The weight, measure, and money in the citie of Balsara.
A Mana of Balsara answereth 5 roues 2 ounces and a halfe of Aleppo weight,
and 19 manas and one 4 part of Balsara, answereth the quintall of Aleppo,
which is 494 roues, 8 ounces English, and 20 manas is the quintall of
Balsara, which is 104 Alepine, and of London 514 li. 8. ounces, and so much
is the sayd quintall, but the marchants bargaine at so much the mana or
wolsene (which is all one) and they abate the tare in euery mana, as the
sort of spice is, and the order taken therefore in that place.
The measure of Balsara is called a pike, which is iust as the measure of
Babylon, to say, 100 pikes of Balsara make of Aleppo 121 pikes, vt supra in
the rate of Babylon.
The currant mony of Balsara is as foloweth. There is a sort of flusses of
copper called Estiui, whereof 12 make a mamedine, which is the value of one
medine Aleppine, the said mamedine is of siluer, hauing the Moresco stampe
on both sides, and two of these make a danine, which is 2 medines Aleppine.
The said danine is of siluer, hauing the Turkesco stampe on both sides, and
2 and a halfe of these make a Saie, which is in value as the Saie of
Aleppo.
The said Saie is of the similitude and stampe of Aleppo, being (as
appeares) 60 estiues. Also one Say and 20 estiues make a larine, which is
of Aleppo money 6 medines and a halfe.
The sayd larine is a strange piece of money, not being round as all other
currant money in Christianitie, but is a small rod of siluer of the
greatnesse of the pen of a goose feather, wherewith we vse to write, and in
length about one eight part thereof, which is wrested, so that the two ends
meet at the iust halfe part, and in the head thereof is a stampe Turkesco,
and these be the best currant money in all the Indias, and 6 of these
larines make a duckat, which is 40 medines or eight Saies of Aleppo.
The duckat of gold is woorth there 7 larines, and one danine, which is of
Aleppo money 48 medines and a halfe.
The Venetian money is worth larines 88 per hundred meticals which is 150
drams of Aleppo, vt supra.
The roials of plate are worth 88 larines by the 100 meticals, and albeit
among the marchants they sel by the 100 meticals, yet in the mint or
castle, they sel by the 100 drams, hauing there lesse then the worth 5
medines in each hundred drams, and haue their paiment in 40 dayes made them
in Saies or larines.
The custome of the said places, aswell inward as outward, are alike of all
sorts of goods, to say 6 by the 100, and Toafo, Boabo, and scriuan medines
6 by the bale inward and outward, to say, 3 inward, and as much outward:
but whoso leaueth his goods in the custome house paieth nothing, where
otherwise at the taking thereof away, he should pay 3 med. by the bale, and
of the said goods there is no other duty to pay, and this commeth to passe
when the customers esteeme the goods too high. For in such a case they may
be driuen to take so much commoditie as the custome amounteth to, and not
to pay them in money, for such is the order from the Grand Signior.
Hauing paid the custome, it behoueth to haue a quittance or cocket sealed
and firmed with the customers hand, in confirmation of the dispatch and
clearing, and before departure thence, to cause the sayd customer to cause
search to be made, to the end that at the voiages returne there be no
cauilation made, as it oftentimes happeneth.
Note that 100 meticals of Balsara weigh 17 ounces and a halfe sottile
Venetian, and of Aleppo drams 150, vt supra.
The fraight of the barkes from Ormuz to Balsara, I would say from Balsara
to Ormuz, they pay according to the greatnesse thereof. To say, for cariage
of 10 cares 180 larines, those of 15 cares 270 larines, those of 20 cares
360 larines, those of 30 cares 540 larines. Note that a cara is 4 quintals
of Balsara. They pay also to the pilot of the bark for his owne cariage one
care, and to all the rest of the mariners amongst them 3. cares fraight,
which is in the whole 4 cares, and paying the abouesayd prises and
fraights, they are at no charges of victuals with them, but it is requisite
that the same be declared in the charter partie, with the condition that
they lade not aboord one rotilo more then the fraight, vnder paines that
finding more in Ormuz, it is forfeit, and besides that to pay the fraight
of that which they haue laden.
And in this accord it behoueth to deale warilie, and in the presence of the
Ermin or some other honest man (whereof there are but few) for they are the
worst people in all Arabia. And this diligence must be put in execution, to
the end the barks may not be ouerladen, because they are to passe many
sands betwixt Balsara and Ormuz.