01. Acknowledgement of debt in Hebrew

This document is an acknowledgement of debt written in Hebrew for Antonio di Guccio by a person who appears to sign his name as Arnau del Vilar. He undertakes to pay 217 Florentine florins in Guccio’s name, in Pisa, to Francesco di Marco Datini or to Manno degli Albizzi 30 days after the arrival of the goods – ‘many books’ – which are in shipment with them. If the payment is not made on time, then Datini and di Guccio can take a percentage of the debt, that is, interest, for one extra month. The document also establishes that in the event the debt has not been paid after these two months, then Datini and di Guccio can sell the books to redeem it. The document was signed in Barcelona on 10 October 1393, and the back shows a manuscript note by one of Datini’s clerks of its receipt in Italy on 21 November 1393 (‘Avemola dì 21 novembre 1393’).

(Chiara Marcheschi)