Galerie

 

I see you give me the order, as to these 60 lasts of rye to your account, as to which, as I say, there have come down here so many commissions that they have made it come and rise from 30 and 32 up to 43 florins a last, and in my opinion it seems to me that in April and May it will have to be cheaper here, and so I have a ship of Dirique Reyniersen’s here for loading with rye, and so you may rest assured that if you send me the ship or ships here I shall buy it and load them in accordance with your order. As for cinnamon, there is none here at present, and at the price that you say it is better to buy it there than here. You mention the danger that there is, that when the people of Zeeland and Holland meet them they may confiscate it. Here, we do not find charters for

[Page 4] those places so convenient, so I think it best that you charter them there by the best route that you can, which shall be more advantageous than chartering them here, even if the ship comes empty.

You tell me you have sent a copy by way of Hans Bernart, and that he should be notified that I have not received it. The said Hans Bernart wrote to me on ]5 December, but he has not notified me of this. It does not matter much, since I have here the original, of 10 and 11 December, received by the hand of Dirik Reyniersen.

I see the prices and how the exchanges are running, which is noted accordingly. I have not good information about leather here. There are salted and dried hides with the hair on, and unhaired ones coloured red, unhaired in the manner of Maastricht and Maliries. I have no wish to buy this by weight at present, until you advise me of the sort you want, so as to make no mistake and to understand clearly what you wish.

I can also tell you that money for finance in Holland is seldom found here, ever, and it goes now at 83 groschen to the pound and comes back at 95 groschen, and for Hamburc at 3 per cent loss on exchange and the bill of exchange on sight. For Antwerp there is no exchange here; when there is, it will be told you. At other times in the past there was much exchange, but with the troubles and wars they do not use it for Antwerp.

Sir, I beg you to advise me if some specimens of crystal vessels from eastern Montania, and other vessels decorated with silver gilt and pretty workmanship, would be saleable where you are, and if good dry wines from Gibraltar, white and sweet and good, would be saleable there, and how much a tun or pipe or butt is worth there, that I have all muscatels and canaries and wines from Hungary. And with that I cease, and continue to pray for your long life and that He may protect your estate.

A thaler is worth here 35 groschen, and a Hungarian ducat 56. Please make the reckoning for the leather on this basis.

 

Danzig Report Vol. 1 - Nr. 79 - April - May - June - 1993, Page 15.