Erling Vidkunsson buys the farm Bleike in Asker
DN 1/190 · 13 Septbr. 1327 · Bergen
What the letter says
In Bergen on 13 September 1327 Ole Helgesson and Ragnhild Kolbeinsdatter sell the land of Bleike in Asker, six markebol, to the drottsete Erling Vidkunsson and his heirs. They confirm that they have received 30 mark of refined silver in payment. The letter also sets out how the land rent is to be converted if it is paid in English money.
The letter in modern English (excerpt)
To all men who see or hear this letter, Ole Helgesson and Ragnhild Kolbeinsdatter send God's greeting and their own. We two make known to you that we have sold and handed over from ourselves to Sir Erling Vidkunsson, drottsete (the highest governor of the realm) for our worthy lord Magnus, King of Norway, Sweden and Götaland, and to his heirs, for perpetual ownership and free disposal, with all rights old and new, the land of Bleike, six markebol (land rent of one mark a year), which lies in Asker church parish. Each øresbol (land rent of one øre) is reckoned at four old mark, in such a way that where payment is made in English money, four mark of refined silver (pure, purified silver) shall be paid for each three øre bol [uncertain interpretation]. We also acknowledge and confirm with this letter that we have received from Sir Erling thirty mark of refined silver as payment for this land. As true testimony we set our seals to this letter, which was made in Bergen on the eve of the autumn Feast of the Cross (13 September) in the ninth year of the reign of our said lord the king (1327).
Original text (excerpt)
Ollum monnum þeim sem þetta bref sea ædr hœyra senda Ole Hælga son ok Ragnilldr Kolbeins dotter Q. g. ok sina vit gerum ydr kunnict at vit hafuum sælt ok afhent okr, herra Erllingi Vidkunnar syni drotzseta okars virdulegs herra Magnusar Noregs Swya ok Gota konongs ok hans erfwingium, till æfuenlegrar eighnar ok freals forrædes med allum lunyndum fornum ok nyium jordena Bleiku sex markabol er liggr i Aska kirkiu sokn huært œyris bol firir fiorar mærkr fornar, a þenna haatt at þar sem ensker penin
Background
Erling Vidkunsson of Bjarkøy and Giske was drottsete, that is, regent, from 1323 to 1332 under the young King Magnus Eriksson, and he gathered a great deal of land across the whole country. The letter is a deed of conveyance, a document that transfers ownership to the buyer. A markebol was a share of land that yielded one mark in annual land rent, that is, rent from the tenant farmer. Refined silver (brent sølv) means pure, purified silver, and at this time values were reckoned in silver by weight. That English money is mentioned shows that English coin was in circulation in Norway through the trade across the North Sea. The purchase was made in Bergen, even though the land lay in Asker, which suggests that Erling and the sellers met there.
People: Erling Vidkunsson