To the first greatest man in the world; your servant and
slave, Albert Dürer, sends salutation to his magnificent
Master Wilibaldo Pirkamer. By my faith, I hear gladly and
with great pleasure of your health and great honour, and I
marvel how it is possible for a man like you to stand
against so many, tyrants, bullies, and soldiers. Not
otherwise than by the grace of God. When I read your letter
about this strange abuse it gave me great fright; I thought
it was a serious matter. But I warrant you frighten even
Schott's men, for you look wild enough, especially on holy
days with your skipping gait! But it is very improper for
such a soldier to smear himself with civet. You want to be a
regular silk tail, and you think that if only you manage to
please the girls, it is all right. If you were only as
taking a fellow as I am, I should not be so provoked. You
have so many loves that it would take you a month and more
to visit each.
However, let me thank you for having arranged my affairs so
satisfactorily with my wife. I know there is no lack of
wisdom in you. If only you were as gentle as I am, you would
have all the virtues. Thank you, too, for everything you are
doing for me, if only you would not bother me about the
rings. If they do not please you, break off their heads and
throw them in the privy, as Peter Weisweber says.
What do you mean by setting me to such dirty work, I have
become a gentiluomo at Venice. I have heard that you can
make lovely rhymes; you would be a find for our fiddlers
here. They play so beautifully that they weep over their own
music. Would God that our Rechenmeister girl could hear
them, she would cry too. At your command I will again lay
aside my anger and behave even better than usual.
But I cannot get away from here in two months, for I have
not enough money yet to start myself off, as I have written
to you before; and so I pray you if my mother comes to you
for a loan, let her have 10 florins till God helps me out.
Then I will scrupulously repay you the whole.
With this I am sending you the glass things by the
messenger. And as for the two carpets, Anthon Kolb will help
me to buy the most beautiful, the broadest, and the
cheapest. As soon as I have them I'll give them to Imhof the
younger to pack off to you. I shall also look after the
crane's feathers. I have not been able to find any as yet.
But of swan's feathers for writing with there are plenty.
How would it do if you stuck them on your hats in the
meantime?
A book printer of whom I enquired tells me that he knows of
no Greek books that have been brought out recently, but any
that he comes across he will acquaint me with that I may
write to you about them.
And please inform me what sort of paper you want me to buy,
for I know of no finer quality than we get at home.
As to the Historical pieces, I see nothing extraordinary in
what the Italians make that would be especially useful for
your work. It is always the same thing. You yourself know
more than they paint. I have sent you a letter recently by
the messenger Kannengiesser. Also I should like to know how
you are managing with Kunz Imhof.
Herewith let me commend myself to you. Give my willing
service to our prior. Tell him to pray God for me that I may
be protected, and especially from the French sickness, for
there is nothing I fear more now and nearly everyone has it.
Many men are quite eaten up and die of it. And greet Stephen
Paumgartner and Herr Lorenz and those who kindly ask after
me.