File:Men and manners of old Florence (1909) (14771402305).jpg

Identifier: menmannersofoldf00biag (find matches)
Title: Men and manners of old Florence
Year: 1909 (1900s)
Authors: Biagi, Guido, 1855-1925
Subjects:
Publisher: Chicago, A. C. McClurg and co.
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress

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gh at the expense of the person who wasin the wrong, and on whom the joke had been per-petrated, was considered to put everything square.For in those days, when everybody thought of them-selves and of their own interests, public opinion hadno pity or compassion on the man who let himselfbe befooled. By common consent all manner of wilytricks were permitted to merchants, and the Florentinetraders were famous for their great cunning. Sacchettitells what happened to a certain Soccebonel of Friuliwho went to buy some cloth from one of them. Themerchant measured out four ells, but then managedto steal half the amount; to cover the fraud, he saidto Soccebonel, If you want to do well with this cloth,leave it to soak all night in water and you will seehow excellent it will become. Soccebonel did as hewas told, and then took the cloth to the shearer.When he went to fetch it back, he asked how muchhe had to pay. It seems to me, nine hraccia^^ saidthe shearer ; therefore give me nine soldi^ Nine
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Pho^o) lAIinaii. THE OLD MARKET WITH THE LOGGIA DEL PESCE, BY VASARI. ITo face page 95. PRIVATE LIFE OF THE FLORENTINES 95 hraccia^ said the other, * alas! they measure, butthe cloth does not grow under their hands. Socce-bonel runs to the cutter, runs hither and thither inhis despair. At last he is told that these Florentinecloths do not grow in water, and one man tells himabout a person who bought a braccio of Florentinecloth, kept it in water, and by next morning it hadshrunk so that there was none left. But whoever searches the mercantile codes amidstthe dust of libraries and archives will find that theyall concur in condemning such tricks. All of thesepapers, each of which begins, In the name of theFather, Amen, are pervaded by instances of goodexamples, and all breathe excellent customs, wise saws,and honest rules. Their theoretical precepts wereclearly inspired by the most severe morality. As wehave seen in the ConsigU of Paolo di Ser Pace daCertaldo, these books are a curious

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