Alexandria, Egypt

Sources from old books:

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

Of ALEXANDRIA, and the Trade thereof.

ALEXANDRIA is said to be built by Alexander the great, and was called by the Turks the lords thereof Scanderia, and which in the Nicene counsell was ordained to be one of the foure patriarchall Cities; it is yet the fairest and best maritime port of this whole Countrey, and hath yet some reliques of that trade it earst injoyed, as I have noted before; and because it is the principall of this region for Merchandizing, I hold it proper to comprehend under this Chapter the greater part of the trade Universally of Aegypt and the neighbouring Cities.

The commodities of Aegypt, besides what comes hither out of Arabia, Persia and India, is rice, corne, flaxe, hempe, hony, wax, balsome, dates, some drugges, and some few spices, and in especiall it yeeldeth aboundance of Palmetrees, which is of very strange properties, for they are found to grow in couples, male and female, both thrust forth cods full of seede, but the female is onely fruitfull, and that not except growing by the male, and having his seed mixed with hers; the pith of these trees are excellent meate: of the branches they make necessary uses in their houses; of the leaves baskets, mats and fannes, of the outward huske of the codde; cordage, of the inward brushes; the fruit is like a figge, serving the Inhabitants sometimes dried in the su nne as bread, and greene as meat: and finally it is said to yeeld whatsoever is necessary to the life of man.

The weights in use in Cairo, Alexandria, and generally throughout all Aegypt for trade are found to be of 4. sorts, the first is the •…eight called the quintar of Zera, the second the quintar Forfor; •…e third the quintar Zaidin, and the fourth the quintar Mina; •…hich because of their former great trade with Venice, I will first •…ompare with the weights of that Citie, and then applie the same to •…he weight of our owne Countrie.

One quintar of Zera hath been found to make of Venetia grosse 200. li. and sutle 312. li. and in London 212. li. haber.

One quintar of Forfori hath been observed to make in Venice 140. li. suttle and grosse 87. li. and in London 93. li. haber.

One quintar Zaidin, hath made by observation in Venetia 127. •…i. grosse, and 200. li. suttle, and in London 134. li. haberdepois.

One quintar Mina, proper onely to Alexandria, hath made in Venetia 250. li. suttle, 155. li. grosse, and in London 167. li. haberde•…ois. Whereas note that the first three quintars are accounted by Rotolos, but the quintar of minas containes in Alexandria 20. ounces to the Mina, and in Cairo 16 ounces to the Mina: And also observe that amber, muske, and some other fine commodities are sold by a Metalico or dramme, and also by the Peso, whereof 1½ is a Metalico; 50. Metalicoes is here a marke in gold or silver weight, and 42. Metalico our English marke weight of 8. ounces Troy. Againe note that

One Rotolo Zerai makes Venetia suttle 3. li. 1.½ ounces.

One Rotolo forfori makes Venetia suttle 1. li. 5. ounces.

One Rotolo Zaidin makes Venetia suttle 2. li. grosse 1. li. 3¼ oun.

One Mina makes in Venetia suttle 2¼ li. and grosse 1⅔ li.

Now let us observe how these weights are found to accord one with another, and so with Venetia.

One quintar Zera, which is the generall quintar of Aegypt makes 〈◊〉. quintars and 16. Rotolos of forfori in Alexandria.

Againe, one quintar Zerai makes one quintar and 56. Rotolos of Zaidni, and maketh 120. Minas of Alexandria.

One Rotolo Zera makes 2. Rotolo 1 ounce and 〈◊〉 forfori.

Againe, one Rotolo Zeri makes 1 Rot. 6 9/25 ounces of Zaidin.

One quintar forfori makes 46. Rot. 3½ ounces Zerai,

And one quintar forfori makes 20. Rot. 11 23/27 ounces Zaidni.

One quintar forfori makes 55.½ minas,

And one Rotolo forfori makes 111. oun. Zerai, and 6½ oun. Zaidin.

One quintar Zaidin makes 64. Rot. 2 ounces of Zerai.

One quintar Zaidin makes one quintar 28. Rot. 5⅓ oun. forfori.

One quintar Zaiden makes 76. minas 11 ounces.

One Rotolo Zaidin makes 7 7/10 ounces Zera,

And againe, one Rot. Zaidin makes one Rot. 4⅗ ounces Forfori,

And one Rotolo Zaidin makes one and 3 quarters ounces minas.

One quintar minas makes one quintar 2 Rotolos forfori,

And one quintar minas makes one quintar 30. Rotolos Zaidin.

And one Mina makes ten ounces Zera:

And againe, one Mina makes one Rot. 9¼ ounces forfori.

And lastly, one Mina makes one Rot. three ounces Zaidin.

The variety of these weights will excuse this tedious repetition, which I was inforced to performe for the better understanding of the same; and for the shortening of my present survey of the trade of Aegypt: I will here reduce not onely the weights abovenamed, but also the weights of some of the principall Cities of traffique upon this coast to the 100. li. suttle haberdepois of London, which hath been observed to make by:

The variety of these weights will excuse this tedious repetition, which I was inforced to performe for the better understanding of the same; and for the shortening of my present survey of the trade of Aegypt: I will here reduce not onely the weights abovenamed, but also the weights of some of the principall Cities of traffique upon this coast to the 100. li. suttle haberdepois of London, which hath been observed to make by:

Zera quintar—48 Rot.	In Cairo and all Aegypt.
Forfori quintar—108 Rot.
Zaidin quintar—75 Rot.
Minas quintar—54 Rot.
Iripoli suria—25½ Rot.	whereof 100. makes a quintar.
Achria—17 Rot.	the 100. makes a quintar Tamperan.
Aleppo common—21¾ Rot.	the 100. whereof is a quintar.
Tripoli Barbary—62 Rot.	the 100. where of is a quintar.
Oran common with—91 Rot.	the quintar is 5. Roves of 20. Rot.
Oran for spices—133 Rot.	the quintar is 4. Roves.
Oran for corne—48 Rot.	each quintar 6. Rotolos.
Oran for cotton—59 Rot.	each qui•…tar 15. Rot.
Una in Barbary—63 Rot.	for cotton wools.
Una—72 Rot.	for spices.
Una—90 Rot.	for corne.
Fras—153 Rot.	the quintar is 100. ℞.
Baruti—20¼ Rot.	the quintar is 100. Rot.
Argier—
Thunes—
Cathaio—84 Rot.	the quintar is 100. Rot.
Cyprus—19½ Rot.	Famagosto 4. per cent. more.
Suus in Barbary—90 Rot.	100. Rot. to a quintar.

When I come to handle those particular places, I shall doe the same more exact, for the better satisfaction of the reader.

The measures of length in Cairo, Alexandria, and in generall through Aegypt is found to be of two sorts, the one the pico Barbaresco, or proper measure of the Countrey, serving for cloth, linen and other commodities, being 25⅞ inches English: The other the pico Turchesco, serving for silkes, cloth of gold, and fine stuffes, which is 22. ¼ inches English, and with Venetia they are found to render, viz.

100. braces of silke in Venetia, makes here Barbaresco pico 116.

100. braces of cloth in Venetia, makes here Barbaresco 124. ½.

But I have found some observations that have noted that the 100. yards of London have made here and in these others Cities in Barbary thus, in 100 yards 〈◊〉 London have made

• Alexandria—165. pic.
• Baruti—148. pic.
• Tripoli Barbariae—165. pic.
• Damasco—148. pic.
• Bugia—210. pic.
• Tripolia Suria—149. pic.
• Rama—151. pic.
• Tangir—
• Bursa in Natolia—150. pic.
• Amano—133. pic.
• Sidon—151. pic.
• Gira—165. pic.
• Salonica—145. pic.
• Achria—151. pic.
• Aleppo—133. pic.
• Argier—
• Thunes—
• Oran—
• Bona—
• Morocco—181. cov.
• Una—

And forasmuch as Cairo is the Metropolis of Aegypt, it will be •…oper I should travell thither and survey a little the present trade •…d estate thereof, before I leave this COMMERCE.