Duke Christian halts the feud with the archbishop
DN 9/631 · 20 July 1529 · Akershus
What the letter says
Duke Christian, heir to Norway, writes from Akershus on 20 July 1529 to Archbishop Olav Engelbrektsson. He has made herr Vincens Lunge and fru Inger Ottesdatter promise that neither they nor their people will harm the archbishop's servants or property until the archbishop himself has appeared before the duke and the Council of the Realm. He asks the archbishop to let the matter rest in the same way. An enclosed slip adds that Vincens and fru Inger shall not concern themselves with the fiefs and estates the archbishop has taken.
The letter in modern English
Christian, by the grace of God heir to Norway, Duke of Schleswig, Holstein, Stormarn and Dithmarschen, Count of Oldenburg and Delmenhorst. With due reverence and our sincere goodwill. Dear lord and father, we lovingly make known to you that we have now taken up the matter with our beloved herr Vincens Lunge, knight, and fru Ingerd concerning the discord and disagreement between you and them, so that they or their kinsmen and people shall not harm [arge] or let harm be done to you, your people, servants or property in any way before you have been here before us and our beloved council of the realms of Norway and Denmark, and the matter can then be settled either amicably or by law. Therefore we lovingly ask that you too will let the same matter stand over on your side, concerning the discord and disagreement between you and them, so that your followers, retainers or people henceforth do not harm or let harm be done to the said herr Vincens, fru Ingerd, their people, property and servants before you yourself come here in person to us. Then we will reconcile and settle you, either amicably or by law, in the way you ask of us. Dear lord, act in this as we fully trust you to. We will repay it in every way with favour and grace. Farewell in Christ. From the castle of Akershus on the day of the holy virgin Margaret [20 July] in the year 1529, under our signet.
Original text
Christiernus dei gracia heres Noruegie dux Slesuicensis Holsacie Stormarie et Ditmercie comes jn Oldenburg et Delmenhorst.Premissa reuerentia cum nostro sincero fauore. Kiere herre och ffader giffue vii etther kierligen tilkiende att vii nu haffwe vptagett thend sag mett oss elskelige her Vincen. Lunge ritther och ffrwe Jngerdh om huesz twedragt och venighedt etther och thennom emellom ere szaa att the eller theres forwannte oc folck ey schulle arge eller arge lade paa etther etthers folck
Background
Duke Christian, later King Christian III, came to Oslo in the summer of 1529 on behalf of his father King Frederik I with some Danish councillors. Archbishop Olav Engelbrektsson had taken fru Inger's and Vincens Lunge's fiefs and farms in Trøndelag that spring, and the conflict threatened to become an open feud between two of the most powerful parties in the country. To "arge" means to do harm or attack, and the duke wanted both parties to keep the peace until the matter could be settled amicably or by judgement. The slip shows that the peace had a price for fru Inger, for she had to refrain from taking back her estates by force. The archbishop did not come to Oslo, and the matter was not settled that summer.
People: Ingerd Ottesdatter (fru Inger)