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.
Natalie Rose, 1st Hour
ReplyDeleteSeptember 17, 986
Lord Spaulding was not happy today. And we serfs felt the brunt of the storm. He just lost another village to the Eastern European Lord Scalding. And we poor little Eastern European serfs on Lord Spauldings land now have to work four times as hard to make up for it. But for the handsome Lord Spaulding we shall do even more than that! Oh, I hope he looks at me. My yearly bath was only 2 months ago. And I am only a year away from marrying. If only he would look, surely my beauty would win over him.
But alas I am only a lowly serf. At least I get to see him.
Today, we apple pickers had to climb the trees. They were just ripe, and the trees could barely hold themselves upright. Why, by myself I must have picked 1,000! But father would only say I picked around 50. And while it means I may be a little leaner this year, 45 of those apples are going to the fine Lord Spaulding and his noble knights.
Still, we are hungry, and my brother did get a few squirrels today. Luckly he was not caught. While I love Lord Spaulding dearly, my brother is my brother and he cannot be thrown into those dirty, smelly dungeon cells. I simply could not bare it.
Granny Purple died a fornight ago, and her funeral was today. It was a solem event, but one that was long expected. After all, she was 42 years old. At least she lived to see her great grandaughter being born and did not get to see her daughter get possesed by a demon. She sneezed so much!
Ah, well I must stop my writings of the day. Father is a calling.
Sincerly,
Sugar
Jared Thompson 1st hour
ReplyDeleteSeptember 17, 986
Summer is coming to an end, I can tell because my breath freezes in the air. I woke up this morning starting my job as a blacksmith. I made a lot of swords yesterday and gave them to my noble for his army. It's not easy and since winter is coming I am going to be even more behind in my work.
I really wish I would have taken my bath but I was too busy. I guess I will wait and do it next summer. I am going hunting today because I need some meat for the winter. I know the consequences if I get caught but I am willing to do it.
My neighbor just died but he lived to be 35. His family doesn't seem to be taking it well. He was the only farmer and now no one will be able to harvest the crops for the winter. In these hard times death isn't such a bad thing.
I am going to Church today but I don't look forward to it. I do not know understand any of the language, but the pictures help me interpret what it all means. I go because if I do, according to the Bible, I will go to heaven. I always wonder what it will be like. I have had some dreams about heaven and it looks a lot better than this. I honestly can't wait to go.
CECILIA TITLE 2ND HOUR
ReplyDeleteSeptember 17, 986
Today I woke up as soon as the sun came up so I could pick the crops. I live on Dutchess Gaga's estate with my three kids and husband. Today's weather was torture. I worked in the fields until the sun went down, and now I'm listening to my youngest daughter complain about how I made her put down new straw on the dirt floors of our house...if that's what you want to call this shack. Night after night we go to sleep on this dirty floor. We arent even important enough to have our own place to sleep. Instead, we share our house with the chickens. The only thing I have to look forward to in the near future is my yearly bath the day after tomorrow. But even then I have to wait until my husband and two sons have finished bathing.
-Cecil
MARK VANCE 1st
ReplyDeleteSept 17, 986
Today was the first day of the harvest. I've had a very fruitful season, and it should be an easy winter with all the access crops. Since this was day one, i had no time to tend to my garden beside my home.
Quite a bit of misfortune befell my neighbors. Charles finally broke from hunger and went hunting in the lords forest. He was caught of course, but hes very lucky to be only put in a stock in the market square. Being a good Christian, i stop by once a day to feed him some bread every now and then. Ol man John finnally passed at a ripe old age of 45! I thought that man would live forever.
Some misfortune befell me last night. The darn cat fell off the roof and landed on my most promising watermelon. Needless to say, Whiskers made a finer meal the feline.
On a brighter side, my daughter was finally married off to a young night! At 16 years of age, I thought she would never get married. My son, a fine and able blacksmith, crafted a steardy and fierce blade for the lord of the manor, himself! The lord rewarded him with meat, pig no less, that I saw outside his house. We are having a feast at his home, im bringing all my vegtable from my garden. That feast begins in a little while, so farewell for now.
CAITLYN BAUM 1ST HOUR
ReplyDeleteDearest diary, I’m glad to have found you, let us get acquainted. My name is Amelia and I am 18 years of age. I was married to a man in my village, Seth, about 5 years ago now. I remember the wedding quite remarkably, it was atrociously hot and the night before it had rained, but nevertheless it was beautiful, the trees still in bloom from the spring, the dogwoods are my favorite indeed with their plentiful blooms , so special to me for there is one near my sister’s grave. Anyway, it was about 3 weeks after the start of summer everyone was clean and happy. Seth is a carpenter and I help him out a bit, he helped his father build the house that is ours now. It’s a small house, in the shape of a box, with a table to eat at, only two chairs though. And we also own a small trunk; it was a gift from Seth’s family when we got married. It was his great grandfather’s, and someday we will pass it down to our children. Oh I almost forgot the children! We have 3 wonderful children. Walter 4 years, and twin girls Ella and Faith 2 years. Walter loves to help me with the small garden we have, I think he will grow to be a farmer. I want to have a large family, maybe 7 or 8 children. Wouldn’t that be interesting! Oh the humble life of a serf. Sometimes I wish I’d been born into nobility, Or even married to a nobleman but I do love my family and the way we live. Here in our village we are under constant attacks! This war is the worst I’ve seen in my days, the children are frightened by the loud screams and sounds of the weapons. The armies of other lands are coming and ravaging our villages to try to hurt the nobles by taking away their income. My brother Isaac died trying to defend the village, and my sister Bethany died of fever and my parents have passed of old age my mother at 37 and my father at 41. The only family I have left is my sister Abbigail, she is growing old for she is 28. Finally, the summer is over, oh how terrible the heat is! Even with our yearly bath in the summer, we can’t seem to catch a break from the heat. Well that is all I have to speak of for today.
Love your friend,
Amelia
ANDIE CUTRIGHT- 1ST HOUR
ReplyDeleteSeptember 17, 986
Today was a hard day. I woke up minutes after the sun rose. It wasn't that horrible of a night. It's starting to cool off, so sleeping on the floor in our little shack with my husband and 3 children wasn't as hot as normal. I awoke in a happy mood because today is bath day!Finally, it had came!But before that,we must work.
My husband and 2 sons are farmers. Since it is harvesting season, he works from dawn till dusk. We had a lot of grain planted over the season. As usual, we had to leave a portion for Lord Spaulding as our pay. While my husband and sons are farming, my daughter and I are in the shack making candles and sewing clothes.
After work was done it was finally bath time. My husband went first, then my sons, then me, and after, my daughter. What a reliefe if was to get all of the years worth of filth and grime off! I was getting tired of carrying flowers around to cover up the stench. I wish it was this was all the time. Our neighbour on the other hand, missed his bath. Now he has to wait another year.
After our baths, we got a surprise. Lord Spaulding decided to give our family meat with our dinner! This will be our first time ever having meat. We are very thankful. Especially because my husband is reaching his 40's and there's no answer on how much longer he will live. One of our friends just passed and he was only 38.
That's how today went. Not much different from any other day in the life of a serf besides bath day and receiving meat. Now off to be soI'm fresh for a long days work tomorrow.
Andie Cutright.
MEGAN REED 1ST HOUR
ReplyDeleteSeptember 17, 986
Yesterday my sister got married because she had her yearly bath two weeks ago. Her boquet was beautiful. Today is the first day of harvest. This year we have to give our lord 60% of our crops instead of the 55% we had to give him last year. Tonight for dinner we will have some vegetables and some meat that my husband secretly killed on the lord's land. We are lucky to have meat but we will not display it so we will not get caught by the lord. That is our biggest fear is to get caught and be expelled or executed. Dinner was great and now we are off to sleep on the dirt floor in our house. Tomorrow will be more harvesting so we better get a good sleep tonight.
LOGAN SMITH 1ST HOUR
ReplyDeleteJune 7,1049 AD
I had my yearly bath today I was 4th to get to take the bath, but it was still very mucky. It didn't seem as mucky as last years bath did though. Maybe that is because we got thatch for our floor so we weren't sleeping on dirt every night.
It's been a week since my uncle got the rabbit from the woods. He's lucky he's still alive too, he says he saw our lord on his way back.
I'm kind of sad since my older sister is getting married tomorrow so she doesn't smell all that bad on her wedding day. I'm going to miss her very much. We also need to pick some flowers tomorrow morning for her to hold.
We have one more week until we have to pay our lord with some horseshoes, but dad is trying to teach me how to make them and make enough to fill the quota so this month is going to be close if he does make enough.
HAILEY STROTHMAN 1ST HOUR
ReplyDeleteSeptember 17, 986
I woke up early this morning, and I was just about to go out to the field to harvast our corn, when it started to rain. It is still raining now, and I hope it stops soon since our 90% crop payment to Lord Spaulding is due tomorrow. Now I am laying here huddled together with my two children and my goat, hopeing for warmth since the dirt we are on is extra moist this morning. My husband has not been home for many hours now, so I hope he is doing alright out there in the rain, and that he is getting the meat we are hungry for. Now I must go out and check on our dog, because I think he has slipped of the roof again.
(Later that day)
I have just been informed two things. My husband has been arrested for trying to hunt on the lord's land, and that my good friend had just passed away at 56 making the record for the oldest person in the town. My children are practicing wrestling, because the rain has now stopped. I am about to go out and harvast what is left of the corn after that long storm. If we are lucky we will have enough corn to give to the lord tomorrow when he visits, and we will be able to have some with our course bread.
Samantha Headrick
ReplyDeleteNovember 8, 986
It has been a hard day out in the farm all crops are being harvested and im pregnant. Oh how i wish we could keep a little more of our food, sence the war began the poverty has been terrible. The morning sickness is getting worse and some days I nearly faint from the pain. My husband Dalton doesn't help much sence all he seems to care about is is it being a boy. But, I am just praying it is healthy. On top of all this father is saying he may have me deforced and remarried to Nathan just because his family was honored with meat; this ,however, deeply angers my husband and he has been acting rather strange lately..
RYLEIGH JACKSON 1ST
ReplyDeleteSeptember 17 986,
I was the first one to wake up this morning which meant I had to wake everyone else up too. My brother was furious at me for waking him up but i didnt take it offensively because i knew he was just cranky from what had happend yesterday. Yesterday, some of the peasants, including my family, had a labor day. My mother and I worked on fixing the road while my brother and father worked on replairing the bridge. When we came home that night my brother had his foot wrapped up. We asked him what had happened and he explained that he had dropped a brick on his foot and it was hurting pretty badly. We dont think he broke it because he can still walk on it but his entire foot is purple. But good thing today is Sunday, so he will be able to stay off his foot and let it heal.
On this Sunday we decided to go and watch a religious play. We thought this would be fun since last week we went and watched archery. The play ended up being very interesting but my brother complained throughout most of it.
Then after the play we walked around town and then we went home. After we got home we sang some songs together, like we always do on Sundays. After we sang, it was time to eat dinner but tonights dinner was very special. Two days ago, father had went hunting and caught some meat. This was the first time father has ever caught any meat. We were very proud of him and he was proud of himself too so he had hung the meat outside for everyone to see.
The meat tasted so good. I had never tasted anything so good before. We also had some green beans and corn with the meat. It was the best meal I had ever had.
This fall is going to be the best fall yet. I turn 16 this fall and my brother is turning 12. Also the best thing about this fall is that we get to have our yearly bath. It feels like it has been forever since I have had a bath. For my birhtday im hoping I will get some extra vegetables with my dinner. Also for my birthday, it would be fantastic if my mother would take me to a pageant. Hopefully she can.
Write again soon, Ryleigh.
Danielle Fleming
ReplyDelete1st hour
September 17, 986
After a mass at church this morning, my family and I returned home to our straw hut. The air is still warm, though, for which I give thanks. We don't all have to crowd together for warmth. The hut is a little bit easier to sleep in becuase it is not too cold.
My mother and father want to marry me off this year, as well. They say since I am almost the age of thirteen that it is necessary. I must, however, take my yearly bath before I wed. Hopefully they do not marry me off to someone quite dreadful. Not that I have a say.
Father and Mother have asked me to tend to my younger siblings while they prepare the crops to pay the taxes to the lord. I do wish we were able to keep some of the crops for ourselves, but that would be selfish, and we must pay the lord. Father says all the time he wishes we had some good meat, but it's a rare occurance to ever have meat. I can't say that I, myself, have not ever wished for meat, though.
Well, it is getting dark outside, and I am growing tired. I must do some chores before bed and help Mother and Father. We also have mass again in the morning. It sometimes seems as if religion is the only thing uniting people in this terrible time.
~Danielle
MARYANN HEAPS - 1ST HOUR
ReplyDeleteSeptember 17, 986
Dear Diary,
This morning I noticed that I've been gaining a lot of weight, I think I'm pregnant. But I can't afford to not work, we need to pay our rent to Lord Spaulding soon.
A man in the area hung up meaat on his door today. A riot started with people trying to steal it when it got dark outside. Lord Spaulding threatened to not give out anymore meat if it happened again, and told us not to be greedy. Our family has gotten so desperate for meat we tried to steal it. My oldest son got caught and killed over it. We've only gotten it once as a family, but never since then.
As a serf, I may not leave the fief without permission. Today I asked Lord Spaulding to leave for my cousin's wedding, but he told me I couldn't because I left last week for my sister's wedding..
We worked past sunset today because our enemy burned down our village so we had to clean up debree and start rebuilding homes.
DALTON ERGER 1ST HOUR
ReplyDeleteDear Journal,
My life sucks. I barely have any food left because I had to pay it to Lord Spaulding for rent! I worked all day in the field for them just to have to pay it away. But its the least I can do to repay him for the land he allowed my to live on and work. Sam is getting pretty smelly too. Its been 5 months since our yearly bath. The water became so murky that we almost lost the baby in it! In fact, I dont even think he got any cleaner. On the upside, I havent been accused of heresy yet because I am well liked in my community. George was taken away last week on charges of heresy. He was of course not guilty but nobody liked him so no big loss. Because of my devoutness to the Church, the Lord gave me 15 pounds of meat to feed my family. I was so proud that I hung it outside my shack today. I saw Steve take some though. Guess who's getting accused of heresy tomorrow. I didnt understand the mass today either. I have the feeling that nobody else there did either. I surely can't understand Latin because I have no education. And as far as I know, neither does anybody around here.
PARKER THELLMAN, 1ST HOUR
ReplyDeleteDear Diary,
Today something terrible happened. My neighbor died at the age of 41. Nobody ever expected somebody to live that long. There is good news too! Harvest was today! We got all of our fresh crops and sent 90% of them to the lord. Also, my father went hunting and got a deer. We have to keep it a secret because if the lord figures out we will be in deep trouble. Well I have to go to bed now. I sleep on a dirt floor in a one room house with all my other siblings.
SHANNONBROCK4TH.
ReplyDelete9/17/986
The day began early enough, my older brother, Luke, helped pa out in the field. My older sister, JoJo, was helping ma with the crops that need to be served. I stayed home today, watching my small newborn baby brother. my parents have chosen to call Andy. I call 'Love'. In fact this past few weeks I've been calling people close to me 'Love'. Looking after my baby brother made me feel grown up, considering I'm too small to work in the fields and have a very active mind.
While i watched Andy sleep i would sing abit and people stopped by to listen. it wasn't until near sundown that i saw the rest of my family. Ma and Pa were very proud of me for 'holding the fort' while everyone was away. in all honesty i was proud of my self as well.
KODY BURKE 1st HOUR
ReplyDeleteSeptember 16, 986:
Dear Diary, it has been a typical day. Most of my days are pretty much boring and the same. It started out as I woke up on my typical bed, aka the ground because I am a serf, and headed out to the field. My wife was pregnant and not in the best shape, but Lord Spaulding still made her work as hard as me. When I got done working the fields I got to take my one and only bath for the year. I got to go first, since I am the man of the family, then my wife went. When I got out of the bath, feeling all refreshed and clean, Lord Spaulding came up to me and demanded that I give him some of my profits. I told him no because I needed to buy food and pay for clothes for my wife and me. He told me that I was to pay the money or be punished. I stood tall and didn't pay him even though I knew I would be punished.
September 17, 986:
I woke up to the sound of screaming, hurried outside, to find out that there was conflict going on. I hurried to wake up my wife so we could get away. When we got out of our little one room house we noticed Lord Spaulding on the ground in what looked to be a puddle of blood. We were relieved because we got out of being punished, but we were also scared because there was a conflict going on. We ended up escaping, hence being the reason I was able to write all of this down. Eventually we found out that all of Lord Spaulding's serfs and vassals had rebelled against him, and somehow I wasn't informed of it.
ALEX TRASK
ReplyDelete1st hour
It the usual morning today; rose with the sun, and headed out to the fields. My pregnant wife couldn't do as much as usual, so I had to make up for her lack of work. It was bath season again last month, so I can actually stand being around my wife. Since it happens only once a year, I have to cherish this moment while it lasts. After I got done harvesting my wheat I had to give 90 percent of it to my noble. There was a lot harvested this year, so my 10 percent that I get to keep should be more than normal. Last month I brought home a pig that I got from my most generous noble. I hung it outside to make all my neighbors jealous and let them know that I am a real man who provides for my wife. Now my day is done and I get to sleep on my warm dirt floor inside my one-room house. I feel so lucky because I have a good, strong door to protect us from the wind. I think I'm doing very well as a father. This is Alex Trask signing out, ready for a new day of not so fun working. Until next time my friends.
September 17, 986 Well all I can say is today was just another rough day as usual. Im just exhilirated about the bath coming up in 2 days. Spaulding is not a good lord either. Well, I guess no lord is really a good lord when your in my position. Everyday is another day closer to death and sadly, I welcome that. Sleeping is the best part about anything in my life. Not being awake is just the best thing. Being awake is hell. But of course how can you sleep when your stomache is growling louder than a Volcanic eruption or a lions roar. Last time I ate was 2 days ago. I plan on eating bread that Spaulding will finally distribute tommorow to all of us in this peasant village. I really just need to go somewhere far and run away, but I will most likely not survive out there. Ill probably get slaughtered by some type of Barbarian, or caught in the crossfire of some battle, which I still would probably welcome. My question is why did God put me in this position, why couldn't I be put in the position to be wealthy, or to be a king. It doesn't matter though. Time for the best part of my day. Sleep. TRISTAN FRITZ-1st hour
ReplyDeleteOTTO PFNEISEL 1rst hour
ReplyDeleteThis mourning when I woke up I ate a bit of stale bread and some meat which is a huge amazing thing to have cause of our poverty and set out for the fields. I am supposed to work from sun rise to sun set,and it is very hard work at that. Plus on top of all the hard work I put into farming the fidlds, I only get to have a little of the crops because most of my crops go to the king. I normally have no lunch either. The only day that I do get off is Sunday because everyone is so religious. The only thing is, I don't even know what the lessons are about cause they are taught in Latin and I am uneducated. I only get one shower per year also.This is the bad life of a serf.
Jordan Trigg
ReplyDelete1st hour
September 17, 986
This morning I had to get up before the sun broke the sky. It's 3:30 a.m. and I'm out doing the harvesting of cotton. I can here the cries and shouts in the distance of battles being fought between us and the vikings. They are progressing towards us and I'm getting scared of what is going to happen to our estate.
At around noon i went to go see my dad. He isn't doing so well he has a severe cough and he can't hold down his food. He is 33 years old so he's lived a long life. I think he might pass away soon.
At around 5 o'clock now I am getting my first meal and it's not even very good all I had was some stale bread and vegetables.
The weather this time a year is terrible. It is so cold and my clothes don't keep me warm and my toes are frost bit. Our house doesn't keep me warm either which doesn't help.
September 18, 986
Today I am going to work on repairing a road that stretches for about ten miles. It will be an all day process and today is colder than yesterday.
The vikings are just outside of our village now and I fear tonight won't be a good one. They burned the town the other day when I heard the cries from when I was on the field.
I am supposed to be repairing the road by replacing the bricks with new stone.
I am finished now at around 4 and I'm all dirty I won't get another bath until next summer.
I fall asleep now hearing more cries in the distance and fear the worst to come.
PAIGE ARMSTRONG - 1ST HOUR
ReplyDeleteSeptember 17th, 986
I awaken on the cold dirt beneath a roof of what most would call home before the rest of my family. However, it is nearing time for my husband, children, and I to report to the fields. It’s the first day some of our crops will be available for harvest. I gently shake my husband, who sits up to then wake up our two children. It’s a cold, damp morning as most are around here for folks like us. We brush off the loose dirt on our clothes as my husband reminds us as soon as we harvest what we can to report back to our home. He raises the cloth from the doorway revealing the beginning commotion of daily life for the rest of the people in the community like us. Everyone is slowly heading to their work place, preparing themselves for paying dues in various ways to Lord Spaulding, and taking things one hour at a time. My husband and I head to one side of the land while our children report to another. We go right to work.
Approximately four hours later, after long and hard work picking crops and weeding what’s unnecessary to the land, we returned back to our home. We sorted through the food, setting aside the majority to pay to our nobleman, Spaulding, ruling the land we reside on. We leave our door open; most friends, including ourselves, have not too long ago bathed making the scent of us all bearable- a rare occasion. After sorting through the food we had collected and eating a small meal, it was time to tend to the church. We had a short daily lesson, followed by a long and more in-depth lesson on Sundays. We sit through, unaware for the most part of what is being preached, but through pictures we’re able to muddle through. After church, we head back to work.
We work strenuously until it’s time to head home for dinner, generally consisting of vegetables and occasionally bread. We have little status in the name of nobility, leaving us at the bottom of the list to ever receive meat as a gift. However, my husband has before hunted among other men illegally to, for once- provide our family with a sufficient meal. Finally, it’s time to wind down for the day. Our home doesn’t smell too bad tonight due to the vegetables and fruits currently inside it, and the day or night have been no colder than the nights prior. We set the food aside, let down our door cloth, and made ourselves as comfortable in a tight space as possible. Hoping for a comfortable night and a well-rested night, one by one we all dazed off; only waiting for the day we ascend to a better life some call heaven.
JACOB PLOESSER 1st hour
ReplyDeleteThe year is September 17, 986.
My 7 children didn't wish to get up this morning, I manged to make them, though. To add to that, I must work twice as hard to day because the wife gave birth two days ago, she will be in work tomorrow. The new child's name is Sam. We actually were given a tub of water to bath him in, the priest was very given to us for his birth.
Today, was a very long day, working from sunrise to sunset. Billy, my bother, managed to trip and fall into a present from the cow he was milking. At first I laughed, but then continued to work. I later found out he developed a cough, more than likely a demon has over taken his body, bless him. When the long hours finally ended, I came home to my lovely dirt floor. I cant wait till Sunday.
I managed to harvest 100 of my crops today ... the Noble only gave me 10 of the 100 harvested. God will be turning the ground white, and the air cold, soon. Me and the family will have to work extra hard before this time so that the Noble will not simply kick us out. On the better side of things, I managed to "find" half a loaf of break today, it looks delicious. I'm sure the local merchant wont miss it.
For Sunday me and the family will be attending a wrestling match, right after church. It will be my oldest son, Danny, vs the leading champing. Stakes for this are high, winner gets a rabbit! That's right, a full sized RABBIT. We will be feasting if he wins this!
Randy Myles, 1st Hour
ReplyDeleteSeptember 17, 986
It is my first day under the rule of the new noble. I moved away from my old one because I am a peasant. This fief has everything: a river, forest, and alot of land to farm on. Today is bath day and sinve i'm the man, I get to go first. We only bathe once a year. My neighbor died recently, and he was only 32 years old. After my bath, I have to go to my field and harvest my crops. It is the payment I owe my lord. Tomorrow is the day we go to Church, and boy do I love Church. I don't know what he is saying but I love it.
Caleb Ridenour 1st Hour
ReplyDeleteSeptember 17, 986,
Today was one of the longest days in my life. It is now late summer and fall is falling upon us. This means time for our harvest. I have to get up everyday before sunrise and work the fields given to me till sunset. I have to plow the fields, plant the seed, and pull weeds. Whenever we harvest i have to get all the crops out and this takes many days of waking up early and working all day till sunset. Most of the crops i harvest end up going to the lord and i only get a small portion of it to live on. This is very hard because i am hungry a lot of the time. I usually eat coarse bread, and very few vegetables but on some occasions i get to eat meat. Instead of sleeping on beds and having a comfortable place to lay down we sleep on the ground. It gets very cold in the winters and it is also very hot in the summer. Keep in mind this is a little room with a lot of people in it. Only you could imagine how uncomfortable and hot it must be in the summer time. Us serfs were not tied to the land. The peasants were tied to the land and could not leave the fief. We could leave when we pleased. Few serfs lived past the age of 40. We work so hard everyday and from illness and hard labor and having to serve in the army i think it kills you. We have to fight in the lord's army when called upon to do so. Normally most people died in these fights. It was very hard to live during this time and few, i mean very few, lived past the age of 40 and if you did you were considered lucky.
SAMI BUEKER, 1ST HOUR
ReplyDeleteSeptember 17, 986, Dawn
My dearest journal,
As I write, the bleak dawn slowly comes over the crest of these hills in which I am imprisoned. The soft rays of orange light glow upon my family, lying there on our dirt floor; they look so angelic, now, as they sleep. It is almost as if they do not carry the burdens of this world we live in on their shoulders, but I know that when they wake, they will once again be fraught with the weight of the world. My youngest brother, now my only brother, stirs. Sleepily, he rubs his fists against his tired eyes, yawning as he stretches his thin arms. With knowing eyes, he sees me already awake and gently touches my hand as I write. I can imagine how I must look at this moment, hair tangled, covered in filth, the area underneath my eyes a deep purple from a lack of sleep. I have not bathed since the early summer, and even that was not much of a bath. The water was black and murky, the stench unbearable, but I was also the last one to be cleansed. I am the youngest woman in my small family of four; there used to be eight of us. My father, considered an old man by many in this village, was violently killed protecting my family against raiding pillagers; he was 41 years into his life. He, along with my two eldest brothers, was slaughtered by barbaric men from neighboring kingdoms. I still remember the screams. The blood; the rocky hills were painted red with it. My sister, my sweet, young sister, Lillian, was possessed by the demons of hell; an illness became her and killed her. My uncle runs the family now. In better days, he would laugh and sing, his red cheeks jostling with joy; when his wife died, though, his mood became somber, his eyes as empty as death and his face a mask of pain. My mother, a strong woman, believes that my father is still alive; she waits by the door for him each night, lingering in the doorway of our home for him to return, but she waits in vain for he will never return. I fear that as each day goes by, her sanity slips by even more. Why does God forsake us? Have we not spent our lives worshipping him? The time has come when I must put down my journal and work for the sun has risen and there is light enough so that we may see the crops we have grown for our lord. We will tire under the cruel rays of the sun until the sun sets into twilight. We will come home to a place without food or warmth, shelter that provides us with no love. Sleep will come easily to our sore bodies. Another day begins tomorrow, going through the same motions, as we will every day until we are blessed with death. Until that day when Death touches me with its long, pale fingers, I will be forced to give everything to my master and lord, all our crops, everything I work to make. Please come quickly Death and release me from the icy grip of this darkness, I long to escape from this eternal night and find my place in heaven, I long to be free and without fear. Rescue me.
Jocelyn