Sivard skytte will serve Knut Alvsson
DN 22/22 · 22.august 1502 · Ettak
What the letter says
Sivard skytte writes from Ettak to herr Svante Nilsson, probably on 22 August 1502. The bearer of the letter, Dynys, has entered Svante's service for clothes and money, and Sivard asks Svante to receive him well. He will try to bring more men from the enemy side over to Svante and has himself taken on a man who came from Peder Griis, but the others had all entered herr Knut Alvsson's service. He himself will serve Knut faithfully, as Svante has ordered. They are all in good heart, and he hopes that it will soon go with Båhus as it has gone with Akershus and Tønsberg.
The letter in modern English
My humble, faithful service now and always sent beforehand with our Lord. You should know, dear lord, that this bearer Dynys has given me his hand on your behalf [entered your service] for clothes and money, which I have promised him on your behalf. Therefore I ask you humbly and gladly, for the sake of my poor, faithful service, to receive him well. I will be out to get more men from the enemy [uncertain reading: men from the enemy side] over to you, wherever I can best find or get them, and I will make every effort to do so. I have also taken on a man who came from Per Griis. I would gladly have taken more of these enemy men on your behalf, but by then they had all given their hand to herr Knut. I will also gladly be at the will and faithful service of the good lord herr Knut Alvsson, as you have ordered me, to the utmost of my power and ability. We are all in good heart, and I hope with God's help that it will soon be negotiated with Båhus as it has now gone with Akershus and Tønsberg. With this I commend you to Almighty God, and to St Olaf the king and St Eric the king. Written at Ettak on the Monday after Our Lady's day [probably 22 August] in the year of the Lord 1502 etc. Sivard skytte. Outside: To the honourable and well-born man herr Svante Nilsson, stern knight and commander of Stegeborg and Örebro and marshal of Sweden, this letter is humbly sent.
Original text
Myn ydmyggeligh troo tienesth nw och altid for senth med Vor Herre. Maa I wydhe kære herre ath thenne breffuiisser Dynnys haffwer rackth megh handhen poo Edher vegnne for kledhe och penningh i hwilked som iegh haffwer hanum wd loffweth poo Edher vegnæ. Thij bedher iegh Edher ydmyggeligh oc gernæ for myn fatthie troo tienesth skyldh ath gøre hanum vel i modh.
Background
The letter shows that Svante Nilsson had set men of his own to serve Knut Alvsson, and that Knut's side at this time counted Akershus and Tønsberg as won. To give someone your hand meant to enter his service. The dating is uncertain: the DN editor thinks that Our Lady's day here is 15 August, so that the letter is from 22 August, four days after Knut was killed, but before the news could have reached Ettak, some four Swedish miles north of Jönköping. If so, Sivard was writing about serving a man who was already dead. The language is more Danish than Swedish, and the greeting to St Olaf may, according to the editor, point towards Norway.
People: Knut Alvsson