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. CIII. Of the Moluccoes, and the Trade thereof.

* 1.1THE Moluccoes are five in number, Molucco, Tarnate, Tider, Ge••olo, and Macian, to which may be added for nearness in the situation, Banda, and seventy other lesser Islands, which submit themselves and their delicious Commodities to the King of Terenate, at pre∣sent the most powerful through all these Islands. * 1.2These Islands are sound to have for Com∣modities some Nutmegs, especially in Banda, also some Maces; * 1.3but the principal Commodities of all these Islands is the delicate Spice, known to us by the name of Cloves, and found here growing in so great abundance, that it is apparent the whole World is furnished from hence; and all Merchants coming hither, and frequenting these Islands, are found only to come for this Commodity, and for nothing else. * 1.4In this number I may also reckon the Amboina Islands, as the Island Amboina it self, Polerone, Polloway, Lantore, and Rosington, a∣bounding with the self-same Commodity, and of late years made infamous, * 1.5by the bloody slaugh∣ter, and butcherly tyrannical torture and death of some English Factors, by the Machiavilian and matchless villany of the Dutch; the Actors of which have all of them, or the most part, come to untimely and fatal ends, (if reports be true,) thereby shewing the manifest judgment of GOD is punishing their villanies and wickedness, when as they thought themselves safe and free from the hands and justice of Man; and for those that as yet are living, I leave them to the terror of their guilty Consciences, and without repentance to their due Punishment in the world to come; where an uncor∣rupted and impartial Governour and Fiscal shall examine their Amboina Proceedings truly, and re∣ward them according to their merits. Some of these Islands are now by them commanded, ha∣ving driven out the Inhabitants, and by death cut off the interest of the English, who were jointly partners with them both in their Conquest and Trade; and now there is none left to the English but Polerone, originally theirs, yet now due to them by a second composition and agreement, who coming of late to take possession thereof, found that those barbarous 〈◊〉〈◊〉 wicked Dutch-men resident in the neighbouring Islands, had cut down and killed all the Clove-Trees, and other of worth there growing, thereby depriving the English of all their expected benefit, by the last but prejudicial composition.

* 1.6The Coins current in Moluccoes, Amboina, Banda, &c. and other Islands, I find not any settled in use amongst them; the Spanish ℞ ½ is the most usual in their payment for Commdi∣ties, and for the most part they use no other Coins but it: but I find, that according to the innocency of the times past, they barter and sell one Commodity for another, which is yet the most usual custom amongst them.

* 1.7Their common weight in use is the Bahar and Cattee.

The Bahar of Amboina of Cloves is 200 Cattees, and is English 625 l. which is the great Bahar.

This great Bahar is 50 Barrotes, every Barrote being 12½ l. Averdupois.

They have also in some of these Islands a greater Bahar, being ten times the former quan∣tity, making 6250 l. English.

A Cattee is 100 Rials of ••/•• almost 6 l. English.

Ten Cattees of Mace is called a small Bahar of Maces, and of the value of 10 Rials of Eight.

100 Cattees of Nutmegs is a small Babar of Nuts, and is of the aforesaid value of 10 Rials of Eight.

100 Cattees of Maces is called a Great Bahar of Maces.

And 1000 of Nutmegs is accounted a Great Bahar of Nutmegs.

And note, that 10 Bahars of Nuts is accounted for one Bahar of Maces usually throughout al•• the Islands.

A Cattee of Maces being commonly worth one ℞ 8/••.

And 10 Cattees of Nutmegs commonly worth but also 1 ℞ 8/••.

The Inhabitants finding now their native Commodities requested by all other Nations, who come from far Regions to traffick with them for the same, have daily learned new experiments of Traffick and Commerce; and whereas in former time they exchanged their Cloves, &c. for Cotton cloath, and such like to cloath them, which yet is in some use amongst them; yet now they begin to know the worth of Silver, and the value of the Rial of Eight, and how th•• hath power to bring and provide to them all other necessaries whatsoever.

* 1.8The Measure of length is distinguished by Fathoms and Cubits, borrowed from their late Ma∣sters the Dutch and Portugals.

* 1.9But their dry measures for Corn, Grain, Rice, &c. is called a Canton, making about 5••/•• pints English.

A Quoian is their greatest measure, and is 800 Cantons.

It is to be noted here, that the Islands of Moluccoes were first discovered by the Portugals in their Navigations to these parts, and afterward finding them rich in Cloves, by little and little got footing therein, partly by fair means, but principally by building of Forts and Castles in divers of them for the better obtainment and preservation of the brave Trade of these Islands: but of late years the Hollanders envying this their engrossing of this rich Commodity, endea∣voured to supplant them, or in default of means and power to effect that, so to plant them∣selves, that they might partake and share with them in the Cloves, Nutmegs, and Maces, the only Commodities these Islands are found to produce, which by their policy, valour, and craft, at length hath so well succeeded with them, that now they are Masters and Command∣ers over many Forts and strong Castles in these Islands; * 1.10as Mallayo, Tallucco, and Tacuma, in the principal Island of Ternate, at Mariero in Tidoro, at Nassaw in Timor, Mauritas and Tabiliola in Machian, and which is intirely the Hollanders, 2 in Banda, 2 in Amboina, Barne∣felt, in Bachian, and sundry others, seated here and there through the most convenient and best Ports for Trade and shipping in all these Islands; so that now being become more strong, potent, and daring, they have coped with the Portugals in divers encounters by Sea and Land, sometimes winning and sometimes losing, according to both their force and fortunes: in all their occasions, adding violence to Trade, trading peaceably where they cannot otherwise choose, and robbing and pilfering when and where they cannot otherwise make up their mouths to profit; in which practice of Trade and Thievery or thievish Trade, I leave them and those Islands, and come next to Java.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Islands Mo∣luccoes, and the Trade thereof.
• * 1.2

  Commodi∣ties of the Moluccoes.
• * 1.3

  Cloves a∣bundance.
• * 1.4

  Amboina Islands.
• * 1.5

  The match∣less villany of the Dutch in the Am∣bolna Isles.
• * 1.6

  Coins cur∣rent in Mo∣lucco, Banda, Amboina, &c.
• * 1.7

  Weights of Molucco, Am∣boina, &c.
• * 1.8

  Measures of Molucco, Ban∣da, Ambiona, &c.
• * 1.9

  Dry Mea∣sures in Mo∣luccoes, &c.
• * 1.10

  Dutch Forts and Trade in Amboina.