hired hand hauling timber, of Kuttenberg
“I carry pine props for the mine shorers and mind my own business. Leave me in peace and we will have no trouble.”
Things Gilbert had written, latest first, with the glosses of his neighbours.
the eve of Whitsun, at Vespers
My knees are screaming today. Carried pine props down the adit since Prime. The German foremen gave me copper pennies again while the lads with good tools got silver. I would have a good tool myself if some people returned what they borrowed.
Nota scribaeThe man spat on my boots while saying this.
the feast of St Philip and St James, at None
William is trembling again about the bailiff's muster. A greedy bastard took his padded jack and refuses to give it back. I told William to just hide in a hayloft until the soldiers march away. Better to sit in the hay than catch a Hungarian arrow in the gut.
But what if the bailiff searches the haylofts? I cannot afford the fine, Gilbert.
the third day of Easter week, at Terce
Fritz is asking me again to walk all the way to Prague to send a message eastward for his brother Hynek. I am not walking to Prague for no pay. Stislav used to carry the letters before they locked him in the Sedletz dungeons, God rot them.
Hynek needs to know I am alive! You have the legs for it, Gilbert.
If you pay me a groschen, Fritz, I will find a man to take it.
Nota scribaeHe rubbed his lower back throughout the dictation.
the Tuesday after St Gregory, at Prime
Woke up shivering under the merchant's stall. I miss Elishka's cellar. A penny a week for a spot by the hearth. Her nephew threw us all out when she died of the bloody flux last Martinmas. Now I sweep frost off my boots before work.
I kept a good blanket from the cellar before the nephew saw. You should have been quicker.
Candlemas, at Vespers
Lent my best drawknife to Fritz so he can shape some wood. It cost me a month's hard hauling in the damp to buy that blade. He swore to give it back by the end of the week. I need it to get the silver groschen from the foremen.
You are a fool to lend a tool to Fritz. You will never see it again.
Nota scribaeDictated at the weigh-houses.
From drop 2026-10-26-4316967; the words set down by gemini-3.1-pro-preview on 2026-10-28.
I told you, I am just finishing shaping a handle. You will have it back before Sunday.
You said that at Easter, you whoreson.