Alv Knutsson buys the deserted farm Ålesetter
DN 1/966 · 24 April 1490 · Giske
What the letter says
Tideman Jonsson and Jon Eriksson, members of the lawcourt in Romsdal, testify that on 24 April 1490 at Giske Kort Hansson sold the deserted farm Ålesetter in Vatne parish in Sunnmøre to Sir Alv Knutsson. The farm passed to Alv and his heirs as odal and property for ever. Alv paid at once in silver and copper, as they had agreed.
The letter in modern English (excerpt)
To all who see or hear this letter, Tideman Jonsson and Jon Eriksson, sworn members of the lawcourt in Romsdal, send God's greeting and their own. We make known that we were at Giske on the day after St George's Day (23 April), that is, 24 April, in the year of our Lord 1490. There we saw and heard that the modest man Kort Hansson sold to the well-born man Sir Alv Knutsson a deserted farm (abandoned farm) called Ålesetter. It lies within Hollo [uncertain interpretation] in Vatne church parish in Sunnmøre. The farm was sold with all the shares and benefits that belong to it and have belonged to it from old and new times, outside the fence and inside, without any rent (land rent) held back, free and lawfully warranted against anyone. It passes from Kort Hansson and his heirs to Sir Alv Knutsson and his heirs, as ancient property and odal and as property for ever. Sir Alv at once paid the first and the greatest penny, in silver and copper, as was agreed in the purchase, so Kort was well satisfied. In witness of this we hang our seals under this letter, which was made on the day and in the year named above.
Original text (excerpt)
Allom mannom them som thette breff see eller høyra sender Thidheman Jonsson ok Jon Eriksson sworne laghretthiss men j Romsdhall q. g. ok syna kwnukth gørendhe ath meer worom a Giska daghin efftir sancte Jheorgii dagh anno domini m cd nonagesimo soghom ok hørdom ath beskedheligh man Korth Hansson soldhe welbwrdwgh man her Alff Knwthsson eyn ødhe gordh som Aala setthir heytyr som liggir jnnen fore Hollo ok j Watthne kirkio sokn a Swnmøre med allom them lwthwm ok lwnnendhom som ther thill liggir ok
Background
A deserted farm (ødegård) was a farm that had been abandoned and lay unused. After the Black Death in 1349 and later outbreaks of disease many farms were deserted, and in the late Middle Ages landowners could buy such farms cheaply and hope to have them settled again. Alv Knutsson of Tre Rosor owned the Giske estate, and the letter shows that he was gathering land around the estate from Giske. The seller Kort Hansson has a name that suggests German origin, which was common among traders in western Norway in the Hanseatic period, but the letter says nothing about who he was. That the payment was made in silver and copper shows how metals were still used in settlements. The lawcourt members were sworn witnesses, and their seals made the purchase valid.
People: Alv Knutsson