Privilege of King Sigismund I the Old for Lwów regarding the exclusive right to retail spirits

In the name of the Lord, amen. For the eternal memory of the matter. Since human memory, fleeting and insignificant, cannot assist the eternal durability of affairs and human deeds, so that they do not perish and fall into oblivion, the prudent have adopted this method, to entrust what ought to be eternal and immovable to the testimony of writings. Therefore, we, Sigismund, by the grace of God King of Poland, Grand Duke of Lithuania, and also lord and heir of the lands of Kraków, Sandomierz, Sieradz, Łęczyca, Kuyavia, Ruthenia, Prussia, Chełmno, Elbląg, Pomerania, Masovia, etc., announce by the wording of this [document] to all together and to each one individually who shall receive knowledge of it. That, having regard for the commended loyalty and the special care and diligence in managing the [municipal] commonwealth of our burghers of Lwów, and also moved by their requests, which they have submitted to remedy the needs of our aforementioned city of Lwów, we have deemed it right to grant them, as we do grant and bestow by this our letter forever and for all time, the right to retail burnt wine [spirits], from whatever raw material, liquid, or distillate of another thing it might originate or be distilled, in such a manner that through any of their stewards or lessees they may and have the power to sell and retail it, both in the city within the walls, as well as in the Kraków and Halych suburbs, and also under the castle and in the deanery of Saint John. Furthermore, that no one in public places of the city and suburbs, nor in any private houses, whether of clergy or laity, nobility or plebeians, Christians, Ruthenians, Armenians, Jews, and all other people of both sexes, shall dare to sell and retail said burnt wine or that brought from elsewhere, unless with the permission of the aforementioned councilors of our city of Lwów. Whom we command not to allow anyone to sell it without paying a rent. And that rent, which shall be collected by the retailers and managers appointed by them, the aforementioned councilors are to use and ought to use for the needs of the [municipal] commonwealth and for the repair of the city's public places. And so that they may more conveniently and freely organize this retailing of the aforementioned wine and the collection of rent and derive benefit from it, we hereby command our current and future Starosta of Lwów, as well as all others whom it concerns, to maintain and preserve this our perpetual donation by the power of their authority and office, and to ensure that it is so maintained and preserved, that whoever they recognize from the report of the burghers as guilty of violating this our liberty and ordinance, they shall adjudge as subject to the forfeiture of their goods, the said burnt wine; that is, that they shall be obliged to surrender the wine which, against the will and permission of the aforementioned burghers, they secretly or openly offered for sale or retailed, to the judgment and authority of the said burghers, and the burghers, by way of penalty, may and have the power to seize and take said wine in whole or in part – which we leave to their discretion – for themselves and the [municipal] commonwealth. In witness and testimony of which our seal has been appended to this document. Given in our city of Lwów, on the Wednesday next before the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, in the year of our Lord one thousand five hundred and thirty-seven, and the thirty-first year of our reign. In the presence of the venerable fathers in Christ, the lords: Bernard Wilczek of Lubień, Archbishop of Lwów, Sebastian Branicki, Bishop of Kamieniec, and also the magnificent, honorable, and noble: Jan, Count of Tarnów, Castellan of Kraków and Starosta of Sandomierz, Piotr Kmita of Wiśnicz, [Voivode] of Kraków, Marshal of our Kingdom, Starosta of Kraków, Spiš, Przemyśl, and Koło, Jan of Tęczyn, [Voivode] of Sandomierz and Starosta of Bełz, Chełm, Ratne[?], and Krasnystaw, Stanisław of Tomice, [Voivode] of Kalisz and Starosta of Konin and Lisice[?], Stanisław of Sprowa, [Voivode] of Ruthenia [and] General [Starosta] and Starosta of Opoczno[?], Stanisław Odrowąż of Sprowa, Voivode of Podolia, Andrzej of Górka, [Castellan] of Poznań and General Starosta of Greater Poland, Mikołaj of Pilcza, [Castellan] of Lwów, Mikołaj Odnowski, Castellan of Przemyśl and Starosta of Lwów, Samuel Maciejowski, of Gniezno, Jan Łaski, Dean of Poznań, Canons of Kraków, Marcin Borowski, Cupbearer of the Crown, Starosta of Odolanów and Stobnica, Marcin Wolski, our Chamberlain and Starosta in Błonie, Jan Dobrzykowski, Chamberlain of Płock and Steward of our court, credible witnesses of the above, sincerely and faithfully beloved by us. Given by the hands of the magnificent Paweł of Wola, Deputy Chancellor of the Kingdom of Poland, Burggrave of Kraków and Starosta of Gostynin, sincerely beloved by us. [Signature on the left side of the fold:] Paweł of Wola, Deputy Chancellor, signed. [Chancery note on the right side of the fold:] Relation of the same magnificent Paweł of Wola, Deputy Chancellor of the Kingdom of Poland, Burggrave of Kraków and Starosta of Gostynin. [Seal:] [On a green-yellow silk cord hangs a wax royal seal of Sigismund I in a natural wax bowl, with an impression in red wax: under the crown a quartered coat of arms with the White Eagle and the Vytis, as well as regional coats of arms]. [Verso:] [18th c., in red ink:] Third rubric / Letter C number 5 [16th/17th c.:] Perpetual donation of Sigismund I / Privilege for distilling [...] Year 1537. [Various signatures and archival notes:] S; 3. C. 5to; Nro 61; R6; [round ink seal with provenance mark].

In nomine domini Amen. Ad perpetuam rei memoriam. Quum memoria hominum labilis et fluxa, non possit ad perpetuitati rerum et actionum humanarum, ne intereant et oblivione perimantur, auxilium ferre, inita est hec a prudentibus ratio, vt ea, que perpetua et firma esse debeant, literarum munimentis commendentur. Proinde nos Sigismundus dei gratia Rex Polonie, magnus dux Lithuanie, necnon terrarum Cracovie, Sandomirie, Siradie, Lancicie, Cuiauie, Russie, Prussie, Culmen[sis], Elbingen[sis], Pomeranieque, Masouie etc. dominus et heres. Significamus tenore presentium vniversis et singulis harum notitiam habituris. Quia commendatam habens fidem, et in administranda Republica curam atque industriam singularem Ciuium n[ost]rorum Leopolien[sium]: supplicationibusque eorum, quas pro adiuuandis necessitatibus Ciuitatis nostre Leopolien[sis] predikte fecerunt, adducti, donandum illis duximus sicuti donamus et concedimus presentibus literis nostris perpetue et in euum, facultatem propinandi vini cremati, ex quacunque illud materia, liquore seu alterius rei distillatu seu distillandum haberi possit, ita videlicet, quod per suos quoscunque administros vel conductores illud vendere et propinare, tam in Ciuitate intra muros quam in suburbiis Cracouien[si] et Haliciensi, etiam sub Castro et decanatu sancti Joannis propinare possint et valeant. Preterea vt nullus in publicis locis Ciuitatis et Suburbiorum, ac in quibuscunque domibus privatis tam spiritualium quam secularium, Nobilium et plebeorum Christianorum Ruthenorum Armenorum Judeorum: et aliorum quorumvis sexus vtriusque hominum id ipsum vinum in Civitate crematum, vel aliunde adductum vendere et propinare audeat, nisi cum licentia dictorum Consulum Civitatis nostre Leopolien[sis]. Quibus hoc iniungimus, vt sine Censu illud vendere nulli hominum permittant. Eum autem Censum, quem exegerint, substituti eorum propinatores et administri, ad necessitates Reipublice, et refactionem publicorum Civitatis locorum dicti Consules convertant et convertere teneantur. Vt autem eam propinationem vini predicti, et census exactionem comodius et liberius instituere, et ex illa fructum capere valeant Mandamus presentibus Capitaneo nostro Leopolien[si] moderno et pro tempore existenti aliysq[ue] omnibus quorum interest, vt hanc nostram donationem perpetuam pro authoritate et officio suo ita manu teneant et observent, manutenierique et observari ita faciant, vt quicunqueque delatione Civium contra hanc nostram libertatem et ordinationem excessisse cognouerint, Eum merce sua vini cremati predicti, cadere in comissum indicent, hoc est, vt idipsum vinum quod pter voluntatem et concessionem Civium predictorum clam et palam venum exposuerint aut propinauerint, in arbitrium et potestatem Ciuium predictorum comittere teneantur, et Cives loco pene idipsum vinum totum vel partem eius quod arbitrio eorum comittimus pro se et republica vsurpare et recipere possint et valeant. In cuius rei fidem et testimonium sigillum nostrum est presentibus subappensum. Dat[um] in Civitate nostra Leopolien[si] feria quarta proxima ante festum Exaltationis Sancte Crucis. Anno domini Millesimo quingentesimo trigesimo septimo, Regni vero nostri anno trigesimo primo. Presentibus R[everen]do in Ch[rist]o patrib[us] Dominis: Bernardino Vylczek de Luybyennye Archiep[iscop]o Leopolien[si], Sebastiano Branyczki Ep[iscop]o Camenecen[si], necnon Magn[ificis] Venerabilibus et Generosis, Joanne Comite a Tharnow Castellano Cracouien[si] et Capitaneo Sandomirien[si], Petro Kmytha de Vissnyeze Cracovien[si], Regni nostri marsalco, Cracowien[si] Scepusien[si] Premislien[si] et Colen[si] Capitaneo, Joanne a Thanczin Sandomirien[si], et Belzen[si] Chelmen[si] Rathniew[?] Crasnostawen[si] Capitaneo, Stanislao de Thomicze Calisien[si], ac Cominen[si] et Lisidzen[?] Capitaneo, Stanislao de Sprowa Russie generali, et Capit[aneo] Opocznew[?], Stanislao Odrowasch de Sprowa Podolie Palatinis, Andrea a Gorka Posnanien[si] et Capitaneo Maioris Polonie generali, Nicolao de Pilcza Leopolien[si], Nicolao Odnowski Premislien[si] et Capitaneo Leopolien[si] Castellanis, Samuele Maczieiowski Gnesnen[si], Joanne Thaski Decano Posnanien[si] et Cracouien[si] Canonicis, Martino Borowski Lincerna regni, Odalanowien[si] et Stobnicen[si] Capitaneo, Martino Volski Succamerario n[ost]ro et in Blonye Capitaneo, Joanne Dobrzikowski Succamerario Plocen[si], et Dapifero Curie nostre, testibus ad premissa fidedignis, sincere et fidelibus dilectis. Dat[um] per manus Mag[ni]fici Pauli de volia Regni Polonie vicecancellarii Burgravii Cracouien[sis] et Capitanei Gostinnen[sis], sincere nobis dilecti. [Podpis z lewej strony pliki:] Paulus de volia vicecanc[ellarius] s[ub]s[crip]sit [Nota kancelaryjna z prawej strony pliki:] Relatio eiusdem Mag[nifi]ci Pauli de volia Regni Polonie vicecancellarii Burg[ravii] Crac[oviensis] et Capit[anei] Gostininen[sis] [Pieczęć:] [Na zielono-żółtym sznurze jedwabnym zawieszona woskowa pieczęć koronna Zygmunta I w misce z naturalnego wosku, z odciskiem w czerwonym wosku: pod koroną czterodzielna tarcza herbowa z Orłem Białym i Pogonią oraz herbami ziemskimi]. [Verso:] [XVIII w., czerwonym atramentem:] Rubrica Tertia / Litt. C Nro 5to [XVI/XVII w.:] Sigismundi I-mi Donationis ppuam / Privilegium super Crematione [...] A[nn]o 1537. [Różne sygnatury i noty archiwalne:] S; 3. C. 5to; Nro 61; R6; [okrągła pieczęć tuszowa ze znakiem proweniencyjnym].