The will of Gyrid Andresdatter
DN 2/70 · udat. [c. 1303.] · uden Sted
What the letter says
Gyrid Andresdatter makes her will around 1303 and chooses a burial place in Christ Church. For the grave she gives the church one spannsleie in the farm of Holte in Barkarfjord, and three more spannsleier in the same farm to the soul altar, to the canons' common fund and to the church at Øyrar. St Mary's Church receives half a spannsleie in Ås, on condition that her sons do not redeem it within five years. She also gives money to the Dominican friars and to the priests of St Mary's and St Michael's churches, and three spannsleier in Våg by Talgylar to St Michael's. She declared the will before she received the last anointing, before four witnesses.
The letter in modern English
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, amen. I, Gyrid Andresdatter, make known to all men that I give my body to Christ Church, into the power of God, our Lady St Mary, the holy Olaf and all God's saints. At the same time I give the church one spannsleie of land [land paying one spann in annual rent] in Holte in Barkarfjord for my burial place, a second spannsleie of the same land to the soul altar for perpetual prayers for me, a third spannsleie of the same land to the canons' common fund for the hours of prayer [uncertain reading], and to the church at Øyrar the fourth spannsleie of the same land, half to the priest and half for the upkeep of the church. To St Mary's Church [I give] half a spannsleie in Ås in Haulsyn [uncertain reading] parish, on the condition that if my sons have not redeemed it within five winters, the church shall own it. To the preaching friars one mark of burnt [pure] silver. For the thirtieth [the memorial mass on the thirtieth day after death] two marks ... [uncertain reading], one to the priest at St Mary's Church and the other to the priest at St Michael's Church. I also gave to St Michael's Church, while I was whole and healthy, three spannsleier in Våg by Talgylar [uncertain reading], with share and rent and all that belongs to it.
Original text
Jn nomine patris et filii et spiritus sancti amen. Ek Gyrið Andres dotter gerer allum monnum kunnigt at ek gæfr likam min vpp til Kristkirkiu guði j valld vore fru sancta Mariu hinum heilaga Olafe ok allum guðs hæilagom monnum. þar með gef ek staðenom spanslæigu iarðar mer til legstaðar or Hollte j Barkar firði, aðra spans-læigu or samre jorð til sal allteris mer til eilifs bœnahalls, þriðiu spans læigu or samre jorð til communs korsbrœðra, j altiða kaup, kirkiunni a Œyrum fiorðo spans læigu or
Background
Gyrid Andresdatter (died 1323) was the widow of Vidkunn Erlingsson of Bjarkøy, who died around 1302, and the mother of Erling Vidkunsson. The will was made while she expected to die, before she received the last anointing, but she lived on for twenty years. The letter is unfinished and two of the seals are missing, so it may be a draft that was put aside when she recovered. DN interprets Christ Church as the cathedral in Nidaros, and the gifts show that she had land in Trøndelag or further north. A spannsleie was land paying an annual rent of one spann, a measure common in Trøndelag and northern Norway. The condition that her sons could redeem the land in Ås shows how the family tried to keep its land together, even when it was given to the Church. Several of the places in the letter are difficult to identify with certainty.
People: Gyrid Andresdatter