Settlement over the millstone quarry at Toltestad in Gudbrandsdalen
DN 8/416 · 7(14?) March 1488 · Grefsheim
What the letter says
Lodin Toresson makes known that at Grefsheim in March 1488 he was reconciled with Lady Magnhild Oddsdatter over the millstone quarry at Toltestad. His father, Tore Staan, had managed the quarry for Sir Alv Knutsson and Lady Magnhild without rendering accounts. As settlement Lodin transfers the farm Kvegestad in Sigstad in Kvam in Gudbrandsdalen, with a land rent of one hide a year, to Lady Magnhild. From now on the whole millstone quarry is to belong to Alv and Magnhild, and Lodin may use only what he cuts himself.
The letter in modern English (excerpt)
To all good men who see or hear this letter: I, Lodin Toresson, make known that I was at Grefsheim on the Friday before Mid-Lent (probably 7 or 14 March) in the year of our Lord 1488 and was reconciled with the well-born woman Lady Magnhild Oddsdatter. The case concerned the millstone quarry [the rock where millstones were quarried] at Toltestad [Tolthe stadh], which my father Tore Staan had held in stewardship from the well-born man Sir Alv Knutsson and Lady Magnhild, without my father ever having rendered accounts for it. Then I, Lodin Toresson, transferred to Lady Magnhild Oddsdatter Kvegestad, which lies within Sigstad in the Kvam community in Gudbrandsdalen, from me and my heirs and to Sir Alv Knutsson and Lady Magnhild and her heirs as their property for ever. From this land one hide is paid in land rent every year. I, Lodin, shall henceforth have no more right in the quarry than what I myself can cut loose [uncertain interpretation]. The whole millstone quarry shall belong to Sir Alv Knutsson and Lady Magnhild freely, both what belonged to Hamre and what belongs to Toltestad. For greater certainty about this I ask trustworthy men to hang their seals together with mine under this letter. Their names are Torstein Ulvsson, Jon Gudbrandsson and Øyvind Botolvsson. The letter was made at Grefsheim on the day and in the year stated before, etc. Endorsement: On the back, somewhat later: Letter about Høgestad [hoeghestadh] and the millstone quarry, which was sold to Sir Alv Knutsson as his property for ever.
Original text (excerpt)
Alle godhe men som thette breff see eller høre giør jagh vitterlicth Lawdhen Toresson ath jagh var a Greffsem fredagen nest fore medfasthe anno dominj mcdlxxx octauo ock forlicthes met velborne quinnæ frw Magnildh Odz dotther for thet myn fader Thore Staan hadde omboth vdofuer qwerneberigh som liger ved Tolthe stadh aff velborne man her Alff Knwdsson ock frw Magnildh ock jngen renskap hadde myn fader ther førre fore giord. Tha setthe jagh Lawden Toresson frw Magnildh Odzdotther Kveghestad liger
Background
Alv Knutsson of Tre Rosor, later owner of Giske, and Lady Magnhild Oddsdatter had their manor farm at Grefsheim in Hedmark. A kvernberg was a quarry where millstones were cut for grinding grain into flour, a sought-after commodity transported over long distances, so the quarry was probably a good source of income. Tore Staan held the quarry in stewardship (ombud), that is, he managed it on the owners' behalf and was to account for the income. When the accounts had not been rendered, his son had to pay with land. Land rent is the yearly rent of a farm, here reckoned in a hide, a common means of payment inland. That Lady Magnhild negotiates alone may suggest that she ran the estate actively, but the letter does not say why Alv was not present.
People: Alv Knutsson, Magnhild Oddsdatter