Roven

Sources from old books

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

Of Roven, and the Trade thereof.

ROVEN seated on the bankes of the River Sein, and the seate of the Parliament of Normandy, is one of the principall Cities of Traffique and Commerce in France, having a great concourse of Merchants of all these Northerne Kingdomes, and is one of the three principall Townes in France where Exchanges are used.

The Commodities that is hence, and out of Normandy exported are Linnens course and fine, buckroms, paper, cards, some Wines, and other petty manufacturies.

The Commodities sent thither from England, principally Clothes of sundry Countries, as Kerses of Devonshire and York shire, Baies of Coxall, Cottons of Wales and York shire, and of late pepper, galles, cotton yarne, and other Turky Commodities also, Lead, Tinne, Fish, and some India Commodities.

The notes of trade observed there at my residence therein 1614 I shall briefly touch as I then noted the same.

The Monies currant and Accounts kept are the same as in generall used throughout France, see farther in Paris.

The Kings beame is heere called the Viconte, which is 14. per cent. greater than our English 112. lib. and some have found it to bee 10. or 12. li. by which is weighed all Commodities whatsoever, but I have often found that the 112. lib. English hath made by Viconte 98. li. and by common beame 101. li.

The Measure is heere an Alne, by which all Commodities of Woollen and Linnen is measured, and is accounted 1¼ yards English, but those that have made triall thereof finde it to bee 46. inches, but it is here to bee noted that in buying of Linnen cloth of this Country there is allowed in the account of Measure 24. Alnes for 20. and is called the Merchants Alne or measure, and by the same is oftentimes here againe sould in England, and it is found that Deepe, Cane, and some other Cities of Normandy afford also this over-measure; in the sale of Normandy canvas here made, so that it may bee said this place hath a great and a small Alne, the one exceeding the other 20. per cent. or 120. for 100. and the smaller agreeing with our English Elles. Roven is found to have 3. Faires in a yeare, at two whereof there is liberty given for fifteene dayes to buy and transport any commodities in this Citie free of all customes and taxes: provided the said goods bee laden and departed downe the River to a certaine limitted distance below the citie, by fifteene daies after, otherwise to pay the custome as is accustomed.

The first Faire beginneth the 3. of February, and lasteth fifteene dayes.

The second beginneth the morrow after Whitsunday and lasteth fifteene dayes.

The third is not accounted a free Faire for customes as the former, and beginneth the 23. day of October, and continueth onely eight dayes, where note that these dayes are accounted so many working dayes, sundayes and holydayes according to the Church of Rome excepted.

Here is in this Citie a publique Hall granted to the English for the sale of all English woollen cloth, whereto they are enjoyned to carry the same and have certaine set dayes to lay open and sell the same, and for the hire and custody they pay a Duty of halledge or warehousedome: they have had formerly here many immunities and priviledges and were accounted as halfe Citizens, but the civill warres of France, the insolency of the Inhabitants, and the great authority of their Court of Parliament dayly give new fashions and new lawes to the English Merchants here resident.

This Citie is the prime of Trade in this part of France, and is accounted the principall Northerne Scale of Traffique in the French Domnions, for from hence are exported great quantity, as I said before, of buckroms, canvas, fine and course, playing cardes, boxe combes, paper, thred, teasles for Clothworkers, and some plushes, and other stuffes lately heere made, and in fine all the principall commodities of Normandy, Paris, and those parts adjoyning to the River Sein; as for the Exchanges here used, see Lions in the Tract of Exchanges following, which gives Rules thereto in Chapter 277. and Chapter 302.

The next division of this Kingdome is the Isle of France, which is in the heart of the French Dominions the principall Citie Paris, being the Metropolis of the Kingdome heere situated, which though it consist not much in Trade, save what may serve happily to feed and clothe the Cour•… and inhabitants, yet all the other Cities taking hence the Rule of government for Traffique may challenge justly a Chapter by it selfe.