whose hands it came, (that ever I could hear of,) and being since much solicited by some to inlarge upon that Theme, that I might be serviceable in my generation, and for the more general Good of all, I have yielded to their Desires; for whereas I did in the first Impression mention only some Customs of Merchants concerning: Bills of Exchange, I have now in this second not only comprised what was formerly handled, and something enlarged upon the same, for the better understanding thereof, but also added very much in setting down the Nature of Exchange, the several Denominations and kinds thereof, the Pair of some Countries, the proper Ap∣pellations and Names of those Persons which do negotiate Exchange, how many Persons which do negotiate by Exchange, how many Persons are therein active, divers Cases propounded and resolved, Objections answered, to know when any Bill will fall due, Monies taken up by Letters of Credit, two perfect Tables of the just day from New stile to Old stile throughout the Year, which may serve as an indifferent Judg between Party and Party, and full Directions almost in all Cases that may happen in Bills of Exchange, useful as well to the Merchant-man, as to the Notary, and others, for I have in a manner gone through the whole Body of Exchange. As for Attachments, and some few other Cases on Bills of Exchange, I have purposely omitted, lest I should give occasion to any tur∣bulent Spirit to make Contest where none need. The right dealing Merchant doth not care how little he hath to do in the Common Law, or things of that nature; neither have I herein set down several Instances of Exchanges of one Town or Country with another, to shew what the Parcel will amount to with the Exchange from one sort of Mony or Species to another, in regard the same hath been already published by Mr. Lewis Roberts, in his Map of Commerce; but I have given my Advice in the Practical part of Exchanges, according to the Custom of Merchants used in England. And I have generally back'd my Advice with some Reasons, which amongst Wise Men is esteemed more preva∣lent than Law it self. I dare warrant the proceedings of any that shall walk after this my Advice to be good and justifiable by the Law of Merchants; but I think I need not hang out a Bush, if the Palat be right I know the Wine cannot be disrelished: It is the Crop of four and twenty Years Experience in my Employment in the Art of a Notary Publick. Reader, let not one Perusal suffice thee, this Labour is mine, the Gain will be thine, I am but the Adviser, be thou Advised by
J. MARIUS.