Occupation: Chief Justice (Landsdomme
Reference: KG2 note
Mads Pedersen Kofoed inherited land-ownership (proprietair) rights to


Kofoedgård, which he took over in 1630 from his brother Oluf Kofoed,
who had managed the farm while his brother Mads was under-age. Mads
Kofoed was continually plagued by financial difficulties; in 1624 he
had to sell part ownership of a farm in Østerlars parish which was
his wife's property. In 1628 King Christian 4. had Mads Kofoed, as
Chief Justice (Landsdommer) for Bornholm, swear his allegiance to the


new Commander at Hammershus fortress: Holger Rosenkrans; in return he


received, like other county judges before him, the rights to a number


of farms "to enjoy and keep freely, as long as he is Chief Justice."


These farms were: three farms in Klemensker parish (one of them
Duebjerggård); one farm, Bjergegård, in Vestermarie parish; one
farm in Rutsker parish; five farms in Østermarie parish (one
of them Lyrsbygård); and one farm, Klintebygård, in Ibsker
parish. A judge had to be well educated, and economically
independent, in order to pass fair and unbiased judgement. In return


the King offered him total support: contempt for the judge's office
was nothing less than an insult against His Majesty, and could bring
on the death penalty. Chief Justice Mads Kofoed performed his task
cleverly and with care. Many of his cases went to the Highest Court
in København, and most of them were upheld. He enjoyed the well-
deserved honour of being described as: "Our fellow, servant, and
Chief Justice upon our land - Bornholm". In "På sporet af de første
Kofod'er" we are told of a case that Mads Kofoed presided over, along


with a 14 man jury: it seems that an Ingeborg, wife of Peder Møller,


was sentenced to leave her home and country because of her
"witchcraft". The case suggests that she must have been a most
disagreeable woman, who caused great uproar in Pedersker parish. When


in 1636 Mads received yet another farm in Vestermarie - meant as a
rest-stop along the way to the Bornholm Council meetings - you cannot


help but become a bit suspicious that maybe he was suffering from
farm collecting mania! The life of a Chief Justice was not always
easy - during on of the many required sea-voyages to København he
nearly drowned. Luckily, King Christian 4. issued an open decree in
1638 to the effect that during winter-time no county judge could be
summoned to attend High Court in København, with special note that on


"the land of Bornholm" you could encounter dangerous sea-voyages! As
a thank you gift for being rescued, he donated a bond worth 50
Rigsdalers to the Hospital for the Poor in Rønne, which returned an
interest of 10 Marks per year, for "as long as the money stays in my
name." You would think that those funds were secure, but when Mads
Kofoed went broke eight years later the hospital had to go to court
in 1644 to secure the money and interest from the bond from his
heirs. Sadly, his debt grew again after his wife's death, as he had
to pay out their inheritance to his children. After his death around


1646 the farm buildings were very run-down and the total value of the


property was not more than 700 Silverdalers. Those who have studied
his judgements have come away with the impression that he, as far as
possible, supported the lower-courts, and often was swayed by them.
Also, it is noted that many of the officials for the lower-court
seemed to gradually become members of the Kofoed-family!