r right small little horses, with dark matted coats and bright,
wilful eyes. A few hounds of choice breed ran behind it. From within the
hangings came a sharp, shrill screaming as were of many gaudy parrots.

In front of this waggon two men rode, unlike in stature and mien, and
a loutish fellow led the horses. Now, we all knew this wain right well.
Heretofore, in the life-time of old Lorenz Waldstromer, the father of my
Uncle Conrad, it had been wont to come hither once or twice a year,
and was ever made welcome; if it should happen to come in the month of
August it was at that season filled with noble falcons, to be placed
on Board ships at Venice, inasmuch as the Sultan of Egypt and his Emirs
were so fain to buy them that they would give as much as a hundred and
fifty sequins for he finest and best.

Old Jordan Kubbeling of Brunswick, the father of he man who had now come
hither, was wont to send the birds to Alexandria by the hand of dealers,
to sell them for him there; but his son Seyfried, who was to this day
called Young Kubbeling, albeit he was nigh on sixty, would carry his
feathered wares thither himself. Verily he was not suffered to sell any
other goods in the land, inasmuch as the Republic set strait bounds to
the dealings of German traders. If such an one would have aught from
the Levant he may get it only through the Merchants' Hall or Fondaco in
Venice; and much less is a German suffered to carry his wares, of what
kind soever, out of Venice into the East, inasmuch as every German
trader is bound to sell by the hand of the syndicate all which his
native land can produce or make in Venice itself. And in no other wise
may a German traffic in any matters, great or small, with the Venice
traders; and all this is done that the Republic may lose nought of the
great taxes they set on all things.

As to Seyfried Kubbeling, the great Council, by special grace, and
considering that none but he could carry his birds over seas in good
condition, had granted to him to go with them to the land of Egypt.
For many and many a year had the Kubbelings brought falcons to the
Waldstromers, and whensoever my uncle needed such a bird, or if he had
to provide one for our lord constable and prince elector the Duke of
Bavaria, or any other great temporal or spiritual prince, it was to be
had from Seyfried--or Young Kubbeling. To be sure no man better knew
where to choose a fine bird, and while he journeyed between Brunswick,
Ita