Consent of King Władysław IV for the inhabitants of the Halicz Suburb in Lwów to construct fortifications

We make it known by this our letter to all and each person concerned: That having learned from the privilege of our late Father of blessed memory, as well as from the decrees and frequent petitions of the suburbanites of the city of Lwów living before the gate called Halicz, that they have conceived the intention of fortifying their suburb with a rampart and earthworks at their own labor and expense, and seeing that this intention of theirs serves the public good and the safety of this city, both against hostile invasions and against internal unrest, we have easily inclined ourselves to not only praise it, but also to support it as much as possible. Therefore, having sought the advice of our senators, we henceforth grant and permit this construction of fortifications to the said suburbanites. And so that this work may proceed properly and in due order: first, we wish that this fortification be erected from turf, in everything according to the form prepared by our geometer, the noble Jan Bletner, and submitted to us, which form we hereby approve, ratify, and confirm by this our letter. Next, we wish and order that the works be supervised by six well-established overseers from among the suburbanites [superscribed: four Catholics and two Ruthenians], for which purpose they should annually elect and designate six from among themselves, beginning the first election on the day of St. Matthew the Apostle in the current year, and in the future at the time when elections of councilors usually take place in that city. We exempt these supervisors of construction from all jurisdiction of the magistrate due to the aforementioned office, and leave them only under our jurisdiction. Into their hands, therefore, let the suburbanites deposit the collected money, if they voluntarily resolve any among themselves, and let them faithfully distribute it according to the needs of the work and take care, under a monetary penalty, that this money is not turned to any other purposes than this very fortification. [Struck through: Whose delegate for the current year we henceforth appoint and designate the well-born Przedwojewski, sub-judge of Przemyśl,] so that this fortification may be erected without interruption, and according to the rule prescribed above. And so that these suburbanites may complete this work more freely and without any obstacle, according to the decrees of our late Father, we will not deny them our royal favor for the future, so that during the execution of this work, the subjects from the city villages may assist these suburbanites within the scope of their duties, according to the discretion and order of our aforementioned deputy. If, however, among these suburbanites there should be any stubborn ones who would refuse to perform this work together with the others or to contribute the established amount, or in any way hinder this work, against such persons the aforementioned [struck through: Przedwojewski, superscribed: castellan] or another delegate appointed by us at a given time should strictly enforce consequences according to the gravity of the offense. Furthermore, wishing to better assist these suburbanites in completing this work, we allocate all property of the suburbanites of that suburb who died without heirs, fallen by the right of escheat or in any other way to our royal treasury, for this very [superscribed: while preserving the rights of the city of Lwów] and no other purpose, and we permit the free brewing of beer and mead without the opposition of any people regardless of their status. And since some nobles and clergy possess certain lands in that suburb and lodgers reside there, therefore, adhering to the common law [struck through: from the burdens borne by the nobility and their city houses of the possessor, superscribed: excluding the public and military burdens borne by the nobility from city properties / as according to the statutes of the Kingdom], we wish and order that the nobility and all clergy owning houses and lands in this suburb shall also be subject to this burden and the aforementioned contribution on an equal footing with the suburbanites, according to the size of their lands. In witness whereof, we have ordered this letter, signed by our own hand, to be strengthened with the seal of the Kingdom. Given in Warsaw on the [...] day of the month of [...] in the Year of our Lord 1635, in the third year of our reign in Poland, and the fourth in Sweden. [Note in the bottom margin:] + We also wish that one of the councilors of our city of Lwów should oversee this construction, without, however, causing any delay or obstacle in the execution of this fortification, nor under any pretext creating any difficulties for the suburbanites. We also appoint one delegate there for the current year and henceforth appoint and designate the well-born [...] [superscribed: Debrecki? Castellan ...] [Note in the bottom right corner in Polish:] Confirmation for the Lwów suburbanites for the fortification of the Halicz Suburb according to the privilege of the late King His Majesty [Verso:] [Archival signature:] 491. [Round archival ink stamp] [Date added by a later hand:] the year 1635.

Significamus praesen[tibus] l[itte]ris n[ost]ris quorum interest universis & singulis. Quod posteaquam ex Privilegio Ser[enissi]mi olim Divae memoriae Parentis n[ost]ri desiderat[o]q[ue] decretisq[ue] & crebris petitionibus Suburbanorum Civitatis Leopolien[sis] ante Portam dictam Halicka commorantium intelleximus esse propositum eos Suburbium suum Vallo & Propugnaculis labore & sumptu proprio communire hoc illorum propositum videremus ad bonum publicum securitatemq[ue] Civitatis illius tam contra hostiles incursus, quam contra insolentias internas pertinere facile in animum induximus ut illud non tantu[m] collaudaremus verum etiam pro posse promovere[mus]. Quare communicato consilio Senatorum nro[st]rum iam exnunc eandem munitionem memoratis Suburbanis concedimus, & permittimus. Ut autem opus hoc rite & ordinate procedat. Primum volumus ut ea munitio fiat ex cespite per omnia secundum formam per Geometram n[rost]rum Nobilem Ioannem Bletner, conceptam nobisq[ue] exhibitam quam nos approbamus ratificamus & confirmamus praesentibus hisce l[itte]ris n[ost]ris. Deinde volumus & ordinamus ut Sex Inspectores bene possessionati operi praesint ex Suburbanis [nadpisane: quatuor ex Catholicis et duo ex Ruthenis] quam in rem Sex ex suis eligere & designare annis singulis debent: incipiendo primam Electionem pro die Sancti Matthaei Apostoli. Anno praesenti; in posterum vero eo tempore quo Electio Consularis celebrari in illa Civitate solet. Quos quidem Operis Praefectos nos ro[ati]one muneris praefati, ab omni iurisdictione Magistratus eximimus, nr[a]e vero soli iurisdictioni relinquimus. Ad eorum itaq[ue] manus collectam pecuniam: si quam inter se Suburbani ultro constituerint conferant illiq[ue] pro rei exigentia eam fideliter dispensent, attendantq[ue] ut in nullos alios usus ea pecunia convertatur quam in eam ipsam munitionem, sub pana pecu[niaria]. [Skreślone: Quem quidem delegatum pro anno praesenti iam exnunc nominamus & deputamus Generosum Przedwoiewski Subiudicem Premislien[sem]] ut munitio haec sine intermissione, idq[ue] ex praescripta formula praefata peragatur. Utq[ue] autem liberius, & sine ulla distractione iidem Suburbani opus hoc perficiant iuxta Decreta Ser[enissi]mi Parentis n[ost]ri, hanc nos etiam illis pro ulteriori tempore gra[tia]m n[rost]ram Regiam non denegabimus ut eosdem Suburbanos ex Villis Civilibus in hoc idem opere perficiendo Subditi obligatis ex arbitrio & ordinatione memorati n[rost]ri Deputati adiuvent. Quodsi inter eosdem Suburbanos aliqui discoli fuerint, qui pariter cum reliquis hoc opus facere, vel pecuniam constitutam conferre recusaverint, vel quocunq[ue] modo hunc laborem impediverint in tales memoratus [skreślone: Przedwoiewski, nadpisane: Castellanus] vel alter pro tempore per nos Delegatus pro qualitate excessus serio animadvertere debet. Praeterea volentes eo melius eosdem Suburbanos in perficiendo hoc opere adiuvare omnia bona Suburbanorum illius Suburbij steriliter decedentium iure Caduco vel alio quocunq[ue] modo ad fiscum n[rost]rum Regium devolut[a] & devolvend[a], in eum ipsum [nadpisane: salvis tamen iuribus Civitatis Leopolien[sis]] & non alium usum designamus, liberamq[ue] cocturam Cervisiae & Medonis absq[ue] cuiuscunq[ue] conditionis hominum contradictione concedimus. Quoniam autem in illo Suburbio Nobiles nonnulli & personae Spirituales fundos certos possident inquiliniq[ue] commorantur ideo inhaerendo iuri communi [skreślone: deferri per Nobilitatem oneribus & eoru[m] Domibus Civitati possessoris, nadpisane: exceptatis de ferendis per nobilitatem ex fortis civili[b]us publicis et militarib[us] oneribus / ut secundum statuta Regni] volumus & ordinamus ut Nobiles quoq[ue] & Spirituales omnes Domos & fundos in illo Suburbio possidentes huic oneri & collectae praefatae pariter cum Suburbanis ad fundorum suorum proportionem subsint. In cuius rei fidem praesentes manu n[ost]ra subscrip[tas] sigillo Regni communiri mandavimus Datum Varsaviae die [...] Mensis [...] Anno D[omi]ni M.D.C.XX.X.V. Regnorum nro[st]rum Poloniae III Sueciae vero IVto Anno. [Dopisek na dolnym marginesie:] + Volumus etiam ut unus ex Consulibus Civitatis n[ost]rae Leopolien[sis] ad eam fabricam attendat nullam tamen perficiendo huic munitioni moram aut impedimentum obijciat aut Suburbanis ulli quovis praetextu aliquam difficultatem exhibeat. Constituimus etiam Delegatum ibidem unum pro anno praesenti, iamq[ue] exnunc nominamus et deputamus G[e]n[er]osum [...] [nadpisane: Debrecky? Castellanum ...] [Nota w prawym dolnym rogu po polsku:] Confirmatio Przedmiesczanom Lwows[kim] na munitia[m] Przedmiescia Halickie[go] podług przywileiu nieboszczyka Krola Je[go] M[oś]ci [Verso:] [Sygnatura archiwalna:] 491. [Pieczęć tuszowa okrągła archiwalna] [Data dopisana późniejszą ręką:] a° 1635.