The Giske steward buys Heggebakke in Skodje
DN 12/604 · 10 May 1544 · Mörkeseter
What the letter says
Six jurymen of Sunnmøre witness that Askjell Aslaksson at Mørkeseter in May 1544 sold the whole of Heggebakke with everything belonging to it, from mountain to shore, to Jens Jyde. Jens was estate steward at Giske for Lord Truid Ulfstand, and the brother Oluf Aslaksson consented to the sale. Askjell confirmed that he had received full payment. The text has the year 1564, but the editor dates the letter to 1544.
The letter in modern English (excerpt)
This we, the sworn jurymen of Sunnmøre who are written below, Oluf Torsteinsson, Amund Elevsson, Per Syvordsson, Elling Jonsson, Iver Jonsson and Oluf Jensson, make known by this our open letter: We were at Mørkeseter in the year of the Lord 1564 (as it stands in the text; the editor dates the letter to 1544), on the Saturday before Hallvard's Mass (15 May). We heard and saw by their handshake that Askjell Aslaksson, with the consent of his brother Oluf Aslaksson, sold to Jens Jyde, estate steward at Giske for the honourable and well-born man Lord Truid, the whole of Heggebakke with all parts and rights from mountain to shore that belong and have belonged to the farm. He sold it away from himself and his heirs and to Lord Truid and his heirs, free and warranted and without complaint from any man, as property and odal for ever. Askjell acknowledged for himself and his brother that he had received the smallest penny and the largest that came into their purchase, in good jordøre [uncertain reading], so that they were well satisfied, and he thanked Jens for good payment. That this is true, we, the said men, hang our seals beneath this letter, which was made in the year and at the place written above. Endorsement: On the back, later hand: Letter for the whole of Heggebakke, which lies in Sunnmøre, sold to Lord Truid. Set at 3 mæler [uncertain reading: probably land rent measured in grain measures].
Original text (excerpt)
Tesz bekiendis vy effterskriffne sworne laurettis mend paa Synmør Oluff Tostenson Amun Eleffson Per Siuurdson Elling Jonsson Iffuer Jonson Oluff Iensson medt tette vort offne breff att vy vore paa Mørkesetter Anno domini mdlxiiij lurdaghen ffor sanctj Haluord hørdde och soghe a handeband teris att Askield Aslagson soldde Jens Jydhe Erlig oc ve(l)byrdigh mand her Trudis vmbudzmand paa Gidske med sin broder Oluff Aslagsons samtyckie altt Heggiebacke med all luttum och lundnom till ffiels och ffier
Background
The Danish nobleman Truid Ulfstand had obtained Giske after the Reformation and ran the estate through an estate steward (ombudsmann), that is, an administrator who acted on his behalf. The letter is a deed of sale and shows that the Giske estate was still being enlarged with farms in the surrounding area in the 1540s. Jurymen (lagrettemenn) were farmers sworn in to sit in the court and witness transactions such as this. The brother's consent was needed because odal land belonged to the family, and close relatives had the right to redeem it. The endorsement on the back puts the farm at 3 mæler, probably the land rent measured in grain measures. From mountain to shore (til fjells og fjære) means everything from the outlying land in the mountains to the shore rights by the sea.