Mandate of King Sigismund II Augustus ordering the closing of the gates of the city of Lviv at night

Sigismund Augustus, by the grace of God, King of Poland, Grand Duke of Lithuania, Ruthenia, Prussia, Masovia, Samogitia, etc., Lord and Heir. We announce by the wording of this [document] to all and each individually whom it concerns: That whereas it has been reported to us by men of great authority that the honorable mayor and councilors of our city of Lviv, while proceeding in the footsteps of their predecessors in many other matters and in the good and diligent administration of this our city, have nevertheless departed from the customs and habits of their predecessors in the opening and closing of the gates of this [city] beyond what is credible, and have moved to such audacity that they not only do not close the city itself at the time and hour designated by our most serene predecessors of blessed memory, but even after sunset, and sometimes for several hours of the night, they allow the gates to stand open according to the whims of certain persons. Because of this dangerous and reckless negligence of these Lviv burghers, how deeply we are offended may be very clear to everyone, especially at this time when we see that our possessions and dominions are surrounded by various enemies, and from all sides, and above all to this our city, a multitude of dangers threatens us. Wishing therefore to prevent such negligence of our Lviv burghers, or rather their imprudent carelessness, from turning into a bad habit through our indulgence and from bringing upon us in the future a great series of misfortunes and dangers (may God avert this omen from us!), and also so that the rumor of such great indulgence does not spread among foreign nations; we have deemed it necessary to strictly command and order them, and under the threat of our severe punishment, determined against them without appeal by the advice of the senators of our Kingdom, we order and proclaim by this our letter that from now on for future times, they shall guard and observe with the utmost diligence the usual hour and time of closing both the large gates and the wicket or smaller gate, and once closed, they shall not dare to open them to anyone, unless in a most grave and urgent need of ours and our Commonwealth, nor shall they allow them to stand open after sunset out of anyone's favor or whim, as – according to what we have heard – has been done until now. If, however, the reckless audacity and boldness of any noble persons were to go so far that, disregarding this our edict, they would wish by any means to induce the council office of this our city of Lviv not to close the city itself at the appointed time, and would attempt to force them with insults and threats to abuse our orders – against such a person, whoever they might be, upon the report of these burghers and at the request of our investigator, according to the measure of the offense and transgression, we shall undoubtedly inflict punishment by our royal authority. Which we hereby announce, make known, and make manifest to the aforementioned honorable mayor and councilors of this our city of Lviv and to all whom it concerns. Ordering at the same time and firmly wishing that they make this our will regarding the closing of the gates and the wicket of the city of Lviv, which is to be in force perpetually, known beyond doubt through court bailiffs to the Lviv land court as soon as the holding of land court sessions occurs there, and also that they ensure the entry of this our letter into the records of the same land court, so that by chance no one may plead ignorance of them. Not proceeding otherwise under the threat of the loss of our favor and their office. Given in Piotrków at the general sejm of the Kingdom, on the thirteenth day of the month of June, in the Year of Our Lord one thousand five hundred and sixty-seventh, and of our reign the thirty-eighth. [Signature:] Sigismund Augustus King, I have signed [Seal: royal seal under a paper wafer cut into a rhombus, pressed onto the fold of the document] [Verso:] [Chancery / archival note:] Edict of His Royal Majesty on the closing of the gates of the city of Lviv, given at the sejm in Piotrków in the year 1567 [Mark:] G. [Signature:] Serial number 4 [Date and number:] Year 1567, June 13, no. 26 [Signature on the left:] Bundle 24, no. 2 [Other old markings:] 945, No. 376 [Ink seal:] round archival seal

Sigismundus Augustus Dei gratia REX POLONIAE, magnus DVX Lithuaniae, Russiae, Prussiae, Masoviae, Samogitiaeque &c dominus et haeres. Significamus tenore praesentium quorum interest vniuersis & singulis. QVIA cum ad nos per quosdam magnae authoritatis viros perlatum esset, Famatos Proconsulem et Consules ciuitatis nostrae Leopolien[sis], in aliis quidem rebus plerisque, tum in bona & diligenti administratione ciuitatis illius nostrae, praedecessorum suorum vestigiis insistere. In aperiendis tamen et occludendis portis eiusdem, vltra quam credibile fuerit, ipsos ab antecessorum suorum moribus et consuetudine desciuisse, eoqz audaciae progressos esse, vt nedum ciuitatem ipsam tempore et hora, per diuae memoriae SERENISSIMOS praedecessores n[ost]ros praefinita occludere, verumetiam sole iam occiduo, & quandoque in noctis horas aliquot, ad placitum quarundam personarum portas patentes stare permittant. Qva quidem ipsorum Ciuium Leopolien[sium] tum periculosa ac inconsiderata facilitate, quam dimus grauiter offensi, facile cuiuis perspicuum esse potest, eo potissimum tempore, quo dominia & ditiones nostras vario hostium genere circumseptas esse, plurimorumque periculi vndiquaque nobis, praecipue autem ciuitati illi nostrae impendere videamus. Prouidere itaque cupientes, ne huiusmodi ciuium nostrorum Leopolien[sium] facilitas, imo vero parum discreta securitas, per nostram conniuentiam in prauam consuetudinem abeat, secumque ingens malorum et periculorum agmen (quodquidem omen DEVS a nobis procul auertat) trahat, nobisque adferat in posterum, ac ne tanta ipsorum indulgentia apud exteras nationes rumor peruagetur. Illis propterea mandandum praecipiendumque serio duximus, & sub graui animaduersione nostra in eos de Senatorum REGNI nostri consilio irremissibiliter statuenda, iniungimus edicimusque praesentibus literis nostris, vt a modo futuris deinceps temporibus, occlusionis tam portarum maiorum, quam portulae seu ianuae minoris, solitam horam et tempus summa diligentia custodiant & obseruent, occlusasque semel, nemini vnquam nisi in summa graui arduaque necessitate nostra ac Reipublicae nostrae, aperire audeant, neque illas ad gratiam arbitriumque alicuius, vti factitatum hucusque audiuimus, vltra solis occasum patenter stare permittant. Quod si aliquarum quoque personarum Nobilium, eo processerit imprudens temeritas et audacia, vt postposito edicto nostro praesenti, consulatum ciuitatis eiusdem nostrae Leopolien[sis], quominus ciuitas ipsa praefinito occluderetur tempore, modis quibusuis adducere voluerit, ipsosque probris & comminationibus, vt nostris abuteretur mandatis, adigere niteretur, in talem nos quisquam ille fuerit ex delatione eorundem Ciuium ac instantiam Instigatoris nostri, iuxta excessus et delicti quantitatem authoritate nostra REGIA procul dubio animaduersuri sumus. Quaquidem nos Famatis Proconsuli et Consulibus praefatis ciuitatis eiusdem nostrae Leopolien[sis], seu illis quorum interest vniuersis intimamus, notificamus & cognitum facimus. Mandan[tes] simul omninoque id habere volen[tes], vt eam de occludendis portis et ianuis ciuitatis Leopolien[sis] voluntatem nostram perpetuo duraturam per Ministrales in rem terrestrem iudicio terrestri Leopolien[si] quamprimum terminos terrestres ibidem celebrari contigerit, ad notitiam indubitatam deducant, necnon actis eiusdem iudicii terrestris, praesentes literas nostras, ne forte quisquam earum ignorantiam praetexat, inscribi curent. Secus non factura pro gratia nostra & officio suo. Datum Petricouiae in conuentu generali Regni die decimatertia Mensis Iunij, Anno Domini Millesimo quingentesimo sexagesimo septimo, Regni vero nostri Trigesimo octauo. [Podpis:] Sigismundus Augustus Rex s[ubscripsi]t [Pieczęć: pieczęć królewska pod papierowym opłatkiem wyciętym w romb, przyciśnięta na plice dokumentu] [Verso:] [Nota kancelaryjna / archiwalna:] Edictum de Sacrae M[aiestatis] R[egiae] De Occluden[dis] portis Ciuitatis Leopolien[sis] In Conventu Petricoviensi dat[um] Anno 1567 [Znak:] G. [Sygnatura:] No Seriale 4 [Data i numer:] A[nn]o 1567, 13 Jun[ii] No 26 [Sygnatura z lewej:] Fasc[iculus] 24 No 2 [Inne dawne oznaczenia:] 945, No 376 [Pieczęć tuszowa:] okrągła pieczęć archiwalna