Bishop Håkon wants to travel east with Erling
DN 8/95 · [Vaaren 1337.] · [Bergen.]
Erling Vidkunsson had stepped down as drottsete but still sat on the Council of the Realm. The bishop's letters are among the most personal that survive from Erling's life, and the greeting is to his wife Elin, his son Bjarne and his daughters, among them Ingebjørg and Gyrid.
What the letter says
Bishop Håkon of Bergen writes in the spring of 1337 to Lord Erling Vidkunsson. The king has summoned him to Viken on the Sunday after Trinity, and he expects that Erling has received the same letter. He would like to meet Erling first or learn what he intends to do, and the archbishop wishes them to travel together with Lord Finn in the same fleet. The bishop mentions rumours he will not write about, and that the archbishop is on his way via Vangen and Bolstad to Bergen. He greets Lady Elin, «our Bjarne» and his sisters.
The letter in modern English
[Opening in the copy: Holy Mary be with my beginning.] To the honourable lord and his good friend Lord Erling Vidkunsson, Håkon, by God's mercy bishop in Bergen, sends greeting with God's blessing and his friendship as far as he is able. We make known to you that we have received a letter from our lord the king, in which he bade us come to him in Viken on the Sunday after the feast of Trinity. We have understood that you have received a similar one. Therefore we wish as soon as possible either to meet you or to learn what you intend to do. We do not know for certain what our lord the archbishop will do, but we understand that if one is to travel east, he would gladly see you and us and Lord Finn travel in the same fleet. Many great rumours are going about here, which we will tell no one, because we have not had them confirmed in letters. For a long time Lord Ivar has not written to us, so we would gladly know whether he has written anything to you that we need or ought to know. The archbishop is expected on the road over Vangen, and he wrote to us that from there he would go to Bolstad and then straight to Bergen. And he added once more that he would gladly see you come here. We would gladly see the same, if you wish to make this journey. We gladly greet Lady Elin, our Bjarne, his sisters the maidens, and all your household. God keep you now and always.
Original text
Assit principio sancta Maria meo. Erlighom herra ok sinum goðom vin herra Erlinghi Vidkunnarsyni senðr Hakon med guðs miskunn biskup j. Biorghwin quediu med guðs blezan ok sinni vinaatto slikt sem hann orkar. ver gerom yðr kunnikt at ver fenghom bref af vaarom herra kungenom .j. hueriu er han baud oss at ver værem til hans komnir j. Vikena dominica proxima post festum trinitatis hofuum ver vndirstaðet at annat þilikt hafue þer fænghit.
Background
Erling Vidkunsson had stepped down as drottsete before 1337. He still sat on the Council of the Realm and was one of the most powerful men in Norway. Bishop Håkon of Bergen, bishop from 1332 to 1342, was a close friend of the family, and his letters are the most personal that survive from Erling's life. «Our Bjarne» is Erling's son Bjarne Erlingsson the younger, and the sisters are Erling's daughters, among them Ingebjørg and Gyrid. To sail in company meant travelling together, which was safer and showed that the magnates stood together. Vangen is the church site at Voss, and Bolstad lies by Bolstadfjorden on the way to Bergen.
People: Erling Vidkunsson, Elin Toresdatter, Bjarne Erlingsson den yngre