Alv Haraldsson's last words on his deathbed in Vadstena
DN 5/522 · 19 April 1417 · Tunsberg
What the letter says
Håkon Eskilsson, town bailiff in Tønsberg, and Harald of Raudsnes declare that Lady Katarina Jonsdatter and the knight Sir Halvard Finnsson met in Tønsberg on the Monday after Quasimodo geniti, 19 April 1417. With the consent of both, Katarina brought two witnesses before the knight Sir Endrid Erlendsson. The witnesses swore that they were in Vadstena when Sir Alv Haraldsson died, and that Niels Rolfsson came to him on his deathbed and asked him to give back his property. Alv answered: «I have nothing of yours, and nothing will you get from me, and go away from me.»
The letter in modern English
To all men who see or hear this letter, Håkon Eskilsson, town bailiff in Tønsberg, and Harald of Raudsnes send God's greeting and their own. We make known that we were in Eskelen [probably a house in Tønsberg, uncertain reading] in Tønsberg on the Monday after Quasimodo geniti [the first Sunday after Easter] in the twenty-eighth year of the reign of our worthy lord King Erik. We saw and heard that the well-born lady [Katarina Jonsdatter, the name is missing here in the original] was there on the one side, and on the other side the well-born man Sir Halvard Finnsson, knight. Then the said Lady Katarina brought two reliable witnesses before the well-born man Sir Endrid Erlendsson, knight, with the consent of them both, Sir Halvard and Lady Katarina. They are called Helge Styrbjørnsson and Gunnar Reidarsson, and they swore on the book with a full oath that they were in Vadstena when Sir Alv Haraldsson died. Then Niels Rolfsson came and spoke to Sir Alv, who was then lying at his last, and asked him to give him back his property. Sir Alv answered: «I have nothing of yours, and nothing will you get from me, and go away from me.» For greater certainty Hans Vedikesson, burgher in Tønsberg, who was present at the time Sir Alv died, God have his soul, set his seal together with our seals to this letter, which was made in Tønsberg on the day and in the year stated above (1417).
Original text
Ollum monnum þæim som þettæ bref siæ æder høyræ sændir Hakon Æskielsson byfogotte j Tunsberge oc Haraldh j Raudznes q. g. oc sinæ kunnikt giørande at mid warom j Æskiellenom j Tunsberge manedagen nestom eptir quasi modo geniti oc a viij are oc xx rikis okkors wirdulegs herræ konungx Erics. sagom oc hørdom at welboren frw af eine halfuo en af annare halfuo welboren man herræ Haluard Findzson riddare.
Background
Katarina Jonsdatter was the sister of Sigurd Jonsson, who later won Giske, and the widow of the knight and councillor of the realm Alv Haraldsson (Bolt). The letter shows that Alv died in Vadstena in Sweden before April 1417, and a letter of 1425 (DN 2/683) also refers to him as dead. Vadstena was the seat of the Bridgettine abbey, which St Birgitta had founded, and many magnates sought it out, but the letter does not say why Alv was there. Niels Rolfsson believed that Alv held property that belonged to him, and Halvard Finnsson probably pursued this claim against the widow after Alv's death. As a widow Katarina had to defend the estate herself, and the testimony about Alv's last words was meant to show that the estate owed Niels nothing. Words spoken on a deathbed carried great weight, because it was assumed that a dying man would not put his soul at risk with a lie.
People: Alv Haraldsson (Bolt), Katarina Jonsdatter