Mocha

Sources from old books

1638. The merchants mappe of commerce wherein by Lewes Roberts.

Of MOCHA, and the trade thereof.

MOcha, or Muchi as some name it, is seated in the red Sea, almost opposite to Zuachen that famous Citie of trade on the African shoare, and serveth as the Port and scale to Meccha, the birth place of Mahomet the famous Prophet of these Countreymen, much heere resorted unto by Turkes, Moores, Arabians, and other Nations professing this superstitious religion; it is frequented by divers Merchants, especially Arabians and Egyptians that take it in their way to Aden, Ormus, India, or the like; and also much frequen∣ted by Mahumetane Pilgrims, who in blind devotion come this way to Meccha to pay their vowes to their ungodly Patron.

It is subject to the grand Signior, and acknowledgeth his coines •…r the currant in this place in matter of trade, which is the asper common with all Turkey.

Whereof 60 is here accompted for a Riall of 〈◊〉 Spanish.

An hundred is accompted for a Soltanie, chiquine or sheriffe.

The common gold here currant 8 sh. sterling.

Their weights heere used partake also somwhat of the common * 1.3 •…eight in appellation used throughout all Turkey, which is the •…am, 10 whereof is accounted here an ounce.

• 14 Ounces is a Rotolo.
• 24 Rotol. is a fracello, which is 25 li. 12 ounces English.
• 15 Fracellos makes a cantar, or as they terme it,
• 1 Bahar, making English incirca, 386 li.

The Measures here is the pico, accounted incirca 26½ ynches * 1.4 •…nglish, other notes have not falne into my hand of this place, •…erefore hence I will bend my course to Aden.