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Oldest surviving document of the Faroe Islands
First page of the letter
1981 Faroese postage stamp
The Sheep Letter
[1] (
Faroese : Seyðabrævið ,
Old Norse : sauðabréfit ) is the oldest surviving document of the
Faroe Islands . It is a
royal decree enacted on 28 June 1298 by Duke Haakon, who later became King
Haakon V of Norway . It deals principally with
sheep husbandry , but also deals with other matters and functioned as a kind of
constitution , removing most administrative power from the local
Thing to the
king and his representatives. It was drafted on the advice of Erlend,
Bishop of the
Diocese of the Faroe Islands in
Kirkjubøur and of
Sjúrður ,
Lawspeaker of
Shetland , whom Duke Haakon had sent to the Faroes to consider the deficiencies in the agricultural law.
[2]
In contrast to the
Færeyinga saga from
Iceland , the Sheep Letter is written on the Faroe Islands and hence gives a better description of the Faroese society at that time. It also shows some early changes that the Faroese language had gone through from
Old Norse .
The letter is preserved in two copies; one in the
National Archives of the Faroe Islands in
Tórshavn
[3] and one in the library of
Lund University ,
Sweden .
16 points of law mentioned in the Sheep letter
Concerning how proof of ownership is required before the slaughter of sheep.
Concerning trespassing on others' land.
Concerning sheep grazing on another man's land.
Concerning taming of wild sheep - part I
Concerning the (ear)marking of sheep. It is made very clear that if the first mark is altered then it is considered as theft.
Concerning
sheep dogs that bite and damage sheep, rules for repayment and the allowed number of sheep on pastureland.
Concerning how deadlines are to be handled when authorities give a warning.
Concerning duty to report when sheep trespass on strangers' land
Concerning taming of wild sheep - part II
Concerning the renting of land
Concerning unwanted visitors and the rights of the poor.
Concerning testimony.
Concerning payment for staying visitors
Concerning households and tenants.
Concerning the finding of whales and the share of meat and blubber.
Concerning
flotsam
References
^ W. Poulsen, Jóan Hendrik (1971). Seyðabrævið . Copenhagen, Denmark. {{
cite book }}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (
link )
^ "From the Vikings to the Reformation", G. V. C. Young 1979, p. 52.
^
"Faroese National Archives" . Faroese National Archives . Søvn Landsins.