Peder Ulvsson buys Gilberg and clarifies Jon Havtoresson's right
DN 2/673 · 28 May 1423 · Hauge
What the letter says
Three men make known that on 28 May 1423 they were at a district thing (bygdeting) at Hauge in Odensø in Borgarsyssel. There Trond Halvardsson and his wife Steinor Helgesdatter sold land in Søndre and Nordre Gilberg to Peder Ulvsson. Peder bought because he found no proof of how the farm had come under Sir Jon Havtoresson. Witnesses swore that Helge Ølvesson had owned the farm before, and that Jon took him prisoner after a stabbing at an autumn feast, but that Helge was later set free and lived at Gilberg until he was killed. Magnus Håkonsson was summoned to present proof, but did not appear.
The letter in modern English (excerpt)
To all men who see or hear this letter, Tord Pedersson, Andres Anundsson and Peder Arnesson send God's greeting and their own. We make known that we were at the middle farm at Hauge, at a lawful district meeting (bygdeting), which lies in Odensø in Kolberg parish in the outer part of Borgarsyssel, on the Friday before Trinity Mass (28 May) in the 34th year of the reign of our worthy lord, Lord Eric, by the grace of God King of Norway (1423). We saw and heard that the well-born man Peder Ulvsson on the one side, and Trond Halvardsson and his wife Steinor Helgesdatter on the other, made a bargain: Trond and Steinor sold and transferred to Peder Ulvsson 4 ørtogsbol less than one markebol (land with one mark of land rent; an ørtog is a twenty-fourth of a mark) in Søndre Gilberg and half a markebol in Nordre Gilberg, which lie in Odensø. It was done with yes and handshake and with all odal right, free and warranted against every man, outside the farm and inside, with all that belongs to it, field and meadow, except [uncertain reading], and with all the right the married couple had to Gilberg. Peder bought it because he could not find letter or proof of how the farm had come under Sir Jon Havtoresson. At the same time Peder Ulvsson brought two reliable witnesses concerning Gilberg, Anund Niklisson and Gudrun Olavsdatter. They swore on the book with a full oath that they knew nothing else before God than that Helge Ølvesson owned the farm, and his father before him, without complaint from anyone. D
Original text (excerpt)
Ollom monnom þeim sæm þetta bref sia ædher høyra senda Þordher Pædersson Andres Anundasson ok Pedher Arnesson quediu guds ok sina kunnikt gerande at wi warom j mædalgardenom j Hoghe a rætta by(g)dha stempno som ligher j Odensö (j) Kolbergssokn j yttralutanom j Borgasysloo fredaghen næst firer trinitatis messo a xiiii are ok xx rikis wars wirdalix herra herra Erekx mæd gudz nad Norekx konongs saghom ok hørdom af eino halfuo welboren man Pædher Wlfsson æn af annare halfuo Þrondher Haluardsson ok S
Background
Sir Jon Havtoresson was the brother of Sigurd Havtoresson of Sudreim, who was married to Ingeborg Erlingsdatter of Giske. The letter shows how a magnate could get hold of land after the owner had committed an offence, and how the heirs could afterwards be left without papers for the property. Peder Ulvsson therefore secured himself twice over: he bought from the old owner's descendants and at the same time summoned the person who might have a claim after Sir Jon. Magnus Håkonsson was probably a relative or heir of Jon, but this is not clear. A markebol was land that yielded one mark in annual land rent, and an ørtog was a twenty-fourth of a mark. The letter is a letter of witness from a district thing, made to show that the purchase was lawful and that no one else had registered a claim. Mørkestua was a prison, and skurdøl was a feast after the harvest.