Sigrid Sveinsdatter confirms her father's gift to Erling Vidkunsson
DN 1/225 · 17 Oktbr. 1333 · Hval
What the letter says
Seven men, among them the priests at Stedje and Hval, testify that on 17 October 1333 at Hval Sir Erling Vidkunsson asked Sigrid Sveinsdatter to accept the gift her father, Svein Sigurdsson, had given him. Sigrid answered that she and her sons would need the friendship of Erling and his children. With a handshake she handed over to him a third of Hval and the whole gift, as Svein's deed of gift shows.
The letter in modern English (excerpt)
To all men who see or hear this letter, Tore Fredriksson, priest at Stedje, Jon Toresson, priest at Hval, Torstein Skolle, Narve Torlaksson, Eivind Olavsson, Jon Smørslage and Torstein Sigmundsson send God's greeting and their own and make known: On the Sunday after the winter nights [the beginning of winter in mid October] in the fifteenth year of our worthy lord Magnus, by God's mercy King of Norway, Sweden and Götaland, that is, 17 October 1333, we were present at Hval. Then Sir Erling Vidkunsson spoke to Sigrid Sveinsdatter about the gift that Svein Sigurdsson, his kinsman, had given him, so that he might have it with her good will. Sigrid answered that she and her sons would in future have need of the good friendship of Sir Erling and his children. Then Sigrid Sveinsdatter with a handshake handed over to Sir Erling, into his hands, a third of the land of Hval and the whole gift Svein Sigurdsson had given him, as Svein's deed of gift testifies. As true testimony Sigrid Sveinsdatter set her seal together with ours to this letter, which was made at the place, day and year said before.
Original text (excerpt)
Allum monnum þæim sem þetta bref sea æðr hœyra senða Thorer Friidiks son prestr a Steðiu Jon Thoress son prestr a Huaale Thostein skolle Narue Thorlaaks son Œyuinðr Olafs son Jon smiorslaga ok Thostein Sigmunðar son q. g. ok sina yðr se kunnikt at a sunnudagen nesta eftir vetrnetr a fimtanða are rikis waars vyrðuleghs herra Maghnusar með guðs miskun Noreghs Sya ok Gota konunghs. warom ver hia a Huaale er herra Erlingr Wikunnar son talaðe till Sighriiðar Sueins dottor vm giof þa sem Suein Sigurða
Background
Erling Vidkunsson of Bjarkøy and Giske had been drottsete, regent, until 1332, and he gathered a great deal of land across the whole country. Hval probably lay in Sogn, since the priest at Stedje in Sogndal was present. Svein Sigurdsson was a kinsman of Erling, and the heir had to accept the gift for it to stand against claims of inheritance later. The letter is a letter of testimony about a handshake, the old way of entering into a binding agreement. It also shows how land and friendship were bound together: Sigrid gave up land and in return received protection from one of the most powerful men in the realm. Hval appears again in 1378, when Sigurd Havtoresson held the farm.
People: Erling Vidkunsson