Truid Ulfstand wants to know where the Giske estate lies
DN 22/293 · 16. mai 1536 · Foran Varberg
What the letter says
Truid Ulfstand writes on 16 May 1536 from the siege of Varberg to his cousin Eske Bille, commander of Bergenhus. He asks Eske to find out where his wife's farms and property lie and who holds them, that is Giske and the Giske estate left by herr Alv Knutsson. He has heard that Vincens Lunge has granted part of the estate as a fief to Jens Splid, and he reminds Eske that he has promised to look after Jomfru Karine's cause. He reports that the king's ships, in the night between 13 and 14 May, have taken and burned Marcus Meyer's ships, and that the cannon will soon be set against the castle. Alv Knutsson is also said to have had plots and town houses in Bergen.
The letter in modern English
Friendly and loving greeting now and always sent before with our Lord. Dear Eske Bille, my maternal uncle's son and especially good friend. I thank you most lovingly and gladly for all the good you have always done and shown me, and I will always lovingly repay it wherever you need me or let me know of it. Dear Eske, as you write to me that I should look after your interests in this part of the country, I will gladly show myself there as I myself would wish you to do for me when I ask it, whether it concerns any of your servants or anything else that touches you. And I gladly ask you to look after my wife's interests in that part of the country and find out for me her farms and property, where it lies and who holds it, that which was Giske and Giske property and belonged to herr Alv Knutsson and his heirs. I have been told that herr Vincens is supposed to have taken part of that same property and granted it as a fief to Jens Splid. Will you also be so good as to find out how matters stand with that, and in that way and every other know and look after Jomfru Karine's interests, as you have promised and pledged me. For all these matters concern my wife as much as her. And you should know that this Wednesday our most gracious lord's ships and guns came up here to me.
Original text
Vennligh kierligenn hielszenn nu oc altiidt forsent met Wor Herre. Kiere Eskie Biilde modherbrodher sønn och sønderligenn guode wenn tacker ieg Edher ganske kierligenn oc gernne for alt gott I mig altiidt giortt oc beuist haffuer huilket ieg altiidt kierligenn mett Edher forskulle wiill huar I mig behoffu haffuer eller tilsigindes wordher.
Background
Eske Bille was a Danish councillor of the realm and commander of Bergenhus, and Truid calls him his maternal uncle's son. The wife is Gjørvel Fadersdatter, granddaughter of Knut Alvsson and one of the heirs of Alv Knutsson, who had received Giske at the division of 1490. From Varberg in Halland Truid had little overview of an estate scattered across Sunnmøre, Romsdal and further north, and he needed a man with power in Bergen to trace it. To grant as a fief meant giving someone the right to the revenues of land in return for service, and that Vincens Lunge had done so with parts of the Giske estate shows that the estate had been used as political currency. Marcus Meyer was a Lübeck captain who had taken Varberg castle in a coup in 1535 and held Truid's wife and children as prisoners. The plots and houses in Bergen were probably town properties that brought in rent.
People: Gjørvel Fadersdatter (Sparre), Alv Knutsson, Karine Alvsdatter