The bailiff at Giske buys two thirds of Lade
DN 12/605 · 1 June 1544 · Giske
What the letter says
Three jurymen of Sunnmøre testify that Eilev Hermansson at Giske on 1 June 1544 sold two thirds of Lade at the inner end of Sikifle to Jens Jyde, officer in charge at Giske for Lord Truid Ulfstand. He sold on his own behalf and for his sisters Birete and Marete. The land passed to Truid and his heirs as property for ever, and Eilev confirmed full payment.
The letter in modern English (excerpt)
This we acknowledge, the sworn jurymen of Sunnmøre who are written here, Olav Engelbrektsson, Knut Jonsson and Olav Jensson, by this our open letter: In the year of the Lord 1544, on Whit Sunday (1 June), we were at Giske and heard and saw their handshake when Eilev Hermansson sold to Jens Jyde, officer in charge at Giske for the honourable and well-born man Lord Truid. He sold on his own behalf and on behalf of his sisters, one called Birete and the other Marete, two parts [two thirds] in Lade, which lies at the inner end of Sikifle. The land passes from them and their heirs to Lord Truid and his heirs as property and odal for ever, free and clear and unchallenged by every man. Eilev acknowledged that on his own and his sisters' behalf he had received the smallest penny and the largest that came into their bargain, so that he is well satisfied in every way. That this is the truth, we the said men hang our seals beneath this open letter, which was made in the year and on the day written above. Endorsement: On the back, in a later hand: Letter for a share in an ødegård (abandoned farm) called Lade, which lies in Sunnmøre.
Original text (excerpt)
Tesz bekiendis vy effter skreffne suorne laurettis mend paa Synmør Oluff Engelbregtson Knudt Jonson Oluff Jensson med tette vort opne (breff) att Anno domini mdxliiij pinsdag vore vy paa Gidske hørde oc soghe paa handeband teris att Eleff Hermenson solde Jens Jydhe Erligh oc velbyrdig mand her Trudis beffalings mand paa ffor Gidske paa sine vegne oc taa syn systre vegne som Birette hedhe oc en som Marette heder taa delen vdhj Ladhe liggendis innerst i Sikieffle ffra tem oc teris arffuinge oc vnd
Background
Truid Ulfstand was a Danish nobleman married to Gjørvel Fadersdatter, the heir to the Giske estate. He did not live permanently at Giske, and an officer in charge (befalingsmann) or bailiff ran the estate and acted for him. Jurymen (lagrettemenn) were farmers who sat as judges at the thing and also witnessed transactions. An endorsement calls Lade an ødegård, that is, a farm that lay unused, probably one of many that were abandoned after the Black Death. Sikifle is probably Sykkylven. The purchase shows that the owners of Giske continued to gather land in Sunnmøre, even in small shares.