maidservant at Miskowitz keep, of Miskowitz
“I do the work of three so the lord's guests are fed and the hearth is swept. Hard work keeps the devil away.”
Things Anna had written, latest first, with the glosses of her neighbours.
the Thursday before Whitsun, at Compline
Counted the rag again behind the wall. I am still two groschen short of what is needed before Saint Michael's day. If that Hungarian merchant takes him, I will have starved myself for nothing. Christ almighty, the flour is giving me a cough and my knuckles are cracked to the bone, but I must find more.
Nota scribaeShe counted on her fingers for a long time before speaking.
the second day of Easter week, at None
That rough-haired dog Sturdy is an absolute nuisance. Eats more than he catches. But he keeps the hearth warm when the fire dies. I had to take the heavy oak buckets from Amice today. Her back was failing again and Lettice was watching like a hawk from the upper stairs.
the Wednesday before Easter, at Prime
Alice is still waiting on the steward to fix her roof in the outbuilding. I told her plainly, patch it yourself with clay and straw. A noble's steward cares only for the master's ledgers and her own purse. Waiting on fairness from them is like waiting for a pig to sing.
I only asked for a handful of shingles, Anna. The rain ruins my shift.
Listen to Anna, girl. The only thing a steward gives freely is orders.
Nota scribaeDictated in the yard while scrubbing flagstones.
the feast of Saint Gregory, at Sext
Someone moved my good paring knife from my belt. I swear by Saint Michael, if I find out who touched it, they will lose a finger. I guard my few things fiercely. A working woman has nothing else in this world but her tools and her kin.
Nobody wants your knife, Anna. It was probably Sturdy knocking it off the bench.
Nota scribaeShe glared at the younger maids while dictating this.
Candlemas, at Vespers
The master's guests ate us out of house and home again. Hungarian troops on the roads mean more hungry mouths stopping at Miskowitz keep, and I must stretch the oats to feed them all. I skipped my own supper to save the cost of a candle. Every penny must go to Prague.
From drop 2026-10-26-4316967; the words set down by gemini-3.1-pro-preview on 2026-10-28.
Don't fret yourself to dust, Anna. Perhaps Lettice will give us a bonus for the feast.
You have a soft head, Alice. Lettice would not give a dying man a drop of spit.