| The Rot.
Damasco is in |
Valentia 4 l. 11 ½ ounces, |
and1 l. Val. is 120 drams. |
| Genoa 5 l. 8½ ounces, |
1 l. Genoa is 105 drams here. |
| Millan 5 l. 6½ ounces, |
1 l. Millan is 208 drams. |
| Sicilia 5 l. 9 ounces. |
|
| Naples 5 l. 6⅔ ounces, |
and 1 l. Naples. |
| Rhagusa 5 l. |
and 1 l.
Rhagusa. |
| Florence 5 l. 3 ounces |
and 1 l.
Florenco is 112 dr. |
The truth of these Observations I must leave to the tryal of the more expert, and give you a touch of what I have gathered in the matter of agreement of measures of length.
- 100 Braces of Cloth in Florence have made in Damasco 99
Picos.
- 100 Picos of Damasco have made in
Naples 28½ Canes.
- 100 Picos of Damasco have made in
Sicilia 28¾ Canes.
- 100 Picos of Damasco have made in
Millan 87 Braces.
- 100 Canes of Silk in Genoa have made in Damasco 37½ Picos.
- 100 Picos of Damasco have made in
Venice of Cloth 87 Braces.
- 100 Braces of Venice Silk have made in Damasco 106½ Picos.
And forasmuch as the English, French, and
Dutch are not found at present to have any Trade hither, and that the Venetians are the only Western Christian Merchants that here reside, and have here a Consul for the protection of them and their Trade and Goods, it will fit me best to borrow some of their Observations, and observe the Trade they now drive to this City.
The Commodities which the
Venetians then carry hither for Merchandize are wollen Cloths, Honey, Almonds, Tin, Quick-silver, Lead, Latten Wire, Iron Wire, Latten Plates, Brimstone, Allons, Mastich, Coral, Saffron, Flemish Beads and Bracelets, Chrystal Looking-Glasses, Linnen of divers sorts, coarse Canvas, some few Furs, Sugars of
Cyprus, writing Paper, Velvets, T••ffa∣ta's Damasks, and Sattins, some Noremberg Wares, Coral Beads, and many such European Com∣modities.
The Commodities that they find here to make returns of, are these. Raw Silk of this Coun∣treys growth, and of
Persia, Ardasse and Lege, Belledine, Trippoli, Bodovin, Baias and others; also some Spices and some Drugs, as Ginger, Cloves, Maces, Sandal, Incense, Myrrhe, Nurmegs, In∣dico, Gallingal, Long Pepper, Mirabolans, Armoniac, Aloes, Epatica, Cardamon, Turbit, Sanguis Dra∣conis, Sugar Candied, Wormseed, Zedoaria, Spikenard, Cinnamon, Tutia, Cottons, and some Cotton Yarn, Benjamin, Assa foetida, Manna, Camphire, Cassia, and the like, of which some are found to be sold by the Cantar of Damasco, and some by the
Rotolo: also observe,
That Musk, Ambergreece and Pearl is sold by the Metalico, which is 1½ dram, and Sivet is sold by a weight called Ongia, being 10 drams, which makes 6 2/•• Metalicos, which makes sotile in Venice 1 ounce 1 sacc. and
5 Carots.
The Rotolo is accounted here 600 drams, but
Lege and Ardasse is here sold by a Rotolo of
680 drams, which is 7 l. sotile Venice; but
Damasco Silk, and all Silk of the growth of the Coun∣try is sold by the Rotolo of the place of 600 drams.
These notes the Venetians have made upon their
weights and measures.
1 Cantar Damasco is sotile Venice 600 l. and gross 380 l.
1 Rot. Damasco is sotile 6 l. and
gross 3 l. 9½ ounces.
100 Drams Damasco is 66½ Mitigal sotile Venice 1 l. and of the silver weight in Venice 10 oun∣ces ¼ and 5 Carots.
100 Drams makes silver weight in Venice 12
Marc. 6 ounces and ½.
100 Mitigal Damasco is in Venice 15 ¼ ounces and 5 Carats.
100 Carats Damasco is silver weight in
Venice 91 Carats.
1½ dram Damascin is 24 Carats
Damascin, the which 24 Carats is one Mitiga. Damascino.
Again, è contra.
The 1000 l. gross in Venice makes in
Damasco 293⅓ Rotolos.
The 1000 l. sotile in Venice is in
Damasco 166⅔ Rotolos.
So that the 100 l. gross is 26⅓ Rotol. Damascine, and the 100 l. sotile is 16⅔ Rotol Damascine.
As for the Measure of Damasco there is but one here in use, and is common to all Commodi∣ties, both Linnen, Silk, and Woollen, which is the Pico, which by the calculation of the Venetians I find thus, 100 Pico in Damasco is in Venice Cloth measure Braces 87, thereby estimating the said Pico to be almost ⅞ of Brace Venetian.