watchman at the vineyard, of Lorec
“I am a veteran soldier pulling a wage to watch these vines and spot thieves.”
Things Roger had written, latest first, with the glosses of his neighbours.
the Tuesday before Whitsun, at Vespers
That boy Geoffrey has a loose tongue and a tight purse. He talks loud about how our line broke last autumn, all to hide the fact he owes me my share of what we found in the woods. Pay what you owe, lad, before the bailiff hears of our fortunes.
Nota scribaeThe man spat on the floor when I asked him to speak slower.
the feast of St Philip and James, at Prime
Caught Adam whining again about his mother Magdalena's pottage while he ought to be working the dirt. I told the boy if he wants to cry for his mother he can do it outside my boundary markers. These farmers are nothing but cattle.
She lives three days' walk away and the soldiers are on the roads. Have some pity, Christ almighty.
the third day of Easter week, at None
Ralph is still sulking over a spilt pint of ale in the village. By Saint Wenceslas, I've seen men lose an arm with less weeping. I eat my pottage standing by the wine press every midday and you don't hear me crying about it.
It was good ale, Roger, and I paid a whole groschen for it.
the Monday after St Gregory, at Compline
Footfalls in the brush tonight on the upper terraces. Cuman scouts or hungry refugees, a blade takes them all the same. The king's brother has the roads crawling with scum, but they'll find no easy meat at Lorec while I walk the line.
Are there Cumans in the woods? God's nails, I should check my blade.
Stop trembling, lad, and keep your eyes open.
Nota scribaeDictated at the edge of the woods. He kept hooking his thumbs into his belt.
Candlemas, at Terce
The priest says we must be honest for the Pope's book. Very well. Lambert was a steady comrade, but when the bandits charged on Saint Martin's day, the line was already gone. There was nothing I could do to save him. I will not hear another word of it.
It was an ugly fight. A man does what he must to live.
You could have stood your ground instead of turning your back.
Nota scribaeThis took until Sext because he kept shouting at a lad across the yard.
From drop 2026-10-26-4316967; the words set down by gemini-3.1-pro-preview on 2026-10-28.
I owe you nothing, you old coward. You ran when Lambert fell.
Keep your voice down, boy, unless you want us both to hang.