Macao

Etymology and other names

Macao, Amacao, Amacum

Sources from old books

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

Of MACCAV, and the Trade thereof.

THe Iland and Towne of Maccau, (as the place best knowne upon this Coast to our Nation) is seated on the North side of a Baye, which is at the mouth of the great River of Canton, which runneth out of the Lake of Quinsay spoken of before, opposite to which standeth the great Citie of Canton, which I mentioned, as the place where is found the present Staple of all the commodities of China; and thither doe Merchants of all parts frequent to buy and barter for other commodities, with the restrictions and limitations above specified: and as for Maccau, it is inhabited by Portugals intermixt with the naturall Chinees; the principall of their commerce being with the inhabitants of Cantaon, from whence all the commodities of China are found to issue; and heere the Portugals at the arrivall of their Ships, doe choose out a Factor amongst themselves, who is permitted in all their behalfs, to goe to trade for them at Cantoan, but in the night hee is to abide in the Suburbs under severe punishment, as I have before remembred.

Heere is found a Ship to come yearely out of India, by a particular license of the King of Spaine; the Captaines place is ever bestowed upon a person of qualitie, in reward of some former service, as indeed all the Captains places of the Fortresses in India are; from Maccau the said ship then (having dispatcht her busines) doth saile to Iapan, and there fully dischargeth her lading, and thence returneth againe to Maccau, and from thence to Malacca, and so to Goa in India; and though this voyage of Iapan is ever granted by particular license to some one in particular; yet to Maccau and Mallacca any Merchant may goe that will; but none may yet lade or unlade in either place, before such time as these Ships termed of the Kings, are fully dispatched and laden, and are readie to depart for India: it is recorded by some Portugals that this Captaines place may be worth to him for his part 200 thousand duccats, and that the said Ship is commonly 1500 Tunnes in burthen, and that the voyage continueth for three years from India, and so backe; for in April they set saile from Goa to Mallacca, where they abide some season for the winds or monsons, which at certaine times blow certaine set moneths together; and then from Mallacca they saile hither to Maccau, where they stay at least nine moneths for the said monsons, and then saile to Iapan, where they must stay likewise certaine moneths for the dispatch of their businesse; and the monsons to returne againe to Macca•…, where againe they stay, as in their voyage outward: so that by these delayes the time of three yeares is fully expired before they have ended their voyage to and from Iapan; and all the time of this Captaines residencie either in Maccau or Iapan, hee is there accounted the chiefe ruler and governour of the place, having the like power as their viceroy in Goa, and as the severall Captaines in their forts; for that when the one departeth from Maccau to Iapan, there commeth another from Goa to Maccau, to make the same voyage after the other hath performed his; and when he returneth againe from Iapan to Maccau, the other saileth to Iapan, and so the first continueth Governour againe at Maccau, vntill he departeth from thence to Mallacca, and so to India; and by this meanes, there is alwaies found a Portugall Governor at Maccau.

The commodities in generall of China, I have mentioned before the particular and principall commodities of Cantoan and Maccau, is silkes raw, and silke wrought; the raw is found to be of three severall sorts, first lankin which is the best; the second is fuscan; the third and worst is lankam, and these are knowne to us in Europe, and beare price there commonly about 145 or 150 R 〈◊〉 Spanish, the pico of lankin, the fuscan is worth 140 or 145 R. 〈◊〉 and the lankam is worth 70 or 75 R 8/8, and all these are counted unspun silke; but the spun lankin is worth from 150 to 170 R 〈◊〉 the pico; the spun fuscan is worth 130 or 135 R 〈◊〉, and the spun lankam of canton 80 R. 〈◊〉 the pico: and these I thought good to mention as being the principall commodity vented out of these Countries to other places.

The commodities then wherewith the Portugalls doe drive this trade, and which they carry to Maccau from India is principally R 8/8 rialls of eight, which in China is cut into pieces, and so paid out, as I shall shew hereafter in payment of merchandize; also wines of Spaine and India, olive oyle, velvets, which of all other sorts of silke stuffes they cannot make, and fine woollen, scarlet cloth, whereof they have none, nor yet can they make any, although they have materialls, as sheep and wool plenty; also looking glasses, and all sorts of drinking glasses, and Crystall, ivorie, Elephants teeth, and sundry other commodities.

The moneys or rather the manner of payments made here for commodities, differ from all other Countries observed in this Tract, for silver here in some nature is accounted better than gold, not in value and worth, but in currant esteeme and repute, as holding still the same quality in goodnes, and more apt and proper for their use; for the manner here is that every man carrieth about him his weight and ballance, to weigh the silver he taketh or giveth in payment; and hath also a paire of sheeres to divide, cut and proportion his payment according to his commodity; so that for the generall the commodity is fitted to the payment in silver or piece of silver, and not the silver (as in most places of the World) to the commodity or ware: and this silver thus cut and divided into small parcells, hath not any Soveraigne stampe or character thereon; nor is acknowledged as the peculiar coine of any Prince: but being all reduced to one and the same allay, is passable at a valuable rate and consideration amongst the Merchants of Maccau, Cantoan, and generally as I am informed throughout all China. Besides which they have a Ticall of gold, esteemed at 12½ R 〈◊〉; and note that the Ticall of silver of Siam is here 22½, and 23 Foras accounted a Tail of gold.

The payment of custome in this place is also seene to be done in a rare and seldome seene manner, for I find it noted by some to be here the custome, that a Ship entring into Maccau, the Kings officers cometh aboard, and measureth her breadth, length and depth; and so by a rule and proportion that they use, they cast up the custome due by the bulke of the Ship, by which the same is paid; and then the Merchants may unlade and lade at pleasure, without concealement of any sort of merchandize whatsoever they have aboard: how true it is I know not, with me it carryeth not any great beliefe, for that by what I have read, the acutenesse of this Nation is such that they cannot in so especiall a point of trade possibly be so dull conceited, nor of such grosse understandings.

How farre the weights of Mollacca differeth from the weight of China, I have shewed before in the Chapter of Mollacca, I will now shew how the weights in China are distinguished: I find by the observations of some English, Portugals and Dutch that have had trade hither, the Bahar to be the common weight of China; but in the concordance thereof with their owne they differ much.

The common Bahar of China is 300 Cattees, which is the same as 200 Cattees in Mollacca small weight, as I have afore remembred, for that three cattees of China makes two catees of Mollacca; and this by the calculation of some doth make English 386 li. and yet by some others should produce in England 400 li.

A Cattee of China is 16 Taels, which are 14 Taels in Mollacca, which respond with 20¾ ounces Haberdepois, and this way reduced the said Bahar is about 389 li. in 390 li.

A Hand is 12 cattees small weight.

A Cattee is 22 Taels, and a Tael is 1½ ounces haberdepois, and this way reduced it produceth 412 li. haberdepois.

Hands 16 and 8 cattees, makes 200 cattees, which is the Bahar in small weight; and because these observations doe much disagree, I referre the truth to triall and experience; for the calculations of English, Dutch and Portugals in this particular doe differ very much, as is before expressed.

The measures of the place I am inforced to omit, therefore referre it to the better experienced.

Having thus done with the maine continent of Asia, and corsorily surveyed the particular trade of some of the most eminent Cities of the Kingdomes therein contained; being constrained by reason of the remotenesse of these places, and want of better information, to let the same passe not so perfect as otherwise I could wish for and desire, I shall willingly in what is here by me omitted, crave the advises of the better experienced; and that they would adde by their knowledge and triall what is either here defective or altogether left out: and thus leaving the continent (according to my methode) I will in briefe run through some of those Ilands which merit observation, and survey the trade thereof as amply as my advisos will give me leave.

1693. A geographical dictionary representing the present and ancient names by Edmund Bohun.

Macao, Amacao, Amacum, a City in China, in the Province of Quantum; upon the South part of that Kingdom; in Long. 141. 30. Lat. 23. 00. Built upon a small Island, with two Forts: heretofore under the Portuguese; during which times it was a celebrated Mart, much frequented, and very rich: but being now in the hands of the Tartars, who have conquered China, it decays a pace; and is much declined from what it was.