Fru Inger forwards a letter from Vincens Lunge to the archbishop
DN 11/612 · 26 April 1535 · Österaat
What the letter says
Fru Inger writes from Austrått on 26 April 1535 to Archbishop Olav Engelbrektsson. She sends him a letter she received the day before from her son-in-law Vincens Lunge, a letter that had been left lying on Fosen for a while, and asks for fresh news. She also asks for news of the messenger who crossed the mountains with letters from them both. Finally she promises to send the archbishop fresh butter when the butter begins to turn yellow.
The letter in modern English
My humble and loving greeting always sent before with our Lord Jesus Christ. Dearest lord, may almighty God always grant me to hear and ask good news of the fortune, health and welfare of Your Grace's life. Dearest lord, I thank Your Grace's dignity humbly and lovingly for Your Grace's letter and for all the other honour, kindness, good help and comfort that Your Grace has always shown me. May almighty God reward Your Grace for it, and I will gladly repay it in my poor humility as best I can. Dearest lord, Your Grace should know that yesterday I received a letter that herr Vincens [Lunge] has written to me. It was sent here with Olav Ammaffwer [uncertain reading of the name], and it has lain on Fosen until now. I send that letter to Your Grace with Anders Krabbe's servant. I understand that all the news he knew and had heard at that time is written in it. Dearest lord, I gladly ask Your Grace to write to me what news Your Grace has had since, or whether Your Grace has had any news of the fellow who went over the mountains with Your Grace's letters and mine. Dear lord, Your Grace's servant gave me to understand that Your Grace wished for some fresh butter for Your Grace's own use. I shall keep that in mind and remember it when God wills that the butter begins to turn a little yellow.
Original text
Mynn ydmygelig och kierlig helssenn althiid tillforn sendtt mett vor herre Jesu Christo. Allerkieriste herre eders naadis liiff lyche helssenn och velfferdtt vndne meg then alzommeictigiste gud altiid till eders naade att høre och spørre. Allerkieriste herre tacker jeg eders naadis verdighedtt ydmygelig och kierlig for eders naadis till scriffwelsse och for ald andnen ære dyd och gott hielp och trøst som eders naade meg altiid bewiist haffue hvilkiid eders naade thenn alszommeictigiste gud
Background
Fru Inger was the widow of the councillor of the realm Nils Henriksson and lived at Austrått on Ørland, at the mouth of the Trondheimsfjord. In the spring of 1535 Norway had no king. Frederik I had died in 1533, and in Denmark Count Christopher of Oldenburg and Duke Christian fought for power in the Count's Feud. Archbishop Olav was the most powerful man north of the mountains, and fru Inger kept in close touch with him through a long series of letters that year. Herr Vincens is Vincens Lunge, married to her daughter Margrete Nilsdatter, who was in Oslo that spring. The butter turning yellow refers to butter taking on colour once the cows were out on green grass, so the promise probably meant summer butter. Ingeborg is her daughter Ingeborg Nilsdatter.
People: Ingerd Ottesdatter (fru Inger)