Kobbett

Kobbett t1_j9yxzpw wrote

You might get cheques or letters of credit trading between European ports, banking had advanced that much by then. But ships trading with distant countries took gold or silver (depending on what was most valued) to pay for cargo, if they couldn't pay from sales of the goods they sold on the outbound journey. Crew would be payed when the ship docked, sometimes they'd only get their full pay when the ship reached its home port.

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Kobbett t1_j0n704w wrote

Decimal currencies make things much easier for accounting reasons - so much simpler to total the columns. Earlier currencies might vary the coin values depending on the value of the different metals used.
Until 1971 Britain's coinage (in pennies) would have been 1,3,6,12,24,30,60,240 and 252 for the Guinea, which was no longer a minted coin by then, but was - and still is - used for certain transactions.

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Kobbett t1_irhzq2e wrote

Corvée labour

>The word "corvée" itself has its origins in Rome, and reached the English language via France. In the Late Roman Empire the citizens performed opera publica in lieu of paying taxes; often it consisted of road and bridge work. Roman landlords could also demand a number of days' labour from their tenants, and also from the freedmen; in the latter case the work was called opera officialis. In Medieval Europe, the tasks that serfs or villeins were required to perform on a yearly basis for their lords were called opera riga. Plowing and harvesting were principal activities to which this work was applied. In times of need, the lord could demand additional work called opera corrogata (Latin corrogare, "to requisition"). This term evolved into coroatae, then corveiae, and finally corvée, and the meaning broadened to encompass both the regular and exceptional tasks.

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