Erling authorises the sale of his land in Hardanger
DN 12/87 · 7 Novbr. 1337 · Bergen
What the letter says
Erling Vidkunsson declares in Bergen on the Friday after All Saints' day 1337 that he has given Halvard Asmundsson full and lawful authority to sell the lands he owns in Hardanger. Erling put his seal to the letter.
The letter in modern English
To all men who see or hear this letter, Erling Vidkunsson sends God's greeting and his own. I make known to you that I have given Halvard Asmundsson my full and lawful authority to sell my lands that I own in Hardanger. In true witness I set my seal to this letter, which was made in Bergen on the Friday after All Saints' day in the nineteenth year of the reign of my worthy lord Magnus, by God's mercy king of Norway, Sweden and Götaland (7 November 1337).
Original text
Ollum monnum þeim sem þetta bref sea edha høyra sendir Erlingir Vidkunnarson q. g. oc sina Ek gerir idhir kunnykt at ek hefuir fengith Haluardhe Asmundarsyni mith fult oc loglikt vmbodh at selia iardhir minar þær sem ek a i Hardhangre. Oc till sanz vithnisburdhar setti ek mith incigle firir þetta bref er gort var i Biorgwin friadaghin nesta eftir alla heilagra messo a nitiande are rikis mins vyrdhulegs herra Magnusar medh gudz miskund Noregs Swia oc Gota konungs
Background
Erling Vidkunsson owned land across large parts of western Norway, and the land in Hardanger probably lay outside the core of his estate. The authority was used only three and a half months later, when Halvard sold farm shares in Hardanger to Munkeliv abbey in Bergen. Both the authority and the deed of sale were copied into Munkeliv's letter book in 1427, which is why they survive. An ombudsmann (estate steward) such as Halvard was a trusted man who acted on behalf of a magnate.
People: Erling Vidkunsson