Lage Brahe buys land in Myklebostad in Søvde
DN 12/621 · 27 May 1548 · Giske
What the letter says
Trond Halvorsson sells at Giske on 27 May 1548 a share of land of 3½ melagsleie in Myklebostad in Søvde in Sunnmøre to the knight Lage Brahe of Giske and his wife Gørvel. Gudleik Engelbrektsson at the same time sells one melagsleie in the same farm. Both acknowledge full payment, and the land passes over as property and odal for ever. Four men set their seals as witnesses.
The letter in modern English (excerpt)
This I, Trond Halvorsson, acknowledge by this my open letter: I have sold to the honourable and well-born man, stern knight Lord Lage Brade of Giske, a share of land of 3½ melagsleie [a unit of land rent; land rent reckoned in flour, uncertain reading] in Myklebostad, which lies in Søvde in Sunnmøre. It passes from me and my heirs to Lord Lage Brade and his wife Lady Gørvel and their heirs as property and odal for ever, free and clear and unchallenged by every man. I acknowledge that I have received every penny, largest and smallest, that came into our bargain, in good jordører [payment, uncertain reading], so that I am well satisfied in every way. I thank the good lord for good payment. Likewise I, Gudleik Engelbrektsson, acknowledge that I have sold to the same good lord, Lord Lage Brade, one melagsleie in Myklebostad, from me and my heirs to Lord Lage and his wife Lady Gørvel and their heirs as property and odal for ever, free and clear and unchallenged by every man. I acknowledge that I have received every penny, largest and smallest, that came into our bargain, in good jordører, so that I am well satisfied in every way. I thank the good lord for good payment. That this is the truth, we ask these men, Olav Engelbrektsson, Knut Jonsson, Olav Solvesson and Per Rodmodsson, to hang their seals together with ours beneath this open letter. Written at Giske on Trinity Sunday in the year of the Lord 1548, that i
Original text (excerpt)
Tette bekiendis ieg Trondt Haluordson, medt tette myt offne breff adt ieg solth haffuer erlig oc velbyrdig mandt streng ridder Her Laue Bradhe tel Gidske en iorde part som er iii#j melags leghe i Miklebostadt liggiendis i Sødue paa Synmør ffraa megh oc mine arffuinge vnder ffor Her Laue Bradhe oc hans hustrv ffru Giøruel oc deris arffuinge tel euerdelig eghen oc odall ffrit oc ffrelst oc oklagheløst ffor huarie manne och kiendis ieg meg adt haffue opboret meste pening oc mindzste som i vort kiøp
Background
Gørvel is Gjørvel Fadersdatter, the heir to the Giske estate. Gjørvel was married three times, first to Peder Nilsson and then to Truid Ulfstand. After Truid died in 1545, she married the Danish nobleman Lage Brahe, and the letter shows that he now called himself of Giske. The letter is a deed of sale, made so that the buyer could prove his title later. Melagsleie is a unit of land rent, the annual rent, probably reckoned in flour. Søvde lies in present-day Vanylven. Such small purchases show that the owners of Giske continued to gather land in Sunnmøre bit by bit.
People: Gjørvel Fadersdatter (Sparre)