Karl Knutsson owes his aunt 100 marks
DN 16/355 · 12 Oktbr. 1513 · Stockholm
What the letter says
In Stockholm on 12 October 1513 Karl Knutsson writes a bond of debt in his own hand. He admits that he owes his mother's sister, fru Anne, widow of Klemet Hovenskild, 100 marks that she has lent him. He promises to pay when his servant Lasse Kul returns from Lübeck, where Lasse, on her written instruction, has collected the money from Hendrik van Santen. His brother Erik Knutsson puts his signet on the letter together with Karl.
The letter in modern English
I, Karl Knutsson, acknowledge and make known with this my open letter, written in my own hand, that I owe my mother's sister fru Anne, Klemet Hovenskild's widow, one hundred marks in örtugar [marks reckoned in örtugar, a Swedish coin, 24 örtugar to the mark] in ready money, which she has lent me. I bind myself to pay them to her in good ready money when this my servant Lasse Kul comes back from Lübeck. I also acknowledge that he has received and collected the hundred marks from Hendrik van Santen according to her written instruction. For further certainty I ask for my brother Erik Knutsson's signet together with my own below this letter, written in Stockholm on the Wednesday before St Luke's day [12 October] in the year of our Lord 1513. [On the back:] This letter concerns one hundred marks that I lent Karl Knutsson.
Original text
Jag Karl Knwtsson bekenness och viderligit gør med thette mith opne breff och egen handh skriffth adh jeg skyllig er myn moderssyster ffrv Anne Howenskeldss effter lewerske hwndrede marc ortwger rede peninge ssom hon migh lanth hawer hwicket jag bepligter mig henne betale til godhe redhe nar dhenne myn tiener Lasse Kwl til bage kommer ffra Lybke och kendes adh han ffor de hwndrede march aanamet och vpbwredh hawer vtaff Hendric van Ssanten effter hennes skriwelsse til ydermere visse bedes jagh
Background
Karl Knutsson was the son of Knut Alvsson, who was killed under safe conduct in 1502, after which his father's estate was confiscated. In 1513 Karl and his brother Erik lived in Sweden, and the letter was written in Stockholm. Around 1515 Karl got the family estate back, and in 1520 he was killed, childless, in the same year that Erik was beheaded in the Stockholm Bloodbath. The DN summary identifies the lender as Anna Hansdatter Thott. That the money was collected from a man in Lübeck suggests that fru Anne had money deposited with a merchant there, and that Lasse Kul drew it on her written order. A signet was a small seal, often a ring, and Erik added his next to Karl's to strengthen the letter. DN takes the day to be St Luke's day, but a footnote notes that it may be St Lucius, which would make the date 2 March.
People: Karl Knutsson