Tripoli, Syria

Sources from old books

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

Of TRIPOLIS and the Trade thereof.

THE next and last of note in this Countrey is Tripolis, and to distinguish it from that in Barbary commonly called (in Syria) it hath in former times been a faire Towne, and injoyed a faire and commodious harbour; now ruin'd, and hath (as I said before) of late dayes been accounted for the Port and Scale of Aleppo, where our Shippes ever la•…ed •…nd unladen, but since their removall to Scanderone it is of little commerce: some Venetians are here found to reside, and who picke out hence some small wade with the inhabitants of the Countrey, who afford•… them silke •…re growing, some cotton yarne and cotton wooll, some drugges, corne and other commodities.

Their weight agrees with that of Damasco, which is Rotolo 100 & is a C•…ntar d•…scino, which is Venetia sotile li. 600, grosse 380 li. * 1.102 which this way should be English li. 402. but it hath been found to yeeld 416 li haberdepois, drams 52 is an ounce.

Ounces 12 is a Rotolo which hath been found to be 4 li. 2 ounc. of haberdepois, and ounces 8 is an oake, which hath been observed to make out 42¾ li. haberdepois.

Their measure being a Pico is somewhat lesse then 27 inches English.

Their moneys is generally the same with all Turkey, but thus accounted—

• Aspers 2 is a medin.
• Aspers 40 is ¼ Rot. 〈◊〉.
• Aspers 160 is a Rot. 〈◊〉.
• Aspers 140. is a dollor lion.
• Aspers 240 is a sultany.

And thus much shall serve for Tripoly in Syria.