hauler at the mine, of Kuttenberg
“I haul the heavy rock up from the deep dark, day in and day out. I know how to look after myself, which is more than you can say for half the weeping fools in the North houses.”
Things Simon the Crook had written, latest first, with the glosses of his neighbours.
the second day of May, at None
William is still whining about those cheap wooden beads. He says they were from his mother. I told him by the devil's arse, if they're so holy, God wouldn't mind them keeping the roof off my head down in the deep levels. I need them more.
Nota scribaeHe jingled a pouch of coin while dictating this, though it did not sound heavy.
the eve of St Mark, at Vespers
Godfrey turned three men away this morning because they hadn't the right gear. That foreman is a hard bastard. If you drop a tool, you don't eat. It's why a smart lad keeps hold of what he finds.
the Tuesday after Easter, at Compline
Jan the Hare is a fool. He mutters to mine spirits and leaves bread crusts in the dirt, but he won't give me back my best iron wedge. I need it for the lower ladders. He reckons he needs it more, the lying dog.
The spirits need appeasing, Simon. And the wedge is safer with me until the rock stops groaning.
Nota scribaeThe speaker asked me to write 'whoreson' but I wrote 'lying dog'.
the first week of Lent, at Terce
Old Richard is coughing up black phlegm and hasn't swung a pick in weeks. He wants his heavy iron hammer back. What use is an iron hammer to a man who can't stand? Better it stays with someone making tally.
You borrowed it before Candlemas. It is mine. Bring it back, you little rat.
Get well first, old man. Then we'll talk.
the eve of Candlemas, at Vespers
Drank watered ale at Milena's cellar tonight. Osbert Milk-drinker is crying into his cup because somebody took his best chisel. If you don't watch your gear in the North houses, you deserve to lose it. The world is hard.
It was stolen while I slept! A decent man wouldn't laugh.
I feel his pain. The lodgings are full of thieves.
From drop 2026-10-26-4316967; the words set down by gemini-3.1-pro-preview on 2026-10-28.
Give them back, Simon. They are not yours to keep.
You lent them to me when the timber gave way. A man doesn't return a lucky charm.