Letter of intercession from the mayors and councillors of Riga to the council of Lwów regarding the debt of Jan Broda

To all and each one individually, of whatever status, rank, or dignity they may be, who shall see, read, and hear this letter, and in particular to you, venerable and prudent men, the mayors and councillors of the city of Lwów, our dearest and sincere allies and friends. Prosperity and happy success. We, the mayors and councillors of the city of Riga, after sending expressions of friendly readiness for our services, hereby publicly certify how in the year one thousand five hundred and twenty-one, [then?] recently passed, the prudent man Tilemann Hersefort, a resident of our aforementioned city of Riga, appeared personally before us, the councillors gathered in session, and submitted a complaint as to how a certain Jan Broda, a burgher of your aforementioned city of Lw[ów...], remained obligated in certain sums of money, according to the wording of approved, authentic [obligations?], which the said Jan legally issued. And he desired to legally bring this matter before your lordships through his proxy, appointed by him due to the injury suffered and the distance, having undertaken appropriate legal measures. Therefore, he earnestly begged us, the favorable [authorities] of ours and the city of Livonia, that with the thought of satisfying the debt, which should be revealed without delay, and to prevent further damages, we might wish to order and issue letters of intercession, so that we may intercede for him in your city, as justice requires. For since the laws themselves and Christianity command that due to denied or delayed justice, the making of such arrests [of property] is permitted, and yet we refrain from this, intending to send persons abroad [...], he turned in a friendly manner to your city for legal assistance. When, in the meantime, our aforementioned resident derived little benefit from such letters, which we lament, and if our resident were to demand the aforementioned arrest of merchants on our part, which according to necessity would be extremely harmful to the inhabitants of Livonia, we nevertheless, due to the general and mutual friendly bond of neighboring cities, called both parties as friends to conclude a settlement in the best way we could. Then both parties, having finally appeared before us, understood the gravity and burden of the dispute, in the following manner: namely, besides the principals mentioned above, Jan Turok, Zachariasz Popowicz, and Wasyl Iwaszkowicz were present, who with all diligence and justice are to execute the debt from the above-mentioned Jan Broda, and called finally to the responses which our side designates abroad, they promise that each of them will become a guarantor and after settling the matters will soon return to our city, sworn not to sell, will secure themselves against pledging, and will bring the matter to fruition, and as far as the law allows, otherwise upon presentation of this letter they will safely secure themselves by the arrest of the debt. Therefore, the aforementioned man Tilemann there before us, in the best intent, by the manner, way, law, and form, as best and most effectively according to the law he could and should, has made, established, appointed, and fully designated as his true, legitimate, and undoubted proxies, procurators, factors, and managers of his affairs the prudent men, namely Jan Turok, Zachariasz Popowicz, and Wasyl Iwaszkowicz, the said friends and proxies, jointly and each of them individually (in solidum), to demand and [sue?] the said Jan [...], to collect and pursue the debt, [nothing?] to return and issue by a powerful hand or to resign according to the proper wording, to dismiss, to execute, to guard by law against damage, to testify in a friendly manner and according to legal forms, as the matter shall seem most appropriate. Giving and granting the full amount of money and a complete discharge in reality, with full and explicit assurance of proper management and accounting [...], and of issuing and granting in the best form personal receipts, according to the need that arises. And also to appoint in their and each of their place another or more deputies or proxies of similar, limited authority and to recall them to themselves or to them, whenever there is such a need or it seems useful, and to do, say, perform, execute, and manage all and individual things which in the above-mentioned matters and around them will be necessary and in any way appropriate, and which he himself would do personally if he were present. In all these actions and individual present ones he intervened, declaring that he commands and entrusts this more strongly than has been currently expressed, the said man Tilemann promising that he will recognize as valid, permanent, and inviolable whatever shall be done by his said proxies, as stated above, in accordance with the mentioned powers of attorney. We therefore earnestly ask Your Lordships, just and worshippers of justice, that you deign to kindly and favorably receive his mentioned proxies and assistants in pursuing the debt from the mentioned Jan Broda or his [successors?], so that our supporters may without delay, expenses, and worse damages achieve their goal and manage to execute it, and that you may remain free and safe from the aforementioned arrest, taking care to satisfy the law of our inhabitants and our city. By doing so, Your Lordship will act justly and rightly, as well as do us the most pleasant thing, which on our part we are ready to reciprocate to Your Lordships in equal circumstances. In testimony of which this letter [has been provided] with the seal of our city, which we use jointly for such matters. Given and done in Riga, on the twenty-fifth day of February, in the Year from the Nativity of Jesus, our Savior, one thousand five hundred and twenty-two. [Seal:] [A wax city seal of Riga suspended on a parchment strip, partially crumbled, with a visible legend: ...RIG...] [Verso:] [Chancery note with seal:] [Oval ink stamp: ARCHIWUM AKT DAWNYCH MIASTA LWOWA] [Note from 16th/17th c.:] Tilemann Hersefort against Jan Broda, debt collection, 1522 intercession. [Later note:] 1522 / Broda case [Archival notes:] 19r Ser 31 / ad Fasc. 289 / 155 (42)

Universis et singulis cuiuscunq[ue] status gradus vel preeminentie existentib[us] quor[um] litteras inspecturis lecturis pariter et audituris, et presertim vobis honorabilib[us] ac circumspectis viris Dominis proconsulib[us] et consulib[us] civitatis Leopoliensis fautorib[us] et amicis n[ost]ris c[ari]ssimis sinceris. Fausto felicique successu. Nos proconsules et consules civitatis Rigen[sis] post amicabiles obseq[uii] n[ost]ri paratamq[ue] plurimum p[er] p[rese]ntes publici attestam[ur] quomodo sub anno Millesimoquingentesimo vicesimoprimo, recente [tunc?] preterito personaliter co[ram] nobis consulib[us] sedendo congregatis Circumsp[ec]tus vir Tilemannus Hersefort incola dictis civitatis n[ost]re Rigen[sis] queruloque exponendo, Quomodo quinda[m] Joannes Broda civis prefate civitatis v[est]re Lio[..] in certis pecuniar[um] su[m]mis, juxta tenorem approbator[um] autenticar[um] d[a]tas[que?] fecit legitimus dicti Joannis, obligat[us] extitit. Causa[m]q[ue] h[uius]mo[d]i p[er] procuratore[m] suu[m] propterea p[er] eundem [appo?]sit[um] propter iniuriam sibi distantia coram dominat[i]onib[us] v[est]ris jure app[ost]olato movere voluit, remediis p[er] inde su[m]tis. Quare nobis instantius supplicavit gratios[is] n[ost]ri et civitatis Livon[ie] quomodo p[ro] mediantes satisfact[i]oni debiti q[uo]d sine dilati[oni]s appareat, et damnis deterioratib[us] consequi posset, providere et rescribere mand[o] super intercessionis l[itte]ras, quatenus intercederemus p[ro] eo in civitate v[est]ra p[ro]ut justitia expostulat. Cum ergo jura ipsa et christianitas suadeat denegatam seu dilata[m] justitia arrestamento huiusmodi fieri permittant, tamen q[uod] pluriu[m] nunc ad for[as] missuris personis vacemus n[ost]ris jure [de] et c. civit[atis] v[est]re amicalit[er] operam requisi[vi]t. Unde posteaq[uam] interea incola noster p[re]dict[us] sibi huiusmo[d]i l[itte]ras in aliquo proficuisse, quod dolenter ferimus. Nos damno/solum inde incola pro arresto prefato super mercatorib[us] requir[eret] prout s[e]c[un]d[u]m exigentia[m] obreside[n]tibus/ Livoniens[ibus] dampnosissime. Nos nichilominus propter publicam vicinar[um] civitatum mutuamq[ue] aerophilu[m] unio[nem] tanq[uam] amicos partes ipsas ad concordandum modo quo melius potuimus inter s[e] prouocavim[us]. Tunc quidem partes tandem cora[m] nobis comparent[es] facinus [apposuentum?] gravamine expre[ssis] intellexer[un]t. In tali qui[dem] sequenti medio. Ita q[uo]d ultra mandatores supra existunt Joannes Turok, Zacharias Popowycz et Wassyl Iwaszkowycz qui nunc aderant, omniq[ue] cura ad eq[ui]ti[bus] debitu[m] a su[pradic]to Joanne Broda extorq[uendi], qua[m] ad requisiti fuerint tandem responsiones quas ordinator partes n[ost]re ad for[as] et promittunt, un[us]q[uis]q[ue] se affinis faciat, et p[er] deductas tam proximo redit ad civitatem n[ost]ram, jurat[us] non vend[unt], et oppignerandi caventur, et ad effectum appungantur, et ad hoc de jure sentit, alias p[re]senti producto tuto perbancar[et] debeti arresto. Quapropter p[re]fatus vir Tilema[n]nus ibidem coram nobis animo meliori modo, via, jure et forma quib[us] melius et efficacius de jure potuit et debuit fecit, p[re]stitit, creavit et plenarie ordinavit, in suos veros actos legitimos et indubitatos procuratores, actores, factores, negotioru[m]q[ue] suoru[m] gestores, Inter providos viros scilicet Joannem Turok, Zachariam Popowycz et Wassyl Iwaszkowycz dictos amcos procuratores p[re]missos simul et quilibet eoru[m] in solidum ad petendu[m] et [vexitandum?] dicti Joannis p[re]tentatores, de percipiendum et p[ro]curandum debitum [nullo?] reddigend[um] et assignandu[m] manu procuratoria vel resignandi supra comp[etentem?] tenore[m], amovend[um], exseq[ui]end[um] quo jure cauend[um] pro damno amicitia pie prestandi, et figuris juris prout res melius videbitur expedire. Dantes et plenam pecu[ni]am q[ui]tamq[ue] realitatem ad pacto plenam et expressa de bene gub[er]natu et re[i]con[tra]rat[ione] serenissimus peten[tem] et super genus p[er]sonalib[us] l[itte]ras q[ui]tantiar[um] in forma meliori, prout necessitas fuerit dandi, et concedendi. Aliud quoq[ue] vel pluresq[ue] actore[m] vel procuratores loco sui, et eor[um] cuiuslibet ad simili f[or]m[am] l[imi]tata potestate postponendi et ad se vel eos revocandi, toties quoties opus fuerit seu expedire vide[bi]tur, et singula faciend[i], dicend[i], gerend[i], exequend[i], et procurandi, que in premissis, et circa ea necessaria fuerint et quomodolibet oportuna, atque ipsemet p[er]sonalit[er] faceret, si p[re]sens esset, p[re]missis actib[us] et singulis p[re]sentib[us] intercessit, omnia p[er] talia fuerit, et mandare asserebat magis special[iter] q[uam] p[ro]nunc est expressu[m], promittens idem vir Tilema[n]nus p[re]dict[us] [ratum] firmum atq[ue] gratum habitur[um], quicq[uid] p[er] dictos suos p[ro]curatores [prout?] premiss[um] est factum fuerit, s[e]c[un]d[u]m procuratoria p[re]dicta. Rogamus igitur obnixe d[ominat]i[ones] v[est]ras justicie, et justitie cultores, quatenus predictos suos procuratores fautores q[uo]l[ibet] amice intuituq[ue] adeptu dignem[ini] in petenti debit[i] a prememorato Joanne Broda aut [suo?], sed quomodo fovores n[ost]ri sine dilatione et expensis ac damnis deteriorib[us] asseq[ui] possint, et valeant, et ab arresto p[re]tacto liberi, et immunes p[er]maneatis, n[ost]riq[ue] incolar[um] ac n[ost]re civitatis juri[s] cavebitis satisfacere. In hoc d[ominat]i[o] v[est]ra rem quidem favorabilem equitati, p[ro]ut, ac nobis acceptissimam faciet, equis condicionalib[us] studijs erga easdem d[ominati]o[n]es v[est]ras repensuri. In cuius rei testimoniu[m] p[re]sentes l[itte]ras n[ost]ris inscript[as] civitatis Sigillo, quo ad huiusmodi utimur communitas. Dat[um] et actu[m] Rige vicesimaquinta die Februarii Anno a nativitate Jesu Salvatoris nostri Millesimoquingentesimo vicesimosecundo. [Pieczęć:] [Na pasku pergaminowym zawieszona woskowa pieczęć miejska Rygi, częściowo wykruszona, z widocznym otokiem: ...RIG...] [Verso:] [Nota kancelaryjna z pieczęcią:] [Pieczątka tuszowa owalna: ARCHIWUM AKT DAWNYCH MIASTA LWOWA] [Nota z XVI/XVII w.:] Tylemannus Herszefort / c[ontr]a / Joannem Broda / pete debiti / 1522 intercessio. [Nota późniejsza:] 1522 / Factum Broda [Noty archiwalne:] 19r Ser 31 / ad Fasc. 289 / 155 (42)