Privilege of King Sigismund I the Old for Lwów, abolishing old rents and legal distinctions

IN THE NAME OF THE LORD, AMEN. For the eternal memory of the matter. So that human deeds do not perish due to the oblivion of time, they are usually brought out of forgetfulness by means of written testimonies. 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, Kujawy, Chełmno, Pomerania, Elbląg, as well as Ruthenia, Prussia, Masovia, etc., announce by the wording of this present [document] to all and each one individually, present and future, whom this concerns and who will gain knowledge of this: When our Lwów burghers, through their envoys, presented to us the letters of the most serene prince, of holy memory Casimir the Great, King of Poland – some with his seal suspended on a silk cord, others provided with the seal of our most serene lord and parent and confirmed by him – in which, among other things, these clauses were added, that from the lands donated and assigned to the burghers of the city of Lwów, namely from sixty Franconian hides, annually on the feast of Saint Martin, these same Lwów burghers [were to pay] twenty-four Ruthenian groschen from each hide, and in the second letter, sealed with the seal of the most serene lord Casimir the Great, they were obliged to pay twelve Prague groschen from each of the eighty-nine hides. The second clause stated that although Magdeburg law was granted to the entire city of Lwów and all residing within it, nevertheless, the Armenians, Ruthenians, Saracens, Jews, Tatars, and other peoples, of whatever status or condition they might be, were given the possibility to be judged under the leadership of the reeve of the city of Lwów, either according to the rites of their sect [and] their own law, or according to Magdeburg law itself – from which clauses these same Lwów burghers declared they had never benefited. For – as far as human memory reaches – they neither paid any rents from the mentioned hides, nor did people of all nations and sects who resided in the city of Lwów itself or arrived there from elsewhere, as they were always and are judged by Magdeburg law itself, and not another, and all these nations, of whatever rite and condition they were, always used the municipal Magdeburg law before the Lwów municipal reeve. So that the mentioned clauses could not in any way harm the said city of Lwów or bring them any difficulties over time, they beseeched us to deign to abolish and cancel them. We, therefore, acceding to these requests of the Lwów burghers and having certain and proven knowledge that these same Lwów burghers did not benefit from any of these clauses, by the judgment of our advisors present and gathered at this Sejm, deemed it right to abolish, cancel, invalidate, and annul the above-written clauses and everything contained therein, as we also by this our present letter abolish, cancel, invalidate, and annul them, and we wish that they be considered as unwritten in those same letters. The above-mentioned original letters and privileges of these same Lwów burghers shown before us, in all remaining clauses and articles, according to their content, recognizing and declaring them to retain their eternal force, we release and exempt the said burghers and all other people holding and possessing the mentioned fields and hides from all rents and their payments; all of whom, having and possessing these same fields or hides, by our special grace – as they have always been free until now – we exempt and release from all expropriations, labor, burdens, transport duties, and services [peranambinibus], with which they could be burdened, oppressed, or forced by us or our successors, or the local Lwów starosta and officials, present and for the time being. These hides the mentioned Lwów burghers and other possessors of them will be able to sell freely, provided, however, that they do not separate them from the city of Lwów itself and the municipal jurisdiction. We further decree that the cases of any persons, of whatever sect they might be, shall be judged by no other law than the municipal Magdeburg law before the reeve of the city of Lwów for all eternity. In faith and testimony of which, our seal has been appended to this present [document]. Done and given in Kraków at the general Sejm, on Monday after the Sunday of Judica, in the Year of the Lord one thousand five hundred and forty-seventh, and the forty-first year of our reign. In the presence of the venerable and most reverend fathers in Christ, the lords: Mikołaj Dzierzgowski, Archbishop of Gniezno, legate born and primate of our kingdom; Samuel Maciejowski, of Kraków and vice-chancellor of our kingdom; Andrzej Zebrzydowski of Kujawy; Benedykt Izdbieński of Poznań; Andrzej Noskowski of Płock; Jan Dziaduski of Przemyśl; Jan Dziowski [!] of Chełm – bishops. And also the magnificent, venerable, and noble: Jan, Count of Tarnów, Castellan of Kraków, Grand Hetman of the armies of our kingdom, and starosta of Sandomierz, Stryj, and Lubaczów; Piotr Kmita, Count of Wiśnicz, Voivode and Starosta of Kraków, Grand Marshal of our kingdom, as well as starosta of Przemyśl, Spiš, and Koło; Jan, Count of Tęczyn, Voivode of Sandomierz, Marshal of our court, and starosta of Lublin and Leżajsk; Stanisław of Łask, of Sieradz; Jan Dzierzgowski of Masovia and Starosta of Warsaw; Andrzej of Tęczyn, of Lublin and starosta of Rohatyn and Śniatyn; Feliks Szreński of Sokołów, of Płock and starosta of Malbork as well as Płock – voivodes. Mikołaj Wolski of Sandomierz, master of the household of our most serene spouse and starosta of Sącz, Lanckorona, Czorsztyn [?], and Płock; Marcin Zborowski of Kalisz and starosta of Szydłów and Odolanów; Spytek of Tarnów, of Radom, treasurer of our kingdom and starosta of Krzeczów [?], Krzeszów, and Krzepice; Piotr Opaliński of Gniezno, master of the household of our most serene son and starosta of Ujście and Olsztyn; Jan of Mielec, of Wiślica and starosta of Chmielnik; Jan Ocieski of Zawichost; Erazm of Giełczew, of Brześć and starosta of Pyzdry; Stanisław Maciejowski of Lublin and starosta of Zawichost; Jerzy Latalski of Ląd; Mikołaj Odnowski of Fulsztyn, of Przemyśl and starosta of Lwów; Jerzy Jeżowski of Warsaw – castellans. Jakub Uchański, Dean of Płock, Archdeacon of Warsaw, referendary of our court; Andrzej Czarnkowski, Provost of Gniezno, Scholastic of Kraków, Custodian of Płock; Jan Przerębski, Provost and Canon; Filip Padniewski, Cantor and Canon; Stanisław Wolski, Custodian and Cantor of Płock; Stanisław Hozjusz, Doctor of Both Laws and Canon of Kraków; Maciej Łącki, Scholastic of Włocławek and Canon of Gniezno; Maciej Wargawski, Canon of Włocławek and Poznań – our secretaries; Marcin Wolski, treasurer of our court and head of our chamber, tribune and burggrave of Kraków, starosta of Sochaczew and Błonie; Jan Tarło, cupbearer of our kingdom and starosta of Pilzno; Jan Opaliński, standard-bearer of Poznań, carver of our table; Jan Cikowski, under-steward of our court; Augustyn Kotwicz, head of our stable and standard-bearer of the court of majesty, and many other credible dignitaries and officials of ours, sincerely and faithfully beloved by us. Given by the hands of the most reverend father in Christ, the lord Samuel Maciejowski, Bishop of Kraków and vice-chancellor of our kingdom. Samuel, Bishop of Kraków, signed with his own hand. [Chancery note on the right:] Relation of the most reverend father in Christ, the lord Samuel Maciejowski, Bishop of Kraków and vice-chancellor of the Kingdom of Poland. [Seal: in a metal box, the royal seal of Sigismund I on red wax in a bowl of light wax, on a thick silk cord] [On the reverse:] First rubric, letter A, number 4. 1547. Privilege of the most serene Sigismund I, so that goods are not alienated from the city. Exemption from the payment of rents, labor, and all duties and burdens from hides donated to the city, as well as so that city hides are not excluded from the jurisdiction of the city. Sigismund I. First chest, A, 9.

IN NOMINE DOMINI AMEN Ad perpetuam rei memoriam. Ne acta hominum temporum inuria pereant, solent literarum munimentis ab oblivione vindicari. Quamobrem nos Sigismundus Dei gratia Rex Poloniae, supremus Dux Lithuaniae, necnon terrarum Cracoviae, Sandomiriae, Siradiae, Lanciciae, Cuiaviae, Culmensis, Pomeraniae, Elbingensis ac Russiae, Prussiae, Masoviae etc. dominus et haeres. Significamus tenore praesentium quorum interest universis et singulis praesentibus et futuris harum noticiam habituris, Quomodo cum exhibuissent nobis per Nuntios suos Cives nostri Leopolienses Serenissimi Principis felicis memoriae Kazimiri Magni Regis Poloniae literas, alteras ipsius sigillo in corda sericea appenso, alteras Serenissimi domini parentis nostri sigillo munitas et per eum confirmatas, in quibus inter caetera clausula ista adscripta sunt, quod de agris Civibus Civitatis Leopoliensis donatis et attributis Sexaginta videlicet Mansis franconicis singulis annis pro festo Sancti Martini de quolibet Laneo viginti quatuor grossos Ruthenicales ipsi Cives Leopolien[ses]. In aliis vero literis Serenissimi Domini Kazimiri Magni sigillo sigillatis de Octuaginta nonem Mansis de singulis Duodecem grossos Pragenses solvere deberent. Altera porro clausula ea erat, quod etsi toti Civitati Leopoliensi et omnibus in ea comorantibus Ius Maidemburgen[se] concessum sit, attamen Armenis, Rutenis, Saracenis, Iudeis, Tartaris ac aliis populis cuiuscumque status vel conditionis fuerint potestas facta est, ut liberum illis sit aut sectae eorum ritibus, suo aut ipso Iure Maidemburgen[si] praesidente illi Advocato Civitatis Leopoliensis iudicari, quibus clausulis ipsi Cives Leopolien[ses] affirmarunt se nunquam usos fuisse. Nam et millos census ut hominum fert memoria a praefatis Laneis solverunt, atque etiam omnium populorum et sectarum homines qui in Civitate ipsa Leopolien[si] commorabantur vel illic aliunde veniebant Iure ipso Maidemburgen[si] et non alio iudicati semper sunt et fuerunt, semperque omnes illae nationes cuiuscumque ritus et conditionis erant usos esse coram Advocato Civili Leopoliensi Iure Civili Maidemburgen[si]. Quae quidem clausulae ne quid Civitati dictae Leopoliensi obesse et sub tempore quam difficultatem eis adferre possent, supplicarunt nobis ut eas tollere et abolere dignaremur. Nos itaque eorum supplicationibus Civium Leopoliensium adducti, et certo compertum probatumque habentes ne utra earum clausularum Cives ipsos Leopolien[ses] usus esse, Ex sententia Consiliariorum nostrorum in hoc Conventu existentium et congregatorum Clausulas superius scriptas, omniaque in eis contenta tollendas, abolendas, cassandas, mortificandasque duximus, prout tollimus, abolemus, cassamus et mortificamus praesentibus literis nostris ac pro non scriptis in eisdem literis habere volumus. Literas vero et Privilegia ipsorum Civium Leopoliensium originalia praefata coram nobis exhibita in reliquis omnibus clausulis et articulis iuxta contenta earum in robore suo perpetuo fieri decernentes et declarantes Cives praefatos et omnes alios homines agros et Laneos praefatos tenentes et possidentes ab omnibus Censibus et solutionibus illorum liberamus et absolvimus, quos etiam omnes eosdem agros seu laneos habentes et possidentes de nostra gratia speciali ut nunc et semper fuerunt liberi ab omnibus eximonibus, laboribus, oneribus, angariis et peranambinibus quibus per nos vel nostros Successores aut loci illius Capitaneos et officiales Leopolien[ses] modernos et pro tempore existentes gravari onerari vel angariari poterint absolvimus et liberamus. Quos laneos dicti Cives Leopolien[ses] et alii eorum possessores libere vendere, non tamen illis a Civitate ipsa Leopolien[si] et Iurisditione Civili alienare poterint Statuentes praeterea ut causae quarumcumque personarum cuiuscumque sectae fuerint, non alio Iure quam Civili Maidemburgen[si] coram Advocato Civitatis Leopoliensis iudicentur praesentibus temporibus perpetuis duraturis. In cuius rei fidem et testimonium Sigillum nostrum praesentibus est appensum. Actum et Datum Cracoviae in Conventione generali feria secunda post Dominicam Judica Anno Domini Millesimo Quingentesimo Quadragesimo Septimo, Regni vero nostri Quadragesimo primo. Praesentibus Reverendis et Reverendissimis in Christo patribus dominis Nicolao Dzierzgowski Archiepiscopo Gnesnen[si] Legato Nato et Regni nostri primate, Samuele Maczieiowski Cracovien[si] et Regni nostri Vicecancellario, Andrea Zebrzydowski Cuiavien[si], Benedicto Izdbienski Posnanien[si], Andrea Noskowski Plocen[si], Ioanne Dziaduski Premislien[si], Ioanne Dziowski [!] Chelmensi Episcopis. Necnon Magnificis, Venerabilibus et Generosis Ioanne Comite in Tharnow Castellano Cracovien[si] Exercituum Regni nostri supremo et Sendomirien[si], Stricen[si], Lubaczowiensiq[ue] Capitaneo, Petro Kmitha Comite in Wissnicze Palatino et Capitaneo Cracovien[si] Regni nostri supremo Marschalco ac Premislien[si], Scepusien[si], Colensiq[ue] Capitaneo, Ioanne comite de Thenezin Palatino Sandomiriensi Curiae nostrae Marschalco ac Lublinen[si], Lezowiensiq[ue] Capitaneo, Stanislao de Lasko Siradien[si], Joanne Dziergowki Masoviae et Capitaneo Warschewien[si], Andrea de Thenezin Lublinen[si] et Robatmen[si], Sniatynienq[ue] Capitaneo, Felice Srzenski de Sokolowo Plocen[si] et Mariemburgen[si] Plocenq[ue] Capitaneo, Palatinis. Nicolao Wolski Sendomirien[si] Serenissimae Coniugis nostrae Curiae Magistro ac Sancicen[si], Lanckoronen[si], Czuczen[si], Plocenq[ue] Capitaneo, Martino Sborowski Calissien[si] ac Zidlowien[si], Odolanowienq[ue] Capitaneo, Spithkone de Tharnow Radomien[si] Regni nostri Thesaurario ac Krzesmicen[si] [?], Krzeszowien[si], Krzepicensiq[ue] Capitaneo, Petro Opalien[ski] Gnesnen[si] Serenissimi filii nostri Curiae Magistro ac Uscien[si], Olsztinensiq[ue] Capitaneo, Ioanne de Mieliecz Wislicien[si] et Capitaneo Chmielnicen[si], Joanne Oczieski Zawichosten[si], Erasmo de Czelzkow Brzesten[si] et Capitaneo Pisdren[si], Stanislao Maczieiowski Lublinen[si] et Capit[aneo] Zawichostensi, Georgio Latbalski Landen[si], Nicolao Odnowski de Fulsztin Premisliensi et Capitaneo Leopolien[si], Georgio Iezowski Warschewien[si] Castellanis. Iacobo Webanski Decano Plocensi Archidiacono Warschewien[si] Curiae nostrae Referendario, Andrea Czarnkowski Praeposito Gnesnen[si] Scholastico Cracovien[si], Custode Plocen[si], Joanne Przirembski Praeposito et Canonico, Philippo Padniewski Cantore et Canonico, Stanislao Wolski Custode et Cantore Plocen[si], Stanislao Hissio Iuris utriusque Doctore et Canonico Cracovien[si], Mathia Laczski Scholastico Vladislavien[si] et Canonico Gnesnen[si], Mathia Vargawski Vladislaviensi et Posnanien[si] Canonico Secretariis nostris, Martino Velski Curiae nostrae Thesaurario Cubiliq[ue] nostri Praefecto Tribuno ac Burgrabio Cracoviensi Sochaczewien[si], Blonenq[ue] Capitaneo, Ioanne Tarlo Pincerna Regni nostri et Capitaneo Pilznen[si], Ioanne Opalenski Vexillifero Posnanien[si] Mensae nostrae Incisore, Ioanne Czikowski Subdapifero Curiae nostrae, Augustino Kothubicz Stabuli nostri Praefecto et Curiae maiestatis vexillifero, et aliis quam plurimis dignatariis officialibusque nostris fide dignis syncere et fidelibus nobis dilectis. Dat[um] per manus Reverendissimi in Christo patris Domini Samuelis Maczieiowski Epi[scopi] Cracovien[sis] et Regni nostri Vicecancellarii. Samuel Ep[iscopu]s Crac[oviensis] m[anu] p[ropria] subscripsit [Nota kancelaryjna po prawej:] Relatio Reverendissimi in Christo patris Domini Samuelis Maczieiowsky Epi[scopi] Cracovien[sis] et Regni Poloniae Vicecancellarii. [Pieczęć: w metalowej puszce pieczęć koronna Zygmunta I na czerwonym wosku w misie z jasnego wosku, na grubym sznurze jedwabnym] [Verso:] Rubrica Prima Litt. A. Nro 4to 1547. Privil[egium] Ser[enissimi] Sigismundi Primi non alienet bonor[um] a Civit[ate] Absolutio a solutione Censuum et laborum omniumque servitiorum onerum de laneis Civitati donati atq[ue] ne alienarentur lanei civiles a jurisdictione Civitatis Sigismundus I Arca prima A 9no