Henrik Thott is to supervise Giske fief
NRR 8, s. 408 f. · 30. mai 1646 · København
What the letter says
In Copenhagen on 30 May 1646 King Christian IV writes to Henrik Thott. The king has enfeoffed Melchior Oldeland with the Crown's fief of Giske, but Oldeland is held back by his daily service to the king. While Oldeland is away, Thott is therefore to keep diligent watch and inspection, together with the bailiffs Oldeland has appointed there, over justice, taxes, levies and other matters, so that the tenants of the fief are not ruined by the conduct of the administrators. An identical letter concerns Halsnøy abbey and Hardanger fief, held by Otte Krag.
The letter in modern English
Henrik Thott received a letter concerning Melchior Oldeland. Christian IV. Our favour first. Since we have graciously enfeoffed Melchior Oldeland etc. with our and the Crown of Norway's fief of Giske, and he is held back in our daily service, we ask you, in his absence and together with the bailiffs he has appointed for it, to keep diligent watch and inspection over justice, taxes and levies and other matters belonging to it, so that the tenants of the fief are not ruined by the conduct of the administrators. Copenhagen, 30 May 1646. He also received an identical letter to supervise Halsnøy abbey and Hardanger fief, with which Otte Krag is enfeoffed. Copenhagen, 30 May 1646.
Original text
Henrik Thott fik Brev, Melchior Oldeland anlangendes. C. IV. V. G. t. Eftersom vi naadigst have forlent os elskelige Melchior Oldeland etc. med vor og Norges Krones Len Giskø, da, efterdi han udi vores daglige Tjeneste forhindret er, bede vi dig og naadigst ville, at du udi hans Fraværelse med hans dertil forordnede Fogder haver flittig Indseende og Inspection baade med Justitien, Skatterne og Udskrivelser og andet, som dertil hører, saa at Bønderne derinder liggendes ikke bliver ødelagt formed
Background
Melchior Oldeland was the king's treasurer in Copenhagen and could not be at Giske himself. Henrik Thott was feudal lord of Bergenhus, under which Giske fief lay. The letter shows a well-known weakness of the fief system: feudal lords living in Denmark left the running to bailiffs, and the tenants often complained that the bailiffs squeezed them. «Udskrivelser» were the levies of soldiers and sailors, of which there were many after the war against Sweden of 1643 to 1645.