The king gives Nils Lykke Giske with a reservation
DN 9/710 · 7 Septbr. 1532 · Gottorp
What the letter says
King Frederick I writes from Gottorp on 7 September 1532 to Eske Bille at Bergenhus and thanks him for having sent Vincens Lunge and Nils Lykke to Trondheim. The king is also sending Truid Ulfstand and Claus Bille north of the mountains with oral messages. About Giske the king writes that he gave the estate to Nils Lykke because he had heard that it belonged to Ture Jönsson and was forfeit to the Crown, but that he has since heard that this is not correct. The gift is valid only if the estate really was Ture's.
The letter in modern English (excerpt)
Frederick, by the grace of God King of Denmark, the Wends and the Goths etc. Our special favour beforehand. Dear Eske. You write to us about the situation on all sides, and in particular that you have taken pains to send our beloved Lord Vincens Lunge and Lord Nils Lykke, knights, our men and councillors, to Trondheim. For this willing zeal we thank you lovingly, and we will repay and acknowledge it with all favour and grace. You also write that if the expedition on which Lord Vincens and Lord Nils Lykke have been sent drags on, it will be difficult to obtain provisions [fitalie, food and supplies] for them and their upkeep etc. To this we let you know that when we sent Lord Nils Lykke from our castle of Copenhagen with our other men, councillors and soldiers to Oslo, we instructed him that as soon as he came to Oslo he should go as quickly as possible to you north of the mountains, and not remain there as long as he did. For that reason and for many other reasons we have sent our beloved Lord Truid Ulfstand and Lord Claus Bille, knights, our men and councillors, with our instructions and oral commands to go north of the mountains to you. We therefore lovingly ask you, when they come, to believe them on our behalf and help them in every way with what they put forward and say to you. You write likewise that Lord Nils Lykke has told you that we have given him Giske farm and estate. We were told that this farm and estate
Original text (excerpt)
Ffrederiich mett guds nade Danmarks Wendis oc Gottis konung etc. Vor sønderlige gunst tiilforn. kere Esge som i scriffue oss alle honde lelighedt tiill oc besønderlige atij haffue giortt ether fliitt oc afferdugett oss elsk her Wincen. Lunge oc her Niels Lycke riittere wore mend oc raadt tiill Trundhiem fore huilken ether gandz villige fliittiighedt wij ether kerligen betacke oc wele thet egen mett all gunst oc nade kerligen oc gerne mett ether forschiilde oc bekiende thesligest som i scriffue o
Background
In the summer of 1532 Christian II's attempt to win back Norway had just come to an end, and Ture Jönsson of Tre Rosor, who had claimed Giske, had stood on Christian's side and fallen. Forfeited property is property that a man loses to the king when he betrays him, and the king here saw an opportunity to reward his men. The letter shows that the king was uncertain about the ownership, and that he gave a conditional gift. This very uncertainty became the starting point for the dispute over Giske between Lady Inger Ottesdatter, Karine Alvsdatter and Gjørvel Fadersdatter in the years that followed. Truid Ulfstand, whom the king sends north here, later married Gjørvel Fadersdatter and thereby himself gained a share in the estate. At the end the king mentions a letter about new coinage, an example of how such royal letters mixed large and small matters.