HANSdoc Database

15321100TRO00

Transcript available

1532, early November

Trondheim

[Archbishop Olaf of Trondheim] to King Frederick I of Denmark: list of points where Norwegian privileges are bypassed, mostly related to church goods and offices, as well as Iceland and the Faroes, which are in German hands, to the disadvantage of Norwegian merchants.

15330000LUB00

Transcript available

[1533]

[Lübeck]

Eldermen of the Bergen merchants in Lübeck to Lübeck: state that the trade with Orkney, Shetland and the Faroes has been forbidden on the Hanseatic Diets in 1494 and 1498, but that some merchants are trading there anyway, and that merchants from Bremen, Hamburg and Holland have started to trade north of Bergen in Trondheim, damaging the Kontor, and ask for repercussions.

15350524BER00

Transcript available

[1535, before May 24]

[Bergen]

Complaints of the Hanseatic Kontor in Bergen, presented at the Hanseatic Diet in Lübeck, among others about trade in Iceland, northern Norway, Orkney, Shetland and the Faroes, which was prohibited by the royal privileges and at the Hanseatic Diet of 1494.

15670217BRE00

Transcript available

1567, February 17

[Bremen]

Hermanus Schroder, Segebandus Detken, Humierus Meager and Joannes Michaelis to [Bremen]: complain about violent attacks and robbery by Scottish pirates in various harbours in Shetland in 1566, which amounts to a total damage of 1008 daler, and ask for compensation and further protection in Shetland.

15670815SUM00

1567, August 15

Sumburgh Head

James Hepburn, Earl of Bothwell, testifies that he arrived in Shetland and ordered Bremen merchant Gerdt Hemeling to rent his ship to him for two months, for 50 crowns each month, and in the case that the ship is damaged or not returned, he will restitute him 1200 daler and 100 crowns for the guns.

15680105KOB00

Transcript available

1568, January 5

Copenhagen

James Hepburn, Earl of Bothwell's account of his flight from Scotland via Shetland to Norway, where he was captured, including how he forced Gerdt Hemeling from Bremen and a merchant from Hamburg to rent him their ships in Shetland.

15900102HAM00

1590, January 2

Hamburg

Hamburg to the Danish Council of the Realm: request for a prolongation of the license for the harbour Wapenforde in Iceland, on behalf of Paul Lindeman, who has sailed to the harbour for 25 years, but now the license has been mistakingly given to Bremen merchant Marten Losekanne, who has always traded in Bredeforde in the same district.

16020000SHE00

Transcript available

1602-1604

[Shetland]

The Court Book of Shetland 1602-1604, containing records of law courts held at parish and country levels. Among others it concerns financial transactions of many German merchants in harbours around the country, cases of conflict between merchants and violence at trading sites.

16041201RES00

Transcript available

1604, December 1

Restalrig

John Arnot to Patrick, earl of Orkney: reports that the German merchants in Shetland have brought in little money this year, and will try to sell the butter and oil to John Dick’s wife if he cannot make a deal with the Germans, and other things concerning tax payments.

16400318BRE00

Transcript available

Bremen

1640, March 18

Letter from Cordt Warneken to Mr William Stirling, Edinburgh, intimating that he has received 500 thalers worth of butter from George Sinclair of Rapnes in Orkney, and paid the money to Joshua Averie on 29 November 1639 at Hamburg; writer asks that the money may be paid to William Stirling; if the money has reached Scotland recipient was to pay it to William Dick or Peter Smith, brother of Andro Smith.