Lady Magnhild rejects Krummedike's terms over Bishop Karl's estate
DN 5/935 · 29 Decbr. 1487 · Akershus
What the letter says
At Akershus on 29 December 1487, Provost Jon Pålsson of Oslo and four other men heard Lord Henrik Krummedike offer Lady Magnhild to hand over everything at Akershus that had belonged to Bishop Karl. The condition was that she bound herself to give him full satisfaction for every claim he might have against her: first on the king's behalf, then for the wages he had promised Bishop Karl's men, and finally for everything he had to claim on his own behalf. Lady Magnhild said no and would not bind herself to it.
The letter in modern English
To all men who see or hear this letter, Jon Pålsson, provost in Oslo, Halstein Jonsson, canon in Bergen, Erik Eriksson, lawman, Helge Bjørnsson, councilman, and Bertel Kokk, burgher in Oslo, send God's greeting and their own. We make known that we were at Akershus on the fifth day of Christmas in the year of the Lord 1487 [29 December]. Then we heard that the well-born man Lord Henrik Krummedike, knight, offered the well-born lady Lady Magnhild this: if she would bind herself to give him full satisfaction [full compensation] for everything he could rightfully claim from her, first on behalf of our gracious lord [the king], then for the wages Lord Henrik had bound himself to give the men who belonged to Bishop Karl, and further for all matters and business he had to claim from her on his own behalf. If Lady Magnhild would keep these terms, Lord Henrik would at once hand over to her everything at Akershus that had belonged to Bishop Karl. Then Lady Magnhild answered no to that, that she would not bind herself to it. In witness of this we hang our seals on this letter, which was made in the year, on the day and at the place stated above. [On the back, in a somewhat later hand: Letter between Lord Henrik Krummedike and Lady Magnhild, who was Bishop Karl's mother.]
Original text
Ollum monnum theim som thetta breff sea ædher høyra sendher Jon Polsson proost i Oslo Halstein Jonsson canick j Bergwen Erick Ericksson lagman Helghe Biørnsson radhman oc Bertell Kock borgere i Oslo q. g. oc synæ kwngiørende at wii worum wppa Agersshwss femptedagh jwle anno domini mcdlxxx septimo. hørde wii at welbyrdigh man her Henrick Krwmdige ridder bødh swa welbyrdigh qwinne frw Magnilde till at wilde hon beplicte seg till at giøre honum fylleste fore all then deell ther han kwnne henne
Background
Lady Magnhild Oddsdatter was married to Alv Knutsson and brought the Finne estate on Voss into the marriage. A note on the back says she was the mother of Bishop Karl, who is probably Bishop Karl of Hamar, who died in 1487. After his death, what was his lay at Akershus, where Henrik Krummedike held power. Krummedike was a Danish-Norwegian councillor of the realm and later commander of Båhus, the same man who in 1502 had Knut Alvsson, Magnhild's son, killed under safe conduct. To give full satisfaction means to pay full compensation. Had Magnhild said yes, she could have become liable for an unknown sum, and the letter suggests she preferred to leave the inheritance rather than take on the bishop's and the king's bills.
People: Magnhild Oddsdatter