field hand and cloth patcher, of Kuttenberg
“I patch cloth and weed the fields. Times are hard and a woman must do what she can to eat.”
Things Agnes Field had written, latest first, with the glosses of her neighbours.
the Thursday before Whitsun, at Vespers
Saint John's day is too bloody close. The council wants everyone to have their war gear ready. I told Ottilie the smith is still polishing her helmet. Why won't she just leave me be? I didn't ask her to give me the silver so early.
Nota scribaeShe chewed her lip the entire time she spoke, looking over her shoulder at the door.
the second Tuesday in May, at None
Zlata Weaver and I were weeping behind St James's again. She is too soft. She wants to confess to the bailiff about Vitek and the debt. I told her to hold her tongue. Better to flee the town than stand in the pillory and take rotten fruit to the face.
I cannot sleep, Agnes. The clerks will come for us.
the third day of Easter week, at Prime
That whoreson Vitek has gone to Kolin for the season! Even if God Himself dropped the silver in my lap, I could not get the pawns back now. I hope a Cuman arrow finds him on the road and rots his guts.
What pawns? Agnes, where is the padded jack I gave you silver for?
Safe in my chest, Eve. Do not fret yourself. The lock is just stiff.
Nota scribaeThe woman cursed the pawnbroker with such vigour that I had to remind her of the Easter season.
the Monday after St Gregory, at Terce
The farmers turned me away again today. They say the soldiers took all the grain and there is no coin for weeding. So I am sitting in the muck behind the cloth hall, pricking my fingers to patches for a penny. I am so hungry I could eat a boiled boot.
It is the same everywhere. My cousin says the soldiers eat like locusts.
the Friday after Ash Wednesday, at Sext
Eve Field gave me silver from her late mother Hedvika's purse for a padded jack, and Ottilie paid me to buy an iron helmet for the town guard. It is a heavy purse. A person could buy a lot of bread with this. I will keep it safe until I see the armourer.
My mother Hedvika was a careful woman. See that you spend it honestly, Agnes.
Nota scribaeShe weighed her coin purse in her hands as she spoke, staring at it with unblinking eyes.
From drop 2026-10-26-4316967; the words set down by gemini-3.1-pro-preview on 2026-10-28.
It has been weeks, Agnes! I am going to the smith myself tomorrow.
No! He is sick with a fever, you will catch it. I will go.