The farmers of Skaun miss Alv Haraldsson as bailiff
DN 2/683 · 15 May 1425 · [Skaun.]
What the letter says
The whole community of Skaun ship district writes to King Eric on St Hallvard's Day, 15 May 1425. They thank the king for having earlier given them good bailiffs who kept them by law and right, among them Sir Alv Haraldsson and Sir Aslak Pedersson, who were both dead. The new bailiff Herman Molteke has not kept his promises, and the farmers ask the king to remove him and give them another. If the king still wants to keep him, they will move away from the fief and from their inheritance to another of the king's fiefs.
The letter in modern English
To our worthy lord, Sir Eric, by God's grace King of Norway, the whole community of Skaun ship district sends God's greeting and our due and humble service. We thank you, dear gracious lord, for the great favours you have shown us poor men, in that you have kept us by law and right and set over us the bailiffs who have done the same towards us. They were Sir Alv Haraldsson and Sir Aslak Pedersson, God have their souls, and several other good bailiffs whom we cannot name now, who have conducted themselves as good bailiffs. We thank your grace and them for it. Excepted is Herman Molteke, who is now to be our bailiff. He has not kept us by law and right, as it seems to us in certain points, and as is known to good men. We can in no way come to terms with him, for he promised us good things and friendship and that he would keep us by law and right, and he has not kept that with us. Therefore we fear that he will do the same now. Therefore we ask you, dear gracious lord, for God's sake and for the sake of your lordship, that you take him away from us and set over us another bailiff whom your grace thinks fit, and who will keep us by law and right. We will do for him all that it befits us to do on your behalf.
Original text
Virderlighom varom herra herra Erike meder gudhs nadh Norex kononghs sender aller almughen j Skavn skipreidho quediu gudhs ok vare skyldugha ok audmyuka þiænist þakkom vy yder kere nadelighen herra fir ydra store nadher sem j hafuen os fathegom monnom thet þet j hafven os haldet vider lagh ok ret ok set os þa fughude som þet sama hafua giort vider os, sem varo her Aluer Haraldsson ok her Aslaker Pedersson gudh þeire sall hafue ok fleire adre godhe fugudhe sem vy kunnom nv ey nemne som sek hafua
Background
Alv Haraldsson (Bolt) was a knight and councillor of the realm and was married to Katarina Jonsdatter, sister of Sigurd Jonsson. The letter shows that he had for a time been the king's bailiff in Skaun in Trøndelag, and that the farmers there remembered him as a good bailiff. A bailiff collected taxes and fines and was to keep law and order on the king's behalf, and a harsh bailiff could make life hard for the farmers. Under Eric of Pomerania several German and Danish men received fiefs and bailiwicks in Norway, and the complaints against them were part of the discontent that led to rebellions in the 1430s. The farmers promise to deliver the leidang (naval levy), which had by then become a fixed tax, but threaten to leave their farms. The letter is written on paper and carries the seals of twelve farmers, and they ask the king to excuse that as poor men they cannot write better.
People: Alv Haraldsson (Bolt)