labourer at the mint, of Kuttenberg
“I pull my own weight by the sweat of my arse, and owe no man a thing.”
Things Joseph had written, latest first, with the glosses of his neighbours.
the second day of May, at Vespers
Andrew shouted across the lower square for his copper plate again. The fat arse thinks I forgot my best iron awl he snapped last summer. He'll get his plate when he buys me a new awl, and not a day before.
Nota scribaeDictated in the square. He spat three times during the telling.
the Wednesday after Saint Mark, at Compline
Paul twisted his ankle on the wet cobbles and cannot stand at the muster. Master Gilbert's boy picked me instead for the roof patching. A bad step for him is a day's wage for me, praise be.
My foot is black as pitch, Joseph. Have some pity for a crippled man.
the third day of Easter week, at None
Daniel and Jonas are standing ten paces apart in the square like two dumb sheep over some dropped slates. Neither will speak. I have never seen such a pathetic pair of arses in all my days.
Mind your own business, Joseph. The slates were his fault, and he knows it.
He dropped them! I did nothing but watch them fall.
Nota scribaeHe laughed so hard he coughed.
the Monday after Saint Gregory, at Prime
I asked Simon for my heavy cutting shears back. The useless lad just stared at me. If he has lost them, I will wring his neck. Master Gilbert hires no man who comes empty-handed, and grain is too dear to starve.
I have them, Joseph, I just mislaid them in the cellar. I swear it on the saints.
the morrow of Candlemas, at Terce
Bitter cold today. I took the copper plate off Andrew so I can patch the assayers' sheds. He expects it back soon, but my awl still sits broken in my pouch from his clumsy hands last summer. We shall see.
Use it well, Joseph, but I need it back before the feast of Saint Matthias.
Nota scribaeThe ink froze in the pot twice.
From drop 2026-10-26-4316967; the words set down by gemini-3.1-pro-preview on 2026-10-28.
The awl was an accident, you stubborn whoreson. Give me the plate!
Buy the iron, Andrew. Then we can talk.