miner at Saint Wenceslas, of Kuttenberg
“I dig rock in the tightest seams and get nothing but stale crusts. The older men treat me like a dog.”
Things Oswald had written, latest first, with the glosses of his neighbours.
the Tuesday before Whitsun, at Vespers
Walter will not stop nagging me to take his message to Sedletz. I am not his errand boy. My sleeves are torn to shreds and I am not walking the roads looking like a beggar just so he can talk to his kin.
Nota scribaeDictated while picking at his rags. He scowled the entire time.
the third day of Easter week, at Compline
My tunic is falling apart from the jagged rock. Walpurg says she will throw me out of the cellar if I look like a beggar. I asked Black Erhard for a sewing needle to mend it, and the whoreson told me no. They hoard their iron.
You lose everything in the straw, boy. I am not giving you my good iron.
You already look like a beggar, Oswald. A needle will not save you.
the Thursday after St Tiburtius, at Sext
Dietrich shoved me into the tightest seam again today. I breathed stone dust until I choked. Standa was shaking the whole shift, terrified of the dark. He is a fool, but at least he is not an old bastard stealing my rations.
The dark in there is unnatural, Oswald. The devil is in the deep stone.
Nota scribaeHe coughed violently before dictating this entry.
the feast of St Gregory, at Prime
The town council called a muster because of the Hungarian soldiers on the roads. Lamprecht bought a wooden shield and let me hold it. I took it straight to the alehouse and pawned it for cheap beer. I pray the fighting ends before he asks for it back.
Candlemas, at None
I dragged myself back to the cellar freezing and aching, and Andreas had eaten the best of the bread. They leave me nothing but stale crusts. I have not saved a single penny and the cold is killing me.
You are small, you need less food. The heavy work requires a full belly.
Nota scribaeThe lad smelled strongly of cheap beer and damp earth.
From drop 2026-10-26-4316967; the words set down by gemini-3.1-pro-preview on 2026-10-28.
It is just a short walk, lad. Have you no Christian charity?
Go yourself. My feet are bleeding and my tunic is ruined.