Vincens Lunge learns that the archbishop's men hold Giske
DN 9/691 · 21 Febr. 1532 · Österpollen (Ænes)
What the letter says
The knight Vincens Lunge writes on 21 February 1532 from Østerpollen in Hardanger to Eske Bille, commander at Bergenhus. The ice prevents him from going further, so he has made camp behind a boom across a strong current. His men from the north have not managed to round Stad, but the scouts have learned that 60 of the archbishop's men are lying at Giske to capture him. Vincens sends a new jakt (small sailing vessel) with 16 men and orders them to attack, and he reports that the archbishop is to meet Jørgen Hansson near Bergen in Lent.
The letter in modern English (excerpt)
Friendly and loving greeting with all the good I can, always first sent with our Lord. Dear Lord Eske, kinsman and especially good friend. God grant that I may always hear of good fortune, health and welfare for you, as you yourself wish and desire it. You shall know that because of the ice I cannot get to where I had intended. Therefore I have encamped here inside the fjords at a place that is to my advantage, within a strong current about a glavind's (lance's) length wide. Through this current runs the way for almost everyone who wants anything to do with me. Across the current I have laid a great boom, fastened ashore on both sides, and inside it I have a jakt lying with courtiers and weapons. Thanks to the watch I can see for half an uke sjø (an old measure of distance at sea, about 7 km) everything that might harm me. Here I will stay for a time, as long as I can learn of all kinds of matters both from the south and the north. My servant Nils Jude knows the place and the spot. Dear kinsman, this afternoon I received word and letter from my men from the north. The weather has held them back, so they could not get round Stad, even though they tried two or three times. Their scouts have been out two uke sjø, near Giske, and learned that 60 of the archbishop's men are said to be lying at Giske waiting for me to come, because some men from the north had told them that I myself would go to Vardøhus. They write that the archbishop came home a few days before Candlem
Original text (excerpt)
Venlig kerlig hilssen met hues ieg gott formoer altit tilfforn sendt met vor herre. Kere her Eske frende och besunderlige gode vend ethers lycche sundhet och velffart vnde meg gwd altit effter ethers eighen ynske och begere atfforfare. So moe i viide ath ieg for yss skyld iche kand komme ther hend som ieg haffde acthet meg thii haffwer ieg leyred meg her inde vdi fiordene po mind fordeel inden for en stride strøm eth glawend langt breed, vdi ghennem hwilchen strøm po thet neste alles therres vey
Background
The letter is a private letter written in the middle of the war when the deposed King Christian II tried to win back Norway in the winter of 1531 to 1532. Archbishop Olav Engelbrektsson went over to Christian II, while Vincens Lunge and Eske Bille stood by King Frederick I. Vincens Lunge was married to a daughter of Inger Ottesdatter of Austrått, and through his in-laws he had taken control of Giske. That the archbishop had men at Giske suggests that he had taken the farm from Vincens. The letter shows how important Giske was as a base on the sea route north of Stad, on the route between Bergen and Trondheim and further north. A commander (høvedsmann) was the king's officer in charge of a castle and a fief, and a jakt was a smaller sailing vessel.