Decree of King Stephen Báthory resolving the dispute between the Armenians and the magistrate of Lwów

[At the top left, the painted coat of arms of the Republic with the Eagle, the Vytis, and the Wolf Teeth coat of arms of Stephen Báthory in the heart shield crowned with a crown] STEPHEN BY THE GRACE OF GOD King of Poland, Grand Duke of Lithuania, Ruthenia, Prussia, Masovia, Samogitia, Kiev, Volhynia, Podlachia, Livonia etc., Prince of Transylvania etc. We hereby announce by this our letter to all and each one, to whom it should be known, present and future, who shall receive knowledge of this. Whereas we summoned by our separate letter [advocacy] the case and lawsuit initiated between the Elders and the entire community of Armenians, plaintiffs on one side, and the Illustrious mayor and councilors, the wójt and jurors, and the entire community of our city of Lwów, defendants on the other side, setting for them in this letter of advocacy a specific deadline to appear before us and our court. Due to the denied and forbidden liberties to the same Armenians, which the ancestors of the Armenians had enjoyed since ancient times, and other grievances with which they have been burdened until now. Not considering that those Armenians are counted among the municipal community and pay taxes equally, and due to the subordination of the guilds, they are not admitted to the division of the aforementioned [burdens], nor to the municipal liberties, or at least they encounter obstacles in them, as all this is described more broadly in the letter of our advocacy itself. Therefore, on today's deadline [...] of our own Relations, resulting from this our advocacy and continued until now, when the parties themselves appeared personally before our court and kept that judicial deadline, the plaintiff indeed submitted the following articles, namely: that the defendants themselves refuse them the sale of practiced cloths in their homes, customarily sold for a long time, and do not allow the renting of empty chambers, otherwise windows [al[ia]s Windows], for the sale of cloth, and also forbid them to work in mechanical crafts and perform them. Finally, by some new resolution of theirs, they forbid the tapping and making of all kinds of liquors in the homes of the Armenians. The defendants, having presented their privileges, argued that the Armenians, due to the difference in language and religion, are not equal to them and were admitted only to the liberty of the right of storage and non-subjection to customs duties, and apart from the remaining Lwów burghers, they are closed within certain limits of liberty, which could be deduced from their original location privileges, if they had been presented. To this, the Armenians replied that they do not possess any privilege [...] and foundation, but were called and accepted equally with other burghers to all and individual liberties. When for this reason the defendants demanded an oath from them, we ruled that the three foremost Elders among the Armenians are obliged by corporal oath to prove that they did not possess any of their original foundation and location privileges nor ever hid or concealed them. Since they took this oath in the presence of the general land bailiff, the prudent Stanisław Grabowski, appointed by us for this act of oath, in the presence of the defendant party, who was carefully watching the oath, and again both parties renewed their disputes before us and our advisors, showed their privileges, proved that they were in their possession and use, and offered to prove the same with their oaths. WE, sitting with our advisors by our side, having heard and examined the dispute of these parties, after the presentation of privileges before our court by both parties, their revision and due consideration: Since it clearly follows from the laws and privileges of the city presented before us and our court that all these laws and privileges were granted by our predecessors to all burghers in general, and that the Armenians are not excluded from the municipal community nor from the prerogatives and liberties belonging to any burghers by the provisions of these same laws, privileges, and decrees. Therefore, we have decreed that the Armenians themselves should also enjoy the same municipal rights and prerogatives regarding benefits as other burghers. However, in such a way that they do not exceed the ancient custom and provision of laws, decrees, privileges, and customs of the city, and in everything preserve and fulfill the laws, order, and ancient customs of this city equally with other burghers, nor violate or interfere with the hitherto applied government, jurisdiction, and administration of the city. As for the tapping of liquors, let them beware [...]. As for the cutting of practiced cloths and things [...] [fereetarum?], the Armenians themselves on equal right with other burghers [...] should. Furthermore, they should also be admitted to the use of windows arranged and privileged for the cutting of all kinds of cloth and to the prerogative of cloth cutters, commonly called by the word [dictum], by the custom of other burghers, provided that the number of windows or rented cloth stalls is not exceeded and [...] ancient and ancient customs in this city are to be preserved [...] they will enjoy. Finally, they should also be admitted to practicing all crafts, working and performing by the custom of other burghers, and should enjoy those above-mentioned liberties just as other burghers, according to the provision of laws and privileges, ordinances, and customs of the city, to which they should be subject just as other burghers. While also preserving the rights and courts of the Armenians themselves, which they have separately. By means of this our decree. In faith and clearer testimony of which, our seal has been attached hereto. Given in Lwów on Monday after the nearest feast of the Visitation of the Most Glorious Virgin Mary, in the Year of Our Lord one thousand five hundred and seventy-eight, and the third year of our reign. Jan Zborowski, Crown Treasurer [?] Vice-Chancellor [?] by his own hand [On the right:] Most Reverend Father in Christ, Lord Jan Borukowski of Brelin, by the grace of God and the Apostolic See Bishop of Przemyśl, Vice-Chancellor of the Polish Kingdom, Provost of Łęczyca, Dean of Warsaw etc. [Secretary's signature under the fold:] Leonard Bosiński [...] by his own hand [Seal: no seal, a cutout/tear of the parchment remains in the lower part, where it hung on a parchment strip or cord] [Verso:] 1578. July 7 1578 Letter M. Decree of His Majesty King Stephen, Armenians in Lwów are to enjoy the same prerogatives as the burghers, with the exception of cloth cutting and other P.P. Decrees, apart from their rights, which they have separately. Approved this Decree [...] Year 1704 This decree [...] Year 1704. [Round archive/collection stamp]

[U góry po lewej malowany herb Rzeczypospolitej z Orłem, Pogonią i herbem Wilcze Zęby Stefana Batorego w tarczy sercowej zwieńczonej koroną] STEPHANUS DEI GRATIA REX Poloniae, magnus Dux Lithuaniae, Russiae, Prussiae, Masouiae, Samogitiae, Kiiouiae, Voliniae, Podlachiae, Liuoniae, &c., Princeps Transylvaniae, &c. Significamus praesentibus literis nostris quorum interest universis et singulis, praesentibus et futuris harum notitiam habituris. Quia cum causam et actionem inter Seniores ac totam communitatem Armenorum actores ab una, & Famosos Proconsulem et Consules, Advocatum et Scabinos totámque Communitatem Civitatis nostrae Leopoliensis citatos parte ab altera exortam, specialibus literis nostris aduocassemus, terminóque certo ipsis ex literis advocationis citatis, coram nobis et iudicio nostro comparendi praefixo. Ratione denegatarum prohibitionúmque ipsis Armenis libertatum, quibus ab Antiquis temporibus Antecessores Armenorum utebantur, aliarúmque iniuriarum quibus hactenus aggrauabantur. Non attento eo, quòd ipsi Armeni inter communitatem connumerentur, ac contributiones ex aequo pendant, subordinationisq[ue] contuberniorum neque ad distributionem praemissorum ac libertates Civiles admittantur, aut saltem in eis praepediantur, quemadmodum ea omnia in ipsis Advocationis nostrae literis latius habentur descripta. Ita terminóque hodierno [...] Relationum nostrarum propriarum ex ipsa Advocatione nostra proueniente et hucusque continuato, Partibus ipsis per se coram judicio nostro comparentibus et terminum eum judicialiter attendantibus, Actore quidem Articulos sequentes proponente, nempe à citatis ipsis sibi denegari pannos practicosos in domibus suis antiquitus diuendi solitos diuendere, vacuasque Cameras al[ia]s Okna ad diuendendos pannos conducj non admittere, atque artificia Mechanica laboranda et exercenda per ipsos prohibere. Denique omnes liquores propinandos et conficiendos in domibus Armenorum, nouo quodam instituto suo interdicere. Citatis vero Privilegia sua producentibus atque allegantibus, Armenos propter disparitatem linguae et Religionis pares ipsis non esse, et tantummodo ad libertates depositorij et non sequendorum Theloneorum admissos, ac certis libertatum limitibus ultra reliquos Cives Leopolien[ses] inclusos esse, quod ex Privilegijs eorum Originalibus locationis si producerentur elici posset. Ad ea Armeni allegabant, nullum fœtationis et fundationis Privilegium habere, verum ex aequo cum alijs Ciuibus ad omnes et singulas libertates fuisse vocatos et adscitos fuisse. Quibus cum eo nomine à citatis Juramentum defferretur, Decrevimus teneri ex Senioribus Primarios ordine tres Armenos juramento corporali comprobare, quod nulla Privilegia Originalia fundationis et locationis sua habuerint, neque eadem vnquam celauerint et suppresserint. Quod quidem Juramentum posteaquam in praesentia Ministerialis Terrestris generalis Prouidi Stanislai Grabowskij ad eum juramenti actum à nobis deputati, parte citata praesente ac juramentum attentante praestitissent, & denuo partes utraq[ue] coram Nobis et Consiliariis nostris Controuersias suas repetissent, Privilegiaque sua produxissent, in eorumque vsu et possessione fuisse se contendissent, ac juramentis suis probaturos se idipsum obtulissent. NOS cum Consiliariis nostris lateri nostro assidentibus, audita ac examinata partium ipsarum controversia, Privilegijsque coram juditio nostro ab utraque parte productis, revisis ac debito modo expensis: Quoniam ex Juribus et Privilegijs Civitatis coram nobis et juditio nostro productis manifeste apparet, eadem omnia et Privilegia omnibus in genere Civibus ab Antecessoribus nostris concessa esse, nec Armenos à communitate Civili praerogatiuisque et libertatibus Civibus quibusuis praescripto ipsorum jurium et Privilegiorum Decretorumque exclusos esse. Propterea Decrevimus Armenos ipsos eijsdem quoque Juribus et praerogativis Civilibus quoad commoda sicut alii Cives gaudere debere. Ita tamen ut non excedant antiquum usum et praescriptum Jurium, Decretorum et Privilegiorum consuetudinumque Civitatis, ac in omnibus jura, ordinem et consuetudines antiquas istius Civitatis aeque cum aliis Civibus servent et adimpleant, neque regimen, Jurisdictionem et gubernationem Civitatis hactenus usitatam turbent et impediant. Quod attinet propinationem liquorum caueant [...] Quod vero attinet incisionem pannorum practisorum et rerum fere ecarum [fereetarum?], ipsi Armenj aeque jure cum caeteris Ciuibus ca[...] debent. Praeterea ad fenestrarum incidendis omnis generis pannis ordinatarum et Praeuegiatarum usum et ad praerogativum pannicidarum communiter słowo dictum, more aliorum Civium admitti quoque debent, modo non excedatur numerus fenestrarum seu pannicidariarum Censualium et [...] antiqua et consuetudines antiqua in hac Civitate servari solita[s] [...] fruentur. Postremo quoque ad artificia quaevis exercenda, laboranda ac exercenda admitti debent, modo aliorum Civium, eisq[ue] suprarecensitis libertatibus vti debent sicut et alij Cives, juxta praescriptum Jurium et Privilegiorum, ordinationum et Consuetudinum Civitatis, quibus sicut et alij Cives subesse debent. Salvis etiam ipsorum Armenorum Legibus et Juditiis, quae specialia habent. Hoc nostro Decreto mediante. In cuius rei fidem et evidentius testimonium Sigillum nostrum praesentibus est appensum. Datum Leopoli feria secunda post festum Visitationis Gloriosissimae Virginis Mariae proxima, Anno Domini Millesimo Quingentesimo Septuagesimo Octavo, Regni vero nostri Anno Tertio. Joannes Zborowski R[egni] T[hesaurarius] Vicecan[cellarius] m[anu] p[ropria] [Po prawej:] R[everen]diss[im]us in Ch[rist]o Pater d[omi]n[u]s Joannes Borukowski de Brelino Dei & S[anctae] Sedis Ap[ostoli]cae g[rati]a Ep[iscop]us Premislien[sis], R[egni] Poloniae Vicecancellarius, Praepositus Lanciciensis, Decan[us] Varsobiensis &c. [Podpis sekretarza pod zagięciem:] Leonardus Bosiński [...] m[anu] p[ropria] [Pieczęć: brak pieczęci, pozostało wycięcie/rozdarcie pergaminu w dolnej części, gdzie wisiała na pasku pergaminowym lub sznurze] [Verso:] 1578. 7 Julii 1578 Litt: M. Decret. J. Króla Jmci Stefana, Ormianie w Lwowie usdem [=iisdem] prærogativis gaudere maią, iako y mieszczanie excepto rzezaniem sukna i inszemi P.P. Dekretami, Oprocz praw ich, które osoblive maią. Aprobavit ten Decret gnes. Juro... Ao 1704 Decretum hoc laxatum est jur... causae eorum homili incurrunt Ao 1704. [Pieczątka okrągła archiwum/kolekcji]