Nils Seborre's list of silver taken by a Knut Alvsson
DN 13/633 · Uden Dag 1537 · Nordlandene?
What the letter says
Nils Seborre lists in 1537 what a Knut Alvsson took from him just after Nils had settled with the king's bailiff Bertel Jensson. The list counts gilded belts, cups, necklaces, chains, buttons, clasps, a dagger and rings, reckoned in lodd of silver, and a made-up bed worth 20 guilders.
The letter in modern English (excerpt)
Likewise Nils Seborre acknowledges that Knut Alvsson took from me as much as follows here, immediately after I had settled (made amends) with our gracious king's bailiff Bertel Jensson: A gilded belt of 51 lodd (lodd: unit of weight for silver, about 15 grams). A cup of 31 lodd. Another cup of 23 lodd. A gilded necklace of 16 lodd. A gilded chain of 7 lodd. Some gilded buttons that weighed 22 lodd. Buttons that were on two women's skirts, which weighed 7 lodd. A dagger of 14 lodd. Two rings worth 8 Rhenish guilders. Two bonnet clasps (hat clasps) of 10 lodd. A cloak clasp of 9 lodd. A spanen [uncertain reading] of 5 lodd. A clasp of 2[illegible] lodd. A pledged belt belonging to Albret the tailor, of 11 lodd. A made-up bed worth 20 guilders. In the year of the Lord 1537.
Original text (excerpt)
Jtem thet bekennes Nyels Seborre att Knwtt Alsson togh fraa meg saa møgett som effther følgher, strass effther att iegh haffde sonett mett wore nadige koninghz fowett Bertell Iensson. Jtem ett forgyltt belthe om li lot Jtem ett stob om xxxi lott Jtem ett andett stob om xxiii lot Jtem ett halsbandt forgyltt om xvi lott Jtem ett kædhe forgyltt om vii lott Jtem nogen knaper forgylt som weer xxii lott Jtem knaper som sodhe y tho quynne stacker som weet vii lott Jtem ett dagher om xiiii lott Jtem ii
Background
The well-known Knut Alvsson of Tre Rosor, owner of the Giske estate, was killed in 1502, so this Knut Alvsson is probably a namesake, perhaps a bailiff or official in the Northern Lands. The letter therefore hardly concerns the Giske family and was included because the name gave a hit in the search. The year 1537 was the year when Archbishop Olav Engelbrektsson fled and the Reformation was carried through in Norway, and the editor believes that the seizure may be connected with the reckoning after the archbishop's flight. Lodd was a unit of weight for silver of about 15 grams. The list shows what silver and jewellery a well-off man in northern Norway owned, which was a common way of holding wealth.