The archbishop's account of the Dalecarlian Junker and fru Inger's daughters
DN 9/612 · [Sommeren?] 1528 · [Throndhjem]
What the letter says
In the summer of 1528 Archbishop Olav Engelbrektsson gives an account of what happened when junker Nils, the Dalecarlian Junker, was in the north from the autumn of 1527 to the spring of 1528. Junker Nils was received at fru Inger's estates, and at Fosen and Austrått Åge Lunge agreed with fru Inger that his son should have her daughter Lucia. Vincens Lunge, Åge Lunge and Erik Ugerup persuaded fru Inger that junker Nils should have the maiden Elin Nilsdatter, and the archbishop witnessed the betrothal in Trondheim and noticed that she was being forced. Lunge escorted junker Nils to Jämtland and Dalarna, gathered outlawed Dalecarlians and sent them to fru Inger, and on the way to Bergen he had 40 Dalecarlians attack Johan Krukow's farm in Sogn.
The letter in modern English
This is what has been done here north of the mountains concerning junker Nils, who calls himself herr Stein's son. He came into the country here last autumn at the Nativity of Mary [8 September] and asked us for safe conduct. We would not give it to him, nor would we have him seized, because of the great threats and accusations we have often had from the Dalecarlians on account of herr Peder the chancellor and Master Knut, whom we sent back to King Gustav in Sweden and got little thanks for, etc. So he went to fru Ingerd's estates and was well received there in her absence. There he stayed until eight days before Martinmas [3 November]. Then some Dalecarlians came here with letters and messages from the commons of Dalarna, asking that he should at once return to Dalarna, for they knew as certain news that King Gustav was dead. With that he left Austrått for Trondheim. The next day herr Åge, herr Vincens, Erik Ugerup and fru Ingerd came from Bergen to Fosen and at once sent word to the town that the said herr Stein's son should not leave before herr Åge and herr Vincens could speak with him. And so that he would wait safely, herr Vincens had a secure and Christian safe conduct promised to him, and on that he waited eight days for them to come.
Original text
Thette ær thenn handling som handleth ær her nordennfielss vm junckær Nils som seg kalles hær Steins son at varæ.Kom hann hær in i landet i høstes natiuitatis Marie oc begøredæ leidæ aff oss och thenn vilde wii honnom ickæ giffue och ey wilde wii lathe honnom griipe for then store trwelsæ oc vmsygelsæ som wii haffue tiidt och offtæ fongedt aff Dalekarllennæ for hær Pedher canselers och mister Knutz skyld som vii konnung Gøstaff inskyckedt tiill Swerge ighenn och føghenn tack ther fore finge
Background
The archbishop wrote this account while he himself was suspected of having helped the Dalecarlian Junker, and it reached King Frederik and his chancellor in Flensburg in October 1528. He puts the blame on Vincens Lunge, his brother Åge and fru Inger, and he claims that the plan was to get Eline out of the country for a little money and divide her landed property. That is the archbishop's interpretation, and at this time he was Lunge's opponent. Gustav Vasa's own list (DN 14/622) gives a different picture of how much the archbishop himself had given. Herr Peder the chancellor and Master Knut were Swedish refugees whom the archbishop had sent back to Gustav Vasa, and according to generally known history they were executed in 1527. A betrothal was made by the parties giving each other their hands before witnesses, and it was binding. The maiden Elin is Eline Nilsdatter and Lucia is Lucie Nilsdatter, both daughters of fru Inger and Nils Henriksson.
People: Ingerd Ottesdatter (fru Inger)