Sigurd Jonsson witnesses a wager over false gold
DN 8/302 · 6 Novbr. 1438 · Oslo
Sigurd Jonsson had won Giske in 1425 and became drottsete the year after. Here he probably stands first among the witnesses in a dispute about false gold in Oslo, although the letter gives him no title.
What the letter says
Sigurd Jonsson, the lawman Simon Bjørnsson and the councillors Aske Torgersson and Henrik Hvittenhagen bear witness in Oslo on 6 November 1438 to a dispute between the well-born Olav Buk and Harald the goldsmith. Olav accused Harald of having falsified the gold in a gold chain Harald had worked on. Harald denied it, and the two struck hands on a wager on both their necks that Harald had never before seen the finest piece of gold in the chain. When Hvittenhagen said that Harald had seen it in the town hall, Harald answered «except last time», and the witnesses state that he cannot rightly deny what was said.
The letter in modern English
To all men who hear or see this letter, Sigurd Jonsson, Simon Bjørnsson, lawman in Oslo, Aske Torgersson and Henrik Hvittenhagen, councillors in the same place, send God's greeting and their own, and make known that we were in the said town of Oslo on the Thursday before St Martin's day (6 November) in the year of our Lord 1438. There we heard the well-born man Olav Buk speak to Harald the goldsmith about a gold chain on which Harald the goldsmith was said to have done some work. Olav Buk then said that Harald the goldsmith had falsified his gold in the said chain. But Harald the goldsmith denied it, until they struck hands on it and wagered on both their necks [pledged their lives] that Harald the goldsmith said and swore that he had never before seen the little piece that is the best gold in the said chain. Then Hvittenhagen said to Harald the goldsmith: «You did see this here last time, up in the town hall.» Then Harald the goldsmith answered: «I say: except last time» [uncertain interpretation]. And with that the wager made by handshake was settled [uncertain interpretation]. It is known to many good men together with us that this is how it went with the said wager, so that he cannot rightly deny it. In truth of this we set our seals to this letter, which was written on the day and in the year stated above.
Original text
Ollom monnom them som thetta breff høyræ eller see sendæ Sigurdh Jonsson Symon Biornsson laghman j Oslo Aske Thorgersson oc Henric Hwittenhaghen radhmen ther sammestadh q. g. oc sinæ kunnikt gerandis at wi warom j fyrdom stadh Oslo nestæ thorsdaghen fore sancte Martens dagh anno domini mcdxxx octauo oc hørdom ther vpa at wælboren man Olaff Buk taladhe til Harald guldsmidh vm een gulkiædha ther Harald gulsmidh skulde nokot haffua vppa giort oc sagde tha Olaff Buk at Harald gulsmidh haffde
Background
Sigurd Jonsson (c. 1390 to c. 1453) of Sudreim had won Giske in the inheritance dispute of 1425, and the year after this letter he became drottsete (steward of the realm), the highest official of the realm under the king. Here he stands first among the witnesses, ahead of the lawman, and it is probably him, although the letter gives him no title. The letter is a witness letter: when two men struck hands on a wager, the agreement was binding, and the witnesses had to be able to say later exactly which words were spoken. To wager «on both their necks» suggests that both men pledged their lives, and it shows how serious it was to be accused of debasing gold. The town hall in Oslo was where the town council met and cases were brought forward, so Harald had shown the chain there earlier. Olav Buk belonged to the Buk family, a noble family in eastern Norway.
People: Sigurd Jonsson