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Another letter of Master Newberie to the aforesaide M. Poore, written from Babylon.

MY last I sent you, was the 29 of May last past from Aleppo, by George Gill the purser of the Tiger, which the last day of the same moneth came from thence, & arrived at Feluge the 19 day of June, which Feluge is one dayes journey from hence. Notwithstanding some of our company came not hither till the last day of the last moneth, which was for want of Camels to cary our goods: for at this time of the yeere, by reason of the great heate that is here, Camels are very scant to be gotten. And since our comming hither we have found very small sales, but divers say that in the winter our commodities will be very well sold, I pray God their words may proove true. I thinke cloth, kersies & tinne, have never bene here at so low prices as they are now. Notwithstanding, if I had here so much readie money as the commodities are woorth, I would not doubt to make a very good profite of this voiage hither, and to Balsara, and so by Gods helpe there will be reasonable profite made of the voiage. But with halfe money & halfe commoditie, may be bought here the best sort of spices, and other commodities that are brought from the Indies, and without money there is here at this instant small good to be done. With Gods helpe two dayes hence, I minde to goe from hence to Balsara, and from thence of force I must goe to Ormus for want of a man that speaketh the Indian tongue. At my being in Aleppo I hired two Nazaranies, and one of them hath bene twise in the Indies, and hath the language very well, but he is a very lewde fellow, and therefore I will not take him with me.

Here follow the prices of wares as they are worth here at this instant.

  • CLOVES and Maces, the bateman, 5 duckats.
  • Cynamom 6 duckats, and few to be gotten.
  • Nutmegs, the bateman, 45 medins, and 40 medins maketh a duckat.
  • Ginger 40 medins.
  • Pepper, 75 medins.
  • Turbetta, the bateman, 50 medins.
  • Neel the churle, 70 duckats, and a churle is 27 rottils and a halfe of Aleppo.
  • Silke, much better then that which commeth from Persia, 11 duckats and a halfe the bateman, and every bateman here maketh 7 pound and 5 ounces English waight.

From Babylon the 20 day of July, 1583. Yours,
John Newberie.

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