Old men testify about Toltestad in Vågå
DN 1/1048 · 14 March 1516 · Kongsgaard p. Dovre
What the letter says
At the royal farm at Dovre on 14 March 1516, Nils Amundsson, who is over 80 years old and has lived at Toltestad all his life, testifies that Alv Knutsson bought the farm from Lady Kirstin's heirs. It happened in the autumn after Alv had killed Lasse Jensson, Hartvig Krummedike's bailiff in Hedmarken, while Hartvig held Akershus. No one had laid claim to the farm in the time of Alv, Lady Magnhild or Knut Alvsson, until Hans Krukow wished to claim it a year ago. Berdor Ivarsson at Dovre, over 60 years old, testifies the same, and both offer to swear to it.
The letter in modern English (excerpt)
To all men who see this letter or hear it read: I, Nils Amundsson, make known by this my open letter that my father lived at Toltestad all his life, and that after his death I have lived all my life at the same Toltestad. I am now over eighty years old, and I remember well that Lord Alv Knutsson bought this Toltestad from Lady Kirstin's heirs, to own for ever for himself and his heirs. When Lord Alv Knutsson bought this estate, Lord Hartvig Krummedike held Akershus castle. The winter before, Lord Alv Knutsson had struck dead Lasse Jensson, who was Lord Hartvig's bailiff in Hedmarken. The following autumn he bought Toltestad and the estate, and then he collected the first land rent from it. Since then I have lived at Toltestad all my life until now. I have never heard or learned that the estate was ever claimed or challenged, neither at a thing nor at a meeting nor anywhere else, neither in Lord Alv Knutsson's time, in Lady Magnhild's time, in Lord Knut Alvsson's time nor after his death, until a year ago, when I heard it said that Hans Krukow wished to lay claim to it. To this I bind myself, so help me God and all the saints, that it truly happened as is written here. I will also swear to it on book and relic when I am asked to. Likewise I, Berdor Ivarsson at Dovre, make known that I am over sixty years old. As far back as I can remember, Lord Alv Knutsson and his
Original text (excerpt)
Ollom monnom thetta breff see eller høre læses bekennes iak Nils Amwndsson med thesse mynno opne breffwe ath myn fader boodhe po Toltestad allan syn alder ok iæk hæffwer æfther hans dødh allan myn alder booth po fornemde Toltestad ok ær iæk nw øffuer otte tye aare gamal ok mynnes mik nw thet granth ath her Alff Knwtson køpte tidth næmde Toltestad aff ffrw Kirstins ærwinge: sik ok sine ærwinge til æwærdeligh æghe. Ok po dhen same tidth her Alff Knwtson køpte dhee godz doo hade her Hartwik K(r)ome
Background
Alv Knutsson of Tre Rosor (died c. 1496) was the father of Knut Alvsson, and Lady Magnhild was Alv's wife Magnhild Oddsdatter. After Knut Alvsson was declared an outlaw in 1502, his properties were contested, and here we see that another man, Hans Krukow, tried to get hold of one of the farms. Such letters of testimony from the oldest people in the district were common: when there was no deed of purchase, long and undisputed possession could be proved by people's memory. That the witness is the tenant farmer who has lived on the farm for two generations gives the testimony weight. The killing of the bailiff Lasse Jensson probably belongs to the bitter feud between Alv Knutsson and Hartvig Krummedike around 1460, which is also known from other letters. Land rent was the annual rent the tenant farmer paid, and the first land rent marked that Alv had taken over as owner.
People: Alv Knutsson, Magnhild Oddsdatter, Knut Alvsson