Johannes

the eve of Whitsun, at Vespers

A merchant from Prague tried to short me on the toll today. I told him his silver was as light as his wits. I spend half my day arguing with carters while the young lads do nothing. My back aches.

• 
  Standa

  Aye, the Prague merchants always think we cannot count our own groschen.

the feast of St Pancras, at Terce

Walked in to find Geoffrey and Zdenyek throwing bone dice by the brazier instead of mending their boots. I kicked the dice into the fire. If the Hungarians come back, rolling a four will not stop a halberd.

• 
  Geoffrey

  Christ almighty, Johannes, they were good dice. Cost me three pennies.

• 
  Zdenyek

  We only sat down for a moment, old man.

Nota scribaeDictated at the guardhouse. The man was sharpening a sword the entire time.

the second day of Easter week, at None

The roads are choked with refugees from the burnt villages. Bread is dearer than ever, and a guard's wage barely buys a stale loaf. The King is locked up and his brother's men do as they please. God preserve us.

• 
  Bartel

  Amen to that. I have not seen a fresh loaf since Lent.

the Monday after St Gregory, at Prime

Mathes and Nicholas are glaring at me across the brazier again. They think I broke too early at the bridge last autumn. Leonard stayed too long and paid the price. Dead men cannot guard Kuttenberg, but grief makes men foolish.

• 
  Mathes

  You lost your nerve to save your own miserable bones. Leonard was twice the man you are.

• 
  Nicholas

  A coward's retreat, plain as day.

• 
  Johannes

  If I had not called it, you would both be rotting in the mud beside him.

Nota scribaeThe man stared at the ceiling for a long time before speaking this.

Candlemas, at Compline

Woke up stiff from the cold floor again. Boiled my own pottage before the sun was up. The younger men sleep like the dead. Sometimes I wish I could.

• 
  Walter

  The floor is colder than a grave this winter.