Alv Knutsson buys land in Horveid at Voss
DN 2/870 · 25 Septbr. 1468 · Finnen
What the letter says
Nine lagrettemenn (lay judges) at Voss bear witness that on 25 September 1468 at Finne, Alv Knutsson bought five månedsmatsbol of land in Horveid in Evanger parish from Kol Bjørnsson. The land passes to Sir Alv and Lady Magnhild and their heirs to own for ever. Kol confirmed that he had received full payment in silver and cows.
The letter in modern English (excerpt)
To all who see or hear this letter, Orm Ivarsson, Gudmund Askelsson, Bynning Kallesson, Aslak Pedersson, Jon Pedersson, Anbjørn Halstensson, Olav Pedersson, Ketil Brynjulvsson and Gudleik Jonsson, sworn lagrettemenn at Voss, send God's greeting and their own. We make known that we were at Finne on the Sunday before Michaelmas (29 September), that is 25 September, in the year of our Lord 1468. There we saw and heard that the well-born man Sir Alv Knutsson bought five månedsmatsbol (land rent equal to five months' food) of land in Horveid in Evanger church parish at Voss from Kol Bjørnsson, with all the parts and rights that lie with this land and have lain with it from old and new times, outside the fence and inside. The land passes from Kol and his heirs and over to Sir Alv and Lady Magnhild and their heirs to own for ever. Kol also acknowledged that he had received the first and the last penny and all in between, as was agreed in the purchase, in silver and cows, so that he was well content. In witness of this we hang our seals under this letter, which was made in the year and on the day named above. Endorsement: On the back, later: Letter that Alv Knutsson bought 5 bol of land at Voss in Horveid.
Original text (excerpt)
Ollom monnom them som thetta breff see æller høra sendher Orm Jvarsson Gvdmwndh Asskelsson Bynningher Kallesson Asslak Pedersson Jon Pædersson Anbyøn Halstensson Olaff Pætersson Kætil Brynyvlfson Gvdhleker Jonsson svorner loghretthamæn a Vos q. g. ok sine kvnnvkth gørende adh mer varvm a Fynnene svnnadaghen næsth fore sancte Nikels dagh anno domini m cd lxviii saoghvm ok hørdvm a ath vælbaren man hær Alff Knvtson køpthe ffæm mamatha bool iardher i Harwedhe i Æwangher kyrke soknn a Vos aff Kol By
Background
Alv Knutsson of Tre Rosor took over the Giske estate after the death of Junker Hans Sigurdsson in 1466, and the letter shows that in the years after he bought more land in western Norway. Lady Magnhild is probably Magnhild Oddsdatter, who is named as his wife in a deed of purchase from 1466. Lagrettemenn were farmers sworn to be witnesses and judges in the district, and a deed of purchase with their seals was the proof that the bargain was lawful. A månedsmatsbol was a unit of land according to how much rent it yielded. The payment in silver and cows shows that livestock was still used as a means of payment in the countryside in the late Middle Ages. Deeds of purchase such as this were preserved in the estate archive because they were the owner's proof against later claims.
People: Alv Knutsson, Magnhild Oddsdatter