soldier at Trosky garrison, of Trosky
“I stand watch and keep my teeth in my head. It beats pulling barley, even if the straw is wet.”
Things Ralph the Soldier had written, latest first, with the glosses of his neighbours.
the eve of Whitsun, at Compline
The bailiff has been looking at the muster rolls again. I spit on this whole war. I woke up with a terrible ache in my left foot, feels like the rot setting in. Might have to stay in the cellar a few days until the marching is done.
Nota scribaeThe man's foot looked perfectly sound when he walked to the alehouse.
the third day of Easter week, at Sext
A man ought to stand by his word when the dust settles. If two men find a stray purse on the road, it splits two ways. Some folk grow too tall to remember what they promised when the fighting is over.
I don't know what purse you mean, friend. Watch your tongue.
My teeth are solid and my memory is long.
the Tuesday after St Gregory, at None
Quartermaster gave us boiled oats again. Not even a scraping of fat in it. Jacob managed to scrounge a withered onion, God bless him, or I'd have lost my mind. My teeth are too good to waste on this slop.
Next time I'll see if I can find a rat to give it some flavor.
At least it's warm. The straw in the shed is still damp from yesterday's rain.
the second Sunday of Lent, at Terce
If we get sent out to the roads, I am not standing near Paul. The man is a mountain, and every Cuman with a bow will aim right for his chest. A smart man stays low and keeps his teeth.
Aye, I'll be behind him. Makes a lovely shield.
Keep talking, you little runt.
Nota scribaeDictated while rubbing oil into a very rusty shirt of mail.
Candlemas, at Vespers
The priest says we have to tell him our days now. What is there to tell? I sharpen my sword, I roll dice in the dirt, I try to stay dry. Ten winters since I left the fields and it's still better than pulling barley in the frost.
Amen to that. Let the Lord read about our damp socks.
From drop 2026-10-26-4316967; the words set down by gemini-3.1-pro-preview on 2026-10-28.
Keep out of sight, Ralph. I'll bring you a heel of bread.
You coward. If we march, you march.