inhabited by the Finns; it is also possible that the author alludes to
trading voyages to lands occupied by Esquimaux, though he makes no
mention of these people anywhere in his work.
When you are in a market town, or wherever you are, be polite and
agreeable; then you will secure the friendship of all good men. Make it
a habit to rise early in the morning, and go first and immediately to
church wherever it seems most convenient to hear the canonical hours,
and hear all the hours and mass from matins on. Join in the worship,
repeating such psalms and prayers as you have learned. When the services
are over, go out to look after your business affairs. If you are
unacquainted with the traffic of the town, observe carefully how those
who are reputed the best and most prominent merchants conduct their
business. You must also be careful to examine the wares that you buy
before the purchase is finally made to make sure that they are sound and
flawless. And whenever you make a purchase, call in a few trusty men to
serve as witnesses as to how the bargain was made.
You should keep occupied with your business till breakfast or, if
necessity demands it, till midday; after that you should eat your meal.
Keep your table well provided and set with a white cloth, clean
victuals, and good drinks. Serve enjoyable meals, if you can afford it.
After the meal you may either take a nap or stroll about a little while
for pastime and to see what other good merchants are employed with, or
whether any new wares have come to the borough which you ought to buy.
On returning to your lodgings examine your wares, lest they suffer
damage after coming into your hands. If they are found to be injured and
you are about to dispose of them, do not conceal the flaws from the
purchaser: show him what the defects are and make such a bargain as you
can; then you cannot be called a deceiver. Also put a good price on your
wares, though not too high, and yet very near what you see can be
obtained; then you cannot be called a foister.
Finally, remember this, that whenever you have an hour to spare you
should give thought to your studies, especially to the law books; for it
is clear that those who gain knowledge from books have keener wits than
others, since those who are the most learned have the best proofs for
their knowledge. Make a study of all the laws, but while you remain a
merchant there is no law that you will need to know more thoroughly than
the Bjarkey code.[166] If you are acquainted with the law, you will not
be annoyed by quibbles when you have suits to bring against men of your
own class, but will be able to plead according to law in every case.
Footnote 166:
The “Birch-isle” code was originally a set of rules governing
commercial intercourse. After a time it became a more elaborate law
governing the municipality as well as the traders who were more or
less permanently located there. It is believed that the name is
derived from Birka, a trading center in eastern Sweden not far from
the site of modern Stockholm. The “Birch-Isle” code is published in
_Norges Gamle Love_, I, part iii, 303-336.
But although I have most to say about laws, I regard no man perfect in
knowledge unless he has thoroughly learned and mastered the customs of
the place where he is sojourning. And if you wish to become perfect in
knowledge, you must learn all the languages, first of all Latin and
French, for these idioms are most widely used; and yet, do not neglect
your native tongue or speech.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
IV
THE SAME SUBJECT CONTINUED
_Son._ May God reward you, sire, for the love of kinship that you show
in pointing out so many things that I may find needful,—if I have the
good fortune to learn them and to remember them after they are learned.
And if you think there are any other important matters that ought to be
taken up in this discussion, I shall be glad to listen attentively.
_Father._ There are, indeed, certain matters which should not be omitted
from this discourse, but they can be stated in a few words, if that
seems best. Train yourself to be as active as possible, though not so as
to injure your health. Strive never to be downcast, for a downcast mind
is always morbid; try rather to be friendly and genial at all times, of
an even temper and never moody. Be upright and teach the right to every
man who wishes to learn from you; and always associate with the best
men. Guard your tongue carefully; this is good counsel, for your tongue
may honor you, but it may also condemn you. Though you be angry speak
few words and never in passion; for unless one is careful, he may utter
words in wrath that he would later give gold to have unspoken. On the
whole, I know of no revenge, though many employ it, that profits a man
less than to bandy heated words with another, even though he has a
quarrel to settle with him. You shall know of a truth that no virtue is
higher or stronger than the power to keep one’s tongue from foul or
profane speech, tattling, or slanderous talk in any form. If children be
given to you, let them not grow up without learning a trade; for we may
expect a man to keep closer to knowledge and business when he comes of
age, if he is trained in youth while under control.
And further, there are certain things which you must beware of and shun
like the devil himself: these are drinking, chess, harlots, quarreling,
and throwing dice for stakes. For upon such foundations the greatest
calamities are built; and unless they strive to avoid these things, few
only are able to live long without blame or sin.
Observe carefully how the sky is lighted, the course of the heavenly
bodies, the grouping of the hours, and the points of the horizon. Learn
also how to mark the movements of the ocean and to discern how its
turmoil ebbs and swells; for that is knowledge which all must possess
who wish to trade abroad. Learn arithmetic thoroughly, for merchants
have great need of that.
If you come to a place where the king or some other chief who is in
authority has his officials, seek to win their friendship; and if they
demand any necessary fees on the ruler’s behalf, be prompt to render all
such payments, lest by holding too tightly to little things you lose the
greater. Also beware lest the king’s belongings find their way into your
purse; for you cannot know but that he may be covetous who has those
things in charge, and it is easier to be cautious beforehand than to
crave pardon afterwards. If you can dispose of your wares at suitable
prices, do not hold them long; for it is the wont of merchants to buy
constantly and to sell rapidly.
If you are preparing to carry on trade beyond the seas and you sail your
own ship, have it thoroughly coated with tar in the autumn and, if
possible, keep it tarred all winter. But if the ship is placed on
timbers too late to be coated in the fall, tar it when spring opens and
let it dry thoroughly afterwards. Always buy shares in good vessels or
in none at all. Keep your ship attractive, for then capable men will
join you and it will be well manned. Be sure to have your ship ready
when summer begins and do your traveling while the season is best. Keep
reliable tackle on shipboard at all times, and never remain out at sea
in late autumn, if you can avoid it. If you attend carefully to all
these things, with God’s mercy you may hope for success. This, too, you
must keep constantly in mind, if you wish to be counted a wise man, that
you ought never to let a day pass without learning something that will
profit you. Be not like those who think it beneath their dignity to hear
or learn from others such things even as might avail them much if they
knew them. For a man must regard it as great an honor to learn as to
teach, if he wishes to be considered thoroughly informed.
There remain a few minor matters that ought to be mentioned. Whenever
you travel at sea, keep on board two or three hundred ells of wadmal of
a sort suitable for mending sails, if that should be necessary, a large
number of needles, and a supply of thread and cord. It may seem trivial
to mention these things, but it is often necessary to have them on hand.
You will always need to carry a supply of nails, both spikes and rivets,
of such sizes as your ship demands; also good boat hooks and broadaxes,
gouges and augers, and all such other tools as ship carpenters make use
of. All these things that I have now named you must remember to carry
with you on shipboard, whenever you sail on a trading voyage and the
ship is your own. When you come to a market town where you expect to
tarry, seek lodgings from the innkeeper who is reputed the most discreet
and the most popular among both kingsmen and boroughmen. Always buy good
clothes and eat good fare if your means permit; and never keep unruly or
quarrelsome men as attendants or messmates. Keep your temper calm though
not to the point of suffering abuse or bringing upon yourself the
reproach of cowardice. Though necessity may force you into strife, be
not in a hurry to take revenge; first make sure that your effort will
succeed and strike where it ought. Never display a heated temper when
you see that you are likely to fail, but be sure to maintain your honor
at some later time, unless your opponent should offer a satisfactory
atonement.
If your wealth takes on rapid growth, divide it and invest it in a
partnership trade in fields where you do not yourself travel; but be
cautious in selecting partners. Always let Almighty God, the holy Virgin
Mary, and the saint whom you have most frequently called upon to
intercede for you be counted among your partners. Watch with care over
the property which the saints are to share with you and always bring it
faithfully to the place to which it was originally promised.
If you have much capital invested in trade, divide it into three parts:
put one-third into partnerships with men who are permanently located in
market boroughs, are trustworthy, and are experienced in business. Place
the other two parts in various business ventures; for if your capital is
invested in different places, it is not likely that you will suffer
losses in all your wealth at one time: more likely it will be secure in
some localities, though frequent losses be suffered. But if you find
that the profits of trade bring a decided increase to your funds, draw
out the two-thirds and invest them in good farm land, for such property
is generally thought the most secure, whether the enjoyment of it falls
to one’s self or to one’s kinsmen. With the remaining third you may do
as seems best,—continue to keep it in business or place it all in land.
However, though you decide to keep your funds invested in trade,
discontinue your own journeys at sea or as a trader in foreign fields,
as soon as your means have attained sufficient growth and you have
studied foreign customs as much as you like. Keep all that you see in
careful memory, the evil with the good; remember evil practices as a
warning, and the good customs as useful to yourself and to others who
may wish to learn from you.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
V
THE SUN AND THE WINDS
_Son._ It is evident that whoever wishes to become informed on such
matters as those which you have now discussed must first try to
determine what is most worth learning and afterwards to keep in mind all
that he has heard. But in your discussion just recently you mentioned
several things the nature of which I do not understand, though I have
reflected upon your statements, namely, the lights of the sky and the
movements of the ocean. Moreover, you urged me to learn these things and
stated that there is knowledge in learning them. But I cannot comprehend
them unless I shall hear them explained; and I know of no other wise
master with so kind a will to teach me these matters as yourself.
Therefore, with your permission, I will ask you to continue this
discussion, so that I may become somewhat better informed on these
subjects: how the lights of the sky and the course of the heavenly
bodies wax and wane; how the time of the day is told and the hours are
grouped; but especially how the ocean moves and what causes its
restlessness. For sometimes the ocean appears so blithe and cheerful
that one would like to sport with it through an entire season; but soon
it displays such fierce wrath and ill-nature that the life and property
of those who have anything to do with it are endangered. Now I have
thought that, although the sun completes its course according to an
established law, that fact cannot produce the unquiet of the sea. If you
are disposed to explain these things further, I shall listen gladly and
attentively.
_Father._ I can indeed give such an explanation, just as I have heard it
from the lips of well-informed men, and as seems most reasonable
according to the insight that God has given me. The sun has received
divers offices: for it brings light and warmth to all the earth, and the
various parts of the world rejoice in its approaching; but its course is
planned in such a way that it sometimes withdraws from those regions
that it approaches at other times. When it first comes to visit the east
with warmth and bright beams, the day begins to lift up silvery brows
and a pleasant face to the east wind. Soon the east wind is crowned with
a golden glory and robed in all his raiments of joy. He eases griefs and
regretful sighs and turns a bright countenance toward his neighbors on
either side, bidding them rejoice with him in his delight and cast away
their winterlike sorrows. He also sends blazing rays into the face of
the west wind to inform him of his joy and happiness. He advises the
west wind, too, that in the evening he shall be clad in garments similar
to those which the east wind wore in the morning. Later in the day and
at the proper hour the southeast wind displays the glory of his
newly-gotten robes and sends warming rays with friendly messages into
the face of the northwest wind. But at midday the south wind reveals how
he has been endowed with riches of heat, sends warm gifts of friendship
across to the north wind, warms his cool face, and invites all the
neighboring winds to share in the abundance of his wealth. As the day
declines the southwest wind with glad face receives the gentle sheen and
genial beams. Having put away wrath, he reveals his desire for peace and
concord; he commands the mighty billows and steep wave-crests to subside
with waning power and calls forth quickening dews in a wish to be fully
reconciled with all his neighbors. Gently he blows a refreshing breath
into the face of the northeast wind, warms his wind-chilled lips, and
thaws his frosty brow and frozen cheeks. But when evening begins, the
west wind, clad in splendor and sunset beauty as if robed for a festal
eve, lifts a gleaming brow above a blithe countenance, and sends a
message on darting beams across to the east wind telling him to prepare
for the festive morrow to come.
At sunset the northwest wind begins to raise his fair brows and with
lifted eyelids betokens to all his neighbors that the dazzling radiance
is now in his keeping. Thereupon he sends forth a shadow over the face
of the earth proclaiming to all that now come the hours of rest after
the toil of day. But at midnight the north wind goes forth to meet the
coursing sun and leads him through rocky deserts toward the sparse-built
shores. He calls forth heavy shadows, covers his face with a
broad-brimmed helmet, and informs all that he is arrayed for the night
watch to keep guard over his neighbors that they may have comfort and
untroubled rest after the heat of day. With cool lips he gently blows
upon the face of the south wind, that he may be better able to resist
the violent heat of the coming day. He also scatters the dark clouds and
clears up the face of heaven in order that the sun, when light appears,
may be easily able to send forth his warm and radiant beams in all
directions. But on the coming of morn the northeast wind begins to open
his closed eyelids and blinks to both sides as if to determine whether
it is time to rise. Then he opens quickly his clear eyes as if sated
with sleep after ended rest. Soon he leads forth the gleaming day into
all the homesteads like a fair youth and fitting herald, to give sure
knowledge that the radiant sphere and shining sun follows close behind
and to command all to be arrayed for his coming. Soon the sun rises and
shoots forth his beams in all directions to watch over the covenant made
by the winds; and after that he goes on through his ordained course as
we have already told.
When peace has been established among these chiefs that we have just
named, it is safe to travel wherever you may wish through the realms of
any one of them. Then the sea begins to bar out all violent storms and
make smooth highways where earlier the route was impassable because of
broad billows and mighty waves; and the shores offer harbors in many
places which formerly gave no shelter. Now, while this covenant holds,
there will be fair sailing for you or any others who wish to travel to
foreign shores or steer their ships over the perils of the ocean. It is,
therefore, the duty of every man, indeed it is a necessary one, to learn
thoroughly when one may look for dangerous seasons and bad routes, or
when times come when one may risk everything. For even unwitting beasts
observe the seasons, though by instinct, since they have no intellect.
Even the fishes, though lacking human insight, know how to find security
in the deep seas, while the winter storms are most violent; but when
winter wanes, they move nearer the shores and find enjoyment as after a
sorrow suffered and past. Later in the spring after the roe has come,
they lay the spawn and bring forth a vast multitude of young fishes and
in this way increase their race, each after its kind and class. It does,
indeed, show great forethought for unintelligent creatures to provide so
carefully against the coming winter storms, and to bring forth their
offspring at the opening of spring, so that they may enjoy the calm
weather of summer and search for food in peace and quiet along the wide
shores; for thus they gather strength enough in summer against the
ensuing winter to sustain themselves among other fishes in the chilly
deep.
The covenant brings joy to the sky as well as to the sea; for as spring
advances the birds soaring high into the air rejoice with beautiful
songs in the newly made treaty of these lords as in a coming festival.
Their joy is as great as if they have escaped great and terrible dangers
which might arise from the strife of these chieftains. Soon they build
nests upon the earth and lead birdlings forth from them, each after its
kind. Thus they increase their species and care for their young in the
summer that these may be able to find their own sustenance in the winter
following. Even the earth rejoices in this peace-making, for as soon as
the sun begins to pour out its warming rays over the face of the earth,
the ice begins to thaw around the frozen grass roots; soon fragrant and
fair-hued herbs sprout forth, and the earth shows that she finds
gladness and festive joy in the fresh beauty of her emerald robes. She
gladly offers to all her offspring the sustenance which she had to
refuse them earlier because of the dearth in winter. The trees that
stood with dripping branches and frozen roots put forth green leaves,
thus showing their joy that the sorrow and distress of winter are past.
Unclean and repulsive beasts display insight and understanding in their
ability to determine the proper time to increase their kind and to come
out of their dens. They also observe the season when it is necessary to
flee the cold and stormy distress of winter and seek shelter under
rocks, in large crags, or in the deep scar of the landslide till the
time to come forth is at hand. Wild beasts that seek their food in woods
or on the mountains know well how to discern the seasons; for they bear
the begotten offspring while winter is most severe, so that they may
bring forth their young when the grass is fresh and the summer is warm.
There is a little creeping thing called the ant, which can teach
thoughtful men much practical wisdom, whether they be merchants or
husbandmen, kings or lesser men. It teaches kings how to build castles
and fortresses; in the same way it teaches the merchants and the
husbandmen with what industry and at what seasons they ought to pursue
their callings; for he who has proper insight and observes carefully the
activities of the ant will note many things and derive much profit from
them. All other creatures, too, whether clean or unclean, rejoice in
this season, and with vigilant eyes seek their food in the warm summer
time so as to be able to endure more confidently the perils of a
destitute winter season. Now it is this covenant between these eight
winds that calls forth all the delights of earth and sky and the calm
stirring of the sea according to the command and mysterious skill of Him
Who ordained in the beginning that thus should all nature remain until
He should change the order of things. Now if you feel that some of these
matters have not yet been fully cleared up, you may continue your
inquiries and ask what questions you like.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
VI
THE TIDES AND THE CHANGES IN THE COURSE OF THE SUN
_Son._ It was a wise thought, it seems to me, to ask those questions to
which I have just received such fair replies; and I am encouraged to
inquire into certain other matters, namely the waxing of the sun, the
moon, and the streams or tides of the ocean,—how much and how rapidly
these things wax and wane. Now these things that I have brought up for
discussion are subjects which especially touch the welfare of seafaring
men, and it looks to me as if they would profit much from a knowledge of
these matters, since it gives insight into the right conduct of their
profession. And since I intend to labor diligently in the trader’s
calling, I should like very much, if it can be done, to have you explain
further some of those things that I have just mentioned.