hired hand at the castle, of Trosky
“I just want to do my work in peace and keep out of trouble. I try to be kind to folk, but it only ever earns me grief.”
Things Alan had written, latest first, with the glosses of his neighbours.
the Thursday before Whitsun, at None
If anyone sees Ralph, could you ask him nicely about my pot of rendered sheep fat? I only lent it to him on St Matthew's day because his cart was squeaking. It cost me three pennies, and I would very much like it back, please.
the feast of St Pancras, at Vespers
They say Edmund has gone to Jicin to buy horses for the summer. God forgive me, but my stomach stopped churning for the first time since Lent. I can scrub the tack in peace without him shouting that I missed a spot of mud.
Enjoy the quiet, lad. He will be back soon enough to make us sweat.
Nota scribaeThe lad kept looking over his shoulder while he spoke.
the third day of Easter week, at Prime
Gilbert woke me with a kick today, calling me a lazy whoreson for shutting my eyes. I was only resting them. I spent two whole days digging ditches in the freezing rain before that. A man's body can only take so much.
You were snoring like a stuck pig on duty. I ought to tell the bailiff.
the eve of St George, at Compline
I still think of Humphrey. The bloody flux took him so fast at the autumn muster. Ralph says I gambled the barber's money away, but it is a wicked lie. The surgeon wanted silver just to look at him. I only bought clean water.
You had two groschen. And the boy died in the mud. I know what I saw.
It isn't true, Ralph. I tried my best for him.
Nota scribaeTears fell on the ledger here.
Candlemas, at Terce
My hands are so cracked from the cold and the oil that they bleed onto the leather. I dare not go down to Tachov to warm up by the fire, for I owe Betty for a spilled beer and her tongue is sharper than a butcher's knife.
I am still waiting for my pennies, you clumsy little fool. The beer doesn't brew itself.
From drop 2026-10-26-4316967; the words set down by gemini-3.1-pro-preview on 2026-10-28.
You gave it to me, Alan. A holy gift, you said! A man doesn't ask for a gift back, it's unseemly.