The merchants map of commerce wherein the universal manner and matter relating to trade and merchandize are fully treated of, the standard and current coins of most princes and republicks observ'd, the real and imaginary coins of accounts and exchanges express'd, the natural products and artificial commodities and manufactures for transportation declar'd, the weights and measures of all eminent cities and towns of traffick in the universe, collected one into another, and all reduc'd to the meridian of commerce practis'd in the famous city of London / by Lewis Roberts, merchant.

CHAP. XXX. Of ALEXANDRIA, and the Trade thereof.

* 1.1ALEXANDRIA is said to be built by Alexander the Great, and was called by the Turks the Lords thereof Scanderia, and which in the Nicene Council was ordained to be one of the four Patriarchal Cities; it is yet the fairest and best Maritime Port of this whole Countrey, and hath yet some reliques of that Trade it earst enjoyed, as I have noted before; and because it is the principal of this Region for Merchandizing, I hold it proper to comprehend under this Chapter the greater part of the Trade universally of Aegypt and the neighbouring Cities.

* 1.2The Commodities of Aegypt, besides what comes hither out of Arabia; Persia and India, is Rice, Corn, Flax, Hemp, Honey, Wax, Balsom, Dates, some Drugs, and some few Spices, and in especial it yieldeth abundance of Palm-Trees, * 1.3which are of very strange properties, for they are found to grow in couples, male and female, both thrust forth cods full of seed, but the female is only fruitful, and that not except growing by the male, and having his seed mixed with hers; the pith of these Trees are excellent meat: of the branches they make necessary uses in their houses, of the leaves, baskets, mats and fans; of the outward husk of the cod, cordage; of the inward, brushes; the fruit is like a Fig, serving the Inhabitants, sometimes dried in the Sun as bread, and green as meat: and finally it is said to yield whatsoever is ne∣cessary to the life of Man.

* 1.4The Weights in use in Cairo, Alexandria, and generally throughout all Aegypt for Trade, are found to be of four sorts, the first is the weight called the quintar of Zera, the second the quin∣tar

Forfor; the third the quintar Zaidin, and the fourth the quintar Mina; which because of their former great Trade with Venice, I will first compare with the weights of that City, and then apply the same to the weight of our own Countrey,

* 1.5One quintar of Zera hath been found to make of Venetia gross 200 l. and suttle 312 l. and in London 212 l. Averdupois.

* 1.6One quintar of Forfori hath been observed to make in Venice 140 l. suttle, and gross 87 l. and in London 93 l. Averdopois.

* 1.7One quintar Zaidin, hath made by observation in Venetia 127 l. gross, and 200 l. suttle, and in London 134 l. Averdupois.

* 1.8One quintar Mina, proper only to Alexandria, hath made in Venetia 250 l. suttle, 155 l. gross, and in London 167 l. Averdupois. Whereas note, that the first three quin∣tars are accounted by Rotolos, but the Quintar of Mina contains in Alexandria 20 ounces to the Mina, and in Cairo 16 ounces to the Mina: And also observe, that Amber, Musk, and some other fine Commodities are sold by a Metalico or Dram, and also by the Peso, whereof 1½ is a Metalico; 50 Metalicoes is here a Mark in Gold or Silver weight, and 42 Metalicoes our English Mark weight of 8 ounces Troy. Again, note, that

One Rotolo Zerai makes Venetia suttle 3 l. 1½ ounce.

One Rotolo Forfori makes Venetia 1 l. 5 ounces.

One Rotolo Zaidin makes Venetia suttle 2 l, gross 1 l. 3 ••/4 ounce.

One Mina makes in Venetia suttle 2 ••/4 l. and gross 1⅔ l.

Now let us observe how these weights are found to accord one with another, and so with Venetia.

One quintar Zerai, which is the general quintar of Aegypt, makes 2 quintars and 16 Rotolos of Forfori in Alexandria.

Again, one quintar Zerai makes one quintar and 56 Rotolos of Zaidin, and maketh 120 Mi∣nas of Alexandria.

One Rotolo Zera makes 2 Rotolo 1 ounce and 4••/5•• Forfori.

Again, one Rotolo Zeri makes one Rot. 6 9/25 ounces of Zaidin.

One quintar Forfori makes 46 Rot. 3½ ounces Zerai.

And one quintar Forfori makes 20 Rot. 11 23/27 ounces Zaidin.

One quintar Forfori makes 55½ Minas.

And one Rotolo Forfori makes 111 ounces Zerai, and 6½ ounces Zaidin.

One quintar Zaidin makes 64 Rot. 2 ounces of Zerai.

One quintar Zaidin makes one quintar 28 Rot. 5½ ounces Forfori.

One quintar Zaidin makes 76 Minas 11 ounces.

One Rotolo Zaidin makes 7 7/10 ounces Zera.

And again, one Rot. Zaidin makes one Rot. 4 ⅗ ounces Forfori.

And one Rotolo Zaidin makes one and 3 quarters ounces Minas.

One quintar Minas makes one quintar 2 Rotolos Forfori.

And one quintar Minas makes one quintar 30 Rotolos Zaidin.

And one Mina makes ten ounces Zera.

And again, one Mina makes one Rot. 9 ¼ ounces Forfori.

And lastly, one Mina makes one Rot. three ounces Zaidin.

The variety of these weights will excuse this tedious repetition, which I was enforced to per∣form for the better understanding of the same; and for the shortening of my present survey of the Trade of Aegypt, * 1.9I will here reduce not only the weights above-named, but also the weights of some of the principal Cities of Traffick upon this Coast to the 100 l. suttle Averdupois of London, which hath been observed to make by:

Zera quintar	48	Rot. In Cairo and all Aegypt.
Forfoai quintar	108
Zaidin quintar	75
Minas quintar	54
Tripoli suria	25 ½	Rot. whereof 100 makes a quintar,
Achria	17	Rot. the 100 makes a quintar Tamperan.
Aleppo common	21 ¾	Rot. the 100 whereof is a quintar.
Tripoli Barbary	62	Rot. the 100 whereof is a quintar.
Oran common with	91	Rot. the quintar is 5 Roves of 20 Rot.
Oran for Spices	133	Rot. the quintar is 4. Roves.
Oran for Corn	48	Rot. each quintar 6 Rotolos.
Oran for Cotton	59	Rot. each quintar 15 Rot.
Una in Barbary	63	Rot. for Cotton Woolls.
Una	72	Rot. for Spices.

Una	90	Rot. for Corn.
Fras	153	Rot. the quintar is 100 ℞.
Baruti	20¾	Rot. the quintar is 100 Rot.
Argier
Thunes
Cathaia	84	Rot. the quintar is 100 Rot.
Cyprus	19½	Rot. Famagosto 4 per cent. more.
Suus in Barbary	90	Rot. 100 Rot. to a quintar.

When I come to handle those particular places, I shall do the same more exact, for the bet∣ter satisfaction of the Reader.

* 1.10The Measures of length in Cairo, Alexandria, and in general through Aegypt, are found to be of two sorts, the one the Pico Barbaresco, or proper measure of the Countrey, serving for Cloth, Linnen and other Commodities, being 25⅞ inches English: The other the Pico Turchesco, serving for Silks, Cloth of Gold, and fine Stuffs, which is 22¼ inches English, and with Venetia they are found to render, viz.

100 braces of Silk in Venetia, make here Barbaresco Pico 116.

100 braces of Cloth in Venetia, make here Barbaresco 124½.

But I have found some observations that have noted, that the 100 Yards of London have made here and in these other Cities in Barbary thus, in

100 Yards in London have made in	Alexandria	165	pic.
Baruti	148	pic.
Tripoli Barbariae	165	pic.
Damasco	148	pic.
Bugia	210	pic.
Tripolia Suria	149	pic.
Rama	151	pic.
Tangier
Bursa in Natolia	150	pic.
Amano	133	pic.
Sidon	151	pic.
Gira	165	pic.
Salonica	145	pic.
Achria	151	pic.
Aleppo	133	pic.
Argier
Thunes
Oran
Bona
Morocco	181	cov.
Una

And forasmuch as Cairo is the Metropolis of Aegypt, it will be proper I should travel thither, and survey a little the present Trade and estate thereof, before I leave this COMMERCE.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Alexandria and the Trade there∣of.
• * 1.2

  Commodi∣ties of. Aegypt.
• * 1.3

  The excel∣lency of the Palm-tree.
• * 1.4

  Wrights of Alexandria.
• * 1.5

  1 Zera.
• * 1.6

  2 Forfori.
• * 1.7

  3 Zaidin.
• * 1.8

  4 Mina.
• * 1.9

  Weights of Aegypt and sundry Cities in Barbary, to the 100 l. Averdupois.
• * 1.10

  Measures in Aegypt.