Nils Lykke to the king: the archbishop swears loyalty at the law thing
DN 12/464 · 29 June 1530 · Fosen
Nils Lykke was the son-in-law of fru Inger Ottesdatter and had taken over her fiefs, which included Sunnmøre. The letter also mentions Henrik Krummedike, who in 1502 had killed Knut Alvsson, the heir to Giske.
What the letter says
Nils Lykke writes from Fosen on 29 June 1530 to King Frederik I. He and Archbishop Olav have attended the general law thing (assembly) on St Botolph's Day, where the archbishop first defended himself against the rumours and promised the king his loyalty, and the common people then promised the same. Lykke asks the king to give the archbishop a gracious answer. He mentions Tromsø, which the king has granted him as a fief, and the other fiefs his mother-in-law fru Ingerd has let him take over, but writes that he finds more misery and less gain than he expected. Finally he asks for the fief of Namdalen, which Henrik Krummedike held before he died.
The letter in modern English
Most mighty king, most gracious lord. My subject, willing, bound and dutiful faithful service to Your Royal Majesty most humbly beforehand with our Lord. High-born prince, most gracious king and lord, may Your Royal Majesty deign to know that I wrote to Your Royal Highness with a servant of the most worthy father in God and lord, Sir Olav, Archbishop of Trondheim, when His Grace had informed me and let me see an open, sealed letter from Your Royal Majesty stating that His Grace and Eske Bille should have Your Royal Majesty's command here north of the mountains to help every man to law and right, and that all bishops, prelates, knights, noblemen and the common people should be obedient, submissive and compliant to them, should anything arise from Your Royal Majesty's and the realm's enemies, in order to avert it etc. I do not know whether that message and letter has arrived. May Your Royal Majesty also deign to know that, in accordance with such letters and circumstances, I entered into negotiation with the said lord archbishop, in loyalty and service to Your Royal Majesty, in order further to promote Your Royal Majesty's benefit and good among the common people, who gathered for the general law thing, some representatives from most of the districts, hundreds or counties here north of the mountains as far as Stad.
Original text
Stormectigste koning alder naadigste herre myn wnderdanige weluillige skyldige oc *pryctige thro tyæniste ether kongelige Mtt alder ydmygeligste fforscreffuit med wor herre. Høffborniste furste alder naadigste koning oc herre wærdes ether kongelige Mtt att wyde at jeg screff ether kongelige høffmectighet till med werdigste ffader med gud oc herre her Oluff erchebiscop till Trundhems tyenere saa hans naade haffde giffuitt mig till kenne oc loedh mig see eth ether kongelige Mtt obet beszegltt
Background
After the settlement in the spring of 1530, Archbishop Olav Engelbrektsson needed to show the king that he was loyal, and Nils Lykke, son-in-law of fru Inger Ottesdatter, stood at his side at the law thing. The law thing gathered representatives from most of the districts north of the mountains as far south as Stad, and it was the place where the common people could pledge loyalty to the king. St Botolph's Day is 17 June. The fiefs fru Inger had let Lykke take over were crown fiefs (len), and so Lykke probably wanted the king's consent to the arrangement. Henrik Krummedike, whose fief Lykke now wanted, was the Danish nobleman who in 1502 had killed Knut Alvsson, heir to the Giske estate, under safe conduct. Namdalen bordered on the fief of Fosen, and with the new fief Lykke would gain a continuous stretch along the coast of Trøndelag.
People: Ingerd Ottesdatter (fru Inger)