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. CXVII. Of Libon, and the Trade thereof.

* 1.1LIsbon is accounted to be seven miles in compass, and to contain 20000 families, having 67 Towers upon the Walls, and 22 Gates to the Sea-ward, and 16 to the Continent: it is seated upon the River Tagus, accounted most famous and commodious for Traffick and Commerce, from hence the Portugals set out to the East Indies, and hither do return again with all those Spices, Drugs, and other the rich Merchandize, which East-India, Arabia, Persia and China do afford: at the entrance of the River Duero stands Porto also, a Town of good Trade, where the Galiies used in times past to land the Merchandise, and therefore is called Porta Gal∣lorum, by which means some Authors do infer the whole Countrey took its name of Portugal. But to proceed to Lisbon, I will note what I have observed thereupon in matter of Traffick according to my proposed Theme.

* 1.2The Coins in Portugal found current are these:

A Croisado of Gold, is worth 400 Reas.

A Ducate of Portugal is 10 Reals, which is 400 Reas, which is five shillings sterl.

A Rial is 40 Res or 6 d. sterling, a mill Reas is 22 Rials.

A Testoon is 2½ Rials, or 100 Res, or 15 d. sterl.

A Vintin is 20 Res, or 3 d. sterling.

A Mirle of Gold is 1000 Res, which is 2½ Ducates.

A single Rial Spanish, is 2 Vintins, or 4 Res.

* 1.3Their Weights are these, a small and a great, the great Cantar is divided into four Roves, and each Root is 32 Reals, which is 128 l. at 14 ounces per l. which hath been found to make in Florence 149 l. their small Quintar for Pepper and Ginger is near 112 l. English, the Rove or Qua∣tern is 2•• l. the great Quintal holdeth 15 in 16 per cent. more than the English 112 l.

The King hath a Quintar for his Contractation house to sell the Spices of India, by which is 150 l. of Florence, and is about 114 l. English, the great Cantar of Lisbon making in Florence 170⅓ or 130 l. English, but all fine Goods is by custom of the place to be sold by the said Kings-Beam.

These Observations upon 100 l. small of Lisbon, have been made in and yield.

The 100 l. small of Lisbon doth yield in	London	113½	li.
Marselia	126½	l.
Venetia sotile	168½.
Venetia gross	106 3/••.
Sicilia	63¼.
Florence	149¼.
Antwerp	107¾.
Lions	119 ••/••.
Sevil	110¾.
Dantzick	130½.
Genoa	162.
Aleppo	23	Rials.
Aleppo Silk	24, 6.
Irip. Soria.	27, 6.
Irip. Barbaria	98	l.
Baruti	22.
Alex. Zera	51, 3.
Alex. Forsia	117, 6.
Seio.	102, 10.
Constantinople	93, 6.
Rhodes	20, 7.
Acria	18, 3.
Babilonia	15, 10	Ma.
Balsera	4, 5½	Ma.
Ormus	113.

Which for trial I refer to the experienced.

* 1.4Their Measures of length, dry and liquid here used are these; first their Measure of Cloth is the Coveda, which is near ¾ of an English Yard; the Measure Linnen is the Vare, and i•• an Ell, less nail of the English measure, by which may be made the computation for other Countreys, and by some found to be 8 per centum less.

* 1.5The Measure of Corn, is the Alquier, three Alquiers is a bushel, 1½ is 8 Gallons Winchester Measure, and five Alquiers is a Hannep of Spanish Measure.

* 1.6The Measure of Salt is called the Muy, and 60 Alquiers makes a Muy, and 2 Muyes and 15 Alquiers is a Tun of Bristol water-measure, which is 10 Gallons Winchester, and 40 of those Mea∣sures do make a Tun.

Note, that 4½ Alquiers of Lisbon make a Fanega, or Hannep in Andalusia, by some observa∣tions, which Fanega is 2 Staios and somewhat more of Florence, in such manner that a Sta•…•… o•• Florence may be accounted half a Fanega, and an Alquier of Lisbon may be accounted half a Staio of Florence, which makes (…) Gal. Eng.

* 1.7The Customs is inwards 23 per centum, that is, to the Dechima 10 per cent. to the Si••e 10 per cent. and to the Consolado 3 per cent. and the Customs outwards is onely 3 per centum.

* 1.8These observations have been also made upon Measures of this place; 22 Alquiers of Lis∣bon have made in Sicilia upon Corn 1 general Salmo, Alquiers 3⅛ have made in Marselia one Mina; and it is to be understood, that the Muy of Corn and Salt are all alike, but that there is given one in 24 more upon Salt, because the Salt loseth and not the Corn. The 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of Wine in Lisbon is 52 Almudin, and one Almudin is 13 Chanate, &c. which is in E••g∣land (…) Gallons.

* 1.9The next Province is Valentia, giving name, or taking it from a City of the same name, the principal of this Province which is seated some two miles from the Sea, where there a found an open Road called La Grevo, and not capable of great Ships, nor indeed safe for Ships of any noted burthen, therefore is Alicant become the principal Scale for this City; i•• which place having resided for some time Anno 1617. I shall touch the Trade thereof as ob∣served by me in those days.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Lisbon and Trade thereof.
• * 1.2

  Coins of Portugal.
• * 1.3

  Weights of Portugal.
• * 1.4

  Measures of length in Portugal.
• * 1.5

  Of Corn in Portugal.
• * 1.6

  Of Salt in Portugal.
• * 1.7

  Customs of Lisbon.
• * 1.8

  Observati∣ons upon the dry Measures of Lisbon.
• * 1.9

  Valentia.