Troskowitz Chronicle Lore Books

Description

The history of Troskowitz, written down by the famous Bailiff Brada.

Text

Troskovice Chronicle
as laid down by Bailiff Brada

Zdena under the Root
The summer of the year thirteen hundred and twenty-seven was eventful. Quam gravis aestas erat - it seems impossible to write it all down here. Fear then sank its claws especially into old Zdena, who has a cottage near the forest. Per unam noctem in mense Iulio - listen to all that has happened. Zdena went into the woods, but in the darkness she went astray, fell down the hill and remained wedged in the roots of a tree. Half the village went to look for the poor woman, but the root prisoner herself could not answer their call to Zdena. Timor illam vocem subripuit - it was not until the morning that the woman was freed.

About the Avenue of the Strange
God has breathed many beautiful places into our region, to make it fit for human life. Deus dedit nobis terram perfectam - Of one place I will now tell you. On a hill near the pond of Vidlák, there is an avenue of strange trees, consisting of oaks, rowan trees and birches. Quercus, Sorbus, Betula - under one a battle was fought. Raubritter Albrecht and his band are said to have been defeated here a hundred years ago, and the tree adorns the site of his death. The other tree is of simpler origin and reminds us of the border between the lands of Tachov and Želejov. Optima ad finem - let us also speak of another tree. The third of the trees provides protection from the storm, for it attracts lightning from all around. There are hundreds of similar places in this region, but next time we will tell about them, so as not to shame other countries.

Spring in Troskovice
Like every spring, the most gracious and wise swift man, who is invited by Brada, inspected the fields and the living creatures and made this record. Sicut lex iubet villico - let us begin with the cattle for milk. There are fewer cows but more oxen in Troskovice this year. We have nice and big goats and plenty of sows too. Thanks to the cottagers Tomáš and Šimek, we have the two biggest bulls in the whole region. Nunc de terra fama - let’s count the ground under our feet. The fields are still in the same management, even the land above the inn has not changed its lord, because the wedding of Anča and Vasek was ruined when the father of the bride, in his drunkenness, called Vasek a fool who had sex with sheep.

The tree that bled
Troskovice witnessed terrible events when Brenek and Michal, two local shepherds, decided to cut down a tree in the meadow above Vidlak. Non fuit bona idea - half the village is angry with them now. The tree they chose to cut down is known for attracting lightning from far and wide to protect the good people, but it endangers the cattle in the pasture. Arbor inchoata cruentatur - Michael first struck the trunk with the axe. But no sooner had he raised the instrument to cut again, than red blood began to gush from the wound. The horrible phenomenon so frightened both men that they threw down their axes and fled home. The parish priest, who was summoned to the scene, did not declare the tree miraculous, but the locals know their own and believe that the tree will not allow evil things to happen to it or in its vicinity.

A great recounting of the soil
The lord of the Troshechi gave orders to measure the soil in the spring, to increase the quantity of grain brought to him. Dominus noster justus est - he shall take six sacks of wheat. And after the fields had been measured, the young men were brought to the proper places where the manor’s grain was, that they might receive a good cutting, and so remember their place until death. Verberas magnus erat - let us know these boys. Janek from the inn, Karel from the pigs, Ales from the carpenter’s, Martin from Tachov, Simon from Hoňsobě, Petr the whistle, Matěj the curly-haired, and Olbram from Želejov, with whom, however, there is constant trouble, for he remembers his place badly even after repeated beatings!

Vashek Hanged
Death has shrouded our land with a dark cloud, for Vashek, the shepherd, was found hanged. O mors est atrox et inutilis - all Troskovice mourned for him. Vashek, who had spent his life alone, and perhaps only loved Anca from the tavern, was buried outside the holy ground, for he had taken his own life. Today, the shepherds have returned to the fatal meadow, but the hanged man’s tree continues to be circumvented. We can only give thanks to Vashek for not choosing the tree commemorating the famous battle for his heinous act, although he committed it in its vicinity. He could not have harmed the reputation and weight of the precious tree in any way.

The Brothers of the Commonwealth
Aleš and Míka, sons of the carpenter Marek, who had fallen down in age last winter, certainly did not take after their father. Ever since their uncle Josef came from Mladějov to take over their upbringing, both of them began to shun people, and various rumours began to circulate among the good people of Troskovice about how the brothers were always gloomy and did not like to stay alone with their uncle. Res etiam graviores malae factae sunt - then the brothers left their native land. But uncle Joseph forbade the brothers to look for them, and began to tell various stories about their idleness. Ambo fratres magna peccata habebant - they were said to have wanted to have devilish intercourse with their uncle. Joseph took the cottage as his own, but he still cannot manage the land formerly belonging to his brothers. For it was the younger Ales who had their borders in mind, for he had once been cut on them. This story should therefore be a warning to future generations that a new way of marking boundaries must be created.

Francek Bezočka
The young rooter, who settled in Apolena, had to come again among the honest people, because Francek, who was herding cattle on a farm, got into a cross with a bull. Taurus eum invasit - the bull can break his ouds. When the animal, enraged, rushed at the poor man, he wanted to hide in the crown of the miraculous tree, so that the tree, which does not allow evil, would protect him from the beast. But Francek, in his confusion, mistook the trees, and climbed up the oak instead of the miraculous tree. Magnum clamorem audivimus - then the real abomination happened! The bull knocked Francek down from the oak with one blow, his body was torn to pieces, and even his eye was gouged out with his horn. Although the oak is certainly not a miraculous tree, it brought Francek good luck, for he did not lose his life and returned to work after eight Sundays.

Guests of the lord of Trosky
The lord of Trosky often organizes great dances and invites important guests from all around. These events might not be of interest to our people if the Chamberlain of Trosecky did not take advantage of the situation. O tanta aviditas in corde suo - Conrad is the name of a bad servant. He often lures his master’s guests out of the castle to show them the surroundings, and on that occasion he extorts small gifts from the noble lords. Among other places, he leads the lords to a strange alley to show them the bloody tree and the tree of the hanged man and to amuse them with bloody stories. Conradus non est nostrum - only our rowan tree does not show the guests.

Margaret’s Lovers
It is not for a decent man to judge another’s love, but the circle of Margaret’s lovers is already asking to be noticed. Illa femina multum viros amat - the brothers Martin and John had time to ask her. The woman, however, did not want to return the love of the brothers and chose another man for herself, thus causing immense grief to the brothers. Pax animae Johannis - John, in his distress, threw himself off the rock! The body of John, unrequited by love, lay under the rock between Troskovice and Tachov, and was buried outside the holy ground. Tristis erat frater eis - Martin then went to meet the world. The brother of the deceased left our country after a great mourning and is said to have become a member of a knightly order in foreign lands.

Our Unique Bailiff

A capite ad calcem – we celebrate Brada to the helm.
Gloria in excelsis deo – for we esteem him so.
Consumbstantialem Patri – He belongs with us, truly!
In nomine domini – our bailiff one and only.
Qui locutus est per Prophetas – he won’t leave us to the brigands’ grasp.
Kyrie Eleison – he can handle all on his own!
Et apostolicam Ecclesiam – he is always fair to us, this man.
Dominus Deus Sabaoth – he is full of wisdom and growth.
Benedicimus te – and how learned he can be!
Et vitam venturi saeculi – he ensures we live happily.

And if people knew just one thing about him truly – Fecit ordinem in regione ope clavi ferrei