Purchase of two parts in Valle in Skodje
DN 12/608 · 6 Decbr. 1544 · Giske
What the letter says
Three jurymen of Sunnmøre witness that Jon at Valle at Giske on 6 December 1544 sold two parts of Valle in Skodje parish to Jens Jude. Jens was officer in charge at Giske for Lord Truid Ulfstand. The land had earlier been bought by Jon's grandfather or godfather from Elling Klip, and Jon confirmed that he had received full payment.
The letter in modern English (excerpt)
All men who see or hear this letter: We, the sworn jurymen of Sunnmøre who are written below, Rodmod Jonsson, Oluf Engelbrektsson and Knut Jonsson, make known that we were at Giske on St Nicholas' Mass (6 December) 1544. We heard and saw by their handshake that Jon at Valle sold to Jens Jude, officer in charge at Giske for the honourable and well-born man Lord Truid Ulfstand, two parts in Valle in Skodje parish in Sunnmøre, which his godfather [uncertain reading; the editor reads grandfather] had bought from Elling Klip. He sold them away from himself and his heirs and to Lord Truid and his heirs, as property and odal for ever, free and warranted and without complaint from any man. Jon acknowledged that he had received the last penny and the first that came into their purchase, so that he was well satisfied in every way, and he gave thanks for good payment. That this is true, we, the said men, hang our seals beneath this open letter, which is written at Giske on the day and in the year written above. Endorsement: On the back: Letter for two parts in Valle in Skodje parish.
Original text (excerpt)
Alle mend thette breff szeie eller høre bekenndis effttherschreffne suorne lauerettis mendt y Synmør Rodmod Jonson Oluff Ingelbregttson Knudt Jonson, att wy wor paa Gieske sanctj Nicolay dag anno dominj mdxliiij hørde och soge paa handeband therris, att Jonn paa Walle solde Jens Jude Erlig och wiilbyrdige [mand Her Trud Wlffstands beffalningsmand paa for Gieske ij diellenn wdj Walle y Skodin sogien paa Synmør som hans gudffader kiøfftte hade aff Ellenge Klip, fran seg och siine arffuinge och wnd
Background
The Danish nobleman Truid Ulfstand owned Giske after the Reformation and had his officer in charge Jens Jude buy up farms in Sunnmøre. The same year Jens also bought Heggebakke in Skodje, so the letter shows a deliberate expansion of the estate in this area. The letter is a deed of sale, witnessed by jurymen, who were farmers sworn in to sit in the court and witness legal transactions. That the bargain was made at Giske shows that the farm was still the centre of the estate's administration. For the seller the sale meant that the land passed to a distant nobleman, and the farmer probably stayed on as a tenant farmer or moved away.