Philippa gives her morning gift to Junker Hans's betrothed
DN 18/87 · 30 Decbr. 1466 · Oslo
What the letter says
Lady Philippa Hansdatter, widow of Sir Sigurd Jonsson, announces in Oslo on 30 December 1466 that she gives her «beloved daughter», the maiden Ingeborg Åkesdatter, betrothed of her late son Hans Sigurdsson, all the property Sigurd gave her as a morning gift. It is Fiskedim with the property that belongs to it, in Västergötland. The property is to belong to Ingeborg and her heirs for ever. The chancellor Ivar Vikingsson, the knight Hartvig Krummedike of Akershus and the lawman Håvard Askesson of Oslo seal with her.
The letter in modern English
All men who see or hear this letter, I, Philippa Hansdatter, Sir Sigurd Jonsson's widow, greet eternally with God. I make known to all men, those who are now and those who are to come, that I have lovingly granted and handed over and placed in the hands of my beloved daughter, the maiden Ingeborg Åkesdatter, betrothed of my son Hans Sigurdsson, God have mercy on his soul, all the property that my dear lord and husband Sir Sigurd Jonsson, God have mercy on his soul, gave me as a morning gift on the proper day after the wedding, which is Fiskedim and the property that belongs to it in Västergötland, as the morning-gift letter he gave me for it states. It passes from me and my heirs to the said maiden Ingeborg and her heirs in perpetual ownership, and I shall warrant her and her heirs the said property and stand surety for it against every man's objection or claim. For further certainty and witness I ask the honourable man Sir Ivar Vikingsson, provost of St Mary's church in Oslo and chancellor of the realm of Norway, Sir Hartvig Krummedike, knight and commander of Akershus, and Håvard Askesson, lawman in Oslo, to hang their seals to this letter with my seal. It was written on the sixth day of Christmas (30 December) in the said town in the year of our Lord 1466.
Original text
Alle men thettæ breff seer eller høyræ helser jek Phillipa Hansse dotter her Sywordh Jonssøns effterlewe ewinnelighe med gwdh Gør jek witherlicht alle men nerwærendis och kommeskwllendis thet jek haffwer kerlige wnt ok opladit ok j hendher antwordhet myn elskelige dotter jwmfrw Jnggeborgh Ages dotther myn søns festhemø Hans Sywordssøns gwdh hans syell nadhe allthet gotz myn kære herræ ok hwsbonde her Syword Jonssøn gwdh hans siæll nade migh gaff till morgengaffwe pa reth hinders dagh som ær
Background
Hans Sigurdsson, Junker Hans, was the only known son of Sigurd Jonsson and Philippa of Eberstein. At his betrothal to Ingeborg Åkesdatter of the Tott family in 1464 he pledged Giske and the whole Giske estate for her morning gift, and he died two years later, childless. The morning gift was the gift a bridegroom gave his bride on the day after the wedding, and it became her property. Here Philippa passes on her own morning gift from Sigurd to the young woman who was to have been her daughter-in-law, and she calls her daughter. The gift probably took the property in Västergötland out of the inheritance after Junker Hans, which was divided among the kinsmen in 1490. The letter may also be from 1465, because the year was sometimes counted from Christmas Day.
People: Philippa av Eberstein, Sigurd Jonsson, Hans Sigurdsson (junker Hans)