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. CCCCXXV. Of Orders and Commissions given and received for Draughts and Remittances in Palermo and Mesina.

* 1.1ACcording to my proposed method, I will here briefly insert some examples of Draughts and Remittances made by Order and Commission in Palermo and Mesina from other places: At Mesina, the Exchange for Lions is found to go at Carlins 28, and for Placentia at Carlins 33, and from hence there is an exchange for Lions at Crow. 81½, I demand if at these prices there will be a benefit to remit from Mesina to Placentia, and draw for Lions, to remit from Placentia to the said Lions at the said price of Cro. 81½? Say by the Rule of Three, If Carlins 33

the value of a Crown of Mark (to reduce the exchange to the value of 100 Crow.) give 100 Crow. of Mark, what will 28 Carlins give, the value of the Crown of the Sun? And it will be Crow. 84 11/20, out of which must be abated ⅔ per cent. for provision payable ⅓ at Lions, and another ⅓ at Placentia, and there will remain Crow. 84 3/10, and at this price the remittance may be made from Placentia to Lions, to satisfie that debt, and finding to remit at less, that is at Crow. 81½, it appeareth plainly to be to profit to draw and to remit according to the aforesaid Order, in which also lies this consideration, that the money of Placentia for Lions may also vary from the said price. Example: 〈 math 〉〈 math 〉

* 1.2Again, from Venice there is Order given to Mesina, to draw upon them at l. 6. 14, and to re∣mit to Placentia at Carlins 29, the partido being for Crowns 2000 of Mark. Now there are Bills for Placentia found at Carlins 29½, and money for Venice at l. 6. 12. 6, I demand if at these prices the said Commission may be effected? Say by the Rule of Three, taking one of the prices that is found for divisor, because that from Mesina to Venice it giveth the price certain, and to Pla∣centia the incertain, saying thus, If Carlins 29½ the price found for Placentia, give Sol. 134, which are the said l. 6. 14. what will Carlins 29 give, the price inordered? And it will make Sol. 131¼, or thereabout, so that the said Commission may not be effected but to loss, seeing that remitting to Placentia at the said price of 29½ Carl the draught, cannot be made to Venice at more than Sol. 131¼, and money is not found but at Sol. 132½, which are the said l. 6. 12. 6 d. Example: 〈 math 〉〈 math 〉

* 1.3Again, from Naples there is an exchange made for Mesina at Duc. 118 1/31, and for Placentia at Duc. 132⅓. Now there is order given in Naples, that at these rates, they draw for Mesina, and that they remit to Placentia, I demand then at how much will the remittance be from Mesina to Pla∣centia? Say by the Rule of Three, If grains 118⅓ make disbursed in Mesina Carl. 26, the price of the Crow. of Taries 13, how many will 132⅓ grains disbursed be, the value of the Crow. of Mark? It will make Carlins 29, and ⅔ of a grain, and so many Carlins (and then ⅖ per cent. for

the provision that is paid at Naples) comes to be disbursed in Mesina for one Crown of Mark of credit in Placentia. 〈 math 〉〈 math 〉

And thus much shall serve to have said of the Exchanges that are practised in Palermo and Mesina, to which the whole Island of Sicilia hath reference.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Orders and Commissions given and re∣ceived for Draughts and Remittances in Palermo and Mesina.
• * 1.2

  1 Example.
• * 1.3

  2 Example.