Tax exemption granted by King Sigismund II Augustus to Lviv burghers affected by a fire

SIGISMUND AUGUSTUS, by the grace of God, King of Poland, Grand Duke of Lithuania, Ruthenia, Prussia, Masovia, Samogitia, etc., Lord and Heir. We hereby announce by this our letter to all whom it may concern. That we, having regard for the misfortune of our Lviv burghers, who recently, as a result of a fire in said city, suffered very numerous and severe damages to their properties and buildings, and considering and recognizing in our mind that this city, before that unfortunate and regrettable incident, had reached such brilliance and growth that it was not only the pride and ornament of our Ruthenian lands, but also, during enemy invasions, constituted a safe and secure refuge and shelter for people fleeing to it more than to any other places on the borders of the Kingdom. Desiring, therefore, that this our city of Lviv, supported by our grace and benevolence, might regain its former brilliance and be rebuilt in the buildings destroyed by fire, we have given and permitted, and do hereby give and permit by this our letter to all Lviv burghers whose buildings or goods were engulfed by such a terrible fire and who, for this reason, suffered any damages to their buildings, our freedom and immunity, to last from now for a period of eight years consecutively and immediately following one another, from all and individual levies, fees, and contributions, both excise and all others, enacted and to be enacted for the need of our own and of the Kingdom of our Commonwealth, by whatever names they might be called. Which we hereby order you all and each one whom it may concern, and especially the present and future tax collectors of our Ruthenian lands, to proclaim, firmly desiring that you preserve those our burghers who suffered any damages as a result of that fire and for that reason, in this our freedom, graciously granted to them by us for the above-designated period of years, and that you do not demand or collect any fees from them during the duration of this freedom, nor allow them to be collected or demanded, under penalty of losing our royal grace. In faith and testimony of which our seal has been affixed to this [document]. Given in Piotrków at the General Assembly of the Kingdom, on the second day of the month of May, in the Year of Our Lord one thousand five hundred and sixty-five, and in the thirty-sixth year of our reign. [Note of relation on the left:] Relation of the Lord Chancellor of the Kingdom of Poland [Signature on the right:] Walenty Dębiński of Dębiany, Chancellor of the Kingdom of Poland, Starosta of Luboml [Seal: in a wax bowl suspended on a parchment strip, royal seal of Sigismund Augustus with the White Eagle and regional coats of arms in the border] [On the reverse:] King Sigismund Augustus' freedom granted to burghers affected by the house fire for eight years [Various archival notes:] to bundle: 190. No. 44. chest A 74

SIGISMVNDVS AVGVSTVS Dei gratia Rex Poloniae, magnus Dux Lithuaniae, Russiae, Prussiae, Masoviae, Samogitiaeque etc. dominus et haeres. Significamus praesentibus literis nostris universis quorum interest. Quia nos habentes rationem calamitatis civium nostrorum Leopolien[sium], qui nuper ex conflagratione civitatis illius in rebus aedificiis suis plurima damna perniciosaque damna acceperunt, Consideransque et reputan[tes] nobiscum civitatem illam ante hunc infelicem et miserabilem eius casum, ad tantum splendorem et augmentum devenisse, ut non solum decus et ornamentum terrarum nostrarum Russiae, sed etiam tempore incursionis hostilis, tutus et securus confugium et receptaculum quam aliquis aliis locis in finibus Regni hominibus ad se confluentibus extitisset. Cupien[tes] itaque nos, ut eadem civitas nostra Leopolien[sis] clementia et beneficentia nostra suffulta, pristinum splendorem suum recipere possit et in aedificiis igne conflagratis instauretur, Dedimus et concessimus damusque et concedimus p[rae]sen[ti]bus l[ite]ris n[ost]ris, omnibus civibus Leopolien[sibus] quorum aedificia seu bona tam atroci incendio correpta, et qui aliqua damna et eam causam in suis aedificiis perpessi sunt, libertatem et immunitatem nostram hinc ad octo annorum decursum continue et immediate sequen[tium] duraturam, ab omnibus et singulis exactionibus, solutionibus et contributionibus, tam ducillaribus quam aliis quibusvis, pro nostra et Reipub[licae] Regni n[ost]ri necessitate institutis et instituendis, laudatis et laudandis, quibuscunque nominibus censeantur. Quod quidem nos vobis omnibus et singulis quorum interest, praesertim vero terrarum nostrarum Russiae Exactoribus modernis et pro tempore existentibus denunciari mandamus, omnino id habere volentes, ut eosdem Cives nostros per incendium huiusmodi et ex causa ista qualiacumque damna passos, in hac libertate nostra ad spatium annorum supra expressum, per nos eis gratiose concessa conservetis, nullasque solutiones hac ipsa libertate durante, ab eis exigatis vel recipiatis, exigiq[ue] atq[ue] recipi, non permittatis, pro gratia n[ost]ra Regia secus non facturi. In cuius rei fidem et testimonium sigillum nostrum praesentibus est appensum. Datum Petricoviae in Conventione generali Regni die secunda mensis Maii, Anno Domini Millesimo quingentesimo sexagesimo quinto, Regni vero nostri, anno trigesimo sexto. [Nota relacji po lewej:] Relatio d[omi]ni R[egni] P[oloniae] Cancellarii [Podpis po prawej:] Valentinus Debienski de Dabyani R[egni] P[oloniae] Cancellari[us] Lubom[liensis] Cap[i]t[aneu]s [Pieczęć: w misie woskowej zawieszona na pasku pergaminowym, pieczęć koronna Zygmunta Augusta z Orłem Białym i herbami ziemskimi w otoku] [Verso:] Sigismundi Augusti Regis libertas concessa civibus a Domibus conflagratio et damna passis Octo Annorum [Różne noty archiwalne:] ad Fasc: 190. Nro 44to arca A 74