The tithe of Ørland to fru Inger for life
DN 9/722 · [22 Oktbr. 1532] · [Throndhjem.]
What the letter says
In a draft from Trondheim, probably of 22 October 1532, Archbishop Olav grants fru Inger Ottesdatter, widow of Nils Henriksson, the right to enjoy and keep for her lifetime, free and without fee, the archbishop's corn tithe and cheese tithe in the whole parish of Ørland and the fish tithe on Ørland itself. He forbids everyone, especially his estate stewards, to hinder her. Below the draft are short notes about the settlement: a letter for the property in the register, the tithe, the debt of 750 lodd of silver and 300 våger of fish with the instalments, and an acknowledgement concerning beer, mead and hops.
The letter in modern English
We Olav and so on make known to all that we have now granted and enfeoffed, and with this our open letter grant and enfeoff, the honourable and well-born lady fru Inger Ottesdatter, widow of Nils Henriksson, God gladden his soul, to enjoy, use and keep for her lifetime, quit and free of any fee, our corn tithe and cheese tithe that falls over the whole parish of Ørland, and our fish tithe that falls on Ørland alone. Therefore we forbid everyone, whoever they are or may be, and especially our estate stewards (ombudsmenn), to hinder the said honourable and well-born lady fru Inger or do her harm concerning this tithe in any way. Item a letter for all the property named in the register. Item our corn tithe and cheese tithe in the whole parish of Ørland for her lifetime, and our fish tithe on Ørland alone. Item my lord owes fru Inger 750 lodd of silver [a lodd is c. 15 grams] and 300 våger [a våg is c. 18 kg] of fish: 250 lodd to be paid now at Easter and the other 500 by the second Easter after that, 150 våger of fish to be paid at the trading fair this coming summer, and 150 våger of fish at the second trading fair after that. Item 1 recognitio [acknowledgement, uncertain reading] for 1 lest [a shipload, a measure of barrels] of German beer, 2 barrels of mead and 1½ skippund of hops. On the back: Lord Vincens.
Original text
Wii Oluff etc. gøre weterligtt ffor alle ath wii haffwe nw vnt och fforlænt och med thette wortt obnæ breff vnde och fforlæne erlig och wælbørdig qwinne ffrw Jngerd Ottesdotter her Nils Henricsons hwes sæll gud glæde eftherleuerske ath nyde bruke och beholde i sin liiffz tiid qwit och ffrii vden all affgift wor korn tiend och ostetiend som faller [vnder øffwer allt Yrien prestegeld och wor ffiske tiend som ffaller paa Yrien allenestæ.
Background
The bishop's tithe was the part of the church tithe that went to the bishop, here the archbishop in Nidaros, and fru Inger had demanded it for her lifetime in her list that same autumn. Corn, cheese and fish were the main products on Ørland, and the tithe gave a fixed yearly income in goods. That the fish tithe applied only to Ørland itself, while corn and cheese applied to the whole parish, suggests that the fishing was tied to particular fishing stations at the outer end of the peninsula. The notes below the draft show how the separate letters of the settlement hung together: the farms, the tithe and the bond of debt were written at the same time. The back is marked «herr Vincens», probably because Vincens Lunge handled the papers as mediator. The draft does not say what the acknowledgement concerning beer, mead and hops was about.
People: Ingerd Ottesdatter (fru Inger)