The fishing pool at Stadheim and Sigurd Jonsson's register
DN 15/196 · 29 Oktbr. 1523 · Longvin (Harham)
What the letter says
Twelve jurymen of Sunnmøre testify at Longva on 29 October 1523 that Per Salmundsson is the rightful odal owner of Stadheim and the fishing pool there. They explain that a third of the pool came into Lord Sigurd Jonsson's register because one of three brothers, who was without his wits, ran off to Giske and gave Sigurd his share in return for his keep for life. Sigurd gave him cloth for a set of clothes, and the man died seven weeks later. When the brothers complained, Sigurd promised to give the pool back after three years, and they accepted that.
The letter in modern English (excerpt)
All men who see or hear this letter, or before whom it comes: We sworn jurymen acknowledge by this our open letter, first Svein Jonsson, Jetmund Halkjellsson, Erlend Bårdsson, Olav Klemetsson, Anders Ivarsson, Mons Haukleiksson [uncertain reading], [illegible]ans Persson, Arne Jonsson, Olav Dyresson, Kolbein Erlendsson, Olav Olavsson and Håvard Toresson, that it is fully known to us concerning Stadheim and the Stadheim pool that Per Salmundsson is the rightful odal owner of Stadheim and the fishing pool at Stadheim. This is how that third came into Lord Sigurd's register: There were three brothers. Two of them were grown men, but the third had neither a man's understanding nor wits. This brother ran away from them, so that they did not know whether he had been lost at sea or in the lake. Later they found him at Giske with Lord Sigurd Jonsson. This witless man gave Lord Sigurd Jonsson his brother's share in the fishing pool at Stadheim, in return for having his keep at Giske as long as he lived. Then Lord Sigurd gave him 7 ells of deventer (cloth from Deventer) for a set of clothes. Seven weeks later he died. Afterwards both his brothers came and complained about this, because their brother was witless and had no power to give away his inherited land in that way. Then Lord Sigurd answered them: «If you good men will let me keep it for 3 years together for the clothes I gave him, you shall afterwards have your pool back in all good will.» They declared themselves well satisfied with that
Original text (excerpt)
Alle men som tettha breff see heldir høra heldir hendha fore ath komma bekennes wy suorne laagrettes men med tettha wort opne breff som fyrst eer Suen Joonson Jetmund Halkeelson Erlend Baardheson Olaaff Clemmytson Andirs Juarson Moons Hogleekson #r#ans Peerson Arne Joonson Olaaff Dyreson Kaalbeen Eerlend- #son Olaaff Olaaffson Howaard Toreson adh os fwlt wytterligt eer om Stadheem ok Stadhem høøl adh Peer Salmundson eer retthe odals man tyl fornemdhe Stadheem ok Stadhems fyske høøl hvlkeedh lund
Background
Jurymen (lagrettemenn) were sworn farmers who sat in the court and could testify to what was known in the district. The letter is a letter of testimony, made to prove the odal right to Stadheim in Sunnylven, probably because the share was still listed in the Giske estate's land register, «Lord Sigurd's register», some 70 years after Sigurd Jonsson's death in 1453. A fishing pool (fiskehøl) is a deep pool in the river where the salmon gather, and such a fishing right was valuable. The story shows how a large estate could grow through small shares that people gave away in return for maintenance, and how the district remembered such agreements for generations. That the witless man could not give away inherited land matches the rule of the law that odal land was to stay in the family. The account also gives a rare glimpse of life at Giske under Sigurd Jonsson.
People: Sigurd Jonsson