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.
JONATHAN WILK , 2nd HR. September 17th,986
ReplyDeleteI wok up erly this morning and had to get up early this morning and ate a course dry breakfast of month old stale biscuits that had been slightly infsted with tiny bugs. Ater this dry meal i had to go out to the field in which my family were to be growing corn and grain for lord farquad in return for our land to live on. we currently own to pigs and three cows who stay in the house with us at night to escape predators. its toward the end of summer and were all taking our yearly baths and me being the male boy gets the water second but by the time me and dad and mother are done with our baths my poor brother and sister get the dirtiest of the water. For harvest time we work from sunrise to sunset pulling up and picking all the plants to ship to the kingdom for our lord who will pay us back in security food and shelter. before we go to bed we drink as much fluid as we can due to becoming dehidrated from the extreme heat and amount of sweat lost and we all eat the little food that we kept four ourselves before we head off to bed this life is far from well and my little brother is fading fast from sickness we all are upset by this.
September 17, 986
ReplyDeleteWell it's me, John, my first son just got caught by one of the nobles. He was tying to hunt an animal, I told him not to do it to much, but he did anyway, so he got caught. He's 17 years old, married, and just got a kid.
My family is going to the river to take a bath. First I go, (my fist son if he didn't get caught) then my second son who is 15, then my wife who is 32, then my daughter who is 12.
After we took our baths we went back to the "house" and started working in the field and I finished working on the chain mail the lord wanted me to make.
Once it was night we went to bed on our dirt floor covered in straw and the occasional metal ring that I forgot to put on. Well until the next day good night.
Tiana Hempel 2nd Hour
ReplyDeleteSeptember 17th, 986
Dear Diary,
Again i must tell you that i am hatin my life here with a huge passion. Me and my husband have to wake each others up before the sun comes to the rise high into the sky. After waking up and a teenie breakfest, its off to the wheat fields for a back breaking day of work. After all this super dooper work, i get to go home with a husband who only takes pride in our baby im carrying.
In the fields, myself along with about 45 other people from the village, have to hack all the wheat down for harvesting. We must then carry the wheat to pick all the grainsies out of the stalks which gives me blisters so bad my hands wanna fall off. To top all this lovely day off, our lord Spauldey gets to sit on his big round buttocks and eat 75% of our grain in a royal silk robe. Him and his "nobles" need to go and see wat real work is down here in the village. It isnt fair.
My husband is always barking at me to stop my complaining cuz I could get arrested for nagging on lord Spaulding. What does he know? In fact what does any man know? Do they have to live the hard life of a woman? Do they have to carry THEIR child around for 9 months with aching ancles and a backache so bad I wanna just cry all day? No, they don't. Because they are men and men don't get any part of the hard work in life. They receive the warm bath water first, the largest portions of food, and the comfiest part of your beds HIM and YOU share.
How can it be that my life is halfway over? Can you tell me that diary? Can you? Just yesturday it seemed like I was playing with the muts running around the village and making mud pies with other children in the streets. Now, I am almost 17. I have faced lotts of hard times and difficultties so far, but it all seems like a blur. How can this bee?
I am suddeenly struck with hunger and need foood…..NOW. I go to our foood storage area at the other side of the shack and grab some waters from the river and a piece of old staleish bread. I return to my lying down area to finish my foood and diary to retire to sleep. After finishing my foood, I finish writing to you diary and lie down. I escape to a dream above all dreams. One where I am in a world above all others, a world where it makes sense.
Tiana Hempel
BRIAN MERCIER 2nd Hour
ReplyDeleteToday is September 17, 986, and it is a bad day to be a serf like me. Today is the first day of many to come in which I will be harvesting my crops. Harvesting is a pain staking process in which i have to harvest every individual crop by hand. The worst part is that once I finish harvesting all of my crops, I have to give almost all of them to my lord, Chuck Norris. Needless to say I have made Chuck Norris a very rich man. Chuck isn't the nicest of people, but he does try to protect me. I think the only reason that he protects us is that without us he would go broke. Even though Chuck tries his best to protect us I still fear outside invaders. Some of the other peasants and serfs have to work on building bridges and Chuck Norris's manor, instead of giving crops. Another one of my big fears is death. My friend Bertha died last weak its a pretty brutal thing. One day she got a cough and then 3 days later she died. She was only 34. I am also hearing about a possible war coming up in the near future and that would mean even worse times for me on account that he would take even more of my crops to help pay for the war. Tonight Im going to have coarse bread, a few vegetables,and hopefully meat, but I really doubt it. Life is pretty dreary.
GRACE HEINE, 2ND HOUR
ReplyDeleteSeptember 17, 986
I woke up this morning, stiff from the dirt floor on which we sleep. We all must huddle together at night in our tiny one room house, for warmth. I awoke to the crisp air of early autumn. The ground was wet with early morning dew, and there was barely any light to be seen coming from the sky. For I had been dreading this day for weeks now. Today was the start of harvest...YUCK! Because of the fact that we ,must respect or elders (people over the age of 35), most of the children, like me, must do the field work. Also because we are peasants, we were just hit very hardly in war. The enemy managed to burn down half of the village before we ran them out. The men and boys are trying to rebuild the village, which leaves mainly the young girls and women to do the work for harvest this year. And of course, the Lord is expecting additional payment in crops this year. Ahhh, such is the life of a peasant. I'm currently being yelled at to get back to work. I will write tomorrow.
Love forever,
grace
ABIGAIL ALDRIDGE, 2ND HOUR
ReplyDeleteSeptember 17, 986
Today we continued with the harvest of our wheat fields. My lord, Lord Spaulding, is expecting payment for the land by next week and we are stuggling to make it by that time. I shall expect work into the late hours for me and the rest of my family. Even with the ten of us it will be a stretch, for, after all, I am the oldest daughter, the youongest among us being six and oldest seventeen.
My father is in search of a husband for me. If he does find a suitor, I will be married in the coming summer and be placed in a new dwelling with my husband. This is quite depressing, for I have grown fond of all of my brothers and sisters, but some room would be nice.
My younger sister, Lalasa, died three years ago of fever and I am afraid that my brother of six, Tobias, is ill as well. This will be the third child my mother has lost, for she lost one after she bore it last year. I just hope that the rest of us will be spared from the awful disease.
The Vikings to the north have invaded the surrounding areas. I remember them from when I was a young lass and they invaded my villiage before. Tall brutes with long, ugly beards. They fight with blunt weapons and kill our men. They steal the women and children and leave the villiage to burn. God save us.
Abigail
Sam Pulliam 2nd hour
ReplyDeleteSeptember 17, 986
Dear diary,
Summer is coming to an end on the fuedal estate of Lord Spaulding. Today I awake very early in the morning. I put on my sheet of cloth, woollen trousers, and boots and gloves. I go out to pick the last of the crops for the Lords dinner. After I pick the crops, I go to my acre of land which I payed to plow. I plow the acre of land that I had to plow for the day. After the plowing I went home. When I got home, to my house which only had 1 bedroom, I would begin to cook. I mostly cooked vegetables and bread, rarely did I cook meat. I rarely cooked meat because only the Lord could have the meat. Unless I went to hunt it, which was illegal, so if I got caught I would be put in the dungeon. Some days I would sew if my shirt was ripped, but today it didn't rip. I took my shower a few weeks ago during the summer, and my next shower wont be until next summer. Around 6:30 p.m. I lay down and go to sleep. I wake up the next morning at 2:30 to start my day over again.
BRIAN MCTIGUE 2nd HOUR
ReplyDeleteSeptember 17, 986
I woke up today at the crack of dawn to get started on my work to get the most out of the day for my lord. I'm now writing this by moonlight.
I got married this summer, sometime in July I think. My wife was the most beautiful girl I've ever seen. But as for all of us peasents and surfs about a week after our annual bath we go back to the odor filled people we normally are. I went second in my bath after father as it should be. It was intresting seeing mom go up to the bath water we had bathed in before her and wonder if was even worth taking the bath. It was worst for baby Evan i dont even think he took one.
Our meals are not much better than the baths. Stale bread and a couple vegitables is dinner. We sometimes get meat. we get it usually by father bringing home a pig or when I went out hunting. I am limited on hunting though and have to make sure not to get caught. Mother always makes the best of what we have though. You don't even notice hoew horrible the food is.
Did I mention we got attacked this summer too? That was devistating. It was most of the reason why I have to work sunrise to sunset with no rest now. Reason being is the invaders led by Coach Baer destroyed our shacks, farmland, and everything else that made our villages work. Thankfully our leader, Sir Chase, saved us in his great fortress. He would then send us back out and work us harder than ever before in the name of war and prosperity.
Well I dont want to write everything down here now because I need soomething to do to occupy my sleepless nights. You have to be doing something beneficial all the time cause you never know when your last day will be. I know this to be true cause brother died at the age of 21 last year and unless your a great lord you won't make past age 40.
Until next time, if there ever is one.
September 17, 986
ReplyDeleteIt is almost harvest season today. I woke up alongside the sun to prepare the crops. My fellow farmers and I worked our hands to the bone as the day went on. Not a single one of us doesnt have back pains. We received little rations, as we do every day. Merely bread and water. Lord Spaulding is very cruel and mistreats many peasants and serfs. I hear of a small band of farmers plotting to rise against him. I wonder if they will accept me, for I would love to put an end to the mistreatment of my fellow townspeople.
RANDY JAMES, 2ND HOUR
CHASE RICHARDET 2ND HOUR
ReplyDeleteSeptember 17, 986...Worked on my lord's fief today. My night was harsh. Cold and rainy, so didn't sleep much. Had a few crusts of bread for brekfast today. Worked for 12 hours today, plowing and planting cropps.
September 18, 986...Did the same thing as yesterday, except brekkfast was a little better. Had some limp vegetables and a slice of bread. Not feeling to well these last cupple of days.
September 19, 986...Started to feel sick last night. Coughed and sneezed all day to day, looks like I'm at the end of the road...
September 20, 986...My lord Jason gave me some meat and bread today, I don't know why though. I told my friend Zac that I thought I was going to die..He told me he would pray for me and that God will bless me..
CONOR GINGER 2nd HOUR
ReplyDeleteSeptember 17, A.D. 986
I am Conor son of Matthew, and i am a serf on the estate of Lord Spaulding in western Europe. Since I am the only one in the family who knows how to write no one may be able to read this.
As soon as I wake up, I feel drowsy and want to go back to sleep, but father says I must work day in and day out everday. My house smells of farm animals and feet. All of my family works even my 7 year old sister. I walk up to the shed where my tools are and my only job is to use a plow on the hard cold dirt.
It is time for lunch. Vegetables and water, WooHoo... Now that I am full i continue plowing, and I hit I run over to my father and ask if he will help me move it. He agrees. After we move the rock he disposes of it.
As the sun grows dark I head towards the shed, and put my tools away. I am walking home, and i meet my sister, who is also filthy. My mother prepares dinner, and we discuss our days. My Father and I gather the animals and lead them inside the house. My sister and I set up the family's pallet, and then we drift off to sleep.
COURTNEY RELLERGERT 2ND HOUR
ReplyDelete-September 17, 986
Some of the leaves are starting to turn brown, so that means that harvest will be here very soon. It was a hot, dry summer, which made the farming very difficult because the ground was so dry. Day in, and Day out, we tried to plow the dirt and plant crops, but not many of them turned out because of the lack of rain and the extreme temperatures. My hands are still sore from farming the land everyday, sunrise to sunset. I live on Lord Spaulding's land, and my family and I are not allowed to leave without permission from him. The village where we live - on Spaulding's land - is nice, for a peasant and serf village. It has only been three months since the villagers took their last bath and it is already starting to stink. Around the time my family bathed, I got married. However, life since then has not changed much. I get up at sunrise to go into the fields to check on the crops, and at sunset, I return home and prepare dinner for my husband and I. It makes me sad to say that this will happen again tomorrow and probably for the rest or my life.
Nicolas Bouckaert 2nd hour
ReplyDeleteSeptember 17, 986
Hello my name is Merlin, I am living in Freds Kingdom somewhere in western Europe.I was not able to write yesterday because when i came home from build Freds new castle I was so tried that I couldn't keep my eyes open. SO i just went straight to bed.Thank gosh we only have to help build the castle one week every two months.
We are so close to harvest right now that any severe weather comes are it could ruin or crops and harvest. My friend Chuck Norris die to day well working in the fields. Some people just dragged him off and left him in the creek.The lord men are coming around and checking are fields and tree so they can dicide on how much we owe the lord. Tomorrow we have to go pick are apples. We are doing that for weeks to come till the pumkin harvest in mid Octuber.
My sister is get married in Rockys kingdom i would love to go but i have to ask lord Fred. But Fred and Rockys kingdom are at war. We saw the first of this war when one of are neighboring villages was attack and destroyed.If I miss my sister wedding see will never for give me ,so if he says no I my considered running way for the week. If I get caught there is no telling what my happen to me. I have no idea what I am going to do.
AMANDA DILDINE 2ND HOUR
ReplyDeleteSeptember 17,986
Today is the first day of Fall. That means the corn will harvest soon. My job on the estate is okay, its not the worst. I shear the wool off the sheep every year, when its time. Every day I wake up when the sun rises and I go out and feed the sheep. I also clean them and make sure they are healthy. When I am done with taking care of the sheep, I help with whatever the owner tells me what needs to be done, which involves cleaning. When the sun sets I usually go to bed, and end the day full of work. I start again the next morning and repeat. My family also works and lives on the estate with me. A few times a year the owner lets us bathe and get clean. I am very lucky with the living arrangements that I have on the estate. Hopefully one day I will have enough money to buy my own land, and have others work on my estate.
ALEX McCLELLAND 2ND HOUR
ReplyDeleteDear Diary...September the 17th of 986.
Today was the birth of my second son, who, as myself, will work for Lord Spaulding on his estate as a peasant. However, I was out in the field preparing to harvest the crops for winter. I do hope that this child will make it through the rough winters we have here. The shack is such a drafty, cold place for a newborn. King Jonathon the Fourth is currently residing in the village to oversee his land. I have grown tired of being made to attend to the king. Life is rough. My family is strong, however, so we will make it.
Zac Casper 2nd hour
ReplyDeleteDear Noteboke today it is the seventeinth of September. As all peasants know today is the day of the great birth of our lord master Sir Stuckmeyer. He has made us all work only half of the day. May Godd bless his soal. Also it is the Harvest so we must worked quik and whole heartedly.
Word was spread today from our town crier or our news anchor. He was the one that reminded us that only half of the day would be spent on the feilds. The second half would be spent of us low souls to stay in our house and even have one small pound of meat for our entire family. Since two days ago my wife died of fever I was blessed by being able to feed my two boys 2 pounds of meat instead of one.
My usual day in the feild would have been harvesting the last of the feilds for winter in upon us and soon many will wither away with the leaves. So we must gather enough food to last until the Spring. Sir Stuckmeyer told us harvesters that it should be a good harvest, but he does not know that wild pigs possesed by evil spirits have trampled most of our feilds. It will be a sad day when he does.
So notebok for night has fallen upon the shoulders of the day and I must say fair well because tomorrow we must work off the other half we slacked off today.
God bless and good night.
BAILEY KLINGENSMITH 2ND HOUR
ReplyDeleteSeptember 17, 986
today is an exciting day for me. I cant wate to bathe. you see, each year we have an wash in the tub out bak. Papa gets to bathe first cause he's the man of the house. then Adam, my eldest brother gets to wash. next, my little brothers. Then Mamma and me. Our water isnt very clear as it was when Papa bathed but its a bath either way. I sat in the tub and feel the cool water between my toes. i scrub my underarms to most. because tomorrow is a very big day.
sincerly, Ava
September 18, 986
I am excited for today! today is the day of my marraige. Papa has picked a handsome farmer for me to marry. i do not know him very well but better than ending up like to lonely women in the hut next to ours. she never got married and then one day the knites came and took her away. Mamma says not to talk about what happened to her cause its nobodys business but her own.
Mamma went out in the early morning to pick some flowrs for my hair. She brought back a hole basket and tied them together with twine. she told me to hold them when i walked to my groom so i would look especially pretty.
I think mamma was happy to see me gettin married. I think it made her happy knowing that i wasnt gonna end up like the women in the next hut.
Sincerely, Ava
September 19, 986
the hole family went to church today. there is a man hoo stands away from us and talks to big pictures on the walls. i dont understand what he says but what we do understand is that God wants us to do good things. what i do understand is what is in the books we look at. it looks like chicken-scratch except for the beautiful pictures of men with halos around there heads. I pray to that man with the halo cause the hoo stands and talks makes him seem very important. I pray that I'll go to heaven. thats all i really want.
Sincerely, Ava
September 20, 986
I woke up in the middle of the night. There were men everywhere. they were hollerin and stealin. i just looked for my family. Papa was dead. Adam was being dragged from our house. and my mamma lay tied up on the floor crying. i began to cry as a man began tying me like he did Mamma. He threw me with Mamma and all i heard was her prayin. I prayed too. i didnt want to go this way. But now i could go be with the man with the halo. I always liked that man.
Sincerely, Ava
JASON STUCKMEYER 2ND HOUR
ReplyDeletedear diary
urgh today is another day inwhich i have to get up when the sun rises and work on the crops they arent ready yet but they are about to be ready to be pick an im dreading teh thought of it because it will days on days of long picking by hand. today started when the sun rose i ate two pieces of bread which was a couple months old and it was moldly but it was all i had left to eat. after breakfast i took my sons to pick all the weeds out of my corn even though it takes longer i want more corn then i had last year when i was about to be kicked off the fief. i did that until dark i think i am the hardest worker on the fief but my numbers dont say that. after that i get to come home and have some meat this is the first time all year i got meat to eat i had one of my sons to go hunt on the nobles property which is a big no no but in this times u got to do what u got to do. goodbvye i am going to have some meat.
Kevin Hammond
ReplyDelete2nd hour
September 17, 986
I just woke up a few minutes ago. It's the break of dawn right now. Earlier it was raining and a dog fell into our house. Mama is about to make breakfast: hard moldy biscuits, and vegetables from our garden. Being a peasant is rough. Today I get to harvest my crops with Papa. We spend all day on the field with no help and no breaks. If we don't harvest and sell our crops then Lord Spaulding is going to be after us. Sadly, that's how my uncle died. I can't wait till later. We have mass in church. I attend every mass because I want to reach salvation. Salvation is way better than this dreaded place.
September 18, 986
Right now it's late in the dusk. We finished harvesting crops earlier and sold most of them. Lord Spaulding is going to be happy with us. Now we have to do this next year. Dinner was okay, actually it was bad but it is better than starving. I know tomorrow is going to be a good day. I get my yearly bath, and then I get married.
September 19, 986
Today I got my bath. First, was Papa because he's the man, then my older brother, me next, then my little brother, and lastly Mama. The water starts getting dirty once I get in, but I still get cleaner. Once Mama gets in the water is really dark. Today was also my marriage. Me and my love are going to be good together, even though she didn't have a choice to pick me, but she still loves me. She is the joy of my life. Well it is really late so I am going to bed.