Jon Marteinsson receives land as compensation for two stallions
DN 1/464 · 20 July 1380 · Holm
What the letter says
The knight Knut Algotsson and eleven other men bear witness that at the thing (assembly) in Holm in Nordal hundred on 20 July 1380 Torgrim Fugl paid Jon Marteinsson with his property Asnaby in Holm parish and Kolanger in Ør parish. The payment was for two stallions Torgrim had taken from Jon and for other offences. The property was conveyed to permanent ownership with the whole hundred present.
The letter in modern English (excerpt)
Be it known to all good men, both those who come after and those who live now, that we, Knut Algotsson, knight, Jeppe Petersson, Andres in Byrstad, dean, Hemming in Ør, Håkon in Grimstad and Jakob in Frændefors, parish priests, Anund Signesson, Torgrim in Frøstensbyn, Redhar in Brunna, Stenar in Marken, Olav Stenvarsson and Torgeir Skak, were present, heard and saw at the thing in Holm in Nordal hundred, in the year 1380 after God's birth, on the Mass of Margaret (20 July): Torgrim Fugl paid the honourable and upright man Jon Martensson with his property Asnaby in Holm parish and Kolanger in Ør parish in Nordal hundred, with all the rights that lie with it and of old have lain with it, outside and inside the fence, in wet and dry, without any exception. It was for the two stallions which he [illegible] from Jon Martensson home to Torstein kung [uncertain reading], and for other offences which he lag [illegible] felt was. He admitted it himself, and the whole of Dal knows it. Then Torgrim Fugl had Tord in Rud lawfully convey the said property with skaft og skjel (the old form of conveyance) from himself and his heirs to Jon Martensson and his heirs to own for ever. Torgrim himself held on to the conveyance, and his brother Skjoldulv, and all of us who are named, with the whole hundred present. For further confirmation and witness we hang our seals to this letter, which was written at the same place and on the day, year and time named above. Endors
Original text (excerpt)
Thæt se allom godhom mannom viterlikit swa them som æfter coma som them som nu æræ at vi Knut Alguzson riddare. Jæppe Pæ- tærsson. Andres j Byrstadha prouast. Hæmming j Øør. Haquon j Grimstadha. Jæcop j Frændæfors. kirkio præstæ. Anund Sighneson. Thorgriim j Frøstensbynom. Redhar j Brunena. Stenar j Markene. Olaf Stenuarson. ok Thorgeer skak. nær varom. hørdhom ok saghom a thingene j Holm j Nordhdalshærædh aret æfter guz byrdh thusanda arom thry hundradha ok attatighi arom a sancte Margarete dag
Background
Nordal hundred lies in Dalsland, which was then part of Sweden. Jon Marteinsson (Rømer) married Agnes, daughter of Sigurd Havtoresson and Ingeborg Erlingsdatter, and their son Sigurd Jonsson later became owner of Giske. The letter is a letter of testimony from the thing and shows how theft and other offences could be settled by the debtor paying with land. Horses were costly, and two stallions were a great value. The conveyance took place according to old custom with witnesses and with the parties holding on to the conveyance, so that the whole district could confirm that the property had changed hands. The letter shows that Jon Marteinsson also owned or acquired property in the border areas between Norway and Sweden.
People: Jon Marteinsson