guard at the gatehouse, of Kuttenberg
“I stand watch at the gatehouse with a halberd, shivering and waiting for wages that never seem to come.”
Things Richard had written, latest first, with the glosses of his neighbours.
the feast of Saint Pancras, at Compline
The spring is warming up but we are still stuck in this miserable guardroom. Still no wages from the estate. Walter rattles those wooden beads in his pouch just to mock me. I pray every evening that a stranger might come along and pay the ten groschen, or thrash him for it.
Nota scribaeDictated in a hurried whisper, looking over his shoulder constantly.
the second day of Easter week, at None
Fritz is still refusing to speak to Humphrey the provisioner over that spoilt salt pork. He expects a public apology because Humphrey called him a beggar in livery. Now we have to eat worse meat. I wish the stubborn old fool would just swallow his pride.
the Tuesday before Palm Sunday, at Sext
Another bowl of cabbage pottage. Kunigunde measures it out like it was silver dust. I would ask her for an advance on my wages to pay Walter off, but I cannot even meet her eye when she pours the ale. She has a stare like a hawk.
If you spent less time staring at your boots and more time standing straight, you wouldn't need to beg for cabbage, lad.
Nota scribaeHe rubbed his thumbs together furiously while speaking of the housekeeper.
Saint Matthew's Day, at Vespers
That whoreson Walter took Rosa's wooden beads from the rushes when I wasn't looking. It was the only thing I had of my sister. Now he says he won them at dice and wants ten groschen for them. I have no silver until we are paid.
Candlemas, at Prime
The pump in the yard was frozen solid this morning. I stood my watch rubbing my thumbs together until they were raw. We are supposed to guard silver wagons, but with the Hungarians about on the roads, nothing moves. Just staring at the cobbles.
Nota scribaeThe man spoke quietly to his boots the entire time.
From drop 2026-10-26-4316967; the words set down by gemini-3.1-pro-preview on 2026-10-28.
I will not buy meat from a man who insults the livery he relies on for safe roads. He can rot in his locked storehouse.