As for the selibra of the lesser weights, which our people, as I have often said, call a mark, and the Romans call a bes, coiners who coin gold, divide it just like the greater weights scale, into twenty-four units of two sextulae each, and each unit of two sextulae is divided into four semi-sextulae and each semi-sextula into three units of four siliquae each. Some also divide the separate units of four siliquae into four individual siliquae, but most, omitting the semi-sextulae, then divide the double sextula into twelve units of four siliquae each, and do not divide these into four individual siliquae. Thus the first and greatest unit of measurement, which is the bes, weighs twenty-four double sextulae.
Coiners who mint silver also divide the bes of the lesser weights in the same way as the greater weights; our people, indeed, divide it into sixteen semunciae, and the semuncia into eighteen units of four siliquae each.
There are ten weights which are placed in the other pan of the balance, when they weigh the silver which remains from the copper that has been consumed, when they assay the alloy with fire.
| The | 1st | = | 16 | semunciae = 1 bes. |
| " | 2nd | = | 8 | " |
| " | 3rd | = | 4 | " |
| " | 4th | = | 2 | " |
| " | 5th | = | 1 | " or 18 units of 4 siliquae each. |
| " | 6th | = | 9 | units of 4 siliquae each. |
| " | 7th | = | 6 | " " |
| " | 8th | = | 3 | " " |
| " | 9th | = | 2 | " " |
| " | 10th | = | 1 | " " |
The coiners of Nuremberg who mint silver, divide the bes into sixteen semunciae, but divide the semuncia into four drachmae, and the drachma into four pfennige. They employ nine weights.
| The | 1st | = | 16 | semunciae. |
| " | 2nd | = | 8 | " |
| " | 3rd | = | 4 | " |
| " | 4th | = | 2 | " |
| " | 5th | = | 1 | " |
For they divide the bes in the same way as our own people, but since they divide the semuncia into four drachmae,
| the | 6th | weight | = | 2 | drachmae. |
| " | 7th | " | = | 1 | drachma or 4 pfennige. |
| " | 8th | " | = | 2 | pfennige. |
| " | 9th | " | = | 1 | pfennig. |
The men of Cologne and Antwerp[43] divide the bes into twelve units of five drachmae and one scripulum, which weights they call nummi. Each of these they again divide into twenty-four units of four siliquae each, which they call grenlins. They have ten weights, of which