Sigurd and Ingebjørg buy a sixth of Senja
DN 1/394 · 8 April 1367 · Bjarkö
Through Ingebjørg Erlingsdatter both Giske and the Bjarkøy estate came to Sigurd Havtoresson. Here the couple buy a larger share of Senja, which belonged to the northern estate.
What the letter says
Six men, led by Philippus Gudbrandsson, canon in Nidaros, declare that they were at Bjarkøy on the Thursday before Palm Sunday, 8 April 1367. There they saw Holte Gunnarsson, with full authority from Sir Sigurd Havtoresson, and Arne Eiriksson strike hands. Holte bought for Sir Sigurd and Lady Ingebjørg Erlingsdatter the sixth part of Senja that Arne had owned jointly with them, with land, woods, sealing grounds, fishing stations and hunting places. The price was ten mark forngild, paid in three cows, grain, flour and malt by Holy Cross Day in the spring.
The letter in modern English
To all men who see or hear this letter, Philippus Gudbrandsson, canon in Nidaros, Erlend Eiriksson, Sigurd Gudlaugsson, Kolbein Jonsson, Jon Finnsson and Bjarnhard Jonsson send God's greeting and their own. We wish to make known to you that we were present at Bjarkøy on the Thursday before Palm Sunday in the year of our Lord 1367 and in the twelfth year of the reign of our worthy lord Sir Håkon, by God's grace King of Norway. We saw and heard their words and speech with a full handshake, on the one side Holte Gunnarsson with full authority from Sir Sigurd Havtoresson, and on the other side Arne Eiriksson. It was done on the condition that the said Holte bought from the said Arne, on behalf of Sir Sigurd and Lady Ingebjørg Erlingsdatter, the sixth part that the said Arne owned in Senja jointly with the often-mentioned Sir Sigurd and Lady Ingebjørg. It shall belong to them and their heirs as odal and everlasting property, with no right of redemption, away from Arne and his heirs. This covers everything that has belonged to this share from of old and of new, in land, woods, sealing grounds, fishing stations, hunting places and all other parts and appurtenances, small and great, within the farmyard and outside it.
Original text
Ollum monnum þæim sem þetta bref sea ædr hœyra senda Philippus Gudbrandzson korsbrodr j Nidarose. Ellendr Eiriksson. Siughurddr Gudlauksson Kolbæin Jonsson Jon Fiinz son ok Biarnarder Jons son Q. g. ok sina. mær vilium ydr kunnikt gæra. at þar varom mer j hia j Biærkrœy a þorsdaghen nesta firir palmsunnu. anno domini mo. ccco. lxo. septimo. ok a tolfta are rikis vaars vyrdulighs herra Hakonar mæd guds naad Noreghs kononghs. saam ok hœyrdum [ord ok ta]lu þæira. mæd fullu handabande.
Background
Ingebjørg Erlingsdatter was the daughter of the drottsete Erling Vidkunsson, and through her both Giske and the large Bjarkøy estate in northern Norway came to Sigurd Havtoresson of Sudreim. Senja was part of this northern estate, and with the purchase the couple became owners of a larger share of the island. Sealing grounds were places where seals were caught, and fishing stations were harbours and shores where fishermen lived during the fishing season, and the owner took rent for their use. Mark forngild was an old way of reckoning value, and here the sum was settled in goods: three cows were counted as three marks, and grain was counted at eight skjepper for each mark. The payment in grain, flour and malt shows that grain was valuable in the north, where little of it grew. The receipt for the payment survives in a separate letter of 4 May the same year (DN 1/395). The letter is dated by the reign of King Håkon VI.