Confirmation by King Sigismund III of the agreement between the magistrate and the commonalty of Lwów regarding the repayment of debts

We hereby announce by this letter of ours to all and each one whom it may concern. A paper document was presented to us, drawn up in the town hall of our city of Lwów on the Thursday after the recent feast of Saint Hedwig [October 20] in the Year of Our Lord one thousand six hundred and twenty-two, written by the hands of the Reverend Michał Grochowski, Provost of Łęczyca and Sandomierz and Canon of Kraków, as well as the noble Aleksander Piaseczyński, Chamberlain of Lwów, secretaries of Our Most Serene Majesty, regarding the verdict from the lawsuit of the honest jurors and elders of the commonalty, the college of forty men, as well as the elders of the Greek or Ruthenian rite of the commonalty of the city of Lwów, acting on behalf of the aforementioned three nations as plaintiffs against the distinguished and famous mayor and councilors of the city of Lwów, openly admitting the chest of privileges, that these things and matters [...] should be paid to the city of Lwów, and that the paying party should, for the reasons contained in the decree of that commission, pay the specified sums of money; and the content of that decree of the commission was as follows: On the Thursday after the recent feast of Saint Hedwig the Apostle in the Year of Our Lord one thousand six hundred and twenty-two, after the solemn appearance of the parties, the submission of acts and the responses of the appointed deputy commissioners, which they did not convey by the aforementioned decree, and by the commissioners to those cities, who for the commonalty of the city of Lwów itself, by virtue of that decree regarding the lawsuit, agreed among themselves on the manner and cause, in what way and in what order the debts contracted in the public name of the city – both those that were liquidated by virtue of the provisions of the decree itself issued in the year one thousand six hundred and fifteen, and those which at a later time the council office of the city of Lwów contracted and [...] the commonalty is to be compelled and assessed. Since they should indeed be repaid, so that the public faith of that city remains intact and satisfied, and they wished to sign and correct the rules. The commissioners, meanwhile, having counted the paid parts, withdrew their obligations. And a request was presented to us on behalf of both parties, both the distinguished and famous mayor and councilors, and the honest jurors, elders, Armenians, and the famous forty men representing the entire commonalty of the city of Lwów, both by virtue of the royal decree of King Sigismund and the agreement regarding repayment, as well as the agreement between the above-mentioned parties authentically and in the presence of those commissioners originally concluded and written down, and subsequently shown to us, containing a certain approval by those commissioners by royal authority, which for the sake of the Supreme Lord [...] belongs to our cities, that we might deign to confirm, approve, and ratify. The content of that agreement placed below is as follows: That they, having before their eyes the privilege of the Most Serene Royal Majesty, our gracious Lord, concerning their [...] because of the repayment of property being debtors in the matter of the city contracted by the magistrate, which in this letter amounts to the sum of thirty-five thousand two hundred and sixty-four florins, having recognized the agreement [...] deigned to graciously accept, and being informed that from now on the small levy of the old law by virtue of this same privilege, a huge sum directed into one and parts of the office would drag on for a long time, and that [...] the appointed commissioners lack a certain period of time, and those goods [...] should be turned to a public purpose. [...] therefore we, the virtuous jurors, forty men, elders of the Armenian and Ruthenian nations, and the entire commonalty of the city of Lwów voluntarily and freely submit: Firstly, to pay the sum of ten thousand Polish florins and not to transfer it to the goods [...] regarding the income of the magistrate (to which belong the townspeople themselves from contributions [...]), and from that sum of ten thousand florins in the past time four thousand florins. Secondly, the rest on the feast of Easter in the Year of Our Lord one thousand six hundred and twenty-three falling next – six thousand florins; after the repayment of that sum of ten thousand florins and the expiration of the deadline to the aforementioned Lwów townspeople [...] none should take place. Secondly, the entire upper arena, which likewise before the feast of the Three Kings falling next should be erected, declaring the sum of three thousand florins. Thirdly, the execution of the royal privilege of that part, so [the treasurer?] the rest of the Catholic, Ruthenian, and Armenian elders, which likewise before the feast of the Three Kings to the sum of nine thousand eight hundred and fifty-three florins. Regarding whose execution and order the commissioners of the magistrate and the commonalty of the city of Lwów should strive with all vigilant care, as they know that it belongs to their business, so that indeed the debts of all three nations in thousands of florins for repayment before the debtors are justly and voluntarily paid on this side against the letter and security. Regarding the payment of those seven thousand florins of Polish money in cash and duly counted, and in fact from this sum they exist and are calculated. The payment of which sum to him and his successors should take place according to the assurance and contract in the acts of the Lwów city court by the aforementioned magistrate to all in the city, along with appropriate interest returned from the city goods. As for the rest, insofar as anything beyond the levy of the contract from that levy of the privilege by the sum of the Most Serene Royal Majesty and the debts of the city to be repaid is graciously returned except for the distinguished Mr. Torosianowicz [...] from the goods of the part of the three [nations]: Catholics, Armenians, and Ruthenians, not burdened within the city limits without any usury [...] of the obligation and the original assurance of the aforementioned. And to this all privately acceding, and some doubting under their own hand and execution bail by the power of the royal privilege [...] which the entire commonalty of the city will owe at private expense. Regarding the course of the debts of the noble Mr. Kaniłowski and the distinguished Lwów magistrate [...] in the city goods in form and knots, because of which the contract debts were paid without burden to the commonalty, and to which the entire commonalty agreed. To which request graciously acceding, the aforementioned transaction contained in the mentioned letter in its entirety according to the request of the commissioners and presented in that place, we have confirmed, approved, and ratified, and by this letter of ours we confirm, approve, and ratify as much as the consideration of the law serves those men for all time, and as long as regarding the aforementioned matters explained before our aforementioned commissioners the faith of the magistrate of the city of Lwów is not released, we want everything to remain intact, whole, and possess the proper legal force. In testimony of which we ordered this letter signed by our own hand to be strengthened with the crown seal. Given in Warsaw, at the general crown sejm, on the fourth day of the month of March in the Year of Our Lord 1623, of our reign in Poland the XXXVI, and in Sweden the XXIX year. Sigismund, King [Chancery note:] Jakub Zadzik, Secretary of the Royal Majesty [On the reverse:] [Chancery / archival note:] No. 29. to bundle 218 Necessary [or: Unnecessary] Confirmation of the transaction of the year 1622 and the meeting in this matter near Złoczów of the sum of 35,000 florins / Year 1623 [Ink stamp:] ARCHIVE OF ANCIENT ACTS OF THE CITY OF LWÓW

Notificamus praesentibus literis nostris quorum interest universis et singulis. Exhibitas nobis esse literas papireas de actu in Praetorio Civitatis nostrae Leopoliensis feria quinta post festum Sanctae Hedwigis proxima Anno Domini Millesimo Sexcentesimo Vigesimo secundo scriptas manibus Venerabilis Michaelis Grochowski Lanciciensis et Sandomiriensis Praepositi ac Canonici Cracoviensis tum et Generosi Alexandri Piaseczinski Subcamerarii Leopoliensis a Regia Maiestate Nostra Secretariorum ipsiusque Decreti in causa Honestorum Scabinorum et Seniorum Communitatis quadraginta virorum tum et Seniorum Ritus Graeci aut Rutheni Communitatis Civitatis Leopoliensis praefatarum trium nationum nomine Actorum ad Spectabiles ac Famosos Proconsulem et Consules Civitatis Leopoliensis ad exponendam cistam Privilegiorum uiam fuisse confessos, ipsas res et civitatis Lupelem Civitati Leopoliensi esse exolvenda, debereque Resoluens ex causis in eadem Commissionis Decretis contentis, certas pecuniarias summas persolvere, cuiusmodi Commissionis Decreti tenor talis esset. Feria quinta post festum Sanctae Hedwigis Apostolae proxima Anno Domini Millesimo Sexcentesimo Vigesimo secundo, ex solemni partium comparitione lati actorum et deputatorum Requisitorum responsionibus quibus eodem Decreto non commiserant eratque per Commissarios eadem Civitatibus, quae ipsi Communitati Civitatis Leopoliensis vigore ipsius Decreti actioni ex certis fatis in se convenerat rationem ac causam invenirent, quomodo et qua ratione debita publico nomine Civitatis contracta, tam ea quae per Requisitiones Decreti ipsius Anno Millesimo Sexcentesimo decimoquinto lati liquidata sunt, quam ea quae subsequenti tempore Magistratus Consularis Civitatis Leopoliensis ita tum et conradita Communitatem cogi et censeatur. Quandoquidem eorumdem realiter exolvi, ut fides publica Civitatis illius salva et persoluta manere possit, vellentque subscribendas ac regulas emendare. Requisitores interim connumeratis partes solutas et illorum erga submissionis retraxerunt. Supplicatumque nobis est nomine utriusque partis, tam spectabilium et Famosorum Proconsulis et Consulum quam Honestorum Scabinorum et Seniorum ac Armenorum atque Famatorum Quadraginta virorum totam Communitatem Civitatis Leopoliensis repraesentantium, tam ex Decreto Regio Regis Sigismundi et Transactionem causae exolvendarum etiam etiam Transactio inter partes praerecitas authentice ac in praesentia eorumdem Requisitorum primum initam et conscriptam, ac in potem sub coram nobis exhibitam continentem, atq[ue] sive certam approbationem per eosdem Requisitores de permissionem authoritate Regia, Qua pro usu Summi Domini Deming quartamvis Civitatibus nostris competit, confirmare approbare ac ratificare dignaremur. Eius vero Transactionis in potem sub contentae tenor est qui sequitur talis: Quod ipsi habentes pro oculis Privilegium Sac[rae] Reg[iae] Ma[ies]t[a]tis D[omi]ni n[ost]ri Clementissimi quod ipsos tangens felicis olim eductoris Lupelem propter facultatum exolutionem debitore se, in rem Civitatis per Magistratum contractorum quae praesenti scripto ad summam florenorum Triginta quinq[ue] Millium Ducentorum Sexaginta quatuor p[er]cipitur solutionem temeriorem actum, agnoscere sane benigne recepit et instruectus quod post haec minutam vigore eiusdem Privilegii exactionem antiquam legis ingens summa in unum et Magistri partes dirigenda ad exolutionem in longum tempus protraheretur, quam et recondite et celer debitis Commissoribus certus temporis tractus deesse, Haec authoritatibus adigi debere bona futilia ad finem publici. Magnificus Vladislaus Rex etc. de decem corsillo et coercitio eluderent: Nos Honorati Scabini, Qvadraginta viri, Seniores Nationis Armenorum et Ruthenorum ac tota Communitas Civitatis Leopoliensis ultro ac libere submittunt: primo Summam Decem Millium florenorum Polonicalium solvere a non reformare ad bona futilia quae ad Lupanar et proventuum Magistratus (cui his spectent atque ipsorum Civium a symbolis pro cursione etiam refrigerii in fovere et ratione damni causabuntur) traheretur, eaque pro Summa Decem Millium florenor[um] proxima praeteriti quatuor Millium florenorum. Secundo vero Resta pro Festo Paschae in Anno Millesimo Sexcentesimo Vigesimo Tertio proximo venturo Sex Millia florenorum; post cuius Summae Decem Millium florenorum exolutionem et tractum praefatis Civibus Leopoliensibus et exactionibus co Reulipocoriensis aliquo esse debere; Secundo Universa Arena Superioris qua itidem ante Festum Sanctorum Trium Reg[um] proxime venturo erigi debeat, Summam trium Millium florenorum declarantes. Tertio vero Executio Privilegii Regii portionis ipsius tam [camerarii?] Resta Catholicae, Ruthenicae et Armenicae Superioribus quae itidem ante Festum Sanctorum Trium Reg[um] ad summam Novem Millium et octingentos quinquaginta tres florenos. De quorum et Executio et Mandatum illius Commissarii Magistratum et Communitatem Civitatis Leopoliensis omni pervigili curarent cura prout habent rei suae esse norunt, quo re vera debita omnium trium nationum florenorum Millia in exsolutionem coram debitorum conqueri recte et sponte pro hac ex parte erga papirem ac cautionem. Quae ipse ad exsolvendis eiusdem Septem Millia florenorum pecuniae Polonicalis paratam et numeratam proprie curare et facto ipso de ea summa exstant et numeratae. Cuius Summae solutio eidem et Successoribus ipsius fieri debebit iuxta Assecurationem et Contractum in Actis Iudicii Civilis Leopoliensis per Magistratum praedictum Omnibus Civitatis eidem faenoribus correspondenter ex bonis Civitatis refunderetur: Ceterum si quid in quantumc[unque] Resta ultra exactionem Contractus ea exactionem Privilegio per Summam Regiam Ma[ies]t[a]tis et Civitatis debita exsolvere partium benigne excepto Excellente Domino Thorosianovicio refundetur terra ex induto, neque debitis liget ex rays quatuor bonis Portionum Trium Catholicorum, Armenorum et Ruthenorum non incendendis intra fines Civitatis sine quibusvis usurisbus sapelent redolente crantz obligationis et primariae Assecurationis praedictae. Ad eamque omnes de privatim concurrentes et aliquo diffidentibus a propria manu et cautione Executorio vigore Privilegii Regii creafuerit quod a toto communitas Civitatis sumptibus privatis debebunt. Quo vero tractu debitorum Nobilis Domini Kaniłowski et Spectabilis Magistratus Leopoliensis translactione Inscriptionum reconfessio fiam in bonis Civitatis in forma et vinculis propter quas propter debitorum contractuum est solutorum abeq[ue] Communitatis molestia soluturo est, et qua universa Communitas acquievit. Cui supplicationi clementer annuentes praetactam Transactionem in dictis literis contentam in integrum ad petita Requisitoribus et loci illi offerentibus, remisimus et assecuratelas literis nostris contentur confirmandam, approbandam et ratificandam de omnibus quidem modum in tantum, quantum Iuris ratio perpetuo praesentibus hisce viris confirmamus approbamus et ratificamus eamq[ue] quoad praetactis rebus coram praefatis Requisitoribus nostris liqueratis fides Magistratus Civitatis Leopoliensis deliberata non fuerit, ita omnia salvam et integram esse ac debitum firmitatis robur obtinere volumus. In cuius rei fidem praesentes manu nostra subscriptas sigillo Regni communiri iussimus. Datum Varsaviae in Conventu Regni Generali die quarta Mensis Martii Anno Domini MDCXXIII Regnorum nostrorum Poloniae XXXVI Sueciae vero XXIX Anno. Sigismundus Rex [Nota kancelaryjna:] Iac. Zadzik Secr[etarius] M[aiestatis] R[egiae] [Verso:] [Nota kancelaryjna / archiwalna:] Nro 29. ad Fasc. 218 Non necessarium Approbata transakciey roku 1622 et conventus w teyże sprawie pod Złoczowem summy fl. 35000 / Ao 1623 [Pieczęć tuszowa:] ARCHIWUM AKT DAWNYCH MIASTA LWOWA