Sigurd Jonsson confirms a sale of land in Lofoten
DN 2/684 · 18 August 1425 · Bergen
What the letter says
In Bergen on 18 August 1425, Sigurd Jonsson and Jens Hjerne confirm a sale that the late Lady Margareta Eilivsdatter had made to Arvid Ingjaldsson. The sale concerned the farms Pettevik and Ramsvik in Hol parish in Lofoten ship district (skipreide), which the letter calls both her land and theirs. Arvid is to own the land freely and for ever.
The letter in modern English (excerpt)
To all who see or hear this letter, Sigurd Jonsson and Jens Hjerne send God's greeting and their own, and make known with this our open letter that we have consented to and confirmed the purchase and the agreement which Lady Margareta Eilivsdatter, God save her soul, has made with Arvid Ingjaldsson concerning her land and ours called Pettevik and Ramsvik, which lies in Hålogaland, in Lofoten ship district and in Hol church parish. Arvid Ingjaldsson shall own these lands freely and without claim against any man, from us and our heirs and under Arvid Ingjaldsson, him and his heirs and descendants, to own for ever. With them go all lutter og lunnende [all the rights and appurtenances that belong to it] that lie with it or have lain with it of old and of new, inside the fence and outside, without any exception, in lesser part or greater, as his letter under Lady Margareta's seal bears witness. In truth and further confirmation we hung our seals under this letter, which was made in Bergen in the year 1425 after God's birth, the Saturday after the first Mary Mass (the Assumption of Mary, 15 August). Endorsement: On the back, in a later hand: Letter about Pettevik and Ramsvik.
Original text (excerpt)
Ollum monnum þeim sem þetta bref sea ædhir høyra senda Sighurdhir Jønsson ok Jønis Hierne q. g. ok sina kunnykt gerande med þesso uaro opno brefue at vi hafuom samþykt ok stadhfest þat kaupp ok skiilmala sem frw Margaretta Eilifs dottir gudh henne saall frealse hafuir giort med Aruidh Jngielzson om henna iordh ok uara sem Petteuiik heitir ok Ramsuiik sem liggia a Halghalande i Loofota skippredhu ok i Hools kirkiu sokn. Oc skall adhir nempdir Aruidh Jngieldzson eignaz þessa før sagdha iordhir fre
Background
Sigurd Jonsson, later drottsete (steward of the realm) and regent, was the son of Jon Marteinsson and Agnes Sigurdsdatter of Sudreim, and the year before he had won the right to Giske in the inheritance dispute. Lady Margareta Eilivsdatter was a kinswoman of Sigurd and his sister Katarina Jonsdatter, and a letter from 1420 shows that she gave property to Jens Hjerne and Katarina, who were then married. Sigurd and Jens therefore stood as her heirs, and heirs had to confirm sales for the buyer to be safe against later claims. This is probably the reason for the confirmation. Skipreide was an old division into districts that had to provide ships for the leidang (naval levy). Land in Lofoten was valuable because of the cod fishery and the stockfish, which went to Bergen and out into Europe through the Hanseatic League.
People: Sigurd Jonsson