Judgment of King Stephen Báthory in the dispute between Lwów and Starosta Herburt regarding taxes

STEPHEN By the grace of God, King of Poland, Grand Duke of Lithuania, Ruthenia, Prussia, Masovia, Samogitia, Kiev, Volhynia, Podlachia, Livonia, etc., and also Prince of Transylvania. We hereby announce to all whom it may concern, and to each person individually who shall gain knowledge of this letter: That the noble Mikołaj Herburt of Fulsztyn, our starosta of Lwów, was summoned before us and our court at this assembly by our letters, together with the office's prosecutor, due to the interest and on behalf of said office, at the request of the honorable proconsul [mayor], consuls [councilors], and the entire commonalty of our city of Lwów, for the purpose of conducting and continuing their appeals against the decrees of said starosta, issued against them unlawfully and filed by them, in matters and complaints brought and conducted by the prosecutor of his office upon the report of the noble Prokop Ratka, collector of the public taxes enacted at that time. Firstly, due to the alleged non-payment of taxes [...], as the collector demanded not simply a double [tax], that is, eight hundred florins, as they had given according to ancient custom, but as if a quadruple one, namely one thousand six hundred florins. Secondly, due to the alleged non-payment of certain taxes separately on the hides, fields, edges [lands] outside the walls belonging to the burghers around the city of Lwów, and their suburbs and granges, that is, Kleparów, Kulparków, Hołosko Wielkie and Małe, Zamarstynów, Biłohorszcze, and Brzuchowice, as well as on cottagers, mills, inns, etc., and in particular also on the workshops of craftsmen, about which there is no explicit mention in the universals, and on other such [taxable items], more broadly listed in the case proceedings, and also due to imaginary penalties, allegedly due, then submitted and brought to our higher court. In which matters he [the starosta], having disregarded the just and legal arguments of our burghers, issued judgments against them. From which, when they appealed, he nevertheless did not accept their appeal; by which burden and pursuit of appeal they were forced to act against him, as the entire process of this case speaks more broadly; and by the power of this appeal and their request, they placed him together with his prosecutor as a violator of justice, so that they might see and hear how such judgments of his, as contrary to common law and the universals, together with the entire subsequent process, are in their entirety revoked, annulled, and annihilated, and that which is just is established, as it has been more broadly described in their appeal in our very summons. Therefore, at the term appointed by the summons before us and our court at this general assembly of the Crown, which is ongoing, when the parties themselves appeared before us personally and through their representatives, supporting the appeal and presenting their arguments for and against, we, being occupied in the meantime with more important matters of the Commonwealth, entrusted this task to the magnificent Jakub Rokossowski, castellan of Śrem, treasurer of our kingdom, so that he, having summoned both parties, namely both the starosta and the collector, as well as the envoys of our city of Lwów, having also gathered some from among the land envoys appointed for this purpose, might diligently examine these matters and differences of opinion that have arisen between the collector and our said burghers: whether they were justly assessed for such a tax as the collector or starosta intends to collect and enforce from them [...] of the universals, or not? – having heard the arguments of both sides, they carefully and diligently considered and evaluated it. This aforementioned magnificent treasurer of ours, together with the Crown envoys appointed for this purpose, having examined the dispute of the parties and learned the certainty of the matter, and also having considered the arguments that each side used for its defense, first before the Crown envoys gathered at this Sejm, and then before us, reported the state and course of the entire case as follows: that the starosta and the collector unjustly demand such a tax from the city, and did not prove that they demand it by the power of the universals. Our burghers not without cause opposed the accusation of said collector and prosecutor, relying on the universals of the public constitutions (which the collector interpreted to his own advantage), clearly stating that only one tax, exclusively double, and not two double ones, should be collected from our cities and towns and our subjects according to ancient customs, by the power of which letters all other collectors maintained [this] when collecting taxes and maintain it to this day, so that they do not collect and enforce two double ones or a double one twice over, but only one double one, that is, two single ones. Furthermore, as regards the demand for tax on the hide fields and their edges and the grants mentioned above and in the course of the case, our treasurer reported to us that he learned, both from the testimony of the magnificent Hieronim Bużeński, castellan of Sieradz, formerly treasurer of our kingdom, and from our declaration made in Kraków from the report of the noble Jacek Młodziejowski, our treasurer's scribe, and finally from the earlier tax receipts themselves and other obvious evidence: that our burghers themselves pay only the aforementioned tax, which amounts to four hundred single and eight hundred double florins, both from the city of Lwów itself and from the hide fields, edges, suburbs, and all inhabitants settled therein. Which tax, because they cannot collect it from the city properties themselves and those mentioned above, they are accustomed to supplement from their own wealth. As for the tax on [...] workshops of craftsmen and artisans, they reported that it was determined that they are not mentioned in the universals. We, therefore, together with our estates and advisors gathered at the present Sejm, having considered and diligently weighed the just and legal evidence and arguments of our burghers, deemed it proper to declare and establish, as we hereby declare and establish, that our burghers from now on and in the future, when public taxes are enacted, are obligated to pay not two double ones, but only one double one, that is, two single ones, each of which amounts to four hundred florins. Also, by reason of a separate tax on hide fields and other above-mentioned properties located around the city of Lwów, they are not to be harassed and disturbed by our present and currently serving collectors and starostas and their offices; indeed, they should be free and exempt from paying such a separate tax. Likewise, from the hearths of craftsmen and artisans, about whom there is no mention in the universals, nothing can be demanded from them by way of tax. And thus, all penalties, bail, and judicial steps imposed by letters at any level, initiated or conducted for this reason before the Lwów castle office, we abolish, annul, and revoke. And we declare our said burghers free and released from all present and future similar claims of our collectors, starostas, and prosecutors by means of this our decree. In witness and clearer evidence of which, we have ordered this [letter] to be strengthened with our seal and have signed it with our own hand. Done and given in Warsaw at the general Sejm of the Crown, on Thursday on the eve of the Circumcision of the Lord, in the year of our Lord 1579, and the fourth year of our reign. Stephen, King [Note on the right side of the file:] Maciej B[...] [Gloss on the left margin:] Single and double height [...] Paid jointly from the city and fields [...] From craftsmen [...]

STEPHANVS Dei gratia Rex Poloniæ, Magnus Dux Lithuaniæ, Russiæ, Prussiæ, Masoviæ, Samogitiæ, Kijoviæ, Volhiniæ, Podlachiæ, Livoniæq[ue] &c. nec non Princeps Transsilvaniæ. Significamus hisce literis nostris quorum interest, universis & singulis earu[m] notitiam habituris. Vocatum esse ad nos et iudicium nostrum huius conventionis nostræ literis, Generosum Nicolaum Herborth a Fulsztyn, Capitaneum nostru[m] Leopolien[sem] una cum Instigatore Officii, pro interesse et ex parte officii ipsius ad instantiam Famatoru[m] Proconsulis, Consulum, totiusq[ue] Communitatis Civitatis nr̃æ [nostrae] Leopoli[ensis], ad prosequendas et continuan[das] motiones suas a decretis ipsius Capitanei minus juridic[e] contra ipsos latis, p[er] eosdem interpositis, idq[ue] in causis & actionibus ad delationem Gnõsi [Generosi] Procopij Ratko, co[ntra] tributioru[m] publicarum pro tunc laudataru[m] Exactoris per instigatorem officii sui institutis & proseq[ue]ntis. Prima quidem occasione non solutionis vt prætenditur, contributionu[m] [...] solii quia rhas idem exactor no[n] simpliciter duplam hoc est, octingentos florenos vt more antiquo dabant, sed quadruplum quanda[m] puta mille sexcentos florenos repetit. Altera autem occasione non solutionis vt p[ræ]tenditur, contributionu[m] quarunda[m] scorsiu[m] de laneis agris extremitatibus a fronte muros, ciuium circa Ciuitatem Leopolien[sem] consisten[tium] eorundemq[ue] suburbijs & prædijs vc̃zt [videlicet] Kleparow, Kolparkow, Holowsko maiore & minore, Zamerstynow, Bilohoszcz et Brzuchowicza atq[ue] hortulanis, molendinis, tabernis &c. specialiter etiam ab artificu[m] locis, quoru[m] in l[ist]is vniuersalib[us] expressa nulla mentio habetur, & id genus ab alijs in processu causæ latius specificatis, tum pro panis pten[s]is exinde quasi incubi debitis ad superius tribunall nrm̃ [nostrum] t[unc] iect[is] et interpositas. In quibus quid[em] causis ipse nõ attent[a] ipso[rum] Ciuium nr̃oru[m] iusta et legitima deduc[ti]o[n]ib[us], con[tr]a eor[un]d[em] decreta tulit. A quibus cu[m] ipsi puocasse[n]t [provocassent], nihilominus tñ [tamen] ip[s]is puocatio[n]em non admisit, de quo grauamine et p[er]æquutio[n]e motionis ip̃i [ipsi] sunt con[tra] illu[m] solicitari p[ro]stituti prout de p[re]missis totus eius cau[s]æ p[ro]ceſsus latius in se obloquitur, vigore cuius quid[em] puocationis & petitionis suæ ipsum vna cu[m] instigatore suo tanq[uam] iusticiæ l[e]sore [laesore] cau[s]æ adstaueru[n]t ad viden[dum] et audien[dum] huiusmodi ipsius sentetias [sententias] tanq[uam] contrarias iuri cõmuni & l[ist]is vniuersalib[us], cu[m] toto subsequẽti p[ro]ceſsu in toto retractari, caſſari & annihilari, idq[ue] quod iu[s] est statui in puo[cati]o[n]e eoru[m] in ip̃is citationib[us] n[ost]ris fusi[us] habetur descripta. In termino itaq[ue] ex citationibus constituto cora[m] nobis & iudicio nr̃o [nostro] in Cõuentione pñti [praesenti] gñali [generali] Regni p[ro]uenien[te], hucusq[ue] cõtinuato partibus ipsis cora[m] nobis per se, et per Plenipotentes suos cõparentibus appellõneq[ue] [appellationeque] p[ro]sequen[tibus], atq[ue] rõnes [rationes] suas pro & con deducentib[us]. Nos grauioribus interim Reipub[licae] negocijs impediti, Ma[gni]f[i]co Iacobo Rokossowski Castellan[o] Sremen[si] Regni nr̃i [nostri] Thesaurario ad id negocij cõmisimus, vt ipse partibus vtrisq[ue], tam vc̃zt [videlicet] Capitaneo & exactore quam Nuncijs Ciuitatis nr̃æ [nostrae] Leopolien[sis] accersitis adhibitis etiam nonnullis ex ordine Nuncior[um] terrestrium ad id deputatis de ijs rebus et differentijs quæ inter Exactorem & Ciues nr̃os p[re]fatos interceſseru[n]t, diligenter perquirerent: An num ad talem contributionẽ quidem ab eis exactor seu Capitaneus plene[m]ve has vniuersalium repetere et exigere intendit, meruitve sint aſseſſi nec ne? rationibus vtrivsq[ue] partis exauditis, exacte & diligenter perpenderent et considerarent. Qui quidem supradictus Mag[ni]f[i]cus Thesaurarius noster, vnã cum Nuncijs Regni ad id delegatis, examinatã partium controuersia & certitudine rei cognita, rationibusq[ue], quibus vtraq[ue] ad defensionem suam vtebatur, expensis, primum coram Nuncijs Regni tu[m] in præsenti Conventione congregatis, deinde coram nobis statum & seriem totius negocij ita retulit: quod Capitaneus et exactor contributionem eiusmodi iniper[peram] a ciuitate petiant [petant], non aut[em] literar[um] vniuersalium vigore ab ipsis se repetere allegarent. Ciues vero nostri non temere sese deltioni [delationi] ipsius exactoris & instigatoris institisse, ponerent quippe eundem literis Vniuersalibus Constitutionum publicaru[m] (quas exactor pro se interpretabatur) freti, quæ per expres[sum] disponunt vnam tantum contributionem, solis duplam, non autem duas duplas esse a Ciuitatibus & Oppidis nr̃is [nostris] et subditorum nostrorum iuxta antiquas consuetudines reue[re]nd[am] vigore quarum liraru[m] [literarum] ipse cæteri omnes exactores in exigendis contributionibus co[n]seruauerunt et hactenus conseruant, ita vt non duas duplas, neq[ue] duplam in duplo sed vnam tantum duplam, puta duas simplas emoveant & exigant. Porro quod attinet repetitõm [repetitionem] ab agris laneis eorumq[ue] extremitatibus et locationibus, sup[er]ius & in causaru[m] processu recentitis Contributionem idem Thesaurarius noster retulit nobis, se comperijsse, tam ex Mag[ni]f[i]ci Hieronymi Buzenski Castellani Syradien[sis], quondam Thesaurarij Regni nr̃i [nostri] testimonio, quam ex declaratione nostra Cracoviæ, ex relatione Gnõsi [Generosi] Hiacynthi Młodzietowski Thesaurarij nr̃i [nostri] Notarij facta, ex ipsis deniq[ue] anterioribus contributionum quætatronibus [quætationibus / quietationibus] cæterisq[ue] manifestis probationibus. Quod ipsi Ciues nosteriu[m] [nostri] tantum contributionem memoratæ quæ simpla quadringentis, dupla octingentis flore[nis] constat, tam ex ipsa Ciuitate Leopolien[si] quam etiam ex agris laneis extremitatibus suburbijs omnibusq[ue] in eisdem residentibus contribuant. Quam cura ex solis ciuitatis terisq[ue] supranominatis possessionibus colligere nequiant, ideo eandem ex privatis suis facultatibus adimplere consueuerunt. Quod vero attinet teorituum [territorium] a locijs artificum & mechaniceo[rum] [mechanicorum] contributionem retulerunt, compertum esse eos in l[ist]is Vniuersalibus non esse specificatos. Nos itaq[ue] cum ordinibus & Consiliarijs nr̃is [nostris] in Comitijs præsentibus congregatis attent[is] diligenterq[ue] perpensis iustis legitimisq[ue] Ciuium nr̃or[um] probationibus et deductionibus, declarand[um] et decernend[um] duximus, prout præsentibus declaramus & decernimus, Ciues nr̃os non ad duas duplas soluendas sed ad vnam tantum duplam hoc est duas simplas quarum singulis flo[renos] quadringentos efficiunt a modo & deinceps cum Contributiones publicæ laudatæ fuerint, esse adstrictos. Tum etiam ratione separatæ contributionis ab agris laneis cæterisq[ue] locationibus supranominatis circum circa Ciuitatem Leopolien[sem] consistentibus, eos non esse a præsenti et pro tempore exiſten[tibus] exactoribus & Capitaneis nostris, eorumq[ue] officijs impetendos et molestandos, imo a soluenda eiusmodi separata contributione immunes liberosq[ue] esse debere. Similiter quoq[ue] a focis artificum & mechanicorum quoru[m] in l[ist]is vniuersalibus nulla fit mentio, nihil ratione contributionis ab eis repeti posse. Atq[ue] ita oĩa [omnia] facta per literas pœnas, vadia, progreſsusq[ue] iudiciarios in quocunq[ue] gradu constitutos, eo nomine corã [coram] officio Castren[si] Leopolien[si] vel intentatos vel perductos abrogamus, caſsamus et retractamus. Ciuesq[ue] nr̃os [nostros] p[ræ]fatos, ab omni præsentis ac posteri futuri simili exactor[um], Capitaneorum et instigatoru[m] nr̃or[um] [nostrorum] impetitione liberos et absolutos pronunciamus decreto nr̃o [nostro] præsente median[te]. In cuius rei fidem & euidentius testimoniu[m] præsentes sigillo nr̃o [nostro] cõmuniri [communiri] iussimus, manuq[ue] ppria [propria] subscripsimus. Actum & Datum Varsoviæ in Comitijs Regni generalibus, feria quinta in Vigilia Circumcisionis Domini, Anno Dñi [Domini] M° D° LXX° IX°, Regni vero nostri anno QVARTO. Stephanus Rex [Nota z prawej strony pliki:] Matthias B[...] [Glosy na lewym marginesie:] Simplex et duplex quantitas [...] A civitate et ab agris simul solvit [...] Ab Artificibus [...]