Fru Inger leases the plot Galgen in Dreggen
DN 23/501 · 17 juli 1543 · Bergen
What the letter says
Fru Ingerd Ottesdatter announces in Bergen on the Tuesday before St Margaret's day 1543 that she has leased to Bernt Folmers of Engelsgården a plot she owns in Dreggen, called Galgen. The plot is 37 ells long from the sea up onto land. Bernt is to pay 4 Bergen guilders a year and may keep and use the plot for as long as he pays and they can agree.
The letter in modern English
I, Ingerd Ottesdatter, declare and make known to all with this my open letter that I have leased to the honourable and respected man Bernt Folmers of Engelsgården a plot I own, which lies in Dreggen and is called Galgen, and which is 37 ells long from the sea up onto land [roughly 23 metres], for 4 Bergen guilders a year. The said Bernt shall have, keep and enjoy the said ground and plot for as long as he pays me what is due for it, and we can agree on it. In truth of this I hang my seal below this my open letter, given and written in Bergen on the Tuesday before St Margaret's day in the year 1543 [17 July].
Original text
Jeg Ingierd Ottisdatter kienndis och giør witterliigtt for alle medtt thette mith opne breff ath yeg haffuer biigdtt erlych och welfornumstich manndtt Berennth Folmers y Engle gard eyn mynn grund liggendis i Dreggenn som Galge heter som er xxxvij alne lanng efra søenn och vp till lands aarlig for iiij bergen gylden. Skall forscreffne Berennth haffue beholde och nyde forscreffne grund och toffth saa lengie hann meg ther skiell ffor giør och wij ther om forlikiss kunne.
Background
Dreggen was the northern part of Bryggen in Bergen, where German merchants of the Hansa had their premises in the tenements along the waterfront. Engelsgården was one of the Bryggen tenements, and Bernt Folmers was probably a Hanseatic merchant, for the letter is preserved in the archive of the Bergen traders in Lübeck. A plot running from the sea up onto land gave room for a quay and warehouse, and 37 ells is roughly 23 metres. To bygsle means to lease out land or a plot for an annual rent, and here the rent was paid in Bergen guilders, gold coins in common use in the Bergen trade. The letter shows that she owned town property in Bergen and earned money from the Hanseatic trade. How she had acquired the plot is not stated in the letter. The editor believes Inger used Norwegian dating, and a catalogue in Lübeck gives the date as 10 July.
People: Ingerd Ottesdatter (fru Inger)