Letter of protection for the priest of Gjerde and his brother
DN 18/6 · 26 April 1325 · Bergen
King Magnus was only about nine, so the drottsete Erling Vidkunsson of Bjarkøy and Giske sets his seal beside the king's. The letter shows Erling at work for the regency.
What the letter says
In Bergen on 26 April 1325 King Magnus takes Sira Sigurd, priest at Gjerde in Etne, and his brother Halvard Torsteinsson with wife and children under his protection, together with all the land and movable goods they own. No one may harm them or their goods against the law, or he will face the king's wrath and a fine of eight marks for breaking the letter. Sysselmenn, lawmen and the king's sworn men are to help them to their rights, also in collecting lawful debts. The drottsete Erling Vidkunsson put his seal to the letter together with the king's.
The letter in modern English
Magnus, by God's mercy king of Norway, Sweden and Götaland, sends all men who see or hear this letter God's greeting and his own. We want you to know that we have taken Sira Sigurd, priest at Gjerde, and Halvard Torsteinsson, Halvard's wife and children, the property of both brothers and all their possessions and the goods they own or come to own in land and movables, into God's keeping and our royal protection in all rightful matters. We wholly forbid any man to mistreat them or their possessions and goods in any way against the law. Whoever does so shall face our wrath, punishment and harsh terms, and in addition pay us eight marks in brevbrudd [the fine for breaking a royal letter], and give them their full right according to the law. We command all men, especially our sysselmenn, lawmen and sworn men, to support them and their possessions in everything henceforth to law and right, both in the lawful collection of their debts and in other matters, whoever they have to deal with. For we have given them this letter of protection of ours for strength and freedom, and you shall let them enjoy it, as you wish to have our friendship with true good will.
Original text
Magnus med guds miskunn Noregs Svia ok Gota konungr sender ollum monnum þeim sem þetta bref sea æða høyra q. gð. ok sina ver vilium at þer vitir at ver hofum tekat sira Siugurð prest j Gerde ok Halvard Þosteinson kona Halvarder ok born eignir þeira beggia brødra ok allan þeira varnad ok gods þat sem þeir eiga æða eigande verda j lande ok lausu øyri j guds vald ok vart kunnunglegt traust til alra rettra mala fulkomlega firebiodande huerium manne þeim at miisþyrma æda þeira varnade ok gods i
Background
King Magnus was about nine, so the letter was issued by the regency, and Erling Vidkunsson sealed it as drottsete. A letter of protection placed a person and his property under the king's special protection, so that an attack on them became a breach of the king's peace. Brevbrudd was the fixed fine for acting against a royal letter, and eight marks was a large sum. The letter survives because it was copied into a later letter from 1343, probably because the brothers or their heirs needed to show it again. Pål Styrkårsson, who wrote the letter, was probably a scribe in the king's chancery.
People: Erling Vidkunsson