Half of Homtjern in Tretten passes to Lady Magnhild
DN 3/968 · 22 Febr. 1489 [1490] · Grefsheim
Magnhild Oddsdatter was married to Alv Knutsson of Tre Rosor, who received Giske at the division of 1490. She pursued her own land policy, and here she buys half of the fishing lake Homtjern in Tretten.
What the letter says
Anders Staffensson makes known in a letter written at Grefsheim that of his own free and good will he has given up half of the fishing lake Homtjern to Lady Magnhild Oddsdatter and her heirs to own for ever. The tarn had belonged to the farm Langgard in Tretten for a hundred years, honest men say. Lady Magnhild has paid him to his satisfaction, and Torstein Alvsson and Gunnar Assersson set their seals with his. The letter is dated the Feast of St Peter's Chair, 22 February, and the editor thinks the year is 1490.
The letter in modern English
I, Anders Staffensson, acknowledge with this my open letter that of my own free and good will I have granted and given to the well-born lady Lady Magnhild Oddsdatter the half of Homtjern, which lies under Langgard in Hemdalen [uncertain reading] in Tretten. Honest men know that it has lain under Langgard for a hundred years. And the said Lady Magnhild has satisfied me in full for this share of the said fishing lake. Therefore I give it away from me and my heirs and to Lady Magnhild and her heirs to own for ever. For greater certainty of this I ask the discreet men Torstein Alvsson and Gunnar Assersson to hang their seals with mine on this letter, which was written at Grefsheim on the Feast of St Peter's Chair [22 February] in the year of the Lord 1489 [probably 1490].
Original text
Thet kennis jek Andhers Staffuensson medh thette mith opne breff ath jek haffuer medh ffry och goden vilie steth och vnth velboren quinnæ ffrw M[agnil]dh Odzdotther helthen Homtiern som liggher vndher Langardh a He[mdal]en y Tretten som danne men vithe ath thet haffuer leghet vndher Langardh y hundrede [aar] och haffuer fforne ffru Magnild fornøghet megh tiil takke fore helten i forne fiske vatn thy giffuer jek thet fraa megh och mine ervinge och vndher ffrw Magnild och hennis ervinghe tiil
Background
Magnhild Oddsdatter was married to Alv Knutsson of Tre Rosor, who received Giske at the division of 1490. She pursued her own land policy, and several deeds of purchase show her gathering land and rights on Voss, in Hedmarken and in Gudbrandsdalen. Grefsheim at Nes in Hedmark recurs as a place in her letters, and she probably lived there at times. A fishing lake was a valuable right inland, where freshwater fish was important food, especially in Lent when meat was forbidden. The phrase that the tarn had belonged to the farm for a hundred years is a common proof in medieval law: long and undisputed use gave ownership.
People: Magnhild Oddsdatter