The daily life of a peasant child
By McKayla Dillman-Brault
September 1st 1347: My mistress had told me that she thought that every girl should have a diary. I used to be in a very high class but everyone in my family except me and my brother had died of the Black Death so we were orphaned and we were put in a home for the price of being a peasant. The reason I could write is because I was in a higher class and I got a good education. I will not tell anyone because they would think that I was a witch and I promise you that I am not a witch.
September 2nd: Today I had to tend to the garden, tend to the animals and make breakfast, lunch, and dinner for my mistress. Tomorrow I must go to church because I am catholic and the church insisted that everyone must come to church and pay a tax so that we can go to heaven. I know I am going to heaven because I paid every time I went there. I got all the money that I found on the ground on the way to church.
September 3rd: I hate this life! Everything was so simple when my mom and my father were alive! Today I had to harvest all the wheat from the field and I also had to tend to the garden which I also had to harvest some of the vegetables but I did it all to please my mistress.
December 23rd: Sorry for not writing in you for a while but the Black Death came back! My brother has the Black Death! Why would God punish my brother so? He worked very hard to please our mistress and he worked all day and mostly all night he basically never sleeps. He works long and hard. I love him with all my heart and soul.
December 24th: Dear Diary my brother has gotten worse! He has these black spots and he can't move one of his arms. It looked so dreadful!
Christmas Eve: My brother has woken me up because he couldn't move his legs and his arms and he had this large pain in his feet and he got more black spots on his face. I have to get on with another subject because I am starting to cry on these beautiful pages. Tomorrow I have to cook the breakfast, lunch and dinner for my mistress and her family. I heard from another peasant in the house that our mistress's mother and grandmother are really mean to peasants. I could not help but have a shiver down my spine. Did you know that our mistress's husband is really mean to us?
December 25th (Christmas day) it is Christmas today! I am sad though because my brother is sick. He has gotten even worse than the other time. My mistress gave everyone presents! I got a piece of jewelry it wasn't as pretty as our mistress because we cannot dress more than what we are. It was a gorgeous broche that had diamonds in the middle and the outside was lined with gold and pearls. She had told me that when she saw it had reminded her of me. I thought it was the most gorgeous thing in the whole world!
December 26th, I think living in the town would be easier because your resources are right there in the town square but we live on the farm in the country and it is really hard but there is always something to do there.

The End