Lady Magnhild buys land in Hvam at Nes
DN 3/969 · 31 May 1489 · Grefsheim
What the letter says
Stefan Sigurdsson makes known at Grefsheim on 31 May 1489 that he has sold to Lady Magnhild Oddsdatter all he owns in the eastern farm in Hvam in Ullershov parish at Nes, 12 øresbol, as his letters show. The land passes from him and his heirs to Lady Magnhild and her heirs to own for ever. She has paid him to his satisfaction. Torstein Ulvsson, Torgrim Ivarsson and Jon Gudbrandsson set their seals with his.
The letter in modern English
To all good men who see or hear this my letter, I, Stefan Sigurdsson, make known that I have sold to the well-born lady Lady Magnhild Oddsdatter as much as I own in the eastern farm in Hvam, which lies in Ullershov parish at Nes, as my letters about it show, that is 12 øresbol [units of land rent, together one and a half markebol], from me and my heirs and to the said Lady Magnhild and her heirs to own for ever. And the said Lady Magnhild has paid me in full, so that I am well satisfied. For greater certainty of this I ask for the seals of good men hanging with mine on this letter, namely Torstein Ulvsson, Torgrim Ivarsson and Jon Gudbrandsson. This letter was made at Grefsheim on the sixth Sunday after Easter in the year after God's birth 1489 [31 May]. [On the back: Letter about the eastern farm in Hvam in Ullershov parish, which was sold to Lady Magnhild to own for ever.]
Original text
Alle gode men som thette mith breff see eller høre giør jak vitterlicth Staffan Siwordssøn at jak haffwer saldh velbordigh quinnæ ffrw Magnild Odhs dotther swa møked som jak agher j østher garden j Qwam som liger j Wllensogh songh a Nessæ som mynæ breffwe der om vdwisser som ær xii awresboll ffra mik och myne ærwinge och vnder forde ffrw Magnildh oc hennes ærwinghe till ewerdeligh egia. Och haffwer forde ffrw Magnild bitallde mik til tacke som mik vell ath nøger.
Background
Magnhild Oddsdatter, wife of Alv Knutsson, bought land in these years in Hedmarken, in Gudbrandsdalen and on Voss. Grefsheim lies at Nes in Hedmark, not far from Hvam and Ullershov church, and several of her letters were written there. Øresbol was a unit of land rent: eight øre made a mark, so 12 øresbol was one and a half markebol. The DN summary calls the farm southern Hvam, while the letter and the note on the back say the eastern farm. Purchases in small shares like this were common, since land was often divided among many heirs.
People: Magnhild Oddsdatter