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. XCVI. Of Siam, and the Trade of the Coast thereof.

* 1.1UNder the title of Siam, I will comprehend the City of Tenaserim, a famous Town of Traf∣fick, and the Metropolis of a Kingdom; also Pattana, another City on this Coast, not far distan: from Siam it self, being a place where the English Merchants have a residence, and hold a Factory; and lastly, Siam as the principal, and as one upon whom the rest have a dependency, both in matter of Government and Trade. This City then of Siam some years past (as appears by relation of that worthy Merchant Ralph Fitch, and others) was the prime of all these and the neighbouring Regions; but being for twenty one months besieged by the King of Pegu, who after four months march incompassed it with a million and four hundred thousand Souldiers, at length by means of treason and not of strength gained it, drove the King thereof to that desperation, that he poisoned himself with all his wives and chil∣dren; * 1.2since which time it hath obeyed several Princes, and been subject to sundry Masters, according to the various chance of war, and of this Country, which in one Age is seen here so divers••y to alter into sundry shapes; for a petty King which now commands one only Town or Province, in a few years comes to be a great Emperour over several Kingdoms; and per∣adventure that great Emperour who now commanded so many several Nations, within few years after is glad to rule over a small Province, City, or Island: which the Princes of Pegu and Siam have of late years to their great grief found too true by experience.

The City of Siam is yet notwithstanding the former suffered calamity, a place of great Traf∣fick, not only hence to Couchin-China, Macau, Cantor, Malacca, Cambaia, and the Islands Sum∣matra, Borneo, Banda, and others by Sea, but also is much augmented by the inland Trade thereof, partly to Martavan, Tenaserim, and others, which are seated on the same Land, but as seated on the back-side thereof, and as enjoying thereby the Commodity of another Sea, but the same is found proper for Trade by its own commodious situation, * 1.3being on the banks of that great and famous River Menan, which runneth hither through, or rather thwarteth India, arising in the lake of Chiama, as they term it, at least 22 degrees from this City, where it issueth into the Sea, and is here found about the month of March so to over-swell his banks, and the neighbouring Country, that it covereth the earth for 120 miles in compass, and there∣fore the Inhabitants are said to retire themselves during this Inundation to the upper part of their houses, so purposely made to avoid the inconveniency of the waters, every house then having a Boat or Frigot belonging thereto, by which means they converse together, and traffick, as on dry shore, till the said River return to her wonted Channel again.

The Kings of this Country, as indeed of all these Regions, are for the most part Merchants, who gave the English admittance to trade and residence here about 1612; upon whom he bestowed also a fair House for their abode, and Ware-houses to lay up their Merchandize; where since for some years they have continued, but of late years have left it off and discontinued, upon the little benefit this Scale and Country afforded them.

* 1.4The principal Commodities of this City and Coast, are Cotton Linnens of several sorts, and that excellent Wine or distilled Liquor, called here by the name of Nipe, made of Cocos or India Nuts, and hence transported into all parts of India, and the adjoining Regions: here is also great quantity of Benjamin, and of Lac, wherewith the hard Wax is made that is brought hence into sundry parts of the World, also that costly Wood called by the Portugals Palo Dangula, and Calamba, which being good, is weighed against Silver and Gold; for rich Perfumes, and the Wood Sapon used by Dyers; also here is Camphora in great plenty, Bezoar Stones and Gold in some measure good store; also here is found Diamonds, Nutmegs, and some other Spices, which the Country of it self affordeth for the maintenance of the Trade thereof.

* 1.5The Coins here current, as I am informed, are these following:

• The first is a Tail, which is worth 4 Ticals, or seventeen shillings ten pence, or eighteen shil∣lings sterling.
• A Tical is accounted 4 Mass, or 4 s. 4 d. incirca sterling.
• A Mass is accounted 4 Copans, about 13 d. sterling.
• A Copan is accounted 750 Cashe, or 3¼ d. sterling.

• A Tail is 16 Mass, and accounted worth 14 Rials of Eight Spanish.
• And 20 Tail is a Cattee worth 48 Rials of •• Spanish.
• And 1 Tail of Siam is worth 2 Tails of Japan.

* 1.6And note, that in Pattana, and elsewhere on this Coast, Coins find little alteration in current prices and rates, except upon some extraordinary occasions, when some of these Species are sought out, and provided by Merchants to transport into other places, where the same do turn them better to benefit; And note, that at Pattana,

• A Mass is as above worth 4 Copans.
• A Copan worth 4 Conderies.
• A Conderie is 100 Cashe,

which is 800 Cashe, which is 50 more than at Siam, as is above-mentioned.

The Measures and Weights are not come to my knowledge.

So leaving Siam and the Trade of this Coast, I shall repair to Malacca, inhabited and forti∣fied by the Portugals, and of great consequence in these parts.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Of Siam, and the Trade of the Coast thereof.
• * 1.2

  The for∣tune of Si∣am and Pe∣gu.
• * 1.3

  River Me∣nan.
• * 1.4

  Commodi∣ties of Siam and Patta∣na.
• * 1.5

  Coins cur∣rent in Si∣am and the Coast.
• * 1.6

  Coins at Pattana.