“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 painters.”

“To Naples they export great quantities of Flemish and English cloths and stuffs, tapestry, linens, small wares of metal, and other materials:  and bring back raw, thrown and wrought silk, fine furs and skins, saffron and manna.  The exports to Sicily are similar to those of the other parts of Italy:  the imports from it are galls in great quantity, cinnamon, oranges, cotton, silk, and sometimes wine.  To Milan, Antwerp exports pepper, sugar, jewels, musk, and other perfumes, English and Flemish woollen manufactures, English and Spanish woollinens, and cochineal.  The imports are gold and silver, thread, silks, gold stuffs, dimities, rich and curious draperies, rice, muskets and other arms, high priced toys and small goods; and Parmesian cheese.  The exports to Florence are nearly the same as to the other parts of Italy, but in addition, fans are specified.  Besides the usual imports of silks and gold stuffs, there are also fine furs.  Household furniture is exported to Genoa, besides the usual articles:  velvets, which were then the best in the world; satins, the best coral, mithridate, and treacle, are the principal or the peculiar imports.  Genoa, is the port through which Antwerp trades with Mantua, Verona, Modena, Lucca, &c.”

“Besides all these articles, Antwerp imports from Italy by sea, alum, oil, gums, leaf senna, sulphur, &c. and exported to it by sea, tin, lead, madder, Brazil wood, wax, leather, flax, tallow, salt fish, timber, and sometimes corn.  The imports from Italy, including only silks, gold and silver, stuffs, and thread camblets and other stuffs, amount to three millions of crowns, or 600,000_l_. yearly.