Freiburger historische Bestände - digital

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Silver, Gold and Peari, Islands.

argira (L 3 s), Argyra, the Silver country (Ptol VII 2).

Crisis (L 8), Chryse, the Gold Island (Ptol VII 2).

thilis (L 12), Tylos, the Island of Pearls (Ptol VI 7).

Ptolemy's Argyra is Arakan, the Chryse or Aurea
Chersonesus, the Malay Peninsula, and Tylos, an island in
the Gulf of Persia. The last, which according to Pliny
(VI 32) was famous for its pearl fishery, is no other than
Bahrein.

Isidor of Seville (see Miller VII, Tafel 2) places the
three islands beyond Taprobana, in the Oceanus
orientalis.

ClPANGU.

Cipangu jn/ula (L 23), Japan. There is a royal tent.
At its northern extremity are shown a moscat nu/walt
(nutmeg forest) and a pfeffer wait (Pepper forest).

The following legends are on the Island itself:—

Cipangu jn/ula hat ein befondern
konik und fprach betetd apgtitter
an.

Cipangu do w&chfl vil gold.

Cipangu di edelft und reichft jn/el
in oriente von fpecerei und edelftein
voll hot umfang bei 1,200 meilen.

The island Cipengu has a King
and language of its own; the inhabitants
worship idols.

Cipangu where grows much gold.

Cipangu is the most noble and
richest island in the east, full of
spices and precious stones. Its compass
is 1.200 miles.

Off the southern extremity we read :—

jn difer jnful do wechjl gold und In this island are found gold and
gewiirz ftauden. shrubs yielding spices.

Off the east coast is the following legend :—

dife jn/el zipangu ligt in orient
der welt dafs volk afn landt peth
abgotter an. Jr konik iji niemand
underthan jn der Intel wechjl uber-
treffiich vil goldts auch edelgeftein
perlein oriental, difs fchreibi marco
polo von venedig im 3 buch.

This island Zipangu lies in the
east of the world. The inhabitants
worship idols. The King is subject
to no one. In the island is found
exceeding much gold and likewise
precious stones and pearls. This is
stated by Marco Polo of Venice in
his 3rd book.

The Indian Spice Trade.

The long legend (F G 1 s) on Behaim's globe is all we
know about one Bartolomeo Fiorentino, who claims to
have travelled for twenty-four years in the East, and who,
on his return to Venice in 1424, is said to have rendered
an account of his adventures to Pope Eugene IV. I am
inclined to doubt the veracity or authenticity of this
narrative. Eugen IV. only became Pope in 1431, but as
he was a native of Venice, this Florentine adventurer may
have met him there. It is, however, quite incredible that
a merchant practically acquainted with the eastern spice
trade should state that the spices, on their way to Venice,
successively passed Java Major, Seilan, " where St.
Thomas is buried," Aurea Chersonesus, Taprobana, Aden
and Cairo. Nor is it likely that spices intended for
England and France were sent by the overland route

through Germany. Already in 1315, if not earlier,
Genoese vessels 'mployed by Florentine merchants
traded with Antwerp.1 and three years later five Venetian
galleys laden with wicfcs and drugs arrived at that port.

In 1320 letters of protection were granted to Venetian
vessels sailing for Antwerp or Bruges, and in 1332 the
Great Council of Venice ordered that carriage overland
should be permitted only in case the sea-route should be
unsafe (Marin,1 Com. de' Veneziani,' V., p. 309). Of course,
spices intended for Germany were sent at that time from
Venice across the Alps to Augsburg or Nuremberg.

jtem efs ijl zu wiffen daft die
specerey die in den jnfeln in jndien
in orienten in manicherley hendt
verkaufft wiirdt ehe fy heraut kumpt
in un/er landt.

1. erftlich die inwohner der jnful
genant Java maior die kauffen fy in
den andern jnfeln da fy gefambelt
wiirtt bey ihren nachpaurn und ver-
kauffon fy in ir Jnfel.

2. Zum andern die von der jnfel
seilan do st thomas begraben ligt
kauffen die specerey in der jnfel java
und bringen fy in ir jnfel.

3. Zum dritten jn der jnfel Ceylon
und Seilan wiirdt fy wider entladen
vegold und verkaufft den kaujleuten
aus der jnfell aurea chersonesus do
wurt fy entladon.

4. Zum vierten die kaufleut der
jnfel taprobana genannt kaufen und
bezohlen die specerey dafelbft und
bringens in ir jnfel.

5. Zum funften die heyden maeh-
met gelauffen komen aufs dem landt
aden dahin und kaufens und verzoh-
lens und fiirens in ir landt.

6. Zum 6ten die von algeyro
kauffens und fiirens uber moer und
furtters uber land.

7. Zum 7 fo kaufensidie Venediger
und andere.

8. Zu 8 so wiirdt fy in venedig
wider verkauft den teuschen und
verzolt.

9. zu 9 zu frankfurt prugk und
andern ortten.

10. zum 10<cn in engellandt und
frankreich.

11. Zum 11 so kummen fy erft in
der kremer hendt.

12. [Zum 12. fo von den kreinern
kauffens die von den die Spezerey
gebraucht wurt, dabey foil jederman
vermerkhen die grofen zoll und den
gewin.2] die 12 malen auf die
fpecerey geht und zu nermalen von
zehen pfundten eiw muefs geben zu
zoll darbey zu verjlehen ift das jn den

Item, be it known that the spices
pass through several hands in the
islands of oriental India before they
reach our country.

1. First, the inhabitants of the
island called Java Major buy them
in the other islands where they are
collected by their neighbours, and
sell them in their own island.

2. Secondly, those from the island
Seilan, where St. Thomas is buried,
buy the spices in Java and bring
them to their own island.

3. Thirdly. In the Island Ceylon
or Seilan they are once more unloaded
, charged with Customs duty,
and sold to the merchants of the
island Aurea Chersonesus, where
they are again unladen.

4. Fourthly, the merchants of the
island Taprobana buy the spices
there, and pay the Customs duties,
and take them to their island.

5. Fifthly, the Mohammedan
heathen of Aden go there, buy the
spices, pay the Customs and take
them to their own country.

6. Sixthly, those of Cairo buy
them, and carry them over the sea,
and further overland.

7. Seventhly, those of Venice and
others buy them.

8. Eighthly, they are again sold
in Venice to the Germans, and
customs are paid.

9. Ninthly, at Frankfurt, Bruges
and other places.

10. Tenthly, in England and
France.

11. Eleventh, thus at last they
reach the hands of the retail traders.

12. Twelfthly, those who use the
spices buy them of the retail dealers,
and let the high Customs duties and
profits be borne in mind which are
levied twelve times upon the spices,
the former amounting on each
occasion to one pound out of every
ten. From this it is to be under-

1 So says Pegolotti, who resided there as a partner of the Bardi of
Florence.

2 Words within brackets omitted on Paris facs., but given by Murr.

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