Vincens Lunge reports on war, ships and the Giske estate
DN 9/572 · [Hösten] 1526 · Bergenhus
What the letter says
In the autumn of 1526 Vincens Lunge writes from Bergenhus to Archbishop Olav Engelbrektsson in Trondheim. He explains why he will not give the pension from the deanery in Bergen to Lord Hans Knutsson, whom he regards as a supporter of the deposed King Christian II, and tells of fighting against Christian's men at Lista, where ten of the enemy and five of his own were killed. He reports that the archbishop's ship was sold in Holland for 236 merchant guilders, forwards Ture Jönsson's claim to Giske and the Giske estate with a copy of his own reply, and sends a gilded cup and a footed cup that Lady Ingerd Erlendsdatter bequeathed to the archbishop and the chapter in Trondheim.
The letter in modern English (excerpt)
My humble and willing greeting to Your Grace, always beforehand. Most reverend father in God, dear gracious lord. Your Grace writes about the agreement made here in Bergen concerning the deanery and the pension that Lord Hans Knutsson was to receive every year, and which has not been kept. Your Grace asks me to arrange it with Master Hans Arnesson so that Your Grace, who has stood surety for the pension with letter and seal, can be paid without loss. Then Your Grace shall know that Lord Hans Knutsson, in the first year after the agreement was made, was hindered and as good as taken prisoner by the worthy father Bishop Lave Urne. For he had asked our most gracious lord for a passport to travel to Santiago (St James), and the intention was to go over to the high-born prince King Christian, with whom his brother Hans the herald still is, as Jørgen the scribe also did. At that time I did not think it wise to strengthen him with such a pension against ourselves, when he was regarded as an enemy of both Denmark and Norway. Some time later I wrote to our most gracious lord about a sum of gold that King Christian and Jørgen the scribe had deposited with some merchants in Hamburg, and for which Lord Hans Knutsson held bonds. For that reason he received a letter from our most gracious lord that he should produce these letters and give secure surety for them. Then he obtained letters from our most gracious lord to Your Grace and several others about the pension from the deanery, and said that
Original text (excerpt)
Mynn ydmigh weluilligh hiilsszen ethers nade alltiid tilffornn. Høgwerdige met gudt ffader kære nadige herre. Som ethers nade scriffuer om then contracth her i Bergen gangen om decanatet oc thess penss som aarligen giffues *skulles her Hans Knutsszen hwilchen som ey holdenn er at ieg thet saa met mester Hans Arnessen forskaffue wille at for penss effther breff oc segels lyelsse motte eders nade som ther fore borget haffue wden skade betalt bliffue etc. Tha werdes ethers nade wide at for her Hans
Background
This is a private letter between two of the most powerful men in Norway in the 1520s. Vincens Lunge was a Danish nobleman, married to Margrete, daughter of Lady Inger Ottesdatter of Austrått, and was commander at Bergenhus. King Christian II had been deposed in 1523 and was in exile in the Netherlands, and men on his side were raiding along the coast; the letter shows that the common people of Agder helped them willingly, which troubled Lunge. The passage about Giske shows that the inheritance dispute over the estate after Karl Knutsson of Tre Rosor was under way: the Swedish councillor of the realm Ture Jönsson claimed the estate, while Lunge and his mother-in-law probably held it. Lunge calls the matter difficult and says that it concerns the whole realm, which suggests that the Giske estate was large enough to have political importance. The information about the sale of the ship in Amsterdam also shows how closely Bergen was tied to trade with the Netherlands. A deanery is the office of dean, the head of a cathedral chapter, and the revenues of such offices were used as pensions and political rewards.