The bishop's men took Karine's chests at Grefsheim
DN 2/1124 · 30 January 1538 · Oslo
Karine Alvsdatter held the letters proving the family's right to the estate of Alv Knutsson. Here Truid Ulfstand obtains testimony that the bishop's men took her chests, and among the missing letters was the division between Alv and Jens Knutsson.
What the letter says
Provost Morten Krabbe, Chancellor of Norway, Peder Hansson, commander of Akershus, and five lawmen south of the mountains announce that Sir Truid Ulfstand appeared at the town hall in Oslo on 30 January 1538 and demanded testimony from Ivar Jensson. Ivar swore that when he came to Grefsheim to take charge of the property, money, silver, letters and signet left by the maiden Karine Alvsdatter, she lay dead on the bier. He gathered the things into chests and caskets, but Bishop Mogens' servants took them by force and carried them to Hamar. Truid complained that some of his best letters were gone, among them letters on the division of inheritance between Sir Alv Knutsson and Jens Knutsson, and that he received Karine's signet only half a year after her death, so that forged letters might have been made with it.
The letter in modern English
We, Morten Krabbe, provost of St Mary's Church and Chancellor of the Realm of Norway, Peder Hansson, commander of Akershus, Peder Herlogsson, Peder Andersson, Nils Jonsson, Dyre Sivaldsson and Laurits Torsteinsson, lawmen south of the mountains, make known to all with this our open letter that in the year after God's birth 1538, on the Wednesday after St Paul's day [30 January], the honourable, well-born man Sir Truid Ulfstand, knight, came before us at the town hall in Oslo and requested full testimony from the well-born man Ivar Jensson on how matters had gone with the order Sir Truid had given him concerning the property, money, silver, letters and her own signet left by the maiden Karine Alvsdatter. Then Ivar Jensson stood up and swore, so help him God, on his good faith and the truth, that when he came to Grefsheim to take over the property, she was dead and lay on the bier. Then Ivar Jensson gathered it into chests and caskets and meant to receive and keep it on Sir Truid's behalf. Then Bishop Mogens' servants came and by force and might took from him chests and caskets with gold, silver, money, letters and her signet, and carried it to Hamar. Sir Truid complained that he had lost this, and that some of his best letters were gone, which concerned the division between Sir Alv Knutsson and Jens Knutsson, together with several other letters concerning his property.
Original text
Wy effther skreune Morthen Krabbe prowesth y Mariie kyrky och Noriges ryges kansseler Per Hansson høffwessmand paa Aggerss hwss Per Harloffson Per Andyrson Nyels Jonson Dyre Sywaldsson Lawriis Torstenson lawmend synden ffels gør alle wytterliigh meth thet wortth obbene breff atth ar effther gwss byrdh mdxxxviij onssdagh nesth effther santhe Pvoels dagh kom ffore oss paa radstvowen y Opslwo erliigh wellbyrdiigh mand her Trwd Wlstandtth riider och begerde en ffwld wyndis byrd aff welbyrdiigh mand
Background
Grefsheim was Karine Alvsdatter's farm in Hedmarken, and Ivar Jensson was the husband of her kinswoman Karine Olavsdatter, who received Bugården from her at Christmas 1536 (DN 1/1086). The chests held the most important things a noble heir could own: ready money and silver, and the old letters that proved ownership of the estate. The division between the brothers Alv and Jens Knutsson was the document showing how the Tre Rosor estate had been divided, and without it Gjørvel Fadersdatter's claim was weaker. A signet was a person's seal, and whoever held it could seal letters in her name, so Truid had good reason to fear forgeries. Bishop Mogens of Hamar had himself received Grefsheim from Karine, but gave it up in June 1537 (DN 1/1088) and was taken prisoner that same summer. The testimony is a formal witness statement (tingsvitne) meant to be used in later cases over the inheritance.
People: Karine Alvsdatter, Alv Knutsson