Bjarne testifies to King Eirik's deathbed gift
DN 3/64 · 12 April 1306 · Bergen
What the letter says
Abbot Einar of St Michael's Church in Bergen, Erling Amundsson and Bjarne Audunsson announce in Bergen on 12 April 1306 that by King Håkon's command they heard a claim from Bishop Arne of Bergen concerning the farm of Toskar. The widowed Queen Isabella, Sir Bjarne Erlingsson, Provost Finn of the Apostles' Church and two Dominican friars testified that King Eirik, in the great hall of the royal residence in Bergen, the day before he died, gave Toskar to Bishop Narve. The king said he had forgotten a good friend, Bishop Narve, who had always been loyal and good to him. Four councillors of the realm also heard the witnesses, and all who were present sealed the letter.
The letter in modern English
To all God's friends and their own who see or hear this letter, Einar, by God's mercy abbot of St Michael's Church in Bergen [Munkeliv], Erling Amundsson and Bjarne Audunsson send God's greeting and their own. We make known to all men that our worthy lord Håkon, by God's mercy King of Norway, bade us be present and hear the case and claim of Sir Arne, by God's mercy Bishop of Bergen, concerning the land of Toskar. He said that the worthy lord Eirik, by God's mercy King of Norway, in his last days had given it to Sir Narve the bishop as his perpetual property, to do with as he wished. We then went to our worthy lady Isabella, the queen, who we were told knew about this. To her, at the request of Sir Arne the bishop, were called Sir Bjarne Erlingsson, Sira Finn, provost of the Apostles' Church in Bergen, Brother Hallvard and Brother Arnfinn, preaching friars, and the lector. She then gave her full testimony before us and all these aforementioned men, that they were present in the great hall of the royal residence in Bergen on the Sunday after the vigil of the Seljumenn [the eve of their feast on 8 July] after the meal, and that the worthy lord King Eirik died on the Monday after.
Original text
Allum gudzs vinum ok sinum þæim sem þetta bref sia edr hæyra sænda Æinar mædr gudzs miskun abote at Mikials kirkiu i Biorghvin, Ærlinger Amundarson ok Biarne Audunarson q. g. ok sina. Ver gerom þat ollum monnum kunnight at æftir þvi sem vaar hin virdulege herra Hakon mædr gudzs miskun Noregs konongr baud oss hia at vera ok hæyra a maalæmni ok tilkollu herra Arna mædr gudzs miskun biskups i Biorghvin um jordena Þoskar er han sagde virdulegan herra Eirik mædr gudzs miskun Noregs konong hafva
Background
Bjarne Erlingsson (c. 1248 to 1313) of Bjarkøy was a baron and councillor of the realm, and he had been among the men closest to King Eirik Magnusson, who died in Bergen in July 1299. That Bjarne was present at the deathbed shows how close he stood to the king. Bishop Narve of Bergen had been the king's friend and died in 1304, and now his successor Arne demanded that the see should have the farm. A gift made orally on the deathbed had to be confirmed by witnesses to stand, and so the widowed queen and the others were heard seven years later. Isabella Bruce was Eirik's second queen and the sister of the Scottish king Robert Bruce. The farm of Toskar has not been identified with certainty.
People: Bjarne Erlingsson