hired hand at the smelting yard, of Kuttenberg
“I drag silver ore until my back breaks. The older men think we owe them gratitude for the misery.”
Things Markvart had written, latest first, with the glosses of his neighbours.
the eve of Whitsun, at Vespers
The muster is coming and the captains will be here. Edmund keeps sighing at me like I stole from him. I told him it was a gift, and a man can sell his own property when his belly is empty. Erhard still has the gear behind his grate, and I have no coin.
Nota scribaeDictated while staring at his boots. He spat twice on the floor.
the second Tuesday of May, at Terce
Foreman Karl stood us by the lower gates today and picked the men like apples. I got chosen to drag the heavy dross. The canvas rubbed my shoulders raw by noon. At least I did not have to listen to Veit shouting about his tools.
Be glad for the work, lad. The groschen buy bread just the same.
They are clipped pennies, Fischer, and barely buy a stale crust.
the Monday after Easter, at None
Veit is still whining about his broadaxe. He wakes the whole loft yelling at Franz. I hope Franz threw it in the river. Older men complain worse than anyone else on earth, as if they are the only ones who suffer.
It is my axe, and it cost me a week's wages! Show some respect.
You left it out in the rain, Veit. It belongs to the mud now.
Nota scribaeHe muttered this so quietly I had to ask him to repeat it thrice.
the feast of St Gregory, at Prime
Wolfgang knows how it is. He pawned Lawrence's padded jacket to Erhard just like I pawned my gear. We had a drink on it. A man must eat, and the old men do not understand what hunger does.
Candlemas, at Sext
The hunger was biting deep today. I took the padded coat and helmet to Erhard the pawnbroker. Got a handful of groschen to buy ale and bread. If a man gives you a gift, it is yours to trade. Let the captains beat me if they want.
I bought that gear for you to wear at the levy, not to drink away at the alehouse!
Nota scribaeDictated at the tavern. The subject smelled strongly of cheap ale.
From drop 2026-10-26-4316967; the words set down by gemini-3.1-pro-preview on 2026-10-28.
It was for the levy, you little fool. Konrad would have marched in it. You will take an arrow in the chest.
Let them shoot. Better than hearing about Konrad one more time.