Old men testify that Malnes, Rud and Rosvika belong to Giske
DN 2/1054 · 18 May 1516 · Malnes
What the letter says
Twelve sworn jurymen of Sunnmøre, old men from farms such as Nørve, Vatne, Godøy, Haram and Blindheim, write at Malnes on 18 May 1516 at the request of Karl Knutsson. They say that they have never heard anything other than that Rud, Malnes and Rosvika have lain under Giske since Sigurd Jonsson's time and long before. No one laid claim to the farms until the war began and Knut Alvsson was killed, when they were taken from Giske. They promise to swear to this when asked.
The letter in modern English (excerpt)
We who are named below, Engelbrekt Iversson at Nørve, Orm Jonsson at Vatne, Tollak Iversson at Heligland, Bård Jonsson at Synnes, Iver Keng at Farstad, Peder Iversson at Skedanger, Peder Erlandsson at Godøy, Kåre Torelsson at Haram, Jon Nilsson in Edeswiken, Eilev Sigurdsson at Stette, Engelbrekt Knutsson at Rogne and Torfinn Eriksson at Blindheim, sworn jurymen of Sunnmøre, acknowledge and make known to all by this our present open letter: We were lawfully asked and questioned by the well-born squire Karl Knutsson to tell the truth whether we had ever heard from our parents or other old men that it was said or told that Rud, Malnes and Rosvika had ever been in the ownership or possession of other men than those who own Giske. We twelve are now all old men, and we and all our parents were born and raised here in Sunnmøre. So help us God in life and soul and all God's saints: we have never remembered otherwise, or heard from any old men otherwise, than that Rud, Malnes and Rosvika have always lain under Giske and belonged there ever since Lord Sigurd Jonsson died, and long before that, so long that no one now living can remember it. Nor have we ever heard it said or told, or remembered, that these farms were ever claimed or challenged in all our days or in our parents' time, neither at a thing nor at a meeting nor anywhere else, until now for n
Original text (excerpt)
Wij efther Engilbrict Ywarson paa Nørwe Orm Jonson paa Vathne Tollek Ywarson paa Heligland Bord Jonson paa Synes Ywar Keng paa Faresta Peder Ywarson paa Skedanger Peder Erlandson paa Gwdøn Kore Torelson paa Haram Jon Nilson i Edeswiken Eleff Siwrdson paa Stette Engilbrict Knwdson paa Rogne Torfind Ericson paa Blindem sworne lagrettesmen paa Swndmøre bekennoms och allom mannom vittherlighet gørom med thetta vorth nerwarandes opne breffwe adh worom laglighe till kraffde och ooth sporde aff welbwrd
Background
Karl Knutsson was the son of Knut Alvsson, who was killed under safe conduct near Oslo in 1502 and declared an outlaw after his death, so that his estate was taken from the family. This letter is a letter of testimony about prescriptive possession (hevd), that is, that someone has owned and used land for so long that no one remembers otherwise, and such testimonies were used as evidence when written deeds were lacking or ownership was disputed. Jurymen (lagrettemenn) were sworn farmers who sat as judges and witnesses at the thing. That the twelve stress that they are old and born in Sunnmøre was meant to give the testimony weight. The letter shows that Karl was working to recover farms that had been taken from the Giske estate after his father's fall. Sigurd Jonsson, from whose time they reckon, died in 1453.
People: Karl Knutsson, Knut Alvsson, Sigurd Jonsson