Jon Martinsson receives land in Skjoldungeberg
DN 1/557 · 23 March 1397 · Am Kirke
What the letter says
The lawrightmen Bjørn Ivarsson and Øyvind Håkonsson make known that on 23 March 1397 in the church at Am they saw Havtor Finkjelsson give six øresbol of land in Skjoldungeberg in Hovin parish in Furnes to Jon Martinsson. The gift applies with everything that belongs to the farm, to own for ever.
The letter in modern English (excerpt)
Be it known to all good men that we two, Bjørn Ivarsson and Øyvind Håkonsson, lawrightmen, were in the church at Am, which lies in Swadabu, on the Friday before the Mass of Mary in Lent (the Annunciation, 25 March) in the eighth year of the reign of our worthy lord, Sir Eirik, by the grace of God king of Norway [1397]. We were present, saw and heard Havtor Finkjelsson take the honourable man Jon Martinsson by the hand and give him six øresbol (land with a land rent worth six øre) of land in Skjoldungeberg, which lies in Hovin church parish in Furnes, with all rights and appurtenances, old and new, outside the fence and inside. The gift applies in permanent ownership and with full right of disposal, with all the right he can have from it. In truth of this we two set our seals to this letter, which was made at the time said before. Endorsement: On the back in a later hand: Letter about Skjoldungeberg in Hedmarken.
Original text (excerpt)
Þet se ollom godom monnom kunigt att mit Biorn Ifuærsson ok Æiuindær Hakonsson. logrettæ men varom j kirkiu a Am sæm ligger j Swadabu freadaghen nestæ firir Marie møsso j langæfosto a viij aare rikis okkars vyrdoligs herræ herræ Æiriks medær guds naad Noregs konongs þui j hia saom ok høyrdom a. att Hafthoor Finkælsson helt j hond hæidærlighom manne Joone Martæinssyni ok gaf honom sex auræ- boll jærdær j Skioldungæberge sem ligger j Hofwinæ kirkiu sokn a Furnese medær ollom lunnindom ok tillægiom
Background
Jon Martinsson (Rømer) was married to Agnes, daughter of Sigurd Havtoresson and Ingeborg Erlingsdatter, and was the father of Sigurd Jonsson, who later won Giske in the inheritance dispute. The letter is a deed of gift confirmed by two lawrightmen (lagrettemenn), local men who took part in judging at the thing and often bore witness in land transactions. An øresbol is land that yielded an annual land rent worth one øre. The letter does not say why Havtor gave away the land; such gifts could be payment for services or settlement of a debt. In the same year the Kalmar Union was concluded, with Eric of Pomerania as common king for Norway, Denmark and Sweden.
People: Jon Marteinsson