Lady Gjørvel of Giske is paid in gold in Lund
DN 1/1105 · 31 Oktbr. 1546 · Lund
What the letter says
Knud Gyldenstierne and Axel Urne testify in Lund on 31 October 1546 that they saw Gregers, Lave and Jens, the sons of Lord Truid Ulfstand, count out and hand over 347 double ducats and 261 angels to Lady Gjørvel Fadersdatter of Giske. The payment concerned 1100 Hungarian guilders. Each double ducat was reckoned at three thalers and each angel at two thalers and one Danish mark.
The letter in modern English (excerpt)
We who are named below, Knud Gyldenstierne of Tim and Axel Urne of Søgård, acknowledge and make known to all by this our open letter: In the year 1546 after God's birth, the Sunday before the Day of the Apostles Simon and Jude (28 October), we were asked by the honourable and well-born lady, Lady Gørvel Fadersdatter of Giske, to be present. We heard and saw here in Lund, in Hans Holst's house, that Gregers, Lave and Jens, the sons of Lord Truid Ulfstand of Torup, had counted out and handed over to the said Lady Gørvel three hundred and forty-seven double ducats and two hundred and sixty-one angels (English gold coins), for eleven hundred Hungarian guilders. Each double ducat was reckoned at three thalers, and each angel at two thalers and one Danish mark. This is fully known to us in truth. In witness we have pressed our signets beneath this our open letter, given and written in Lund on the Saturday after the Day of the Apostles Simon and Jude in the year 1546. Endorsement: On the back, contemporary: This letter concerns the gold that Lord Truid's children handed over to Lady Gørvel Fadersdatter.
Original text (excerpt)
Wij effterschreffne Knudt Gyldennsternn till Thym och Axell Vrne till Siøgaardt kendis och giør witterligtt for alle mett thette wortt obne breff att aar effter gudts byrdt mdxlvj then søndagh nesth for sanctorum Simonis et Jude apostolorum dagh wore wij tilbedenn aff erligh och welbyrdige frue frue Giørill Fadersdather till Gitzske hørde och saage heer vdj Lundt i Hans Holstis hussz att Gregers Lauge och Jens her Trudt Vlffstanndt till Torup sønner lodt kaste och tilltelle forschreffne frue Giø
Background
Gjørvel Fadersdatter was a Swedish-Danish noblewoman who owned Giske and was married to Truid Ulfstand, a Danish nobleman from Scania. Gregers, Lave and Jens are Truid's sons, probably from an earlier marriage, and the payment was probably a settlement between them and Gjørvel over money or inheritance after Truid died. The letter is a letter of testimony in which two noblemen confirm that the money was really paid, so that the matter could not be reopened. Ducats and angels were foreign gold coins, and the sum shows how rich the nobility in Denmark was at this time. That Gjørvel is called «of Giske» shows that Giske was now part of a Danish noble estate run from Scania, far from Sunnmøre.
People: Gjørvel Fadersdatter (Sparre)