Erling Vidkunsson has paid for the farm Stofrheim
DN 1/208 · 15 March 1330 · Bergen
What the letter says
Bishop Audfinn of Bergen testifies on 15 March 1330 that he has seen the letter in which the canons Jon Arnesson and Arne Kolbeinsson confirm that the drottsete Erling Vidkunsson paid them 25 mark of refined silver for the land of Stofrheim. The bishop has now himself received seven mark of refined silver for the same land for St Torlak's altar in the Church of the Cross in Bergen. With this the whole purchase price has been paid.
The letter in modern English (excerpt)
To all who see or hear this letter, friends of God and of his own, Audfinn, by God's mercy Bishop of Bergen, sends God's greeting and his own. Let it be known to you that in the year when one thousand three hundred and thirty winters had passed since the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, on the Ides of March (15 March), we saw the letter from Sira Jon Arnesson and Sira Arne Kolbeinsson, our korsbrødre [canons of the cathedral], with hanging seals, which is attached to this letter. It testifies that they had received from Sir Erling Vidkunsson, the king's drottsete in Norway, twenty five mark brent (mark brent sølv: mark of refined silver) for the land of Stofræim. Now we have received seven mark brent for the same land for St Torlak's altar in the Church of the Cross in Bergen. In truth that everything has now been paid, we set our seal to this letter, which was made in Bergen on the said day and year.
Original text (excerpt)
Allum monnum þeim sem þetta bref sea eðr hœyra, guðs vinum ok sinum sender Auðfinnr með guðs miskunn biskup j Biorghuin q. g. ok siina, yðr see kunnight at a þi ꜳre er liðit var fra burðartiið vars herra Jesu Christi þushundrað vetra, þriu hundrað vetra, ok þriatighi vetra, ydibus Martij, sꜳm ver bref sira Jons Arna sonar ok sira Arna Kolbæins sonar korsbrœðra vꜳra með hangandom jnsighlum, er her með fæst er so vꜳttar at þeir hafðu tekit af herra Erllingi Viðkunnar syni drotseta konongs j Noregh
Background
Erling Vidkunsson of Giske and Bjarkøy was drottsete, regent, for King Magnus Eriksson from 1323 to 1332, and in these years he bought a great deal of land. Other letters show that Stofrheim in Fjordane was conveyed to him in 1324, and that the purchase price according to Lady Torbjørg's testament was to go to clergy in Bergen. The church was a major recipient of such testamentary gifts, and the bishop's letter ensured that no one could later claim that anything remained unpaid. Mark brent means a mark of refined silver, and 32 mark brent was a considerable sum. The letter shows how wealth from land, church and testaments was bound together in Bergen.
People: Erling Vidkunsson