Philippa receives Brynjulfstomten in Bergen for a debt
DN 3/862 · 7 June 1463 · Bergen
What the letter says
Eight town councillors in Bergen make known that Lady Philippa, daughter of Count Hans and widow of Sigurd Jonsson, and Morten Jensson met in the council chamber at Breidalmenningen on 7 June 1463. They settled the account for the debt that Morten and his father-in-law Henrik Sost owed Sigurd Jonsson and Philippa. As part of the payment Morten handed over the property and plot Brynjulfstomten, which ran from the street down to the shoreline near the wall by the Apostles' Church, to Philippa and her heirs to own for ever.
The letter in modern English (excerpt)
To all men who see or hear this letter, Frende Ingvarsson, Niels Steinarsson, Henning Mikkelsson, Laurens Ingesson, Tord Eilivsson, Markvard Henriksson, Anders Ebbesson and Peder Magnusson, town councillors in Bergen, send God's greeting and their own, and make known: In the year of our Lord 1463, on the Tuesday after Trinity Sunday, the honourable and well-born lady, Lady Philippa, daughter of Count Hans and widow of Sir Sigurd Jonsson, and Morten Jensson came to the council chamber at Breidalmenningen in Bergen. They agreed on the account and the debt which Morten Jensson and his father-in-law Henrik Sost owed Sir Sigurd Jonsson, knight (God have mercy on his soul), and Lady Philippa, daughter of Count Hans. As part of this account and this debt Morten Jensson then transferred and handed over to Lady Philippa, with yes, with good will and with a handshake, his property and plot called Brynjulfstomten. It stretches from the street down to the marbakke (the shoreline), and lies in Bergen in the parish of Our Lady's Church. It is the lån (row of buildings) that lies nearest the wall by the Apostles' Church. It passes with all parts and all appurtenances, both buildings and plot, free and warranted and wholly without claim from any man, from Morten Jensson and all his heirs and to Lady Philippa and her heirs, to own for ever with full right of disposal. In truth and for greater certainty and safekeeping of this Morten Jensson hangs his seal together with our seals on this letter, which is ma
Original text (excerpt)
Alle men the som thetta breff see eller høyra sænda Frende Jnguarsson Niels Stenarsson Heningh Mykelsson Laurens Jngeson Tordh Elifsson Marquardh Henrikxson Anders Ebbeson ok Pæder Magnusson radmen j Berguen q. gudz och sine konnycht gerande ath anno domini mcd lx tercio tiisdagen nest epter dominicam trinitatis kom vppa radzstufuona a Breidha almenningh j Berguen heiderlighæ och welbornæ frwe, frw Philippa greffue Hans dotter her Sighurdh Jonssons epterleffue och Morten Jensson och wordho the s
Background
Sigurd Jonsson (died 1453) was drottsete (steward of the realm), regent and owner of Giske, and Philippa of Eberstein was his German wife. The letter shows that Sigurd had money lent out to people in Bergen, and that his widow went on collecting the debts ten years after his death. Henrik Sost and Morten Jensson were probably merchants or burghers in the town, but the letter does not say what the debt concerned. Plots that stretched from the street down to the sea were valuable in Bergen because they gave their own wharf where goods could be loaded and unloaded. A later endorsement says that the plot lay in Dreggen, the northern part of Bryggen. The letter is a deed confirmed by the town councillors, the town's government, and such letters were made so that the right of ownership would stand firm against later claims.
People: Philippa av Eberstein, Sigurd Jonsson