Dantzick

Sources from old books:

1694. The great historical, geographical and poetical dictionary by Louis Moreri.

Dantzick, in Latin Gedanum and Dantiscum, a Free State, Metropolis of the Royal Prussia, one of the Four Capital Hans-Towns, a great, fine and rich City, and one of the greatest Trading Towns in the North. It is situated on the Vistula or Wesil, which brings it all the Polish Trade. It is about a League from the Baltick, on the Gulph of Dantzick, where it hath an excellent Haven, and a very good Canal for Transporting Merchandize. Besides the Vistula, there are the Rodaun and Motlave, 2 other little Rivers. The Canal divides the Town in two Parts; In one, there is an Island where the Magazines are; In the other, there are 7 great Streets, which traverse that side of the City, and terminate at the Key of the Canal. The Churches are magnificent and well built. They are Lutherans for Religion, and none but such can be chosen Magistrates; they tolerate both Calvinists and Papists; the former are numerous, and have always eminent Ministers; the Jesuits also are allowed a College here. The most remarkable things to be seen in the Town are, St. Peter's Church, the Town-House, the Arsenal, the Exchange, and St. Dominick's Place. Some write, that the Danes had a Fortress here of old, whence they will have the Name Danswick, that is to say, Danes Town, derived. The word Dans is pronounced Cdan, Gdans, and Gdansk, by the Prussians and Poles, according to the Sclavonick Dialect; whence comes the Latin Name Gedanum, and the Vulgar Dantzick. However that is, Sabislaus, Grandson to Suantiborus, took it from the Danes about 1186. and then enlarged it. The Poles afterwards seised it, and Primislaus made it a City in 1295. The Teutonick Knights usurped it in 1305. and walled it in 1343. Casimir III. of Poland regain'd it in 1454. granted great Priviledges to the Inhabitants, remitted their Tribute, and gave them the Guard of the Sea, with Permission to lay on an Impost called Zulag. It was for this reason, that those of Dantzick opposed themselves, An. 1637. to the Impost laid upon the Merchandize which passed to his New Town of Ulaslavia. The love of Liberty made them declare for the Protestant Religion, and for Maximilian of Austria, against Stephen Bathori, who thereupon proscribed, and afterwards besieged them, An. 1577. but by the Mediation of other Princes, they were restored to their Liberty and Religion, An. 1597. They Coin their Money with the King of Poland's Stamp, Administer Justice in his Name, and make one of the Members of the State, and were admitted in 1632. to have Suffrage in electing the King; who has some Right to Entries and Customs there. In 1656. they resisted the Swedes, and remain'd firm to their Prince Casimir. It is very well fortify'd, and would be Stronger, if it were not Commanded by some Hills, which are Garrison'd in time of War, and the Ramparts on that side are so high, that they cover the Town very well from the Hills. It has also a strong Castle at the Mouth of the Wesil on the Gulph. Cluvier.

1700. The merchants map of commerce by Roberts, Lewes. CHAP. CCXXIV. Of Dantzick, and the Trade thereof.

Dantzick is a very fair City, standing at the foot of a great Mountain that hangs over it, the famous River Vistula passing by it on the East-side, and running towards the North falls into the Baltick Sea, a little Brook enters the City on the South-side, and runs through it toward the North, affording many Commodities to the City: as first a Fair Water Conduit, where by a Mill the Waters are drawn into a Cistern, and thence by Pipes serving every private Citizens House, then a Corn mill for the Senate (besides their private Mills.) which affords them in every hour a golden Guilden throughout the year to their publick Treasury; and besides many other Mills, it hath one for sawing of Boards and Timber, having an Iron Wheel, which not only drives the Saw, but hooks in and turns the Boards to the Saw without the help of Hands; the Corn Granaries of this Town are also fair, remarkable and many in number, wherein the Citizens do lay up the Corn coming out of Poland, and according to the Wants of Europe, carry it into many Kingdoms, and many times relieve fruitful Provinces in time of casual Dearth; into which Granaries, under a great Penalty, no Man may carry either Fire or Candle lighted, by a Law enacted amongst them.

The City is compassed with one Wall, yet contains three several Cities, governed by three distinct Senates, out of which one chief Senate is chosen to govern the whole City; and according to the Roman Superstition they have St. George for their Protector, whose Red Cross they carry in their Flags, as doth also England, Genoua in Italy, and the Island Saio in the Arches; the City is seated about one English mile from the Baltick Shore, the Port being call'd Dermind, where the Ships of Burthen do ride to lade and unlade their Commodities; and the

City being acknowledged a Free Town, is permitted to coin Moneys; which as I find observ'd I shall note here, together with the Weights and Measures here in use.

Their Accounts are kept here in sundry manners; the common being by Polish Guilders, of 30 Gross, and 12 d. to a Grosh.

But Merchants buy Commodities here by the great Mark of 60 Gross, and by the lesser of 15, and also by the Dollar of 35 Gross, of 3 Stivers the Grosh.

Their Moneys current being thus accounted; 1 great Mark is 2 Polish Guilders; 1 Polish Guilder is worth 2 lesser Marks; 1 lesser Mark worth 15 Grosh, and the Grosh 18 d. Besides which, they coin Hungarian Ducats of Gold as they do in Poland, and they have 2 Coins in Gold, called a Milres, and half a Milres; each Milres is 3 Dollars and 2 Soslins, 36 Polish Grosh are here a Dollar.

The Weight in use here is the Pound for fine Goods, the 100 l. in London making here 116 l. Besides which they have a Skip pound and a Lis-pound thus distinguished, 16 Mark pound are a Lis-pound, and 20 Lis-pound make a Skip-pound, by the small Stone of 24 l. for Spices, &c.

But they have also a great Stone to weigh gross Wares, as Flax, Wax, and the like, of 34 l. whereof 10 l. to the Skip-pound of 340 l.

The Measure for Length of this City is the Ell, the 100 whereof makes in London about 49 Ells, and the 100 yards of London do here make 162 or 163 Ells incirca.

The Measure of Beer is the Fat, which contains 180 Stoops, and is accounted 81 Stoops of Antwerp.

The Measure of Corn here is the Last, which contains 61 shepels, 56 whereof make a Last in Amsterdam, or 10¼ Quarters of London, 4 shepels make a Mud, which is the Ship-pound beforementioned of 34 l.

Merchants for the most part throughout all Estland are found to keep their Accounts in Flori•… or Guilders, and in Groshes and Deniers, accounting 12 Deniers to the Grosh, and 20 Grosh to the Guilder or Florin.