The date is September 17, 986. You are a serf living on the feudal estate of Lord Spaulding somewhere in Western Europe . For this blog assignment, you must create a diary entry (or series of entries) in which you describe what your daily is like.
Be as creative as possible, and choose things to write about that will accurately describe what a real day (or days) would have been like for you as a peasant or a serf. Be sure to start your diary entry with the date mentioned above, and when writing, consider the time of year and what you might be doing during that particular season (end of summer or early fall).
Your diary must detail at least four aspects of your life for you to receive full credit on this blog entry. Bear in mind that four aspects of your life does not mean just four sentences. Each aspect of your life will most likely require several sentences for you to fully develop and explain it.
This blog entry is due by 11:59 pm on Tuesday, November 8th.
LANDEN SMITH 4TH HOUR
ReplyDeleteSeptember 17, 986
I have found a journal with previous entries and I can't sleep with the stupid cow sleeping next to me snoring so I am going to write about my day. I woke up in the early morning because of the rooster in the house. I went out to the fields. I plowed and plowed and plowed. It is the hot season and people who are working in the fields with me are "moving on to the other life". All I wish is to be as lucky as them. Just the other lapses of days I have been beaten for trying to escape. Who can blame me? I was hungry. Like always. There is no food and when there is food we have no meat. Only the master has meat. To mock us he hangs it on the outside of his house for all of us to see. Tonight I will try to escape again. What have I to lose? I will try to write my accomplishment.
I'm hiding. I hear the master. His dogs barking. I'm in a tree waiting. His dogs coming.
I'm in a cave waiting. I have failed. My leg is in immense pain. The master's guard hit me out of the tree with a club with spikes. I was drug here. I don't think I will get out of here. I hear the master coming he is getting closer I hear him he is...
Will Jones 4th Hour
ReplyDeleteToday me and my eldest son were working in the fields and a wolf came out of the woods in search of food. We scared off the wolf with little trouble. Later that day we went to church and the priest read a story about Jesus but he read it in some weird language. This morning my nieghbor died in a fire and I praied for him to have a safe passage into Heavan. I also praied that my wife would give brith to a health child. I also prayed that my lord, Micheal, would visit my field and be very pleased.
September 17,986
Joseph Farmer
NICK HONIGFORT 4TH HOUR
ReplyDeleteSept 17, 986
my name is niger morgan today i got a small piece of meat from my lord spualding, so i hung it out to show it off. I was outside working when i saw a red bird fly up and steal a piece of the meat. so i hit it with a tool and i said take that alberta and i killed it.
Sept 18 986
today was horrible it was so hot i almost pasted out from working. I never worked so hard in my life. so i snuck out late last night and i use a flower to rub the odor of me.
Sept 19, 986
today my neighbor noticed a scent on me so he asked what i did and i told him in private in fear of being reported. I found out that he told on me so i began to come very agitated everywhere i went hopeful no news reached the knight or lords.
sept 20, 986
at the crack of my door i sprung up to find war ravaging the fief so i hid under my table in my hut as i was reading something snuck up behind i freaked out then i noticed it was alberta husband and it started peaking me . that afternoon the knight saw the marks and said this was witch craft so he picked up his sword and ...........
sept 21, 986
this is niger morgans wife and i am finishing his dairy yesterday he was behead i am still a bit sad but my neighbor has been eyeing me with very bad thoughts in mind. niger wasn't the one he was very mean and killed any threats i am happy he is gone!
MADDIE COOKSEY 4TH HOUR
ReplyDeleteSeptember 17, 986
Today I woke up at dawn to go harvest what is left of my crops. A group of knights invaded the estate last night, trampling several of my crops. As if we aren’t hungry enough, famine is going to hit us all hard. Now the Lord Spaulding will be requiring more labor to support the war…and we aren’t going to have the laborers!
Today I will request to leave the manor…it is my sister’s wedding day, I haven’t seen her in what feels like ages since she was sold off to another lord… I hope with all my heart that he will allow me to leave. But there is a very slim chance that I will be allowed, hardly anyone leaves.
A disease has struck my close friend…this is very common in most, but she always seems to be so healthy. She’s 38, one of the oldest serfs on the manor. I’m extremely saddened to be losing her…we have no cure for disease, she is going to die unless God decides to bless her.
Today is Sunday, finally we can relax. I’m looking forward to singing and dancing. I’m also going to try archery for the first time. There should be a play today, that will be exciting, and my husband hunted secretly in the woods and brought home some meat to eat, we’ve been flaunting outside since then.
RYAN WAINZ
ReplyDelete4TH HOUR
September 17, 986.
I am a serf, life really stinks being a serf. I can’t wait till the day I die and I go to heaven, it’s really the only thing to look forward to in life. My house it like a shack we have no door like my lord does we just have a skin of an animal covering our “hole.” My ground is dirt and my room leaks. I wish I could have as nice of a house as my lord. I did recently put hay on the bottom of my “house” it keeps me warm in the winter and makes the place look nicer.
September 18, 986
Last night my lords land was attacked my house was burned downed to almost nothing. I am extremely sad now, and to top things off my lord is asking for addition “payments” since I have to money to pay for this I am sent to go build a whole bunch of new houses for the lord. I also have to give him twice as many crops and usual.
September 22, 986
I am going to church now. I wish I could speak Latin because that’s all the priest speaks. I can’t understand a thing he is saying but they do have pictures so I can kind of figure out what is going on. I wish someone taught me how to speak Latin. I asked the priest if I could borrow a copy of the bible so I could maybe understand it a little more but he refused. I don’t understand why they won’t let anyone read it.
September 26,986
I work in the fields from sun up to sun down. It’s a very tiring job I wish that the lord just maybe gave us a day off once a week. I am kind of upset because I have been working so hard all week and my neighbor gets meat tonight. I’m upset because I have been doing my best and he seems like he has been slacking off. He tied his meat above his doorway. I guess that’s his way of showing off. Can’t say much because I would do the same. I am so hungry I have been eating the same stale bread forever. I think I might try to steal his meat.
Life in the shoes of a peasant
ReplyDeleteI wake up at the start of the light period to do the work in my master’s land. The first thing on my agenda (a word of my own design for what is on my “plate”, I don’t think I’m going to use it that often) is to harvest the grain (that’s still good) and send it to be turned into bread. After that I can “relax” in my shack with my family. Sometimes I wish I could do better for my child, he’s always telling me he wants to be a knight when he grows up, I don’t have the heart to tell him he won’t be able to because of how things are in these times. Now when the light is in the middle of the sky I go out to do the rest of my duties. At the end of the light period I come home to find my wife and my child asleep on the floor. I decide to go to sleep on the rugged bed. Tomorrow will be the marking period of my day of birth I will be 24, man I am old I hopefully get to live as long as 50!
ANDRU EMHT 4TH HOUR
ReplyDeleteSerf Diary
Sep. 17, 986
Today I have to clean up my house before its winter so I don’t have clean in the cold. It’s not much cleaning to do considering my home has one room and very little furniture. Lord Spaulding really gave me little to have. Oh well, at least I’ll be dead in a couple years, I can’t wait! All this dust I’m cleaning up is making me cough a lot. I finished cleaning my home, maybe I should work on the crops. My life sucks!
Dec. 14, 986
It’s a very cold day today. Maybe I should go visit my brother, Thomas. Thomas lives very close to me. After walking in freezing conditions outside, I arrive at Thomas’s house. He greets me and has me come inside. His is house barely warmer than outside. He offers me a warm blanket. The blanket is very soft. We talk the upcoming crop season. We decide to plant many fruits and vegetables if possible. I head home before it gets dark. I arrive home and go to bed. We shall visit again after winter.
March 3, 987
Winter is over finally! It’s time to start planting crops with Thomas. We meet at the fields to start planting. It’s going to be a messy day! We start with vegetables and end with fruits. I love grabbing a handful soil and run it through my fingers. The soil smells so fresh. Springtime is the best! After a long day of work, it starts getting dark so we say goodbye and head home. It was a good day’s work, we accomplished many things today. I think it’s time to go to bed. I’m very tired, bye.
July 7, 987
It’s bath day finally! I can’t wait to clean myself up. I’ve been waiting so long for this day. Thomas and I fill up a troth of water and get to business. Thomas was feeling generous so he let me go first. I’m very thankful for that so I shall give him a gift in return. The water feels great to be in. I wish I could shower every day. I finish up my bath so Thomas can go. I feel very clean and fresh. After Thomas is done with his bath we dump out the water and eat lunch. We eat some vegetables and coarse bread. I am still hungry right now; I wish I had some meat. Oh well, It’s been an alright day today, I’m going to bed now. It’s been a long day, bye.
PAYTON LAWHON 4TH HOUR
ReplyDeleteSunday, September 17, 986
5:30AM-Today I woke up and went out to the fields, like every other day. It's harvest time, since it is late summer, and I will only be allowed to keep enough food to feed myself and my family, hardly. The rest of my harvest will go to my lord, since he has given me my land to harvest my crops on and land to live on.
11:00AM-Lunch time. For lunch I'll have cabbage and beans. Once, a few years ago, I bought a peice of chicken for Thanksgiving. Since then I haven't been able to afford it with only making a small, if any, amount of money.
5:00PM, Now I'm headed off to church. I have to go to the late serivce because the harvesting kept me out all day long. This is the only thing I look foward to all week long. Without the holy word I have nothing to live for, my life would be just a constant droning on of the same thing day after day.
9:30-Off to bed now, just too wake up and do the exact same thing tomorrow. G'night.
RANDI LEVIS 4TH HOUR
ReplyDeleteSeptember 17, 986
Today I learned ta wright an tomarow I was told I was goin ta learn ta red I is sapost to wright this jernal an raport wat I do everi day an wat I learn
September 18, 986
Today we learned ta red som it was weird how som leters make 2 diferent sounds Ta day was harvest day da land lord collected most of it Ieavin us with little I has ta go shoping soon
October 5, 986
My, speling is getting, better. We learned, about puncuation. I learned, I is pergnet again. I think it a girl. I want to name her Isabelle. Tomorrow is my anaverery
May 1, 987
Today is the day we plant our crops. My writing and grammar has been getting better. The baby should be coming soon. We got to let the animals out of the house again it got kind of stinky in there over the winter. It was an extremely cold one to. Jacob got very sick and he still is getting over it. Poor thing luckily no one else got as sick as he did.
June 5, 987
I took my yearly bath I still feel gross though. Husband had to take a bath first then, Jacob my eldest, then Kane the middle, than I was able to, and then the babe last. Poor thing. The baby was born May 17, 987.
MATT HAGER - 1ST HOUR
ReplyDeleteSeptember 17th, 986
My lord of the manor has been extremely hard lately because harvesting is coming soon. The harvesting of the 30 acres of farm land are going to be extremely difficult.
September 20th, 986
My lord required that I turn in my dues for living on the manor. I had to give him 90% of my crops. I dont get too much.
October 1st, 986
I finally got my yearly bath in the creek next to the town. This bath was much needed! My wedding is in 3 days.
October 15th, 986
Since it is starting to become light late and dark early, I got to wake up at 6:30am and got to quit work at 7pm. I came home to a dinner of porridge, bread, water, and berries.
EMILY ESTOPARE, 4TH HOUR
ReplyDeleteSeptember 17th, 986.
Today was rough, just like any other day. But, today was also harvest day. Harvest day obviously means that I have to go harvest all my crops that I have grown, yet I have to give almost 90% of them to my Lord. This is how I pay him back for letting me live and grow my crops on his land. He has done a great deal for me, even though being a serf would not be my lifestyle of choice. It shouldn’t be anyones, that is. My day normally consists of working on my Lord’s land and mainting my crops.
I haven’t gotten to take a shower since around the end of June. Personally, I think it is gross, even though others may not. Everyone smells horrible. I think we should bathe way often then we already do, but I guess not.
September 5th is my birthday, so not too long ago I just turned thirty-two years old. In a way, this kind of scares me because I am getting pretty old, which means I could die soon. But, I tend to look forward to death, like many others do. Whenever we die, we’ll be able to go to Heaven, which means we will have a much, much better life then we do now.
It’s getting late; I guess I should be getting to bed. I have sleep on the dirt floor with my family. My daughter is sick, and I worry that she soon may get me sick, also. That’s the least of my worries though. Tomorrow, I’ll get up and go back to work, and live in these dreadful condtitions like I do everyday.
HALEY STUCKMEYER 4TH HOUR
ReplyDeleteSeptember 17, 986
Today we are harvesting our crops. Since we need to repay our lord with most of the crops, we will have barely enough food to get the winter. In return for protection, the peasants and serfs must repay him with food, crops, or services.
Yesterday I took my yearly bath because my sister's wedding is tomorrow. They will have flowers all over the ceremony to make everyone smell good.
Since it is the beginning of fall, everyone is cleaning their homes. We all live in one room homes, with dirt floors and no furniture. We all sleep huddled up for warmth.
My uncle just died a few weeks ago at the age of 22. Many people say he died early because he was worked harder than any of the serfs or peasants on the fief. Many people only live to be twce that, because disease is so great here.
SaraBlunda 4th hour
ReplyDeleteSeptember 17 986,
It is end of summer going into fall and I am a farmer on my lords land. During this time of the year we are usually harvesting crops. We work from sunrise to sun down . Then we give the lord his crops for him to sell.
My family and I live in a shack on the lords land. It has a roof and sides but no floor so we lay hay to make padding. We all huddle together to make warm because it is starting to get colder around this time of the year.
When it comes to food we get a piece of stail bread to split among my family but today we found meat which is a big deal because hardly anyone finds meat and it gives us more strength.
Today we go to church to were we sit and listen to the readings of god from which the priest preaches.
We don’t understand the language of what is being said but we get what some of our religion from the paintings and windows designs. This is my daily life.
MONICA HAGELSTEIN 4TH
ReplyDeletePART 1
September 17, 986
Mid Morning
Today is the day, the last day of our harvest. As I stand here in this field, writing in this diary, I search for father, I need to help him with the wheat. I have already finished gathering the vegetables, now I must bundle them for pickup by the noblemen. I hear my name get called. I turn to look and see him, my father, carrying an already bundled bunch of wheat. “Come help me carry the rest of this wheat, we need to start on bundling the vegetables. We need to move fast, a storm is coming.”
Mid Afternoon
My father and I have finished the bundling, just before we finished it had started to rain. He was right about the rain. It was frantic as we had to get all of the crops in the house before they got wet. Its been harder this year with the harvesting, we don't have as much help. This is because just before harvesting season had finished last year, a disease came and destroyed much of the population around these parts, including my mother, younger sister and older brother. I was lucky being able to get the disease and survive, it was a miracle. I hear a knock at the door along with, “We are here in the name of Lord Spaulding.”
Late Afternoon
The noblemen came earlier than expected this year, they usually come around sunset, as we are usually the last stop on there crop collecting journey. It turned out to be that we had been the only family to have such a grand harvest so it hadn't taken as long as usual. But this year was a little more than different. The nobles had asked to talk to my dad privately so I had to leave the one-roomed shack that we call home, but that didn't keep me from wanting to eavesdrop. Eavesdropping isn't too hard when its raining and you can't go too far from the house, but the sound of rain was annoying. I could only hear whispers coming from inside, but I could make out a few things. “.....we heard that the disease......only few survived.........diseased going crazy......starting fires.....we have right to believe that there is.........trying to destroy the lord........has the disease.......son only one around here.......survived......need help to save...dying lord.”
I did not understand what exactly they were talking about, but I can only imagine. They just left, but as they walked out, they said, “See you soon.” I looked toward my father for further explanation, but he just looked away with a saddened expression.
SETH SMITH 4TH HOUR
ReplyDeleteSeptember 17th, 986
Dear Journal,
The harvest is proceeding reasonably well. This morning I continued the gathering of my crop, both wheat and vegetables. As I collected it, I was certain to treat each product with gentle care to ensure not to harm it. Every little bit matters for the survival of my family. Though I wish I could take it all, I am only allowed to take a little for my family, and give the rest to my lord. I must give these crops to my lord as payment to live on his land. These payments leave me with barely any provisions for my family. Anything we keep is not sufficient enough to last. We eat only undersized portions of vegetables, wheat, and porridge. On a brighter note, I heard from my wife today that someone in town has managed to obtain a bit of meat for their family. This man must be very proud to have such a grand luxury. I long for the day that perhaps “I” might be so lucky. However, for now I must pray that my wife prepares our lesser food with enough taste to make it bearable. My wife spends the day keeping watch over our two children and preparing our evening meal. We are blessed with an average home. We have one room, the floors are made of dirt, and there is no chimney. For furniture, we have only one small table. My family and I sleep near it on a stack of hay. Though it lacks any delicate features, it has a prime location. We are lucky enough that our home is close to our lord’s castle. This allows us to be able to get to the castle quickly and ensures greater safety if one of our lord’s enemies ever attacks. In the event of an attack, the castle is the only safe construction. Therefore we are fortunate, not only because of location, but because of our lords friendly foreign policy. He makes few enemies and involves himself in little warfare. In any such times of war my family and I would be pressured to survive off even less food and supplies than we use now. Our lord would demand more food than usual to provide his armies with rations. Though I am content with life as it is, I look forward to the day that I might die and go to heaven to be with our God. I take practice in all the holy sacraments so that I may ensure my salvation. Furthermore, I make sure that my children also take part in these sacraments as well so that one day they too may receive salvation. They are my only joy in this world. I truly hope they might live better than I when I pass and that I might one day see their success in heaven.
MONICA HAGELSTEIN 4TH HOUR
ReplyDeletePART 2
September 18, 986
Early Morning
This morning I couldn't help but wake earlier than usual, long before sunrise. I walk slowly outside and gaze up at the now star filled sky. For some reason, I don't stop walking, my feet stepping through the muddy ground with several puddles. Its much worse today, the want to run away from this place and disappear forever. I wonder why, why can't I just be with mother once again, her soothing words that I had been so use to. The same words that had told me to keep living on, I would always ask the same question, why live? Her answer was always the same, “One day, my son, you will find your own answer, but until then I will be here for you as long as I possibly can, trying to help you find it.” Her words, every time I think of them, as she would always whisper to me, start to fade away into the darkness. As though they will never come back.
I am startled by the howl of a wolf, coming from the all so close forest. I have found myself in tears now, I snap out of my daze, and walk back toward our house. I stop, right in front of the one-roomed place. I have never really looked at it before. I have seen other people's houses around here and it appears as though their houses look a little bit.... nicer, maybe could be the word. The roof of our house is covered with holes that have we have attempted to cover up with grass and other plants. The walls aren't any better, the wood has been split in several places, and there are holes everywhere I look. I walk around my house, finding every flaw with it, but for some reason, I can't hate this home. There are some good memories withing these walls. I may be able to hate my life, but there is an exception for this house. I walk through the doorway, my feet hit the muddied ground. The floor is much worse than usual, puddles everywhere, except for where my father and I sleep. I walk over to him, and bend down to wake him up, only to see his peaceful expression. I change my mind and start making breakfast.
Our breakfast consists of two pieces of bread, and some cabbage soup. The bread has already been made, and we have cabbage, so the only thing left to do is get water, set a fire, and make the soup. This doesn't take too long and after a while I have all of the food made. In our house we have a table and two chairs, where we got these I have no idea, but I am grateful for them. Once the food is done I set the table and wake my father. We silently eat our food. After we finish my father says, “Even though the harvest is over we still have much work, so get ready, it will be a long day.”
Mid Afternoon
My father was right, it has been a long day, but it appears as though things have gone back to normal. I am grateful for this, I do not wish to see my father have such an expression as the one of last night. Today the sun came back out and we had a lot of heavy lifting to do. Even though winter is a little bit away, we need to start getting ready early so we are prepared for the cold. So all day we gathered water from puddles, and gathered plants that could help us stay warm.
Now as I start our dinner I have to be cautious as to not set the plants on fire. Our dinner is the same as our breakfast, but for this meal I add a carrot along with the cabbage in the soup. My father looks as I chop up the carrot and nods in approval. After the soup has started to cook, I sit down in the chair, grab a needle and the small amount of thread we have and start sewing my fathers ripped pants back together. Since my mother and little sister died, I have had to take care of the clothing, the housekeeping, along with planting and raising crops. I hear the water start to boil violently, signaling that the food is cooked, and put down the pants. I put out the fire first, and grab two of the bowls we have. Since last year I have hand made a ladle so I can properly scoop the soup out of the pot.
MONICA HAGELSTEIN 4TH
ReplyDeletePART 3
I call my father in from outside, and prepare his bowl and bread, he comes in almost silently and sits down in the worn chair. He smiles, but I can tell it is fake, for it does not reach his eyes. “Thank you,” he says accepting the food. We eat but this time, not in silence. He starts to speak, he starts off with stories of the family, and after a few moments, it sounded like a cacophony of memories, words, and feelings jumbled up in my mind. Right in the middle, he pauses and says something unexpected, “You are leaving tonight. You are going to be going with the nobles that collected our crops yesterday, as of today you have a new job, and that job is going to determine the fate of everyone on Lord Spaulding's land.”
I was speechless, even if there was something that I wanted to say, I know nothing would have come out of my mouth. “I am sorry, and I want you to know that I love you.” Almost on cue there was a knock on the door. “We are here in the name of Lord Spaulding.” They come in and look me in the eye, “Please, come with us, we don't want to have to force you.” At that moment I wanted to run more than ever. I decide it would be best if I willingly go with them. When they look away, I swipe my diary out from underneath the grass and stuff it in my shirt along with the pencil that was attached. Before I was put into the carriage I was able to look back at my father, “Goodbye,” I said as tears started to run down his face. Now as I sit here in this carriage I can only think about how lonely my father must now be. “Boy, do you have a name?” One of the nobles ask breaking my thought process. I reply with a “yes”. “Well don't be silent and tell us what it is.” The other one says. I pause, its been so long since I have used my name. “My name.... is Tado, Tado Laninga.” They raised their eyebrows at each other, probably in surprise to my full name, and when they smile a tiny bit, it scares me a little. Now as I sit in this dark carriage writing in this diary, I can only ask myself this question: What is my life going to come to?
ERIC PEAL 4TH HOUR
ReplyDeleteSeptember 17,986
Today is our yearly bath again yeah all I keep hearing is no baby with the bath water it makes no sense. I think as peasants we should just leave but my parents like it I don't. I hate the stupid dirt floors also the stupid straw blankets and sleeping together> so one night I said ill stay up parents okay and someone I got through are military away and went to the lords house. They all get separate rooms its awesome. Some day I want to become a lord all I have to do is get married to their daughter I only wish!
September 17, 986
ReplyDeleteSo peasant women Mrs. Johnson’s daily life consists of:
During the morning.. I had to prepare the breakfast! Yummy! This usually consists of porridge. My favorite! In the summer I usually start around 3 a.m. or whenever sunrise is! I had to make preparations in order for my family to have meals. Our meals consist of coarse bread, a few vegetables, and grain from porridge
Work in the fields is critical during harvest time. We usually start around dawn. I would tend the vegetables and collect berries or herbs. The outside work finished by dusk which means that during the summer I had to work longer.
The women were expected to make each meal, look after the small animals, weaving, spinning and making and mending clothes. I was to make all of mine and my families clothes and fix them when they rip or something. I was the overall best wife/mother anyone could ask for.
Some more things that I was expected to do was look after my kids and be a great mom. I needed to understand medicines and herbs for basic nursing requirements so I could take care of my family. I would normally eat whenever my husband and children had finished with there meal.
This was a normal day in the Peasant Life of a Woman!
Jeramie Lawson 4th hour (Albert Pujolio)
ReplyDeleteWell, today, I awoke to the sound of my baby sister crying because of sickness. She has been very sick lately. Today I have to go and harvest my grain from my fathers fields as he is sick also. I will have a long day ahead of me, so, I better not fool around. The church hasn't been the same since the Cardinals elected the new pope, David Freese. We have a good pope, but everyone else seems to be corrupt. I am not necassarily saying that I am a heretic, but I don't think our church has very good people in it. My friend, Chris the Carpenter, has come down with the same sickness as my sister. We really need to clean it up in this dump!
ALLIE CROW 4TH HOUR
ReplyDeleteSeptember 17, 986
Today, I woke up, hands and back aching from sewing and shearing sheep for hours the day before. I shrugged off this familiar pain and ate my breakfast. As a peasant on Lord Spaulding’s estate, I go perform my daily job of shearing the sheep, spinning wool, and sewing clothing. I hate this work. It is difficult and makes me so achy and weary, yet I get hardly anything for it. Life is difficult but I am grateful as I know it could be much worse. Still, with this poor life style came many hardships and risks. I constantly fear plagues and disease, knowing if I fall ill the chances of survival are very slim. If knights were to invade, our crops could be destroyed and I could possibly by killed by the knights or starvation. I try not to imagine what could happen if there is famine or a plague. After my hours of back-breaking work, I returned to my less then small home. I wish I had nice floors, a chimney, lavish furniture, and more living space, opposed to the dirt floors and sparse amount of furniture. I ate my dinner of garden veggies and bread. We do not have much money and other luxuries those of higher status do, therefore I always eat bland tasteless food. Though life can be depressing, I always have Sunday to look forward to. There is no work on Sunday and we spent our day in merriment and worshiping the lord. I can’t wait for the dancing and singing. My favorite part is watching the sports, wrestling and archery, and watching the plays and pageants. Now it’s time for sleep, I will need it for the long day ahead of me.
Sam Hughes 4th hour Prezzevento
ReplyDeleteToday I woke to the “gracious” sound of sheep in the pasture. I first had to feed them, and then provide for the wife and kids, as the man of the house. Following this, I ran to fields. It was sheep shearing day!! I sheared my splendid sheep one by one and hauled the 30 baskets to the manor house. “Stuart the Sheep Shearer” Shrieked my wife. I immediately ran home to find her sprawled on the floor with her massive femur bone protruding from her leg. I poured whiskey on her wound and covered it with a homemade wool cloth. I then proceeded to carry her to the local church up the road to Sunday mass. After observing the miracle of transubstantiation and receiving the Eucharist, we slowly went home. Upon arriving at our small, almost crumbling home, we checked on our infants, Sally and Susie. They were quiet hungry but unfortunately, we have almost nothing to eat. Thankfully, I found a few scraps in our small cupboard, enough to tide them over until tomorrow. By then it was quiet late and my wife was in a terrible pain. I don’t think she will recover form this and defiantly will never walk again. Well at least we have nice wool coats to wear now after I was allowed to keep a minuscule amount of my wool. It is quiet late now and I have to get going. I must get some slumber. I hope everything is fine when I awaken in the morning.
LAURA PEPPER 4TH HOUR
ReplyDeleteSeptember 17, 986
My house has one room, a dirt floor, and a couple pieces of furniture. My family and I all sleep together on the floor along with our dog. We have to huddle together to keep warm at night. I have a mother a father and three older brothers. I am the youngest and the only girl.
My family is suffering through hard times. Disease is spreading throughout my village and unfortunately my oldest brother caught it. It is not looking good for him. He won’t eat even the little but of food my father brings home. He doesn’t have much energy, so he can’t do a lot of work out in the fields, which is bad for this time of year.
This is one of the hardest working times of the year. We have to begin to harvest our crops. Once they have been harvested almost all of it goes to Lord Spaulding. Lord Spaulding provides us with protection in return for the crops. If we don’t harvest his fields, who knows what will happen to my family and I.
September 22, 986
I don’t feel to well today. I can’t sleep at night because I am starving. Famine has struck our village and I haven’t eaten in three days and enemies also struck us earlier this week. My village has been hit pretty hard. That is why we have no food. My brother can no longer get up and walk he spends all day sleeping inside. I don’t know when we will be receiving any food; my father said he doesn’t know either. Lord Spaulding collected our harvest today so we have none of that food to eat. I don’t know when things will start looking up, but hopefully they do soon.