keeper of the Hradecka bathhouse, of Kuttenberg
“I run a house full of fools and try to keep the miners from tearing the place down. I demand order.”
Things Henslin Binder had written, latest first, with the glosses of his neighbours.
the Tuesday after St John Before the Latin Gate, at Vespers
Andreas has the gall to ask for three groschen again. I told the fool he gets one groschen and a free wash for sweeping up and throwing out the drunks. He breaks my brooms and is too frightened of his wife to do anything but grumble.
Nota scribaeHe struck the table with a thick finger at every word.
the feast of St Philip and St James, at Sext
It is a blessing that the washer-girl Gerta took a merchant's wagon to Prague last month. My boys John and Thomas were making complete fools of themselves mooning over her. Now perhaps they will fetch water without me shouting until my throat bleeds.
You had no right to threaten us over her. She was a good girl, and Prague is too far.
The house is empty without her laugh. You just hate to see us happy, father.
the third day of Easter week, at None
Fifty miners through the door before the bells rang, tracking dirt everywhere. One whoreson tried to argue the price of a jug of ale. I showed him my stick. Discipline is all these brutes understand. A man pays his coin, takes his bath, and gets out.
They are worse this year, Henslin. The silver dust makes them thirsty and mean.
Nota scribaeDictated from his heavy stool by the tubs.
the eve of St Gregory, at Terce
Master Udo at the Italian Court cut the masons' wages before Lent, and now the proud fools come begging for evening work at my house. I despise the German masters for their arrogance, but cheap labour is cheap labour. I run this house like a garrison.
Master Udo is a respectable man. If masons are working evenings, it is because men like you swindle them on the ale.
Candlemas, at Prime
I rose before the sun to stoke the fires while my four boys snored like pigs. I had to drag Heinz and Hermann out by their ears. A garrison would never tolerate such softness. My sons eat me out of house and home and do half a man's work.
The water was frozen solid, father. We are not pigs, we are freezing.
Youth today has no spine, Henslin. You must use the stick more.
Nota scribaeHe shouted the last part so loudly the dogs barked.
From drop 2026-10-26-4316967; the words set down by gemini-3.1-pro-preview on 2026-10-28.
You promised me three, Henslin, plus a penny for every broken head. My sweeping is fine, and your groschen buys nothing with bread so dear.
You get one groschen because you are clumsy, old man. Be glad I let you in the door.