15. Ship and caravan cargo from Syria to Genoa

16. Cargo from Alexandria (Egypt)

17. Register of foreign exchange operations and transfers of Francesco di Marco Datini and his partners in Barcelona

18. Chief accountant Matthäus Schwarz writes to Veit Hörl in Spain. Handwritten entry in the ‘common trade’ copy book (1524–34)

19. Tariffe Mercantili del Levante

20. ‘Re della China’. Compendio di geografia e statistica.

21. Book of accounts and exchange charges marked ‘A’, Del Vernaccia & Arrighi trading firm (1637–39)

22. Merchant’s declaration of the current exchange rates between Dutch and Smirnese coins

23. Journal of the deputation of the ship La Santissima Concezione captained by Sebastien Gay of Marseille

24. Attestatie (general witness testimony) notarial deed, drafted by notary Daniel Bredan

25. Contract between merchant Antonio de Lespaul and Jan Brouwer

26. Transaction for the purchase of silk for export abroad

27. Letter from Hernando de Morales in Lisbon, to Simón Ruiz in Medina del Campo

28. Royal Warrant from the infanta and regent, Juana de Austria

29. Inventarium mercium raubarum recuperatarum a navi naufragato in hoc portu, patronigiata per Joannem Fure

30. An inventory of the brigantino of Antonio Gusman with one bill of lading

31. Register of expenses and profits involved in the maintenance and furnishing of a ship for use in a court appeal

32. Trade fair notebook. Medina del Campo, 17 June 1584 to 7 August 1586

33. Novi Fair scrapbook or blotter (1641–42)

29. Inventarium mercium raubarum recuperatarum a navi naufragato in hoc portu, patronigiata per Joannem Fure

Malta National Archives
Magnia Curia Castellania, Vol. 73, fols 421–427, fol. 421r
PLACE OF DEPARTURE: Malta
GENERAL INFORMATION: Paper, 31 x 22 cm. Dated 1609.

The Magna Curia Castellaniæ was the main secular tribunal in Malta during the period of the Knights of St John (1530–1798). It was composed of the castellano, a knight of the order and two judges; one judge had civil jurisdiction and the other dealt with criminal cases. It also included an exchequer, a vice-exchequer, two notaries and several clerks. In the event of an appeal, the case was referred to the appellate court, a different tribunal in the same castellania, which was presided over by one judge.
The image shows the first page in a case titled ‘Pro Padrono Joanne Sanex contra Gulielmum Guaz nomine’. Giovanni Jarex was the captain of the ship Leon Negro which was sunk due to bad weather in the great harbour in the vicinity of the city walls of Birgu (Città Vittoriosa) on 27 October 1609. On the day of its sinking, the ship was laden with several kinds of unspecified merchandise bought on behalf of merchants from Venice and Bari. In his deposition, Jarex claims that the Magna Curia had already investigated the matter and that several witness statements had been taken at the end of October. Jarex further alleges that the ship succumbed to the bad weather because it was overloaded by the merchants whom he is prosecuting for damage. Since the merchants are, however, absent from the island, Sanex demands that they be represented in court by their representative and appointed curator for the merchandise, the Flemish consul in Malta, Gulielmo Guaz. Gulielmo Guaz confirms his curatorship of the merchants’ goods and appeals to be allowed to salvage and take whatever material could be saved from the shipwreck into his custody. This permission was seemingly granted, and a list of the various types of merchandise and ship’s equipment pulled up from the sea is given towards the end of the document. The document does not follow up the claim for damages instituted by Jarex against the absent merchants.

(Noel D’Anastas)

15. Ship and caravan cargo from Syria to Genoa

16. Cargo from Alexandria (Egypt)

17. Register of foreign exchange operations and transfers of Francesco di Marco Datini and his partners in Barcelona

18. Chief accountant Matthäus Schwarz writes to Veit Hörl in Spain. Handwritten entry in the ‘common trade’ copy book (1524–34)

19. Tariffe Mercantili del Levante

20. ‘Re della China’. Compendio di geografia e statistica.

21. Book of accounts and exchange charges marked ‘A’, Del Vernaccia & Arrighi trading firm (1637–39)

22. Merchant’s declaration of the current exchange rates between Dutch and Smirnese coins

23. Journal of the deputation of the ship La Santissima Concezione captained by Sebastien Gay of Marseille

24. Attestatie (general witness testimony) notarial deed, drafted by notary Daniel Bredan

25. Contract between merchant Antonio de Lespaul and Jan Brouwer

26. Transaction for the purchase of silk for export abroad

27. Letter from Hernando de Morales in Lisbon, to Simón Ruiz in Medina del Campo

28. Royal Warrant from the infanta and regent, Juana de Austria

29. Inventarium mercium raubarum recuperatarum a navi naufragato in hoc portu, patronigiata per Joannem Fure

30. An inventory of the brigantino of Antonio Gusman with one bill of lading

31. Register of expenses and profits involved in the maintenance and furnishing of a ship for use in a court appeal

32. Trade fair notebook. Medina del Campo, 17 June 1584 to 7 August 1586

33. Novi Fair scrapbook or blotter (1641–42)