Fru Inger explains to Canon Henrik why she took over Rein Abbey
DN 10/632 · 10 April 1531 · Österaat
What the letter says
Fru Ingerd Ottesdatter writes from Austrått on Easter Monday 1531 to Canon Master Henrik in Trondheim and thanks him for the kindness he showed her daughter Lucie when she was in the town. She tells how the abbess and sisters of Rein Abbey complained that the abbey was falling into decay and had too little income, and that they therefore chose her as warden. She was to help with the buildings, give the sisters clothing and food and keep good order, so that no one else would take the abbey's revenue and squander it. She asks Henrik to get the archbishop to return the silver, gold, money and treasures.
The letter in modern English
Friendly, loving greeting always sent with God. Especially good friend, dear Master Henrik, I thank you for all the good you have always shown me, especially towards my daughter Lucie at the time I was in Trondheim etc. I will always gladly repay it to you according to my power and means, wherever I am able to do any good etc. Likewise, dear Master Henrik, you must know that when I was at Rein Abbey some time ago, among other talk it came up that the good lady abbess and the sisters of the whole convent there complained that the abbey was close to falling into decay, and the lady abbess had very little means to build it up, either with buildings or other things that are now needed daily. For the abbey's revenue is much smaller than anyone believes, and there was not much silver and money there to help the abbey with. Therefore we agreed with one another that the good sisters chose me as their warden with all their will and consent, so that I should help the abbey with buildings, provide the poor sisters with clothing and food and keep the abbey in good, orderly fashion and Christian rule, as my letter that I have given them itself shows. And it was done out of great fear and danger that someone else should come and take it by force and lay the poor place waste, take the abbey's revenue and keep up the vanity of the world with it and uselessly consume and squander it.
Original text
Venlig kierligh hilssen altiid mett gud forszend. Szønderligen gode venn kiere mesther Henriich tacker ieg etther ffor altt gott som j haffue meg altiid beuisth szønderligen emodt mynn dotter Lucij thenn tiid ieg wor vtj Trondhem etc. huilchit ieg viil altiid giernne mett etther fforschiille epther mynn magt oc formoge ehuor ieg gott formaa etc.
Background
Master Henrik was a canon at the cathedral in Nidaros, and the DN summary identifies him as Henrik Nilsson. Fru Inger wrote the same day to Archbishop Olav Engelbrektsson himself (DN 10/631), and this letter is an attempt to reach him through a man close to him. Here she explains her reasons further: the abbey was founded by kings, princes, good men and her forefathers, and she could show this with their letters and her own. She also writes that her children were named in the letter she gave the abbey, so that one of her daughters, as a widow or a maiden, could enter the abbey and become warden after her. This suggests that she saw the abbey as part of the family's responsibilities and opportunities. The daughter Lucie is probably the same Lucie whom Vincens Lunge mentions in a letter of December 1531 (DN 8/657).
People: Ingerd Ottesdatter (fru Inger)