Lund chapter will not give up the Värpinge farms
KB 1580 til 83, s. 369 · Mellom 26. september og 8. oktober 1581 · Kronborg
What the letter says
The king writes to the cathedral chapter in Lund. The chapter has shown that the Värpinge mensal is founded on the two farms in Värpinge which the king had allowed Gjørvel Fadersdatter to have. The farms lie right by Lund, and the chapter cannot get a convenient replacement from her land. The king will therefore not force the chapter to exchange the farms, and leaves it to the chapter to decide what it will do.
The letter in modern English
To the chapter in Lund. The king has seen from the chapter's notice that the Värpinge mensal is founded on the 2 farms in Värpinge which he [26 September] allowed Lady Gjørvel Fadersdatter, widow of Sir Lauge Brahe, to have. It will therefore cause great confusion if the farms leave the chapter, and these 2 farms lie right by Lund, while the chapter cannot get a convenient replacement from Lady Gjørvel's land. The king will therefore not force the chapter to exchange the farms away, and leaves it to its free choice what it will do.
Original text
(Kronborg). Til Kapitlet i Lund. Da Kongen af dets Tilkendegivelse har set, at Verpinge Mensal er funderet paa de 2 Gaarde i Verpinge, som han [26. Sept.] har tilladt Fru Giørvel Faddersdatter, Hr. Lauge Brahes Enke, at faa, hvorfor det vil volde stor Forvirring, om Gaardene komme fra Kapitlet, og at disse 2 Gaarde ligge lige ved Lund, medens Kapitlet ikke kan faa beleiligt Vederlag af Fru Giørvels Gods, vil Kongen ikke tvinge Kapitlet til at bortskifte Gaardene, men henstiller til dets fri Valg
Background
A mensal was a fixed income base for a church office, here tied to two particular farms. The letter shows that the king could not simply give away church land, even after the Reformation. The matter was still resolved. In the life grant of 1 March 1582 Gjørvel received three of the chapter's farms, two in Värpinge and one in Önnerup, with the crown compensating the chapter, and the farms were to return after her death. In the edition the letter stands between the letters of 26 September and 8 October 1581.
People: Gjørvel Fadersdatter (Sparre)