Thomas

the Tuesday before Ascension, at None

My mother is still tearing the house apart looking for my late father's tin plate. If the Mouse wants it back to save his skin, he knows my price. Ten groschen in my palm, or he can explain it to her himself.

• 
  John

  Please, Thomas, give it back before she kills me! I haven't got ten groschen and you know it!

• 
  Beatrice

  If I find out which of you whelps took it, you will both be eating from the pig trough.

the second Sunday after Easter, at Vespers

I saw Anna with a cup of the good Kuttenberg ale today. A maidservant drinking like a burgher's wife. Makes a man wonder whose coin she is spending when she goes to the market. I will be keeping a close eye on her.

• 
  Anna

  Mind your own business, you lazy toad. I bought it with my own pennies.

the Wednesday after Easter, at Prime

Woke up with water dripping straight onto my face. That whoreson Francis takes our rent and leaves the outbuilding to rot while he is off in Kuttenberg crying to the courts. If I was not needed to run this yard, I would go there and break his nose.

Nota scribaeDictated loudly. The word he used for his landlord was much worse.

the eve of Palm Sunday, at Sext

Beatrice is screaming about the cow stalls again. I told her I will not ruin my boots in that muck when we have the Ox for the heavy work. Let Hugh shovel it. There are soldiers on the road, I need to stay sharp, not smell of shit.

• 
  Hugh

  I have shoveled more muck today than you have seen in your whole life, boy.

Ash Wednesday, at Compline

A fine evening in the barn. The Mouse thought he could roll the dice against me and lost his nerve, and everything else. Now I have the plate, and a bit of respect around here would not go amiss. A man's luck is his own making.

• 
  Thomas

  Do not call him the Mouse in the book, old man, write John.

Nota scribaeHe spent half the hour admiring his own reflection in the plate.