Henning Hansson may lease Giske for three more years
NRR 10, s. 233 f. · 5. august 1654 · Flensburg
What the letter says
At Flensburg Castle on 5 August 1654 Henning Hansson, bailiff at the king's manor of Giske, has his lease of the Giske manor and estate extended for three years, from May Day 1655 to May Day 1658. He is to collect leidang and land rent from the tenants, the yearly taxes and the labour and provision money according to the sealed rent roll that Hannibal Sehested handed over to the king, and the variable income from leasehold fees and fines, and he may keep what the manor itself yields. The tenants are to carry out the manor's sowing and harvest, keep the fences and deliver their land rent as before. He is to pay 1160 riksdaler every year at Bergenhus. The tithe in the main parish and the annex, to which Sehested held the right of patronage, and wreck and stranded goods, the king keeps for himself.
The letter in modern English
Henning Hansson [Smidt] received a three-year extension of the lease of the Giske estate. Frederick III. Makes known to all that since Henning Hansson, bailiff at our manor of Giske, has humbly asked us that he might graciously keep the Giske manor and estate on lease from the coming day of Philip and James 1655, when his previous lease ends, we have graciously granted, allowed and permitted, and herewith grant, allow and permit, that the said Henning Hansson for the next three years, reckoned from Philip and James 1655 to Philip and James 1658, may receive and collect all the fixed leidang and land rent of the tenants and servants belonging to Giske manor, and the yearly taxes, labour and provision money, in the same way as he has held it on lease until now, according to the drawn-up and sealed rent roll that Sir Hannibal Sehested has handed over to us. Likewise the variable income, that is the first and third year's leasehold fees, fines and penalties, as may fall each year. Furthermore he may use and keep for his own benefit all the profit that may come from the manor's farming, and charge us no cost in any way. Likewise the tenants may and shall carry out all the manor's sowing and harvest, close and maintain the fences, and bring and deliver their land rent and dues at the usual places at the proper time, with whatever else they are obliged to by the rent roll and have d
Original text
Henning Hanssøn [Smidt] fik Prolongation tre Aar Giske Godses Forpagtning. F. III. G. a. v., at eftersom os elskelige Henning Hanssøn, Foged paa vor Gaard Giske, hos os underdanigst haver ladet anholde, at han naadigst udi Forpagtning maa beholde bem. Giske Gaard og Gods fra Philippi Jacobi førstkommendes 1655, da hans forrige Forpagtning haver endt, da haver vi naadigst undt, bevilget og tilladt, saa og hermed unde, bevilge og tillade, at bem. Henning Hanssøn udi næstfølgende tre Aar, beregnet
Background
The letter is the most detailed description in the extracts of how Giske was run in the seventeenth century. The manor was worked with compulsory labour from the tenants, who were to sow, harvest and keep the fences. The lessee had to keep the buildings and enclosure in repair and was not allowed to fell timber unlawfully or burden the tenants with work beyond the rent roll. That the king kept wreck and stranded goods shows there was value to be had along the storm-swept coast. The right of patronage was the right to appoint the priest and take the tithe for the church on Giske, which Sehested had held as owner. The dues were now 1160 riksdaler, against 1016¾ the year before.