Bishop Hans Reff advises the archbishop on Vincens Lunge and fru Inger
DN 8/732 · 2 Septbr. 1535 · Oslo
What the letter says
Bishop Hans Reff of Oslo writes on 2 September 1535 to Archbishop Olav. He has little news since Christoffer Rustung left, apart from rumours of Hamburg warships. He supports giving Vincens Lunge the name and honour of steward of the realm with the consent of the coming king, and advises the archbishop to keep firm friendship with him. He also asks the archbishop to deal well and not too harshly with fru Ingerd over Fosen, so that she can speak and write well of him. Finally he recommends Morten Krabbe over Geble Pedersen as Bishop of Bergen.
The letter in modern English
Jesus. With humble greeting, reverence and honour and a willing mind. Most reverend, gracious, good, dear lord, father and especially good friend. Nothing remarkable has happened here to write to your grace about since Christoffer [Christoffer Throndsen Rustung] left, other than what you will learn in all our letters. Of the Count Palatine nothing is heard here. The rumour goes here that the Hamburgers are fitting out warships, but everything is still so quiet and secret that we do not expect to learn the real truth of it until, God willing, our town ships come home from Holland. Likewise about giving Sir Vincens the name and honour of being steward of the realm with the consent of our coming king. He is well worth it, and he would rather spend more trouble and money on it than both [uncertain reading]. We all have great need of his service on the realm's behalf in that and many other ways. Dear lord, as we wrote to you with Christoffer, your grace must in no way let yourself be led astray again against Sir Vincens etc. We advise your grace the same now, and that your grace keeps a firm and secure friendship with him in every way, and likewise speaks yourself with his messengers when they come to you and shows them honour and good in speech and other ways, so that they can tell him so. For we consider how much is at stake for your grace in it.
Original text
Jesus.Cum humili salutatione reuerenciam et honorem ac obsequiosum animum. Eruerdigeste gwnstige gode kere herre, fader oc besinderlige gode ven her haffuer inthet merkelicht begiffueth seg att scriffue ethers nade till sidhen Christoffer drog her aff anned end som i vdj alles wors scriffuelser forfarendes worde, Om paltzgrewen hører mand her inthet westh, rycthet gaar her att the Hamborger rysthe orlogskib wdh dog er all ting end nw so stille oc hemeligt att wij forwente oss inghen ret sandhed
Background
The letter was written in an unsettled time. The Count's Feud was raging in Denmark, Norway had no crowned king, and the Count Palatine Frederick was mentioned as a possible candidate. Bishop Hans Reff of Oslo and Archbishop Olav Engelbrektsson were among the most powerful men in the Norwegian Council of the Realm. The advice to be careful with fru Inger shows that she was a force to be reckoned with, both as a landowner and as mother-in-law of Vincens Lunge. The letter does not say what the Fosen matter concerned. Nils Lykke had written letters from Fosen in 1534 and 1535, and he died in captivity this year, but whether the matter was connected with that is uncertain. Geble Pedersen nevertheless became Bishop of Bergen and later the first Lutheran bishop there.
People: Ingerd Ottesdatter (fru Inger)