Letter: CUL Or.1080 11.2

Description

Letter in both Ladino and Spanish. Dating: possibly 15th or 16th century. The addressee is likely Señor Don Elyaqim, though there is also another name at upper left. In the Hebrew-script section on recto, mentions "from the house of Shemuel Shaltiel," Señor Don Yosef Abravanel (the son of the famous Yiṣḥāq?), an old spice seller and his wife (און זקן קונשו מוגיר אישפסיאירו), perhaps a converso (און אנוס), having sent goods such as a pouch (אונה טאליגה) and a canvas pillow stuffed with wool (אונה אלמופדה דקאנאמאזו קון לאנה) and something else, all wrapped in a red blanket (טודו אינבואילטו אין אלפאמאר). In the larger Latin-script section underneath, mentions Avraham (an isolated word in Hebrew script). Needs examination. The first few lines were transcribed by Eleazar Gutwirth, “Judeo-Spanish Fragments from Cairo,” Anuario de filología, vol. 9 (1983): 219–23, as follows: 1. memoria a vos mi señor Don Eliakim y(shmerehu)s(ur) ve(goʾalo) 2. en buena hora sedieis en Evora me kobreis de casa de Shemuel Shaltiel un envoltiro ke tiene mio i la di 3. el señor don Joseph Abravanel i ke le pido por mereced me lo empakete primero a buen desbero 4. mas en la rua siega la primera casa le-sad semʾol mora un zaqen kon su mujer especiero el kual me 5. talega(e)staba kon ciertas menudenzas y un otro envolt(or)io ke esta una talega atada kon medio(o)?menudencias i una almofada de cañamazo kon lana i un par-- de-- udas usado i todo envuelto en alfamar ansi mismo de don Joseph A(barbanel?)---es- de en su poder i el otro me en---- mas como han-----sen-----rmos