A rebel buys forgiveness from drottsete Sigurd Jonsson
DN 9/276 · 16 Decbr. 1439 · Oslo
What the letter says
In Oslo on 16 December 1439, Gudmund Helgesson of Holt makes known that drottsete Sigurd Jonsson has forgiven him what he has done against him together with Amund Sigurdsson and Halvard Gråtopp. As a fine, Gudmund gives the drottsete the whole of Kauserud in Kise in Romerike, 20 marks, 3 pounds of malt before 2 February, 3 pounds of malt the following year and five head of cattle in the autumn. He promises to be obedient to the drottsete and never again take part in unlawful risings. Lawman Håkon Høskuldsson of Oslo and Jon Amundsson of Bjørkø seal the letter together with him.
The letter in modern English (excerpt)
To all men who see or hear this letter, Gudmund Helgesson of Holt sends God's greeting and his own. I make known that because the well-born man Sir drottsete Sigurd Jonsson for God's sake has turned a blind eye to and forgiven me all the offences, cases and breaches I have committed against him up to this day, both together with Amund Sigurdsson and with Halvard Gråtopp, I have with good will granted and given the lord drottsete the whole of Kauserud in Kise in Romerike, and twenty marks in good payment, and 3 pounds (a measure of weight) of malt by Candlemas (2 February) now coming, and 3 pounds of malt next year, and five head of cattle this autumn. With this I promise on my good faith and truth that from now on I shall be humble and willing to serve the lord drottsete and never again in all my days take part in any unlawful rising. In witness of this I have asked Håkon Høskuldsson, lawman in Oslo, and Jon Amundsson of Bjørkø to set their seals together with mine, in full testimony that I have done all this with good will, on this letter, which was made in Oslo in the year of our Lord 1439, the Wednesday before the feast of the apostle Thomas (21 December). Endorsement: On the back, in various hands from the 1500s: Letter about Kauserud in Kise in Romerike, which was given to drottsete Sir Sigurd Jonsson.
Original text (excerpt)
Ollom monnom þeim sem þetta bref sea edher høra sender Gudhmunder Helghesson j Holtæ q. guds oc sina kunnigt gerande at af þy at welboren man herre drotzste Sigwrdh Jonsson hafuer fore gudz skyld ofuerseet oc mik till gifuet all the skyldinger saker oc brot som jak mot honom till thenna dagh giort hafuer bade med Amund Sigurdzsson oc Haluard Gratopp tha hafuer jac med godhom wilia vnt oc gefuet for herre drotzste alt Kausarudh j Kisa a Raumarike och tiwghe marker j goda betaling oc iij pund malt
Background
Sigurd Jonsson, who had won Giske in the inheritance dispute, was drottsete (steward of the realm) in Norway and one of the most powerful men in the kingdom. In the 1430s there were several peasant risings in eastern Norway under King Eric of Pomerania. Amund Sigurdsson Bolt led a rising in 1436, and Halvard Gråtopp led a new one in and around Vestfold in 1438. The letter is a kind of settlement or letter of fine, in which a participant buys himself free with land, money and goods. It shows how punishment for rebellion was often arranged as fines to the injured party, and how magnates such as Sigurd Jonsson enlarged their estates in this way too. Malt and cattle as payment are a reminder that much of the economy still ran on goods.
People: Sigurd Jonsson