The farmers of Sogn complain about the bailiffs of Lunge and fru Inger
DN 9/636 · [July-Aug. 1529.] · [Sogn.]
Fru Inger of Austrått and her son-in-law Vincens Lunge held Giske in these years and had bailiffs and stewards out in the districts. Here the farmers of Sogn complain to the archbishop about how their men behaved.
What the letter says
The common people of Sogn, rich and poor, write in the summer of 1529 to Archbishop Olav in Trondheim. Duke Christian had asked everyone with complaints to meet him in Oslo, but the harvest kept them at home, and he allowed them to complain to the archbishop instead. They complain that the estate stewards travel with twelve or thirteen men and eat and drink the farmers bare, that they are both accusers and judges, and that Vincens Lunge's men tie up farmers without proof and demand new dues. Fru Ingerd's men beat her tenant farmers after eating and drinking at their farms. Four jurymen are sent with the letter, and the people ask to keep the old Christian faith.
The letter in modern English
The whole common people, rich and poor, who live and dwell in Sogn in the diocese of Bergen, send humble and loving greetings with our Lord Jesus Christ. Gracious lord and spiritual father, Archbishop Olav in Trondheim. Your Grace and Worthiness shall know that the high-born prince Duke Christian, by the grace of God and with full authority from the most mighty lord King Frederik, has written to us that His Grace has come here to the realm of Norway with the purpose and will that, on behalf of our most gracious King Frederik, as he promises and pledges in his letter, he will fully keep and have kept Norway's law, right and justice and all good old customs for the inhabitants of Norway. He also asked that any of us poor common people who felt wronged in any way, or thought that good old customs had not been kept, should come to Oslo, and His Grace would then give them law and justice. Further, His Grace let it be understood that he had considered and weighed our situation: the poor common people are now held back by the harvest work in field and meadow and by many other inconvenient reasons, so that we are not able to travel to Oslo before His Grace now.
Original text
Menigh almoghe rik och ffatighe som byggiæ ok boo j Soghn j Bergen byscops døme ødmykeligh oc kiærlighe helsa fforsent met wor herræ Jesu Christo. Nadeligh herre oc andlig ffadher erchiebyscopp Olaff i Trondeim edhers naadh oc werdugheit werdes at wetha ath høgbørdigh fførsthe hertugh Kristiern met gudz nad j ffulkommeligesthe befalningh høgmectigesthe herre konungh Ffredrix haffwer oss til screffwit at hanss nader i de maate kommen ær hiith til Norges rikia met then acth oc wilia at han vppa
Background
Ingerd Ottesdatter, fru Inger of Austrått (died 1555), was the widow of the councillor of the realm Nils Henriksson, and her son-in-law Vincens Lunge was commander of Bergenhus until May 1529. That summer both were in open conflict with Archbishop Olav Engelbrektsson, and the farmers sent their complaints to him of all people. Duke Christian, later Christian III, held a herredag (assembly of lords) in Oslo in 1529 on behalf of his father, King Frederik I. Estate stewards (ombudsmenn) and bailiffs managed the lords' affairs, and the rule that they should travel only «seg selv tredje», with no more than three men, was meant to spare the farmers from feeding large retinues. That fru Ingerd's men beat «her tenant farmers» suggests that she held land in Sogn, probably estate she had taken over after Ingerd Erlendsdatter (see DN 9/637), but this is an inference. The wish to keep «the holy Christian faith» suggests that fear of the Lutheran teaching had reached the countryside, eight years before the Reformation in Norway.
People: Ingerd Ottesdatter (fru Inger)