guard at the Kourim gate, of Kuttenberg
“I watch the gate, take the tolls, and keep drunken miners from burning Kuttenberg down.”
Things Claus had written, latest first, with the glosses of his neighbours.
the eve of St John, at Vespers
Kvyetoslav the Great is throwing silver around the Hole in the Wall like a king. Copper washed in silver, I wager. I need a stranger to sit in that alehouse and watch him for me. A town guard's uniform makes miners scatter.
Nota scribaeDictated at the guardhouse. He spat on the floor before speaking.
the third day of Easter week, at Prime
The damp morning makes my old bones ache. A mercenary's mace caught my hand ten years ago in the grain riots. It healed crooked. I keep it resting on my belt so nobody sees the weakness. If they knew, I would be begging on the church steps.
You still hold a halberd well enough to scare the carters, Claus.
the Tuesday after St Gregory, at Sext
They say the King's brother has his Cumans on the roads again. We check every cart at the gate. Bread is dearer than last year, and the carters complain about the tolls. I tell them to take it up with the King, if they can find him.
Grain is scarce. I bake what I can, but the flour is dear.
the feast of St Matthias, at None
Andrew and Christopher fetched sausages from the market for our midday meal. Heinz Seiler's bread was heavy, but it filled the belly. The baker jumps at shadows when we walk by. I wonder what he is hiding in his ovens.
I hide nothing! My mother Barbara baked a heavier loaf, God rest her soul, but mine is honest weight.
The bread is fine, Heinz. Do not let the guards frighten you.
Nota scribaeThe dictation was interrupted twice by carts arriving at the gate.
Candlemas, at Compline
Captain Oswald is gone to Prague, praise be. He was a hard master who would strip a man of his tabard for a stiff finger. I can breathe easier on the watch now, without him looking over my shoulder for an excuse to levy a fine.
Amen to that. He fined me two groschen just for leaning on my spear.
From drop 2026-10-26-4316967; the words set down by gemini-3.1-pro-preview on 2026-10-28.
My silver is as pure as the Virgin, old man. Endres at the mint sees to that.
We will see about that when the magistrate gets a look at it.