Erling Vidkunsson and the dispute over Skreim and Syelltir
DN 2/280 · 22 March 1347 · Veö
What the letter says
Four men make known that on 22 March 1347 they were at a court meeting in the main room at Bjarnegarden on Veøy. Sir Erling Vidkunsson summoned Sigurd Fyrd Hermundsson, but neither he nor any representative appeared, and Erling presented proof that Sigurd had been lawfully summoned. Two of the witnesses also report that Olav at Slitin had admitted that he received the lands Skreim in Romsdal and Syelltir on Sunnmøre from Pål Pålsson, and that Ragna Jonsdatter owned them before she married Pål.
The letter in modern English (excerpt)
To all men who see or hear this letter, Olav Sigurdsson, Arne Helgesson, Eirik Emundsson and Ivar Ottarsson send God's greeting and their own. We wish to make known to you that on the Thursday before Palm Sunday in the 28th year of the reign of our worthy lord Magnus, by God's grace king of Norway, Sweden and Scania, that is 22 March 1347, we were at a court meeting in the main room at Bjarnegarden on Veøy. There we heard Sir Erling Vidkunsson summon Sigurd Fyrd Hermundsson or his lawful representative. Neither he nor the representative came. Then Sir Erling had his letter of summons read out, which is attached here. He also had read out the open letter from Sira Tore at Ørskog, Ivar in Lid and Erling at Mo. It bore witness that the letter of summons had been read out to Sigurd Fyrd on the Thursday after the Mass of Gregory (12 March). We two, Olav Sigurdsson and Ivar Ottarsson, named above, also bear witness to this: we were present when Sir Erling spoke with Olav at Slitin about the land Skreim in Romsdal and about the land Syelltir, which lies on Sunnmøre. We heard Olav admit that he had received these lands from Pål Pålsson, and admit that Ragna Jonsdatter owned them before Pål married her. In truth we set our seals to this letter, which was made on the day and year said before.
Original text (excerpt)
Allum monnum þeim sem þetta bref sea æder hœyra senda Olafuer Siughurdar son Arne Hellgha son Eirikr Emodz son ok Jfwar Ottarsson q. guds ok sina. yder vilium ver kunnigt gera at aa þorssdaghen nesta firir pallm sunnu aa attanda aare ok tuttughta rikiss vaars wyrdulægs herra Magnusar med guds naad Norægs Swya ok Skane konungns. vaarom ver aa stemfno j stofwonni j Biarna garde j Veœy ok hœyrdum aa at herra Erlingr Vidkunnar son krafde Siughurdar fyrdz Hermundar sonar æder hans loglægs vmbodz man(
Background
Erling Vidkunsson of Giske and Bjarkøy was drottsete (steward of the realm), regent, from 1323 to 1332 and was still one of the most powerful men in the realm in 1347. The letter is a letter of testimony, made to secure evidence in a land case. It shows that Erling, or someone he supported, laid claim to land that had belonged to Ragna Jonsdatter. Why Erling brought the case the letter does not say, but it suggests that he had bought or inherited Ragna's right or was acting as her guardian. The meeting place was Bjarnegarden on Veøy in Romsdal, a farm probably named after Bjarne Erlingsson, and Veøy was an old trading place. The letter was written two years before the Black Death reached Norway.
People: Erling Vidkunsson