Confirmation by King Sigismund I of the privileges of the city of Lviv regarding the collection of bridge tolls and ox duties

SIGISMUND, by the grace of God King of Poland, Grand Duke of Lithuania, Ruthenia, Lord and Heir of all Prussia, Masovia, etc. We make known by the tenor of this letter to all and each individually, present and future, to whom it should be known. Since, as in past times, by the unanimous wish, counsel, and consent of the entire Senate of our Kingdom, we ordered all and individual cities and towns as well as our other subject inhabitants of the Kingdom to present all rights and privileges of liberties and customs in their originals before our presence at the general assembly recently held and conducted in Piotrków. Among our other cities, therefore, the city of Lviv presented before us various and numerous privileges containing within them different liberties and prerogatives granted and conceded to it by us and our predecessors. And it humbly requested us that we deign to approve and confirm those privileges and their entire content, and also to preserve and maintain this our city of Lviv in those liberties, prerogatives, and grants. We, however, moved by certain and just causes and considerations, postponed the signing and granting of this request of our aforementioned Lviv burghers, but deferred the matter of the re-presentation of the privileges until now. Therefore, at the present general assembly in Kraków, our said Lviv burghers, fulfilling the term designated and specified for this, presented before us in original form among their other privileges two privileges: one, namely, concerning the bridge toll, collected and enforced in the amount of one grosz from every wagon loaded and burdened with goods, and the second in the amount of two denarii from purchased oxen. And they humbly requested us that we deign to confirm and ratify such customs privileges of theirs, and to preserve them in their former and usual force. We, however, considering in our mind how necessary it is that our border cities be strong, fortified, and safe from enemy attack, deemed it proper to show and prove to the inhabitants of that our city of Lviv our favor, which we bestow upon it in a special way, and graciously acceding to the requests of these our burghers, we have confirmed, ratified, and approved the aforementioned two customs privileges, just as they contain within themselves, as we do by this letter confirm, ratify, and approve, decreeing by our royal authority that all and individual contents of the aforementioned privileges, according to their power and wording, should maintain due durability. In faith and testimony of which our seal has been appended to this letter. Given in Kraków at the general assembly, on the Wednesday next after the Sunday of Oculi, in the year of our Lord one thousand five hundred and forty, and the thirty-fourth year of our reign. [Signature on the left:] Samuel, Bishop of Chełm and Vice-Chancellor, signed with his own hand [Relation note on the right:] Relation of the venerable father in Christ, Lord Samuel Maciejowski, Bishop of Chełm and Vice-Chancellor of the Kingdom of Poland [Seal: royal wax seal in a dark wax bowl, on a parchment strip] [Verso:] 1540. Confirmation of bridge toll, year 1540 box letter 69 to bundle 281 [Chancery mark / monogram] [Archival designation:] Hrusz. Ser. 555. [Later entry in reddish ink:] Second rubric, letter B, number 19 No. 55. [Round ink seal:] Central State Historical Archives in Lviv

SIGISMVNDVS dei gratia REX Polonia[e], magnus DVX Lithuania[e], Russia[e], totius Prussiæ, Masouiæ etc. dominus et heres. Significamus tenore presentium quorum interest vniuersis et singulis presentibus & futuris harum noticiam habituris. Quia quemadmodum retroactis temporibus de vnanimi uoto consilio et assensu totius Senatus Regni nostri preceperamus omnibus & singulis ciuitatibus et oppidis ceterisq[ue] subditis n[ost]ris R[e]gnicolis, ut vniuersa Jura priuilegiaque libertatum et Theloneorum coram nobis pro conuentu generali piothrcouien[si] proxime habito et celebrato originaliter reproducerent. Inter alias itaq[ue] ciuitates n[ost]ras, Leopolien[sis] ciuitas exhibuit coram nobis uaria et multiplicia priuilegia diuersas libertates et prerogatiuas in se continentis descriptas per illos et predecessores nostros illi datas et concessas. Supplicauitq[ue] nobis humiliter quatenus illa et illarum omnia contenta approbare et confirmare, atque in eisdem libertatibus prerogatiuis et concessionibus eam ciuitatem n[ost]ram Leopolien[sem] conseruare ac manutenere dignaremur. Nos uero certis et rationabilibus permoti causis et rationibus, supplicationi huiusmo[d]i dictorum ciuium nostrorum Leopolien[sium] distulimus subscribere et annuere, sed eam ipsam causam iterum uidelicet reponendorum priuilegiorum hucusque prorogauimus. In presenti itaque conuentu generali cracouien[si] prenominati ciues n[ost]ri leopolien[ses] satisfaciendo termino ad id limitato et prefinito inter alia priuilegia sua, reproduxerunt coram nobis orginaliter duo priuilegia: Alterum uidelicet super Theloneum pontale, ab omni curru mercibus onusto et onerato per unum grossum, Alterum uero a bobus emptitiis per duos denarios recipiendum et exigendum. Supplicaruntq[ue] nobis humiliter, quatinus huiusmodi ipsorum priuilegia Thelonearia confirmare et approbare, ac illa in eorum antiquo et solito uigore conseruare dignaremur. Nos uero animo nostro uoluens q[ua]m necessarium sit ciuitates n[ost]ras finitimas ab hostium impetu esse forte[s], munitas et firmas, gratiam nostram quam erga illam ciuitatem n[ost]ram Leopolien[sem] singulariter gerimus Incolis eius duximus in hoc declarandam et demonstrandam, atq[ue] supplicationibus eorundem ciuium n[ost]rorum benigne annuens predicta duo priuilegia Thelonearia prout in se sunt confirmauimus ratificauimus et approbauimus, prout confirmamus ratificamus et approbamus harum serie l[itte]rarum, decernen[tes] authoritate n[ost]ra regia omnia et singula dictorum priuilegiorum contenta, iuxta suam uim et tenorem robur debite firmitatis obtinere debere. In cuius rei fidem et testimonium sigillum n[ost]rum presentibus est appensum. Dat[um] Cracouie in conuentione generali, feria quarta proxima post dominicam oculi, Anno domini Millesimo quingentesimo quadragesimo, Regni uero nostri Anno trigesimo quarto. [Podpis z lewej:] Samuel Ep[iscop]us Cheolmen[sis] et Viceca[n]cell[arius] ss[cripfit] [Nota relacji z prawej:] R[elatio] R[eueren]di in chr[ist]o p[at]ris domini Samuelis Maczieiowsk[i] Ep[iscop]i Chelmensis et Regni Poloniæ Vicecancellarii [Pieczęć: woskowa pieczęć koronna w misce z ciemnego wosku, na pasku pergaminowym] [Verso:] 1540. Confirmacio pontalium A[nn]o 1540 arca lit. 69 ad Fasc. 281 [Znak kanclerski / monogram] [Oznaczenie archiwalne:] Hrus[z.] Ser. 555. [Późniejszy wpis czerwonawym atramentem:] Rubrica Secunda Litt. B. N[r]o 19no Nro 55. [Okrągła pieczęć tuszowa:] Centralne Państwowe Archiwum Historyczne we Lwowie