Philippa's deed of gift to her son's betrothed is witnessed
DN 18/99 · 15 August 1476 · Kalmar
What the letter says
In Kalmar on 15 August 1476, Bishop Hans of Bergen, Provost Iver Vikingsson of St Mary's Church in Oslo, the knights Erik Bjørnsson and Henrik Jensson and the squires Anders van Bergen, Magnus Pedersson and Elv Engelsson confirm that they have seen and read a sealed parchment letter. It was Lady Philippa Hansdatter's deed of gift to the betrothed of her late son. They reproduce the letter word for word, but in the printed edition the deed itself is printed as a separate number (DN 18/87) and is not repeated here.
The letter in modern English
We, named hereafter, Hans, by the grace of God bishop of Bergen, Iver Vikingsson, provost of St Mary's Church in Oslo, Erik Bjørnsson and Henrik Jensson, knights, Anders van Bergen, Magnus Pedersson and Elv Engelsson, squires, make known that we have seen and read a sealed parchment letter, uncut and unscraped, reading word for word as written hereafter. [Here follows the deed of gift, printed as DN 18/87.] Given in the town of Kalmar in the year [14]76 on the very day of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary [15 August], under our secrets and signets [small seals].
Original text
Wij Epterscreffne Hans med gudz nade Biscop ij Bærffwen Jwer Wichingson prowest j Marie kirchie ij Oslo Erich Biør(n)son och Henric Jønson Riddere Anders wan Bæren Magons Pæderson och Elff Engelson wepnara Gøre witerligit Os haffwe seeth och owerlæsith eth *beselgth permentzbreff oskoreth och oskrapet ludendis ordh fran ordh som her epterscreffwet staar [Her følger Brev No. 87 ovenfor]. Datum in opido Calm[arne] Anno etc.
Background
Lady Philippa Hansdatter is Philippa av Eberstein, daughter of Count Hans of Eberstein and widow of the drottsete (steward of the realm) Sigurd Jonsson. The late son was Junker Hans Sigurdsson, who at his betrothal in 1464 pledged Giske and the whole Giske estate for the morning gift to Ingeborg Åkesdatter, and who died childless in 1466. The betrothed in the letter is probably Ingeborg Åkesdatter. A vidimus is a witnessed copy: prominent men confirm with their seals that they have seen the original intact, with nothing cut away or scraped out, so that the copy can serve as evidence. That the vidimus was made in Kalmar suggests the deed was to be used in Sweden, where Ingeborg's family belonged. Philippa died the following year, in 1477. The squire Anders van Bergen is probably the same man who was married to Mette Iversdatter before she married Knut Alvsson (see DN 16/331).
People: Philippa av Eberstein