Johanne Sinclar accounts for Gjørvel's estate
NRR 6, s. 291 f. · 22. februar 1631 · København
What the letter says
In Copenhagen on 22 February 1631 Lady Johanne Sinclar of Esperød receives a quittance for the accounts she has rendered on behalf of her late husband Jesper Gøye. It concerns Brunla and Numedal fiefs and some Crown property the king received from the late Lady Gjørvel Fadersdatter. Jesper Gøye held the fiefs from May Day 1619 after Caspar Markdaner until May Day 1622, when Ove Gedde took over after his death. She owes nothing according to the receipts she has delivered to the Treasury.
The letter in modern English
Lady Johanne Sinclar's quittance for Brunla and Numedal fiefs. Christian IV. Makes known to all that Lady Johanne Sinclar of Esperød has now, on behalf of her late husband Jesper Gøye, rendered us a proper account of the fixed and variable revenue and income of our and the Crown of Norway's fiefs of Brunla and Numedal, and of some of our and the Crown's property that we received from the late Lady Gjørvel Fadersdatter [Gyldensparre]. The account runs from the day of Philip and James 1619, when he was first graciously enfeoffed by us with the fief and property after the late Caspar Markdaner, to the day of Philip and James 1622, when she was released from it after his death and Ove Gedde of Tommerup graciously received them in fief and defence in turn. The said Lady Johanne Sinclar, on behalf of her late husband, owes nothing of it, according to the receipts and proofs she has now delivered and handed over at our Treasury to Jørgen Wind of Gundestrup and Steen Beck of Førsløv, our men, servants and treasurers, on our behalf. Therefore we now with this declare the said Lady Johanne Sinclar and her heirs wholly quit, free and released from all claims by us and our successors [etc., the usual formula for quittances, to:] in every way. Copenhagen, 22 February 1631.
Original text
Fru Johanne Sinclars Kvittantiarum paa Brunla [og] Numedals Lene. C. IV. G. a. v., at os elskelige Fru Johanne Sinclar til Esperød haver nu paa hendes afgangne Huusbonde Jesper Gøyes Vegne gjort os gode Rede og Regnskab for den visse og uvisse Rente og Indkomst til vore og Norges Krones Lene Brunla og Numedals Lene, samt noget vort og Kronens Gods, som vi af afgangne Fru Gyrvhild Fadersdatter [Gyldensparre] bekommet have, beregnet fra Philippi Jacobi Dag Anno 1619, han først med samme Len og Go
Background
The letter shows the succession of feudal lords over Brunla, Numedal and Gjørvel's estate: Peder Ivarsson Jernskjegg, Caspar Markdaner until 1619, Jesper Gøye until 1622 and Ove Gedde after him. When a feudal lord died, his widow had to settle the accounts, and only then was the estate free of claims from the Crown. Johanne Sinclar probably belonged to the Scottish Sinclair family, which had branches in Denmark and Norway. That is an inference from the name.
People: Gjørvel Fadersdatter (Sparre)