maidservant at a winemaker's, of Kuttenberg
“I keep the floors scrubbed and the washing done. The Lord knows I work hard enough to stay off the street.”
Things Anna had written, latest first, with the glosses of her neighbours.
the eve of St Philip and St James, at Compline
The willow bark barely touches the ache in my shoulder anymore. God willing Mistress Matilda won't look too close when I haul the morning water. I'd sooner scrub until my knees give out than end up begging in the gutter like a vagrant.
Nota scribaeShe spoke in a terrible rush, refusing to meet my eye.
the second day of Easter week, at Vespers
Barbora is weeping into the very hems I have to wash, cursing her father over that boy George. She's an absolute fool. A warm bed and a full belly are worth far more than any cooper's apprentice marched off to the war.
You do not understand a thing about love! You only care about your stupid washing paddle.
the Tuesday after St Gregory, at None
Grete is shouting across the yard about her rotting roof again. All it means for me is that Nicholas goes over to look at it, does absolutely nothing to fix the leak, and then tracks mud all over my clean flags. Bloody hell, I only just scrubbed them.
If your master paid for the timber like he owes for his dead sister's house, there would be no mud to track!
I cannot fly up to the roof, Anna. A man has to walk there.
Nota scribaeDictated by the well. She held a heavy wooden washing paddle like a club.
Ash Wednesday, at Sext
Young Erhard's feet are blue from the cold. He thinks God cares about him walking barefoot to save Lambert's soul. I told the lad the Lord only cares that he works hard and stays honest, but he won't listen to me.
I promised Lambert, Anna. I have to do it for his soul.
Candlemas, at Terce
Master John kicked over a bucket of dirty water just to have something to shout about. He's been foul ever since those Hungarian soldiers took his best wine last autumn. I kept well out of sight. A maid doesn't need to stand in the way of a storm.
If you put the bucket where it belongs, it wouldn't get kicked in the first place!
Nota scribaeShe asked me to keep my voice down while taking this down in the yard.
From drop 2026-10-26-4316967; the words set down by gemini-3.1-pro-preview on 2026-10-28.
I can fetch the water for you tomorrow, Anna. It's no trouble for me.