Note 2 — Letter to Felipe III from Alonso Fajardo de Tenza

The bahar (from bahara, a word of Sanscrit origin) has long been in quite general use in the East. The word is found variously spelled, “bahare,” “bare,” and “vare.” Its value varies in different localities, there being two distinct weights—one, the great bahar, used for weighing cloves, other spices, etc.; and the small bahar, about 150 kilos or 400 pounds avoirdupois, used for weighing quicksilver, various metals, certain drugs, etc. John Saris, writing of the commerce of Bantam, says: “A sacke is called a Timbang, and two Timbanges is one Peecull, three Peeculls is a small bahar, and foure Peeculls and an halfe a great Bahar, which is foure hundred fortie fiue Cattees and an halfe.” Page 135n