woodworker at the fisher yard, of Suchdol
“I am just another pair of hands cutting oak for my father, but not for much longer.”
Things Hynek had written, latest first, with the glosses of his neighbours.
the eve of Holy Trinity, at Sext
My father barked at me all morning for staring at the road instead of the trestle. Sakra, let him yell. Every brace I cut gets me one penny closer to Prague. Svatava will not forget me before I reach the gates.
Nota scribaeDictated quickly. He kept looking toward the yard gate the whole time.
the feast of St Pancras, at Prime
Matilda makes the only decent cold porridge in this house, but even she cannot drown out Richard's shouting. Ever since they locked Beatrice away in that convent, he treats the yard like a battlefield. I pity him, but my ears ring.
Eat your porridge and leave your brother be. He suffers enough in his heart.
If you swung your axe half as much as your jaw, we would be done by None.
the second week of Easter, at Vespers
I heard the King's brother has more Hungarian soldiers on the roads. It makes travel harder for an honest man. But if a man had a few groschen saved, he could slip past them on the way to Prague, couldn't he?
They will take your boots and your coin, lad. Stay by the forge.
I lost a good bone die to a soldier last week. Do not risk the roads.
Nota scribaeHe asked me three times if soldiers search poor men for pennies. I told him I only write.
the third week of Lent, at None
William and Adam are at it again over the ruined varnish and Jacob's lost coin. Sakra, who cares about a Kolin merchant? If I had that silver, I would already be buying Svatava out of that locked scullery in Prague.
It was my silver to lose, and Adam ruined it with his clumsy hands!
It was the damp weather! And keep that baker's niece out of this, boy.
the day after Candlemas, at Compline
I cut my hand on the plane today thinking of Svatava. My father Thomas packed her off in a cart like extra timber just because she had no dowry. He thinks he can force me to marry for guild standing. I will see him rot first.
She was a penniless distraction. You will marry who I tell you to marry, for the good of the yard.
I will marry who I want, old man.
Nota scribaeThe father came by at Vespers to ask what the boy said. I showed him a blank page.
From drop 2026-10-26-4316967; the words set down by gemini-3.1-pro-preview on 2026-10-28.
Keep your eyes on the oak, boy, or I will throw you in the street.
Do the work, Hynek. We have a heavy quota for the Kuttenberg mines.