The archbishop's men take 61 men from fru Inger
DN 9/692 · 25 February 1532 · Stenviksholm
What the letter says
Archbishop Olav writes from Steinvikholm on 25 February 1532 to Bishop Mogens of Hamar. His servants have come home from Sunnmøre, where they have made the common people as far as Stad pay homage to King Christian, and they have taken 61 men from fru Inger, Vincens and Nils Lykke. Others of his men have taken about 26 men from Eske Bille in Nordland. Scouts on Stadlandet report that Vincens Lunge has sent out 40 men to plunder the archbishop's priests and churches, and the archbishop sends 100 men-at-arms in two espinger [large boats] against them. He sends prisoners south to Hans Mikkelsen and promises to send the extra tax King Christian has ordered.
The letter in modern English
Olav, by the grace of God Archbishop of Nidaros and legate of the apostolic see. With brotherly and friendly greeting first, and with the readiest wish to oblige [Latin]. Dear lord brother and especially good friend, you should know that some days after we had come home to Trondheim again, our servants came home from Sunnmøre. They had brought all the common people as far as Stad to swear allegiance at the thing to our dearest and most gracious lord, and they had taken 61 men from fru Inger, Vincens and Nils Lykke. We have also had news from the northern lands that our servants who went north have taken about 26 men from Eske Bille, besides Vincens's men who are at Vardøhus and in Finnmark. Some of those who have had no pay from Nils we have taken into service, and the others we have lodged with our priests and other good men. Now on Monday five of our servants came home, whom we had lying south on the Stad isthmus as scouts. They had certain news that Vincens had sent out 40 men with guns and weapons and ordered them to rob and abuse everyone they could lay hands on in our diocese, and especially, without any mercy, our priests and churches. These men had come to Vluog [probably Ulvesund, uncertain reading] before our servants left there.
Original text
Olauus dei gracia archiepiscopus Nidrosiennsis et apostolice sædis legatus.Premissa fraterna et amicabilj salutacione cum promptissimo gratificandj affectu, Kiere her broder och besynderlige gode wenn maa i witte atth naager dage effther thet att wij wore heymkomne tiill Trondem ygenn, heymkomme waare tyænere aff Syndmør och hadhe tyngidt waar kieriste naadugiste herre tiilhande, all almwgenn yntiill Stadh och hadhe fongett fraa fru Jngerd her Vinc. och her Niels Liicke .lxj.
Background
The letter was written while Christian II was in Norway, and Archbishop Olav Engelbrektsson was waging feud for him against King Frederik's men, as the king had ordered him in January. Fru Inger held Giske at this time, and the fact that the archbishop's servants took her men in Sunnmøre suggests that they were people from Giske or from Inger's estate there. Later the same year Inger complained about what was destroyed at the farm of Giske in this hostile action. The scouts on the isthmus across Stadlandet kept watch for ships from Bergen. Hans Mikkelsen was one of Christian II's leading men. The letter is dated the feast of the apostle Matthias, which in the leap year 1532 fell on 25 February.
People: Ingerd Ottesdatter (fru Inger)