Mogens Green takes care of Otte Matsson's property in Sweden
DN 16/234 · 7 Oktbr. 1467 · Aahus
What the letter says
The knight Mogens Green, commander of Borgholm, announces at Åhus on 7 October 1467 that on behalf of his brother-in-law Otte Matsson he has taken over all the property Otte owns near Vesterås in Dal and at Fegen. He is to keep and use the property with the revenues it gives, until the two meet again. When Otte demands the property back, he is to have it without objection.
The letter in modern English
I, Mogens Green, knight, commander of Borgholm, make known with this my open letter that I have taken over, on behalf of the well-born man my brother-in-law Otte Matsson, as much property as belongs to him near Vesterås in Dal and at Fegen [uncertain place names], to keep and use it with whatever revenue may come from it, until God wills that we come together again, as I have his open letter on it. And when the said Otte Matsson demands the said property back, it shall come back to him without any objection in any way. In witness of this my seal is impressed below on this letter. Given at Åhus in the year 1467 on the day of St Birgitta (7 October).
Original text
Jagh Moens Grenssz Riddher høffuitzmand paa Borcholm Giør vittherligth met thette myt obne breff at iagh annammet haffuer paa velbyrdigs mands vegne mynd Swaghers Otte Matzens swa møget gotz hannom tiilhører viidt Vestheraars i Dale oc paa Fegernæ at behollde oc bruche met hwat rettighedt ther aff kand gaa swa lenge at gud vill wii ighen tilsammen komme som iagh hanss obne breff ther paa haffwer Oc nar forne Otte Matzenn esker paa forne gotz ighenn tha skall thet komme till hannom ighenn vdhenn
Background
Otte Matsson of the Rømer family was one of the heirs of Katarina Jonsdatter and of Junker Hans, and at the division of 1490 he received among other things Sørøya in Finnmark and the lower farm at Bjarkøy. It is probably the same man here, and the letter shows that he also had property in Sweden. Mogens Green belonged to a Swedish and Danish noble family, and the word svoger could mean brother-in-law as well as father-in-law or another relative by marriage. That Otte left the property to a relative until they «come together again» suggests that he was to travel or was prevented from looking after it himself. The places are uncertain: Vesterås in Dal may lie in Dalsland, and Fegen lies on the border between Halland and Småland. The letter is known only from a copy from 1529.
People: Otte Matsson (Rømer)