Alv Knutsson summons the priest of Hoff to Hjelpesten
DN 1/911 · 31 May 1475 · Hofstav
What the letter says
Two lagrette men in Toten announce that they were in the Hoff living room (Hoffstuen) on 31 May 1475 and heard Olav Jensson, Sir Alv Knutsson's servant, speak to Master Eiliv on Sir Alv's behalf. He asked him to come to the farm of Hjelpesten the following Tuesday to hear the witnesses Sir Alv wished to bring about Hjelpesten.
The letter in modern English
Let it be known to all good men that we, Amund Amundsson and Vilhelm Sigurdsson, sworn men of the lagrette in Toten, were in the Hoff living room in Toten on the Wednesday after Corpus Christi (31 May) in the year of our Lord 1475, and heard Sir Alv Knutsson's servant Olav Jensson speak to Master Eiliv on Sir Alv's behalf and say: «My lord Sir Alv Knutsson bade me ask you to come to Hjelpesten on the coming Tuesday and hear Sir Alv's witnesses about what he had to put forward concerning Hjelpesten.» For greater certainty of this we hang our seals to this letter, which was made on the day and in the year stated above.
Original text
Thet see allom godom monnom kunnocth thet jek Amund Am(un)dhsson ok Wiliem Siwrdhsson swarne laurettes men a Toten at wi worom j Hofstauen a Totne miduike daghen nest epter helie lekame daagh anno domini m cd lxxv hørdom apa ath her Alf Knutsson(s) tenere Olof Iensson talede tiil mester Eleiff apa her Alfss wegne ok sagde saa min herre her Alf Knutsson loot bidie eder at i skulde komme til Hielpe stene tiist daghen nw nest kommer ok høre her Alfss witne ther vm hwad han hafde ther at late gange
Background
Alv Knutsson of Tre Rosor, grandson of Katarina Jonsdatter through his mother, owned much land in Toten, a good deal of it through his wife Magnhild Oddsdatter. According to DN, Master Eiliv was the parish priest of Hoff, and the title master shows that he had studied at a university. The priest of Hoff himself had a share in Hjelpesten, and the dispute probably concerned who was to have the land rent from the farm. The letter is a summons: Alv had the priest formally called to the taking of evidence, so that he could not later say it had been done behind his back. The witness statements taken at Hjelpesten on 6 June are in the next letter (DN 1/912).
People: Alv Knutsson