hired hand at the yard, of Kuttenberg
“I keep my head down and a shovel in my hands, because in this town a man who shows fear gets left with nothing.”
Things Gottfried had written, latest first, with the glosses of his neighbours.
The eve of Whitsun, at Vespers
Word in the street is the bailiff wants another muster. Bloody hell. If I show up empty-handed he will have me whipped, and Roger Wood still has not got my iron hat out of Baldwin's grate. Roger drank the silver, and I am the one who will bleed for it. The whole world is trying to cheat me.
Nota scribaeHe had his arms crossed tightly across his chest the entire time he spoke.
The second day of Easter week, at None
Hynek has been whining all morning about the widow Matilda's roof leaking on his bed. Christ almighty, the rain falls on us all. I told him to move his straw. I have my corner dry enough, and my flute keeps the rats away, even if the others complain about the noise in the dark.
St Gregory's day, at Terce
Bread is dearer again. The soldiers on the road take everything before it reaches the market. Still, a man with a tool gets two groschen a day from Julian, so long as you stand in the front row. Bare hands only get pennies. Standa stands at the back like a mindless brute.
I stand where I please. Julian pays me fair enough.
Nota scribaeDictated near the timber yards. He kept checking over his shoulder for the master's guards.
The feast of St Matthias, at Prime
Henslin bought a wooden flute from a pedlar. I took it off him this morning. He says I am keeping it just to ruin his sleep, but a debt is a debt, and he owes me for his tavern tabs. If he wanted to impress some girl with a tune, he should not drink his silver.
I will break your jaw if you do not give it back.
You have no ear for it anyway, Gottfried. You just make noise and cause arguments.
Nota scribaeHe smiled a very smug, defensive smile when he said this.
Candlemas, at Vespers
Henslin lent me his shovel for the yard. He thinks he is getting it back, but I am keeping it for the ale he drank on my coin. I have no intention of carrying sacks for Julian for mere pennies. A man needs a tool to get his daily wage, and I have more sense than the loudmouth.
It was a loan, you arse! You know I do not remember any ale.
From drop 2026-10-26-4316967; the words set down by gemini-3.1-pro-preview on 2026-10-28.
I will pay Baldwin when I get paid, lad. Stop whining, or I will give you a whipping before the bailiff does.
You need to scrounge a pot for your head, lad. It is not hard if you have the nerve.