Writer's Notebook

It was in the year of our Lord 1298, in the second month. Upon the fourteenth day of that month, I, Guy de Cuffs, being employed upon his majesty's pleasure to keep order in the house wherein his majesty's transgressors were held, was called up to assure the release of one of the said transgressors after a prolonged stay of some two years. Upon receiving news of his impending release, I decided to interview the prisoner to urge him to turn his back from the life of crime he had embarked on. Alas, his tale cut me to the quick. The prisoner being of a natural handsome disposition had, on more than one occasion been caught making eyes to one of the beautiful young maidens of his countryside. Indeed, I was later to discover that this number was only due to the prisoner's modesty, it being in reality something far higher. You might well ask, what sort of a crime it is, to make eyes to a maiden. However, as I myself am aware from personal experience, making eyes is usually followed by some demand on the maiden's part, and not being in possession of the gold required to provide such a large and steady supply of maidens with the necessary rings, he turned to both thievery and falsehood. Being only too eager to turn away from these crimes I looked forward to his liberation with alacrity. Not so the young man. He was decidedly anxious as the fourteenth day of the aforementioned month approached. And the arrival of the said day provided ample truth that these anxieties were not unfounded, for on this day an inordinate number of paper messages were deposited at the prison gate for this brave and courageous warrior. However, his courage proved futile for each of these maidens had come to lay siege to the prison gate. His liberty barely gained, he once again fell into bondage and as far as I am aware is now living a long and very happy life.