Memoirs of Journeys to Venice and the Low Countries

LETTERS FROM VENICE TO WILIBALD PIRKHEIMER Venice, 6th January, 1506 To the Honourable and wise Wilibald Pirkheimer, in Nuremberg. My dear Master, To you and all yours, many happy good New Years. My willing service to you, dear Herr Pirkheimer. Know that I am in good health; may God send you better even than that. Now as to what you commissioned me, namely, to buy a few pearls and precious stones, you must know that I can find nothing good enough or worth the money: everything is snapped up by the Germans. Those who go about on the Riva always expect four times the value for anything, for they are the falsest knaves that live there. No one expects to get an honest service of them. For that reason some good people warned me to be on my guard against them. They told me that they cheat both man and beast, and that you could buy better things for less money at Frankfort than at Venice