farmhand at Dum five, of Suchdol
“I walk behind the plough and keep my furrows straight. A man needs to eat, and I take pride in doing a proper job of it.”
Things Nicholas had written, latest first, with the glosses of his neighbours.
the Thursday before Whitsun, at Vespers
Christ's wounds, Walter tied the rope too loose again. Kudla wandered into Beatrice's yard, and now she says he killed her fowls. If the bailiff levies a fine, master Jan has sworn to drown the beast. Walter says the rope is rotten, but he is just a fool who ties a poor knot.
Nota scribaeHe rubbed the back of his neck for a long time before speaking this, looking over his shoulder.
the second day of May, at None
I have not seen a silver groschen since Easter. The older men complain by the fire, but I keep my head down. Still, the chest is empty, and I hear talk of heavy debts in Kuttenberg. I only hope we are not sold out to some great estate. I do not want to end up a vagabond.
the Wednesday after Easter, at Prime
I gave young Jezhek an old sack to use as a blanket. It is a sin that he sleeps out in that damp shed with a ruined roof. Master Jan should mend it before the boy catches a fever, but he has not the coin for timber.
God bless you for it, Nicholas. It kept the wind off me last night.
Nota scribaeDictated in the yard while the ox was being yoked.
the eve of St George, at Sext
The earth is heavy this spring, but I walked behind the ox all morning and my furrows are perfectly straight. A man must take pride in his work. I just wish I had some of old Bozhena's salve for my shoulders. They are stiff as a board after yesterday's shift.
Bozhena is three years in the ground, God rest her soul. You will just have to endure the ache like the rest of us.
the day after Candlemas, at Compline
The winter wind howls through the men's corner. I spent an hour scraping mud off my winter boots. They are good boots, and I intend to keep them that way. Thomas will not stop whimpering about the parish clerk Peshek and the parish dues. It is entirely pathetic.
Peshek is a hard man, Nicholas! He will have us cast out of the church!
The clerk is a grasping thief who takes more than his share, nothing more.
Nota scribaeHe was polishing a boot with a rag the entire time he spoke.
From drop 2026-10-26-4316967; the words set down by gemini-3.1-pro-preview on 2026-10-28.
The rope is rotten to the core, Nicholas! You are too cheap to buy a new one, and the dog suffers for it.
Her birds provoke him by coming onto our land. It is their own fault.