The king's men ask fru Inger to return Karine's inheritance
DN 12/533 · 24 Novbr. 1532 · Eidsvold
What the letter says
King Frederik I's plenipotentiaries write from Eidsvoll on 24 November 1532 to Vincens Lunge, Nils Lykke and fru Inger. The maiden Karine Alvsdatter has complained to them and asked for help to obtain her rightful inheritance and property, which she says they have taken from her by force. The plenipotentiaries ask them to let her keep her inheritance, or to let the case go before the Norwegian Council of the Realm according to Norwegian law. Karine has said she will willingly answer to the law wherever they wish to sue her.
The letter in modern English
[Heading:] Letter sent to the Northern lands on behalf of the maiden Karine from Grefsheim [uncertain reading]. After sincere and friendly greeting in Christ. Dear Sir Vincens, Sir Nils Lykke and fru Ingerd, especially good friends. You should know that after we spoke to the maiden Karine about your affair, about which we wrote to you, she came to us and spoke to us and urged us hard by the commission and authority which the king's majesty has sent us with into the realm, to put down all dispute and discord and help everyone to law and right. She asked us, by that same commission, to help her so that she might enjoy her rightful inheritance and property, and that you should not take her rightful inheritance and property from her with violence, force and superior power. That we could in no way refuse her according to the commission we are sent here with, other than to write to you. Therefore we ask you kindly, by the power and commission we have from the king's majesty, that you will let her enjoy her rightful inheritance and property and not take it from her with violence and force. If you think you have any claim on her or her goods, then you must sue her according to Norway's law before Norway's Council of the Realm. She has said she will willingly answer to you at law wherever you wish to sue her.
Original text
Szennde breff tiill Nordlandenne paa jomffrue Karines wegne aff GreffsedeSyncera et amicabilj salutatione jn Christo premissa kiere Her Vincentius Her Nils Lycke oc ffrwe Ingierdt synderlig gode wenner maj wiide syden wy thalede iomffru Karine tiill om etthers handell som wy skreff etter tiill, tha kom hun tiill oss, thalede oss tiill, oc hardeligen formanet oss paa thend beffaling och fulmachtt som konge Mat haffuer sendt oss her indtt wdj rigett met att nederlegge all twist och twedrecht och
Background
Karine Alvsdatter was the daughter of Alv Knutsson and sister of Knut Alvsson, and she was one of the heirs to the Giske estate. Fru Inger had probably taken possession of Giske in 1521 to 1522, and the dispute over the estate north of the mountains was now one of the most difficult cases in the kingdom. The plenipotentiaries were the king's envoys, probably Bishop Hans Reff, Truid Ulfstand and Claus Bille, who were on their way south after the settlement with the archbishop in Trondheim. The heading suggests that the letter was sent north from Grefsheim, where Karine lived. The following year, in 1533, the Council of the Realm at Bud awarded Giske to Karine.