Fru Inger and the leading men in Bergen on the archbishop's privateers
DN 8/564 · 16 Septbr. 1527 · Bergen
Fru Inger Ottesdatter, who claimed the Giske estate, appears here as one of four signatories together with the bishop of Bergen, Vincens Lunge and Erik Ugerup. The letter does not concern Giske, but shows the position she held in Bergen.
What the letter says
On 16 September 1527 Bishop Olav of Bergen, Vincens Lunge, Erik Ugerup and fru Ingerd Ottesdatter write from Bergen to Archbishop Olav Engelbrektsson. The archbishop's men have seized a Scottish carvel carrying provisions and robbed other Scottish, Dutch and English ships, against their orders to take only skipper Clement and his men. Fru Inger tried to mediate at her own house in Bergen, but the archbishop's men tried to make off with the ships, and 20 of them were seized. Together with the town council and the Germans at Bryggen they have written to the king of Scotland promising that the Scots will get their property back or the guilty will be executed, and they ask the archbishop to answer what he intends to do.
The letter in modern English
Our humble, loving greeting to your grace always sent first with our Lord. Most worthy father in God, dear lord, brother and most gracious lord. Be pleased to know that great and serious complaints have come before us and the council here in Bergen, and likewise before the aldermen and the Eighteen [the council of the German Kontor] at Bryggen, about your grace's men. They have acted against the order they were given on their honour, integrity and neck, not to take so much as a penny from any Scot, German, Dutchman or others, except only skipper Clement and his proven followers, and likewise Krummedike and those found to be helping him against us, etc. Beyond that they have taken a Scottish carvel laden with rye, flour, pork and other provisions. The goods they valued at 2500 Rhenish guilders and the ship with guns and gear at 2000 Rhenish guilders. Likewise from the other Scot, to whom we had given safe conduct, goods to the value of 500 Danish marks in all kinds of wares and money, which they took ashore with them when the crew fled ashore from the ship. Likewise a new Scania-trader's sail [uncertain reading] with two bonnets [extra sails] from another Scotsman, and a lying piece [uncertain reading] from a man of Stralsund which the Scot had paid for.
Original text
Vor ydmigh kerligh hiilssen ethers nade alltiid tiilffornn send met vor herre. Høgwerdige met gud ffadher kerre herre brodher oc nadigste herre verdis ville vide at her er komne store sware clagemall for oss oc raadet her aff Bergenn saa oc olldermendene oc the atthen viid Bryggenn paa ethers nadis ffolck hwrledis the haffue imodt theris beffalningh som thennem giffuen var vndher theris ere relighedt oc halss icke ffrann noger Skotther Tyske Hollendher eller andre tage frann for en penningh
Background
After Christian II had been driven out in 1523, his supporters waged war at sea, and skipper Clement was one of his best-known privateers. The archbishop had fitted out ships of his own against them, but the crews attacked peaceful merchant ships, which could lead to a feud with Scotland and with the Hanseatic towns. That fru Inger is one of four signatories together with the bishop, the regent and the feudal lord Erik Ugerup shows the position she held in Bergen. She had her own house in the town, on the other side of Vågen, and there she negotiated with the privateers, the council, the Germans and the Scots. DN states that the fourth seal shows the Gyldenløve arms, the arms of her husband Nils Henriksson's family, which she used. «The Eighteen» at Bryggen were probably the council of the German Kontor (Hanseatic office), which together with the aldermen governed the Hanseatic merchants.
People: Ingerd Ottesdatter (fru Inger)