INN KEEPER FROM TURKU
I am Valborg Eskil’s daughter, an inn hostess. My husband Jöns was the keeper before, but now he has passed away. May God be merciful on his soul. It didn’t help much, even though I knelt in front of the altar of the Holy Kristoforus in the Cathedral every day. Just like that my husband died, all of a sudden, without regrets in the street in a cold early Autumn night. Now I am not sure, if I can continue to keep the inn, as I am a widow. I do get some help from the servant girl Birgitta and the servant Anders, even though they are both slow and stubborn. I have beer, food and a place to stay to offer to the town people and the travellers. The beer is well liked, but the travellers don’t always want to eat my fine bread and pea porridge. Sometimes it is not so easy to get paid either. Some also say my house is dirty and full of smoke. As the days pass I do see all kinds of people, low and mighty. The past summer, in the year of Grace 1457, it was very restless here in our town. Weapons have clattered and all kinds of rumours are circling. It has been told that the country should choose a new king to replace Carl Knutsson. Around mid summer there was a large group of people gathering here in Turku to confirm the election of Kristian of Oldenburg as king. The Finns didn’t feel like going all the way to Sweden to elect the king. And what was worst: the election meeting in Turku was held in Gertrud’s guild cottage. Aren’t there any better facilities in this town for these kind of meetings, I only ask!
A Tavern at the Market Place I II
LINKS
Medieval North-European Diet
