Nils Lykke has reconciled the archbishop and fru Inger
DN 9/656 · 25 March 1530 · Throndhjem
What the letter says
Nils Lykke writes from Trondheim on 25 March 1530 to Eske Bille and thanks him for his hospitality in Bergen. He has travelled to Archbishop Olav and brought about a full settlement between him and his mother-in-law fru Inger and Vincens Lunge. The archbishop has sworn, and promised publicly in the town hall of Trondheim, to be loyal to King Frederik. The archbishop would not support the utfareleidang from Helgeland, because it was reckoned at 2 våger and 8 fish of rotskjær, but Lykke has got him to write that it is only meant as voluntary help. He praises Jens Hallandsfar and Søren the cloth-cutter and asks for help for Jens and for his servant Jakob.
The letter in modern English
My willing, loving greeting with all the good I am able always beforehand with our Lord. Dear Sir Eske, especially gracious good friend. May God Almighty always grant me to hear, ask and learn of your health, fortune and welfare in soul and body. I thank you in every way lovingly and gladly for all the good you have shown me, especially for the honour and gifts you made and showed me with wine, prysing [spiced wine, uncertain reading], Hamburg beer, German beer, bread and in every other way when I was last with you in Bergen. I will always willingly repay and deserve it with all the good I am able. Dear Sir Eske, as was agreed last time, that I should go to the most worthy father in God Sir Olav, Archbishop of Trondheim, concerning the hostile dealings between His Grace and the honourable, well-born woman fru Inger, my dear wife's mother, and Sir Vincens Lunge etc., from which it was feared much might come, I would, to forestall that, show myself willing with my loyalty and service, sparing neither life, toil nor trouble, and in doing so seek and show loyalty to His Royal Majesty, our most gracious lord, and also serve the welfare and stability of the other parties, and do my utmost as far as God Almighty would grant me His grace.
Original text
Myn welluillig kerlig hellszen met alt hues jeg gott formaar altiid fforscreffuet met wor herre. Kere her Eske besynderligh gunstigh gode wen ether sunhett lucke oc wellffartt till siæll oc liiff wnde mig altiid gud alszomm(e)chtigeste atth høre spørre oc fforfare tacker jeg ether y alle maade kerligh oc gerne ffor allt gott szom i mig beuist haffue besynderlig ffore ethers ære och skenck szom i mig met wyn pryszing Hamborch øll tystøll brødt oc i alle andre maade gyorde oc bewiste tha jeg
Background
Nils Lykke was a Danish nobleman married to Eline Nilsdatter, daughter of fru Inger Ottesdatter, and he calls fru Inger «my dear wife's mother». The letter shows that it was he who negotiated the settlement Eske Bille had asked for in January (DN 9/652). The journey from Bergen to Trondheim in March followed a coast with winter storms, and Lykke writes that he was in great danger on the way. Rotskjær was cod split and dried, and a våg was a weight of about 18 kg. A demand of two våger and eight fish per man would have been heavy for the people of Helgeland, and that explains why the archbishop would not stand behind it. Lykke writes that fru Inger herself will write to Eske about how everything was settled. Five years later, in 1535, Nils Lykke died in captivity in Denmark.
People: Ingerd Ottesdatter (fru Inger)