Bjarne Erlingsson judges a tithe case in Verdal
DN 3/56 · 25 Septbr. 1303 · Nidaros
What the letter says
Bjarne Erlingsson of Bjarkøy, Erling Amundsson, Snare Aslaksson and Halstein Torleivsson write to all men in Verdal on 25 September 1303. Fifteen people, among them Aslak's wife Elin, had stood surety for Aslak på Lyng, who had taken 4 lasts of grain from the tithe that belonged to the canons in Nidaros. Those who appeared are to pay 2 mark each at once, the others within seven nights, and the rest of the 40 mark and 12 øre is to be paid by All Saints' Day, 1 November, in silver, grain or livestock.
The letter in modern English (excerpt)
Bjarne Erlingsson of Bjarkøy, Erling Amundsson, Snare Aslaksson and Halstein Torleivsson send all men in Verdal who see or hear this letter God's greeting and their own. It has now been proven to us, from what the farmer Torstein Armannsson and Harald testified, that those named here stood surety for Aslak på Lyng: Elin, Aslak's wife, Jon på Feby, Reidar på Sorshaug, Ottar lang, Klemet, Aslak's brother, Eirik på Haga, Olav Hovsson, Gunnar på Breieng, Bård på Leikaleini, Gunnar sekk, Jon kass, Aslak and Øyvind skjate. The surety concerned 4 lasts of grain (last: a large measure, originally a shipload) that Aslak had taken from the canons in Nidaros out of their tithe last spring. They promised with a handshake to me, Halstein, to pay this in full to the canons and likewise to clear him with the crown. It was also agreed that as many of them as appeared should count as if all had appeared, and that all should stand under the same terms and the judgement we passed. When Jon, Reidar, Bård, Klemet and Aslak appeared, we passed this ruling and full judgement on the Monday six nights before Michaelmas (29 September): Those who appeared shall pay the canons 2 mark each there in the town. Those who stayed at home shall pay 2 mark each within seven nights after they have seen or heard this letter of judgement of ours. This is the first payment. What is then lacking of the 40 mark and 12 øre, all those named shall, each of them, have
Original text (excerpt)
Biarne Erlings son j Biarkrœy. Erlingr Amunda son. Snare Aslaks son. ok Hallsteinn Thorleifs son. sænnda allum monnum i Veradale þeim sem þetta bref sea æda hœyra q. g. ok sina. Af þui at sua profadezst firir oss at sinni æftir þui sem þeir baro Thorsteinn bonde armannz son ok Haralldr. at þæssir mænn er her næmfnazst j. Elin husprœya Aslaks. Jon j Feby. Reidar a Sorshaugi, Ottar langr, Klemettr Aslaks broder. Eirikr j Haga. Olafr Hofs son. Gunnar a Breidengi. Baardr a Leikaleini, Gunnar sæckr.
Background
The letter is a judgement passed by four royal stewards, and Bjarne Erlingsson of Giske and Bjarkøy stands first among them. At this time he was one of the leading men of the realm under King Håkon V and had previously been excommunicated by the archbishop in the church conflict of the 1280s; here, by contrast, he acts as the church's defender. The canons were the canons of the cathedral chapter in Nidaros, and the tithe was a tenth of the harvest that the farmers owed the church. When a man stood surety, he promised to pay if the debtor did not, and so the creditors could pursue a whole parish of guarantors. A last was a large measure, originally a shipload, and the fact that four lasts of grain were reckoned at around 40 mark of silver shows how valuable grain was in Trøndelag. The letter also shows that payment often took place in goods, because coin was little used in the countryside.
People: Bjarne Erlingsson