The Origin of Metallic Currency and Weight Standards — John Shaqi
The Origin of Metallic Currency and Weight StandardsRidgeway, William
History
The Origin of Metallic Currency and Weight Standards
Ridgeway, William
Money -- Origin; Weights and measures -- History
Price of (foreign) goods. Stockfish.
48 _alen_ of good and full width trade cloth 120
48 _alen_ linen cloth double width 120
6 tonder (tuns) malt 120
4 do. trade flour 120
3 do. wheat 120
4 do. beer 120
1 tonde clean and clear butter 120
1 do. wine 100
1 do. pitch 80
1 do. raw tar 60
1 cask of iron, containing 400 pieces 120
⅛ tonde honey 15
⅛ do. blubber 15
½ lb. of coppers (i.e. copper cauldrons) by weight 2½
1 pair black (leather) shoes 4
1 pair of women’s shoes 3
1 trade rug 30
1 “alen” timber, in planks or spars 5
⅛ tonde salt 5
½ lb. wax 5
Horse shoes of iron for 5 horses 20
Caps, knives, and other small mercer’s wares, according
to mutual agreement.
“I charge all, not only the people from the country, but also the
inhabitants of these islands, that ye do in no way compass any disorder
or disturbance to the strangers, from the moment the guard flag is
hoisted, unless they themselves allow it.
“They, who here are annoyed by word or deed, have a right to demand
double indemnity therefor.
“Also I charge, and the merchants in no way the least, that they use
aright the “alen” and other lawful measure for everything, as the law
demands, especially as regards butter, wine and beer, flour or malt,
honey or tar, so that no one deals false or with deceit with another.
“He who does so intentionally shall have sinned as greatly against the
state as if he had stolen goods of like value, whereas the bargain
becomes void, and damages moreover must be given to him who was deceived.
“Let us now, Ye good men, eschew all malice and trickery, riot or
disturbance, quarrels and careless words: but let every man be the
other’s friend, without deceit.
“Prizing unity
And old custom,
And abiding in God’s peace.”
Some such proclamations were probably often made in the marts of the
Aegean, such as Aegina, when Greek, Phoenician and Etruscan met for
traffic under the control of some local potentate, and the protection of
the god of some neighbouring shrine.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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