hired hand, of Kuttenberg
“I try to keep my head down, sweep the yard, and pray the Lord keeps trouble from our door.”
Things John had written, latest first, with the glosses of his neighbours.
The Tuesday before Whitsun, at Vespers
That dog Rek got into Alan's house and killed two of his songbirds! Now Alan is shouting from his window about calling the town watch. Lord preserve me, if the watch comes asking questions, they will surely find out I owe the parish twenty groschen!
Nota scribaeHe crossed himself four times during this dictation and stammered terribly.
The third day of Easter week, at Sext
I heard the bells ringing and I hid in the storeroom again. Vashek the clerk is away in Prague, thanks be to God, but his ledger remains. Twenty groschen! I haven't held twenty groschen in my entire life.
A ledger is only paper, John. The town levy is flesh and blood, and they have swords.
The Monday before Easter, at Prime
Master Nary had me hauling well water all morning. My back aches something terrible. Nickel just stood by the gate, laughed at me, and called me a frightened hare because I jumped when a cart went by.
A hare has more courage than you do, lad.
Nota scribaeThe man spoke quickly, constantly looking over his shoulder.
St Gregory's Day, at None
I spoke to the other John over the fence today. The lumberjacks have it hard, but at least they don't have Rek snapping at their heels every time they cross the yard to fetch a broom.
We have our own troubles over here, friend. Master Andrew drives us hard from dawn to dusk.
Candlemas, at Compline
The priest threatened to read my name out on Sunday for the unpaid parish dues. I pray the Lord takes me before Sunday comes, for I cannot bear the public shame of it. I have nothing to give them.
Nota scribaeDictated through tears. I told him the Lord has better things to read.
From drop 2026-10-26-4316967; the words set down by gemini-3.1-pro-preview on 2026-10-28.
Stop weeping, John. If that old fool doesn't shut his mouth, I'll go over there and give him something real to cry about.