day labourer at the yard, of Kuttenberg
“I do honest work hauling sacks and help out friends with coin. A man must keep his word.”
Things Stephen Cook had written, latest first, with the glosses of his neighbours.
the eve of St Philip and St James, at Vespers
Some men complain their pledges are gone when they finally bring the coin. I keep a strict tally in my ledger. If you are three weeks late, the item is sold. Do not weep to me when the book says your time was up.
Nota scribaeDictated at the yard. He kept his hand resting over the pouch at his belt the whole time.
the Tuesday after Easter, at Sext
Andrew Newman is weeping at my door again over that copper plate. I told him once and I will tell him until Judgment Day. David Baker pawned it to me for twenty groschen. Bring the silver and the plate is yours. A pledge is a pledge.
It is my lawful gear! The bailiff will ruin me at the town muster if I do not have it!
I only borrowed it for the village dance, Stephen. Let him have it back out of Christian charity.
Christian charity does not settle an ale debt. Bring me the twenty groschen.
the second week of Lent, at None
I do not know who is the greater fool. Markvart crossing his father over Sibyl the laundress, or Claus fighting his kin for Enneleyn. Secure lodgings thrown away for women with empty purses. Give me a quiet life and a locked door.
You know nothing of love. Sibyl is an honest woman and I will not hear her mocked.
Enneleyn actually listens to me. That is worth more than all your hoarded silver.
Nota scribaeHe spat on the ground after naming the women.
the feast of St Matthias, at Terce
Oswald is laid up in bed from that runaway wagon, so there is no work at the yard. The other men only pick their own kin. If anyone needs a few pennies to tide them over, I have some to spare. Bring a good pledge.
See that you pay the rightful tithe on any silver you take in from these little arrangements.
Candlemas, at Prime
God's nails, I lent my best iron-banded mallet to David Baker this morning. Now he says he left it at the alehouse. Without my tools I am stuck hauling timber. He had better find it by tomorrow.
I will bring it tomorrow, Stephen, I swear it. I just need to remember where I sat.
Nota scribaeThe man was so angry he nearly upset my inkwell.
From drop 2026-10-26-4316967; the words set down by gemini-3.1-pro-preview on 2026-10-28.
A fair bargain is a fair bargain. Men should pay what they owe on time, or suffer for it.