maidservant and floor scrubber, of Kuttenberg
“I make my own way in this bloody town with my own two raw hands. I scrub the dirt of others so I can eat.”
Things Amice had written, latest first, with the glosses of her neighbours.
the Thursday before Whitsun, at Vespers
If I see Juliana at the well tomorrow I will rip her hair out by the roots. I scraped together every spare groschen for that gambeson and iron cap, and she pawns it to Erhard! I am left bare to the armies while that spider sits on my silver.
Nota scribaeShe shouted this while gesturing so widely she knocked over a wooden bucket.
the feast of St Pancras, at Terce
Christ almighty, Lene is weeping for her father Hannes again. The man is stuck in the country, and there are Cumans on the roads. Crying changes nothing. War is war, and we all have to scrub floors just the same.
He is a good man and he is freezing or worse. Have you no heart?
Tears do not wash the steps. Get back to work, the pair of you.
the third day of Easter week, at Sext
Margaret Koch paid us half what the others give, and watched me like a hawk the whole time. My hands are bleeding so badly from her cheap lye soap I can barely close my fists. I only go to her when I am entirely desperate for a copper.
I owe three groschen and even I will not scrub her floors anymore.
Be glad you get a copper at all. My late sister Ursel worked twice as hard for less.
the Tuesday after Laetare Sunday, at None
This stout linen scrubber makes the work far easier on the knuckles. I know Matilda wants it back, but she has a husband to feed her. I have no one. I will give it back when I can afford my own, which is to say, never.
It cost a month's wages, Amice. Give it back to me. You are a thief.
Go ask your husband to buy you another one!
Nota scribaeShe muttered curses under her breath when I asked if she wished to confess the theft to a priest.
Candlemas, at Prime
My back aches from that thin straw pallet, but today I have borrowed a fine scrubbing tool from Matilda. Let us see if it saves my skin from the lye. If I keep my head down, perhaps I can save enough for my own.
Mind you take good care of it. Matilda is proud of that cloth.
From drop 2026-10-26-4316967; the words set down by gemini-3.1-pro-preview on 2026-10-28.
I needed the coin to eat. Erhard gave me a fair price through his hatch.
You will need more than coin to eat when I break your teeth!
Erhard's door is barred tight. You'll not see that cap again, Amice.