List of silver Knut Alvsson took from Engelbrekt
DN 13/637 · [1537.] · Nordlandene?
What the letter says
Engelbrekt Halvardsson draws up, around 1537, a list of the valuables a Knut Alvsson has taken from him. The list mentions a gilded belt of 17 lodd, an ungilded belt of 15 lodd, two silver spoons of 4 and 3 lodd, a signet ring, a cloak clasp and a cloak for which he had paid 12 guilders.
The letter in modern English (excerpt)
This I, Engelbrekt Halvardsson, acknowledge concerning the valuables that Knut Alvsson took from me: First one gilded belt of 17 lodd (lodd: unit of weight for silver, around 15 grams), and one ungilded belt of 15 lodd, and one spoon of 4 lodd and one spoon of 3 lodd, and ørneløv [uncertain reading] and byndhyker [uncertain reading], and one signet ring of 1 lodd, and one cloak clasp and one cloak for which I gave 12 guilders. Endorsement: On the back: Engelbrekt Halvardsson.
Original text (excerpt)
Jtem thette bekennes jegh Ynggebryck Haluardh sson oppa dhe pennynghe ssom Knudh Alsson togh aff megh ffyrsth j belthe ffor gylth xvij loth och j belthe vm xv loth offorgylth oc j skedh vm iiij loth och j skedh vm iij lodh och ørne løff och byndhyker och j ssygnethe tho ryngh vm j loth och j kope spenne och j kope ssom jegh gaff xij gyllen fføre.
Background
This letter hardly concerns the Giske family. The well-known Knut Alvsson of Tre Rosor, who owned the Giske estate, was killed under safe conduct near Oslo in 1502, more than thirty years before this list was written. The Knut Alvsson here is probably a namesake, perhaps a bailiff or a local man in northern Norway, where the editor believes the list belongs. The letter was included in the search only because the name is the same. The list is a complaint or a claim, probably written to recover the valuables through the courts. A lodd was a unit of weight for silver of around 15 grams, and belts, spoons and clasps of silver were a common way of saving wealth.