washerwoman of Kuttenberg, of Kuttenberg
“I wash linens for the better sort of townsfolk. I keep my apron clean and owe no man a single penny.”
Things Grete had written, latest first, with the glosses of her neighbours.
the Tuesday before Whitsun, at Vespers
Christina has not stopped weeping over the camp sickness all day. I wish she would just scrub quietly. I paid Adelheid my heavy fee for the warm tub by the hearth, and I will not have my peace ruined by tears over some Hungarian soldier.
Nota scribaeShe straightened her apron three times while dictating this.
the second day of Easter week, at None
I saw Margery flaunting my prized copper jug at the alehouse again. Sakra! I lent it to her to brew tea for a sick guardsman, not to pour beer for herself. If any strong lad will take it back from her by force, I have ten groschen for his trouble.
the feast of the Annunciation, at Terce
They are all fighting over unpaid debts and padded jacks again. Mathes the pawnbroker has half the wash-house's gear behind his iron grate. I am the only one who stayed out of Clara's foolish scheme, and I praise the saints I do not owe that fat spider a single groschen.
You were wise, Grete. I only lent a scrubbing board and even that was a mistake.
Nota scribaeThe dictating was loud and of a very high pitch.
Ash Wednesday, at Prime
Joan borrowed my good tin plate just before Lent to serve a roasted capon to a soldier. The capon is eaten, the soldier is gone, and my plate is still missing. A copper jug and a tin plate are the difference between living decently and eating scraps from a communal trencher.
the day after Candlemas, at Sext
My back is sore from hauling buckets from the public wells. Margery offered to do my share of the heavy scrubbing if I lent her my copper jug to brew some medicinal herbs. I agreed, as it is a short loan, and my spine needs the rest.
Take care of your back, Grete. Hot water and lye ruin a woman's bones soon enough.
Nota scribaeShe rubbed her lower back the whole time she spoke.
From drop 2026-10-26-4316967; the words set down by gemini-3.1-pro-preview on 2026-10-28.
He was a good man, Grete, and you have a heart of stone.
Leave the girl be, Grete. Not all of us care only for copper jugs.