Confirmation of the privileges of the Lviv Shooting Brotherhood by King Henry Valois

HENRY By the grace of God, King of Poland, Grand Duke of Lithuania, Ruthenia, Prussia, Masovia, Samogitia, Livonia, Kiev, Volhynia, Podlachia, Smolensk etc., and also heir to Anjou, Count of Bourbon, Lord of Marche, Forez and Auvergne etc. We hereby announce by this our letter to all and each one whom it may concern: That since we, through the undoubted concern of the councilors and other officials as well as the entire commonalty of our city of Lviv, [have learned that] they had once obtained their just and lawful requests from the most illustrious once Sigismund Augustus, King, our predecessor, as it is for the more certain of their resolutions regarding the ancient and uninterrupted custom, approved in the city of Lviv itself, concerning the skill in shooting with crossbows, so that this should not fall into neglect with us and should not expire in anticipation, especially since once the city, after obtaining its more certain resolutions... was not fortified for this exercise by any such dignified letters as those issued by the most illustrious Lord Sigismund Augustus. And so that this same exercise, both in shooting with crossbows and with firearms, should not weaken more and more in the city of Lviv itself and cease entirely, we have prudently ordered all contemporary townspeople and people of every status in Lviv to observe, and that just as before, so also for future times they should maintain the custom and habit of shooting, and according to ancient custom, gather at designated places and accepted times for this shooting exercise. He also granted to these same townspeople of his [the right to shoot at] the Cock..., which according to publicly praised and praiseworthy [principles] should be free, as well as the right for everyone to be able to shoot at it and obtain similar [prizes] therein. Likewise, all other ancient customs, matters concerning and belonging to this with the commonalty of the city of Lviv, as far as we wish to consider them valid and pleasing for this and the present time, we confirm, approve and ratify the same, just as we hereby confirm, approve and ratify. Moreover, wishing together with our advisors that the defense of the city should rely in large measure on the art of shooting and gunsmithing, and that the marksmen and gunsmiths themselves – whose craft and common association and assembly, as it seems, were neglected over time in exercises and customs not by our will – should be all the more eagerly ignited to practice the art of shooting with crossbows and [firearms], we grant and confirm their privilege in [these] resolutions, so that also in the future, efforts should be made in manufacturing works or the production of crossbows of over a thousand pieces, and for the better preparation of defense with firearms and all war machines, [the master/marksman] should be free and exempt from all contributions or city taxes, nor should he be called to any city burdens. Furthermore, it was provided that no grounds for disputes and mutual claims should be given, and the current councilors and their successors for eternal times, in relation to the above and further burdens and obligations, shall pay with haste from the common treasury of the city to our faithful confederates... sixty Polish florins without any condition and regardless of the raised objections, so that for these public merits of the townspeople, the money... may be spent more efficiently; and also to free the marksmen and collectors holding office themselves, under penalty of one hundred marks payable to our treasury from present goods; and let the acting council cause the entry and submission in a just and righteous manner to the gunsmiths and collectors holding office... to the Lviv parties... they shall inform... thirty zlotys of circulating currency... we wish that it be accepted and kept by all and each one whom it may concern... to which salary both forty florins... we acknowledge and grant eternally to the above... For the breaking of which, a penalty of one hundred marks is designated... For the attestation of the above-mentioned resolution, a seal has been attached hereto. Given in Krakow at the coronation assembly of our Kingdom [...] on the second day of May in the Year of our Lord one thousand five hundred and seventy-four, and in the first year of our reign. [On the left tab:] Walenty of Bielsko, scribe of the Chancellery of the Kingdom of Poland [?] [On the right tab:] Report of the magnificent Walenty Dembiński of Dębiany, Chancellor of the Kingdom of Poland etc. [Spine / Verso:] [Note 1 – top left, German:] No. 273. Bundle I. Privilege of King Henry dated May 2, 1574. Granting of shooting freedom for the shooting brotherhood, thanks to which shooting was to be significantly multiplied. [Note 2 – center:] No. 1 Letter A. / Henry [Note 3 – right, Polish:] Privilege of His Majesty King Henry for the Shooting school. [Ink stamp:] ARCHIVE OF ANCIENT ACTS OF THE CITY OF LVIV [Description of the hanging seal:] [Seal:] Royal seal of Henry Valois pressed in red wax, in a wax bowl, suspended on a white-gold/green silk cord. In the field, a multi-field shield with the White Eagle and the coats of arms of the Crown lands, surrounded by a wreath with coats of arms, in the rim the royal titular legend.

HENRICVS Dei gratia Rex Poloniae, magnus Dux Lithuaniae, Russiae, Prussiae, Masoviae, Samogitiae, Livoniae, Kiioviae, Volhiniae, Podlachiae, Smolensciae etc., nec non heres Andium, Borbonensium Comes, Marchiae, Foresti, Aurensiumque etc. Dominus. Significamus praesentibus literis nostris quorum interest universis et singulis. Quod cum nos certa Consulum caeterorumque officialium ac totius Communitatis Civitatis nostrae Leopoliensis cura, Serenissimum olim Sigismundum Augustum Regem, praedecessorem nostrum, optatis suis iustis ac legi[timis] olim fuisse assecutos, veluti certiorum suorum Constitutionum de veteri ac perpetuo usu in ipsa Civitate Leopoliensi approbato de Balistis iaculandi peritia, ex quo ad nos non ex parte negligeretur, ac praevisum termiferetur, vel eo maxime quod olim civitas adepto veluti certiorum suorum Constitutionum... ad hoc exercitium nullis tam alte quam a Serenissimo Domino Sigismundo Augusto fuisse promulgatas fuisset literarum monumentis. Idemque nec hoc ipsum tam a Balistis quam de Bombardis exercitium magis ac magis in ipsa Civitate Leopoliensi elanguesceret ac penitus intermitteretur, de suis conprovincialibus providenter in omnium modernorum atque mandavimus ab omnibus Civibus et quorumvis conditionum hominibus Leopoliensibus servari, et quemadmodum antea ita quo[que] quidem deinceps futuris temporibus iaculandi morem assuetudinemque retinerent, atque pro more antiquo in locis deputatis temporibusque receptis ad eiusmodi iaculandi exercitium convenirent. Concesseritque eisdem Civibus suis seu Gallum... qui publicis laudatis et laudandis tam deberet esse liber, quam uti ius ad suo quempiam iaculare similibusve in eo eode[m] decerba[?] posset. Tam etiam ad rem omnes alias antiquitus spectantes et pertinentes consuetudines, causas suis cum communitate civitatis Leopoliensis quatenus pro tempore inter et praesens haberi volumus, ratas et gratas habere, easdem confirmamus approbamus ac ratificamus, quemadmodum prae[senti]bus confirmamus approbamus et ratificamus. Immo etiam cum Consiliariorum nostrorum perpetuo munitioni Civitatis marte iaculatoria et sclopetaria ex ima ex parte consistere volentes, ipsos iaculatores et sclopetarios quoque quorum ars ac communis eorundem societas et conventio non ex nostra voluntate in exercitiis et assuetudinibus temporibus postposita videtur de Balistis et selene propensius ad exercendam artem iaculatoriam et sclopetariam accendere, eorundem praerogativam nisi recentibus in constitutionibus concedimus ac confirmamus perinde ac etiam idem deinceps laboratoriis fabricationibus vel millia Balistarum excedentibus futurorum pertractatum sit, praesidia[que] eius Sclopi quavis machina bellica melius attemperari possit liber et immunis sit a contributione seu exactione Civili quacumque, nec vocatus ad quaecumque onera Civitatis constituatur. Ac insuper provisum ne ansas constitutionum praebeat et reconventionem et Consules moderni successoresque eorundem pro tempore praemissorum et consequentium onerum oneribus et obligationibus perpetuis temporibus ad praemissa de celeritate et communi aerario Civitatis pendere quatenus fidelis foederatoribus nostris... sexaginta florenes Polonicales sine quavis conditione et no[n] obstantibus allegatis pro his fidelitatibus publicis Civitibus tam pecuniam magis eorum... expediat, immunes etiam ipsos iaculatores et exactiores officium requirenti debere sub poena centum marcarum fisco nostro ex praesentibus bonis solvenda, et Consilium pro tempore existentium transcribi faciant ac exponant iusto et legitimo sclopetatores et exactiores officium requirentibus... Leopoliensibus partibus... ad notitiam deducerent... triginta aureos monetae usualis... cunctis et singulis quorum interest consentiri et manuteneri volumus... [a]d cuius Pensionem tam quadraginta florenorum... censemus condonamus perpetuo praemissis... Pro qua quidem poena puniri centum Marcarum... supraspecificata facultas in testium sigillum praesentibus est subappensum. Datum Cracoviae in Conventu Regni nostri Coronationis [...] die secunda Maii Anno Domini Millesimo quingentesimo septuagesimo quarto, Regni vero nostri Primo. [Ad plicam a sinistra:] Valentinus de Byelsko R[egni] P[oloniae] Cant[ellariae] Scriba [?] [Ad plicam a dextra:] Relatio Magnifici Valentini Dembinski de Dembiany Regni Poloniae Cancellarii etc. [Verso:] [Nota 1 - u góry po lewej, niem.:] Nro 273. Fasc. I. Privilegium des Königs Henricus d[a]to 2ten Mai de Anno 1574. Ertheilung der Schießfreiheit für die Schützengesellschaft, wodurch das Schießen ins merkwürdige vermehrt werden sollte. [Nota 2 - pośrodku:] N. 1-us Litt. A. / Henrici [Nota 3 - po prawej, pol.:] Przywiley Króla J[ego] M[oś]ci Henryka na szkołę Strzelecką. [Pieczęć tuszowa:] ARCHIWUM AKT DAWNYCH MIASTA LWOWA [Opis pieczęci wiszącej:] [Pieczęć:] Pieczęć koronna Henryka Walezego wyciśnięta w czerwonym wosku, w misie woskowej, zawieszona na jedwabnym sznurze biało-złotym/zielonym. W polu tarcza wielopolowa z Orłem Białym i herbami ziem Korony, otoczona wieńcem z herbami, w otoku legenda tytularna królewska.