Svein Sigurdsson gives the drottsete land in Sogn
DN 1/207 · 1 January 1330 · Tunsberg
What the letter says
On 1 January 1330, in the sacristy of the Franciscans in Tønsberg, Svein Sigurdsson gives the drottsete Erling Vidkunsson a third of the farm Hval in Sogndal, forty månedsmatsbol, with meadow, sixty kyrlag of the livestock, four horses, tools and his share in the mill by the waterfall. He also gives six månedsmatsbol in Valaberg, which pays three barrels of tar a year. After Erling's death his daughter Gyrid is to have it all, because as a child Svein met with great kindness from Erling's mother, Lady Gyrid.
The letter in modern English (excerpt)
To all who see or hear this letter, Svein Sigurdsson sends God's greeting and his own. I announce that I, because of the love, the friendship and the great kindness I have always met with from Sir Erling Vidkunsson, the king's drottsete in Norway, ever since I first came to know him, give and hand over to him these lands of mine: First a third of Hval, forty månedsmatsbol (land rent equal to one month's food), which lies in Sogndal in Sogn, and one man's work of meadow (meadow one man mows in a day) called Mykleåker, together with sixty kyrlag (the value of sixty cows) which he may choose himself from the livestock and movables of mine at Hval, with four horses, farm tools and brewing equipment [uncertain interpretation]. In addition all my share in the mill by the waterfall. Further six månedsmatsbol in Valaberg, which yields three barrels of tar in rent, and two månedsmatslag of grain by measure [uncertain interpretation]. These lands I have given and handed over to him with forest and all rights that belong and have belonged to them from old and new times, outside the farm and inside. Should I come to own more in Hval, I have given him that too, on the same terms as mentioned. After his death I want Gyrid, his daughter, to take and own all these gifts, because of the great kindness I met with from Lady Gyrid, the drottsete's mother, when I was a child. This gift I gave in the sacristy of the barefoot friars (the Franciscans) in Tønsberg on the eighth day of Chri
Original text (excerpt)
Ollum monnum þæim sem þatta bref sia edr hæyra sæindir Suæin Sigurda son Q. guds ok sina ydr gerer ek kunnikt at sakar kærlæika frendzæimi ok mykils goduilia er ek hefuer iafnan ræynt af herræ Erlingi Vikunnar syni drozeta konungs j Norighi sidan fyrsta er ek kæindizt vidr han. Gefuer ek hanum ok afhæindir mer þesser minar iarder fyrst þridiungin j Huaale fioratighi manada mata boll er liggar j Soknadale j Soghne ok æit manzuærk æingiar er Myklæikra æitir med sextighi kyrloghum þæim sem han vil
Background
Erling Vidkunsson was drottsete, that is, head of the regency government, while King Magnus Eriksson was a child, and he gathered a great deal of land in these years. The deed of gift shows that such gifts rested on personal ties and gratitude, and that powerful men received land from people who were in their debt or sought their protection. A månedsmatsbol was a unit of land based on how much rent it yielded, and a kyrlag was the value of a cow, a common unit of payment. That Valaberg paid rent in tar shows that forest and tar burning were an important source of income in Sogn. The daughter Gyrid is probably Gyrid Erlingsdatter, sister of Ingeborg who later received Giske, and mother of Margrete Eilivsdatter. The lawmen who sealed the letter gave the gift legal security.
People: Erling Vidkunsson, Gyrid Erlingsdatter, Gyrid Andresdatter