Bjarne Erlingsson receives the Scottish king's payment in Orkney
DN 2/111 · 23 March 1312 · Kirkevaag p. Orknö
What the letter says
On 23 March 1312, in St Magnus Church in Orkney, Bjarne Erlingsson of Bjarkøy and the canon Ivar Olavsson, envoys of King Håkon V, issue a receipt for payment from King Robert of Scotland. Bishop Ferchard of Caithness, Earl Magnus of Caithness and Master Roger of Inverness paid 100 mark sterling for 1312 and the same amount for each of the five previous years, 600 mark in all. With the letter the King of Scotland is released from the payment for these years.
The letter in modern English (excerpt)
Let it be known to all the sons of holy mother church to whom this letter comes that we, Bjarne [Erlingsson] of Bjarkøy and Ivar Olavsson, canon of the churches in Bergen and in Orkney, agents and special envoys of the most exalted prince Lord Håkon the Fifth, by the grace of God the renowned King of Norway, with general and free authority and special mandate for everything stated below, have received and been paid in ready money on the Thursday before the Annunciation of the Lord (25 March) in the year of grace 1312, in St Magnus Church in Orkney. The money was paid by the venerable father Lord Ferchard, by the grace of God Bishop of Caithness, the noble man Lord Magnus, Earl of Caithness, and the discerning man Master Roger of Inverness, chancellor of the church of Moray. They were agents and envoys of the most exalted prince Lord Robert, by the grace of God the renowned King of the Scots, and specially sent to make the payment. We received one hundred mark of good and lawful sterling, which were owed to our said lord the king for the year 1312, falling due at the Nativity of John the Baptist (24 June) of the same year, as the annual payment of one hundred mark. To this payment the kings and kingdom of Scotland are obliged and bound towards our lord, the King of Norway, his kingdom and his successors, the kings of Norway. Furthermore we received one hundred mark for each of the five preceding years, owed to our lord the king for the same reason, as is stated more fully in the documents which
Original text (excerpt)
[N]otum sit omnibus sancte matris ecclesie filijs, ad quos presentes litere peruenerint, quod nos Bernerus de Berkereye et Juarus filius Oulaui Bergensis et Orcadensis ecclesiarum canonicus procuratores et nuncij speciales serenissimi principis, domini Haquini quinti dei gracia regis Norvagie jllustris ad omnia infra scripta generalem ac liberam potestatem et speciale mandatum habentes, recepimus et habuimus in pecunia numerata. die Jouis proxima ante festum annunciacionis dominice annj gracie m
Background
At the Treaty of Perth in 1266 Norway ceded the Hebrides and the Isle of Man to Scotland in return for a lump sum and an annual payment of 100 mark sterling for all time. During the Scottish wars of independence after 1296 the payment was not made, and Robert Bruce, who became king in 1306, now paid the arrears to secure peace with Norway. Bjarne Erlingsson of Giske and Bjarkøy was one of the realm's most experienced diplomats and had long negotiated with Scotland and England. This is one of the last traces of him, for he died the following year, in 1313. A receipt like this was legal proof for the payer, and so it was handed over to the Scots. St Magnus Church in Kirkwall was a natural meeting place because Orkney still lay under Norway and lies midway between the two kingdoms.
People: Bjarne Erlingsson