Otte Matsson's bailiff on Lista witnesses a farm payment
DN 15/121 · April 1488 (98?) · Huseby
What the letter says
Jon Laurensson, bailiff on Lista on behalf of Lord Otte Matsson, and two jurymen make known that they were at Huseby on Lista in Easter week and saw and heard Håvard Bjørnsson, authorised estate steward (ombudsmann) for Lord Henrik Krummedike, receive 4 mark of gold from Gunnulv Torolvsson. The money, paid in silver, copper and butter, concerned the farm Stokke in Spangereid parish in the ship district of Foss. Håvard declared Gunnulv quit and free of the money on Krummedike's behalf. The year in the letter is miswritten, and the editor thinks it is probably 1488 or 1498.
The letter in modern English
To all men who see or hear this letter, I, Jon Laurensson, bailiff on Lista on Lord Otte Matsson's behalf, and Torkjell Gunnarsson and Bergulv Torgeirsson, sworn jurymen in the same place, send God's greeting and ours. We make known that we were at Huseby on Lista in the year of the Lord 1467 [probably miswritten for 1488 or 1498], in Easter week. We saw and heard that the discreet young man Håvard Bjørnsson, Lord Henrik Krummedike's full and lawful estate steward, collected and received on Lord Henrik Krummedike's behalf from the discreet man Gunnulv Torolvsson 4 mark of gold in silver, copper and butter for the farm called Stokke, which lies in Spangereid parish in the ship district of Foss, in his own manner [uncertain reading]. Then the said Håvard Bjørnsson declared the said Gunnulv Torolvsson quit and free of the said money on Lord Henrik Krummedike's behalf. For further certainty and truth of this we hang our seals on this letter, which was made on the day, at the place and in the year stated above.
Original text
Allom mannom them som thetta breff seer eller hører heilser jak Joon Laurensson fawt j Lysthe po her Otte Masson vegnæ Torkil Gunnærsson Berwlff Torgirsson sworne laurettis men j samme stadh Q. gud oc synæ kwnnokt giørende ath mith worum a Hwsæby a Liisthe Anno domini Mcd ssexagessimo [vij jo paschæ wikw Saaghum oc hørdhum wppa ath beskedeligh swendh Hawardh Biørnson her Henrich Kremædiis fwldh oc lagligh wmbodzman wpp baar pa her Henric Krendiz wegnæ oc aanamædhæ af beskedeligh man Gwnnolf
Background
Otte Matsson (Rømer) held the fief (len) of Lista, and Jon Laurensson governed the fief for him as bailiff, that is, the local officer of the king and the feudal lord. Otte appears because the bailiff writes on his behalf, while the transaction itself concerned Henrik Krummedike's farm. Four mark of gold was a value of account, and Gunnulv paid it in goods and coin according to what he had, as was usual in the countryside. Jurymen (lagrettemenn) were sworn farmers who witnessed and judged at the thing (assembly). The letter has the year 1467, but that does not fit the lifetimes of the people, and the editor suggests 1488 or 1498. Here 1488 is used.
People: Otte Matsson (Rømer)