Anne Rud to Eske Bille: the archbishop has taken fiefs and property from fru Inger
DN 23/192 · 6 juli 1529 · Ellinge (i Skåne)
Henrik Krummedike, on whose ship Knut Alvsson was killed in 1502, was now an opponent of fru Inger and Vincens Lunge in an inheritance case. The letter shows how the Danish nobility viewed the archbishop's seizure of fiefs and property from fru Inger, who held Giske in these years.
What the letter says
Anne Rudsdatter, the wife of Henrik Krummedike, writes from Ellinge in Scania on 6 July 1529 to her son-in-law Eske Bille, who has just arrived in Bergen as commander. She writes about provisions he has asked for, about Duke Christian's fleet of 14 ships to Norway and about family matters in Denmark and Scania. On the news that the archbishop in Trondheim has declared a feud on Vincens Lunge and taken from him and fru Inger their fiefs and property, she writes that it is a punishment from God for the wrong Lunge has done to Henrik and to Otte Holgersson's children. She advises Eske not to get involved in the conflict and tells him that the king has ordered Henrik to go to court on the children's behalf.
The letter in modern English
Motherly, loving greeting sent first with our Lord. Dear son, I thank you warmly and gladly for all the good you have shown me. For it you shall always find me willing to repay and deserve it, as befits me towards my dear son. Dear son, you write that you arrived safely in Bergen. Almighty God be praised and honoured that you arrived safely in Bergen, and may He keep you from all your enemies. Dear son, you write that you found little inventory [provisions and equipment] there, and that I should ask herr Henrik to speak to our gracious lord about sending you some provisions. Then you shall know that I wrote to herr Henrik about it as soon as I received your letter, for herr Henrik has been in Copenhagen five weeks today seeing to getting the provisions on board [uncertain reading]. So I wrote to him at once. He then spoke with our gracious lord but got no answer, for you know yourself how it went with you, that you had room enough before you could get provisions for the one ship [uncertain reading]. You shall know that Duke Christian got 14 ships for Norway, and you shall know that none of the council went with him except the bishop of Vendsyssel and herr Henrik Krummedike, herr Otte Krumpen and Knut Pedersen.
Original text
Modherligh kerligh helsszen til forne send met vor herre. Kiare søn tacker jegh edher kerlighe och gerne for alth goth y haffwe megh bewysth for hwess y skwllæ altiid fynne megh vell villiig til ath forskyølle och fortynne som megh bør ath gøre y modh myn kiare søn. Kiare søn som y skrywe ath y komme vell ffram till Beren den almectysthe gwdh vere loffwed och eredh dhet y komme vell fram til Beren och beware edher fra alle edher vvenner.
Background
Eske Bille was a Danish councillor of the realm and commander at Bergenhus from 1529, succeeding Vincens Lunge. His father-in-law, Henrik Krummedike, was the same man on whose ship Knut Alvsson was killed under safe conduct in 1502, and he was now an opponent of fru Inger and Lunge in the inheritance case after Otte Holgersson Rosenkrantz (see DN 12/413). The letter shows how the matter looked from the Danish nobility's side: Lunge and fru Inger had lost the archbishop's support, and their opponents were glad of it. That the archbishop took fru Inger's fiefs and property is mentioned only in passing. Ellinge and Häckeberga were noble manors in Scania, which then belonged to Denmark.
People: Ingerd Ottesdatter (fru Inger)