Sigurd Havtoresson's lensmann takes evidence about Røvolar
DN 5/286 · 29 January 1376 · Holtar
What the letter says
Arne Torleivsson, lensmann for Sir Sigurd Havtoresson, declares that he held a lawful hearing at Holter in Nordlem in Romerike on the Tuesday before Candlemas, 29 January 1376. There he took evidence that Harald Hallvardsson had bought the farm Røvolar from Gunnar Smidsson, also called Gunnar saltkarl, in exchange for land in Strikstad and Rokstad and 18 marks in money. The witnesses also state that Gunnar at the same time leased the land in Strikstad to Harald for three years, on condition that Harald built a cowshed and a barn. Finally two people testified that Sir Hallvard Jonsson had said that Guttorm Riddarason was the heir of Gunnar saltkarl.
The letter in modern English
To all men who see or hear this letter, Arne Torleivsson, lensmann for Sir Sigurd Havtoresson, sends God's greeting and his own. I make known to you that on the Tuesday before Candlemas in the twenty-first year of the reign of my worthy lord Sir Håkon, by God's grace King of Norway, I was at Holter, at the proper meeting place in Nordlem in Romerike. There Guttorm Andresson and Anstein Einarsson of Røvolar acknowledged with yes and handshake, unforced, that Harald Hallvardsson had lawfully summoned them there to Holter on the same day to hear all the proofs and evidence that the said Harald could bring about the said Røvolar, which lies in Nordlem in Holter parish. After that I took the testimony of two men called Aslak Kjetilsson and Joar Tordsson. They swore on the book with a full oath that they were present out in the yard at Yrpestad by the loft when Gunnar Smidsson and Harald Hallvardsson took each other by the hand. It was done on the condition that the said Gunnar acknowledged before them and many other good men that he had sold the said Harald all of Røvolar, which lies in Nordlem, and that he was then the rightful owner of the land Røvolar with all appurtenances that lie and have lain with it from of old and of new, outside the farmyard and within, as free property with full right of disposal.
Original text
Ollum monnum þæim sæm þetta bref sea æder hœyra sender Arne Þorlæifsson lænsmader herra Sighurdz Hafthorssonar q. g. ok sina. yder gerer ek kunnight at a tysdaghen nesta firir kyndilsmesso a æinu are ok tyttughta rikis mins virduleghs herra Hakonar med guds naad Noreghs kononghs var ek a Holtom a rettom stæfnuby j Nordlæm a Raumariki þa er Gudþormer Andresson ok Anstæin Einarsson a Røfolom kiænduz med ia ok handarbande vnøydder at Haralder Hallwardzson hafde þeim loghligha þith stefnt till
Background
Sigurd Havtoresson of Sudreim was married to Ingebjørg Erlingsdatter, who had inherited Giske from her father Erling Vidkunsson. Sudreim lies in Romerike, and that Arne Torleivsson calls himself Sigurd's lensmann suggests that Sigurd held the king's district or fief in the area. The lensmann here held a hearing, a court meeting to which the parties had been lawfully summoned, and took the testimony Harald needed to prove his right to Røvolar. Leasehold (bygsel) meant letting land for a fixed period, and here the tenant was to build a new cowshed of 14 ells and a barn as part of the payment for its use. The last testimony suggests there was a question about the inheritance after Gunnar, and that Harald wanted to secure himself against claims from the heir. Sigurd was not a party to the case. His lensmann wrote and sealed the letter together with two members of the lagrette (local jury).
People: Sigurd Havtoresson