rary author, and entering into detail,--is at once much more
curious and interesting, and may be depended on as authentic. It is also
valuable, as exhibiting the state of the manufactures, commerce, &c. of
most of the nations of Europe at this period.

"Besides the natives and the French, who are here very numerous, there are
six principal foreign nations, who reside at Antwerp, both in war and
peace, making above 1000 merchants, including factors and servants, viz.
Germans, Danes, and Easterlings--that is, people from the ports in the
south shores of the Baltic, from Denmark to Livonia--Italians, Spaniards,
English, and Portuguese of these six nations; the Spaniards are the most
numerous. One of those foreign merchants, Fugger, of Augsburg, died worth
above six millions of crowns; there are many natives there with from
200,000 to 400,000 crowns."

"They meet twice a day, in the mornings and evenings, one hour each time,
at the English bourse, where, by their interpreters and brokers, they buy
and sell all kinds of merchandize. Thence they go to the new bourse, or
principal exchange, where, for another hour each time, they transact all
matters relating to bills of exchange, with the above six nations, and with
France; and also to deposit at interest, which is usually twelve per cent.
per annum."

"They send to Rome a great variety of woollen drapery, linen, tapestry,
&c.: the returns are in bills of exchange. To Ancona, English and Flemish
cloths, stuffs, linen, tapestry, cochineal; and bring in return such spices
and drugs as the merchants of Ancona procure in the Levant, and likewise
silks, cotton, Turkey carpets, and leather. To Bologne they export serges,
and other stuffs, tapestry, linen, merceries, &c. and bring in return for
it, wrought silks, cloth of gold and silver, crapes, caps, &c. To Venice
they send jewels and pearls, English cloth and wool, Flemish drapery,
cochineal, &c. and a little sugar and pepper: thus, with respect to these
two latter articles, sending to Venice what they formerly obtained from
her. For, prior to the Portuguese discovery of the Cape, the merchants of
Antwerp brought from Venice all sorts of India spices and drugs: and even
so late as the year 1518, there arrived in the Scheldt, five Venetian
ships, laden with spices and drugs, for the fair at Antwerp. In 1560,
however, the imports from Venice consisted of the finest and choicest
silks, carpets, cotton, &c. and colours for dyers and