New coinage agreed in Bergen in summer 1340
DN 8/127 · 1 July [1340.] · Bergen
What the letter says
Bishop Håkon tells Lord Erling on 1 July 1340 that because Erling could not come to Bergen before St Olaf's day, Gunnar asked the archbishop and the good men in the town to meet and discuss the coinage. They agreed to strike pennies in which one fifth of the mark was pure silver, and in which eight ørtuger were to equal one laup. The arrangement was to apply if the king confirmed it and Erling and others found nothing better. Gunnar has written about the matter to the king and to Erling, and he spends every day in the mint workshop.
The letter in modern English
[Heading in the copy: To Lord Erling.] Since it was understood that your coming here was so delayed that it could not happen before St Olaf's day, Gunnar asked the lord archbishop and the good men who were here with him that people should be called together to discuss the coinage, how it could best be ordered, so that it would be without harm to the king, yet of benefit to the common people, and the realm would not be damaged by debasement of the money. It was finally discussed and agreed by those who were here that flosopenninger [uncertain what kind of coin] should be struck, so good that every fifth mark in them was pure silver, and that they should then pass at such a value that eight ørtuger [an ørtug: a third of an øre] should be worth one laup [of butter], and everything else accordingly. This arrangement was to stand if our lord the king would confirm it, and if you or other good men found nothing else more correct or better. Gunnar has therefore written about this to our lord the king, and also to you, as he told us. He also spends his days in the minters' houses with anvils and striking [uncertain interpretation], and we expect that Osmund will work together with him. You may write back about this and arrange your journeys as you think best. We were present at all this and agreed to it. Otherwise there is no news here. Ask us confidently for whatever you wish.
Original text
Ad dominum Erlingum. Sidan menn vndirstodo. at ydur highatkoma. sæinkadezst so. at hon maatte æi verda fyr en aat Olafsvoku. bæiddizst Gunnar af herra erkibiskupi ok þæim godom monnum er her vaaro hia honom stadder. at menn skyldi saman kallazst ok tractera nokott vm myntena hwæria læid hon mætte bezst verda. so at konunginum være vskadaleght. en aalmughanom gagnsamleght ok rikit mætte æi sœyrazt j brotfœrslo peningsens, vat þat endalegha her vm talat ok samþykt. af þæim sem her vaaro.
Background
The coinage was a great problem in the 1330s and 1340s, because the king profited from striking coins with less silver, while people lost by it. Here the Council of the Realm and the magnates in Bergen try to find a coin that harmed neither the king nor the common people. Gunnar was probably the king's fehirde (treasurer) in Bergen, and the letter shows that Erling was still counted on in such matters of state. An ørtug was a third of an øre, and an øre an eighth of a mark. A laup was a measure of butter, and setting the value of the coin in butter shows how goods and money were linked. What kind of coin «flosopenninger» were is uncertain.
People: Erling Vidkunsson, Elin Toresdatter