General confirmation of the rights and privileges of the city of Lwów by King John II Casimir

[p. 2: Parchment cover / blank page; oval ink stamp:] ARCHIVE OF ANCIENT RECORDS OF THE CITY OF LWÓW [p. 3:] JOHN CASIMIR by the Grace of God, King of Poland, Grand Duke of Lithuania, Ruthenia, Prussia, Masovia, Samogitia, Livonia, Smolensk, and Chernihiv, and also hereditary King of the Swedes, Goths, and Vandals. We hereby announce by this Our letter to all and each one whom it may concern. That since, by the grace of Heaven and the free votes of the entire Commonwealth, we have been seated on the royal throne of Our predecessors of blessed memory, we have decided to spread the fame and glory of Our Name to all parts of the world in no other way than with a strong and at the same time beneficent hand – on one side striking fear into the enemies of Our Kingdom, and on the other, preserving Our citizens and subjects, of whatever estate and condition, in their rights, liberties, and immunities. When, therefore, a request was made to Us in the name of the entire Community of Our City of Lwów to deign to confirm the rights and privileges of that City, and from the report of Our Senators we learned and recognized that Our said City of Lwów has earned the respect of Our predecessors and of this Kingdom through always faithful and sincere submission, and has shown this same loyalty and obedience to Us above all, when in the most recent Cossack rebellion and the invasion and assault of the Tatars under the very walls, although exhausted in its assets, it nevertheless remained in unwavering loyalty and submission – therefore, surrounding Our said City of Lwów with all and individual its Inhabitants with no less grace and Our protection, of Our certain knowledge, generosity, and mature deliberation, with the advice and approval of Our Advisors, for the auspicious omen of Our reign, to the Mayors, Councilors, Jurors, and the entire Community of Our said City of Lwów, the rights, privileges, liberties, immunities, prerogatives, letters, entries, decrees, court judgments, just as all of this is found in the General Confirmation of the Most Serene [p. 4:] Władysław IV of blessed memory, Our Dearest Brother, and of which they have been in continuous use until now, we have deemed worthy of renewal, ratification, strengthening, approval, and confirmation, and by the protection of this [letter] we renew, ratify, strengthen, approve, and confirm. The literal content of this General Confirmation of Our Brother follows as such: Władysław IV, by the Grace of God, King of Poland, Grand Duke of Lithuania, Ruthenia, Prussia, Masovia, Samogitia, Livonia, and also hereditary King of the Swedes, Goths, and Vandals, elected Grand Duke of Muscovy. To all and each one whom it may concern, we announce by this Our Letter. That although at the current General Assembly of the Sejm of Our Happy Coronation, to all the estates and conditions of this noble Polish Kingdom, both Clerical and Secular, as well as to Our Cities in general and in particular, the rights, privileges, liberties, grants, and all prerogatives justly and rightly granted by the Most Serene Predecessors of Ours, Kings and Princes of this Polish Kingdom and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Ruthenia, Prussia, and other Provinces and Lands incorporated into this most extensive Polish Kingdom, by an oath taken by Us in a holy and solemn rite in the main cathedral church, and also by public Letters issued by the power of the proclaimed law, we have graciously, as befits Our royal authority, approved, confirmed, and ratified, so that no one at all can doubt the certainty, fullness, and durability of their right. Nevertheless, since we are not accustomed to deny anyone the confirmation of rights for their greater durability, individually and from the hand of the same, therefore to the Excellent and Famous Mayor, Councilors, Reeve, Jurors, and the entire Community of Citizens and Suburb-dwellers belonging to Our City of Lwów, whose loyalty, integrity, and proficiency in the proper management of the commonwealth, as always elsewhere, so above all in these turbulent times [p. 5:] of interregnum after the deceased Most Serene Predecessors and Our most beloved Father, Kings of Poland, and the frequent invasions of the Tatars and other neighbors of Ours, in the maintenance, governing, strengthening, and defense of that City of Lwów was most abundantly shown, when through their Envoys they persistently and humbly sought this from Us, we deemed it willingly, as in a righteous matter corresponding to justice, following the example of Our Predecessors, to do and fulfill as a duty. Therefore, all and individual rights of that City of Lwów, privileges, liberties, immunities, prerogatives, letters, entries, donations, resignations, cessions, exchanges, gifts, unions, incorporations, confederations, customs, decrees, dispute judgments, processes, and sentences, likewise all other elections, both of office and court, held also in the past time during the interregnum, and the original [rights] of that City of Lwów according to the original documents of Prince Władysław of Opole and heir of Ruthenia and Casimir the Third, disposing of one hundred and seventy lanns or Franconian cords and German law, foundations, locations, extreme boundaries, appurtenances, limitations, wastelands, as well as municipal orders, resolutions of the commonalty, resolutions of the council and all sanctions, castle laws, jurisdictions, exclusions, observances, customs, usages, demarcations, trade warehouses, staple rights, pledges, causeway fees, customs, requisitions, and acts of any commissions and inquisitions, carried out and settled for the benefit of only that City of Lwów, as well as weighing fees, homages and acts, capitals and fortifications, statutes, said Our City of Lwów in any way concerning, which are contained in the books of the Kingdom and have obtained one approval at General Assemblies by way of vidimus, or which from Louis or Aloysius, Hedwig, Casimir the old, Władysław the second Jagiello and Władysław [p. 6:] and Władysław the Third, son of Jagiello, [Kings] of Poland and Hungary, John Albert, Alexander, Sigismund the first, Sigismund the second Augustus, Henry, Stephen and the once Most Serene Sigismund the Third, Our most beloved Father, who died in the year just passed, Kings and Princes of Poland, for any liberties, immunities, prerogatives, namely for German or Magdeburg law and municipal jurisdiction, with exclusion from all and individual any courts: voivodeship, castle, land, tribunal commissioners and General Assemblies of the Kingdom and other judicial benches, for customs both land and water within the Polish Kingdom and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, as well as for all neighboring levies under the name of any customs serving that Our City of Lwów, and also for bridge and causeway [fees] graciously granted, which were generously granted, approved, confirmed, and ratified to said Our City by the Princes and Kings of Poland, Our Predecessors, and which we want to have included here word for word – in all and individual their points, positions, conditions, clauses, articles, titles, knots, connections, and entire wording, from the fullness of Our Royal authority we have deemed worthy of approving, ratifying, renewing, pardoning, and confirming, and by the protection of this Our Letter, according to law and their existing use, we renew, graciously bestow, and confirm. Providing that all this and individually described and contained in the original letters and privileges should obtain the power and authority of eternal durability. Furthermore, on Our Royal word we promise and hereby guarantee that all this and individually, as well as the law of Our City of Lwów, rights, liberties, prerogatives, orders, and customs in this Our City [p. 7:] held and observed from ancient times, decrees also and privileges, in everything we shall hold as valid, fixed, and inviolable eternally and forever, and shall fully, inviolably, and irrevocably observe, preserve, and fulfill in effect. We also want and promise to defend all and individual Lwów Citizens and inhabitants, suburb-dwellers and peasants belonging and pertaining to said City and its jurisdiction from ancient times, and their individual goods, both held in common name and privately held, possessed, and actually taken with benefits, from all wrongs, violence, burdens, and illegal charges of any persons, of any estate, dignity, and condition, and of Our Officials, especially Starostas, now and in the future, nor shall we order any other new burdens to be invented against them, nor shall we allow anyone to do so, but preserving them and their goods in their boundaries, limits, and borders, according to ancient custom, just as they were preserved by Our Predecessors, the renowned Kings of Poland, we shall preserve, maintain, and cause to be preserved. We shall not separate any of their goods belonging to the City and its jurisdiction from that City of Lwów and its jurisdiction, nor shall we allow them to be separated. In faith and testimony of which Our Seal has been attached hereto. Given in Kraków at the General Assembly of Our Happy Coronation, on the second day of the month of March, in the Year of Our Lord one thousand six hundred and thirty-three, and of Our reign [...] the First Year. Władysław, King. / Concluded. Given in Kraków at the Sejm of Our Noble Coronation, on the XIII day of the month of February, in the Year of Our Lord 1649, of Our reign in Poland and Sweden the First Year. John Casimir, King [Note on the right side:] General Confirmation of the Privileges of the City of Lwów. [Signature:] Stanisław Rzeczeńb[...] / Regent of the Chancellery of His Royal Majesty [p. 8: Verso / outer cover:] [At the top entries in ink, partially faded:] area 19 / [illegible] / 77 / 929 / No 12 [In red ink:] Rubrica Ducta Litt. G. No 16to ad Fasc. 101 [At the bottom old signature:] 9138

[s. 2: Okładka pergaminowa / karta czysta; owalna pieczątka tuszowa:] ARCHIWUM AKT DAWNYCH MIASTA LWOWA [s. 3:] IOANNES CASIMIRUS Dei gra[tia] Rex Polonia, Magn[us] Dux Lithuania, Russia, Prussia, Masovia, Samogitia, Liuonia, Smolenscia, Czerniechouiaque; nec non Suec[orum], Gott[orum], Vandalorum haeredit[arius] Rex Significamus praesentibus literis N[ost]ris quorum interest universis et singulis. Quod posteaquam Superis faventibus, liberisq[ue] universae Reip[ubli]cae suffragiis in Regio divorum Praedecessorum N[ost]rorum solio collocati sumus, non alia ra[ti]o[n]e famam et gloriam Nominis Nostri ad omnes orbis partes propagare decrevimus, quam forti, simul et benefica manu, altera hostes Regni N[ost]ri terrendo, altera cives et subditos N[ost]ros, cuiuslibet status et conditionis, circa iura, libertates ac immunitates conservando. Cum itaq[ue] totius Communitatis Civitatis Nostrae Leopoliensis nomine Nobis supplicatum sit, ut iura et privilegia Civitatis eiusdem confirmare dignaremur, atq[ue] relatione Senatorum Nostrorum cognoverimus et perspexerimus, quod praenominata Civitas N[ost]ra Leopoliensis Praedecessoribus N[ost]ris, et Regno Huic semper fideli et sincera subiectione commendata, ac eandem quoq[ue] fidem et obedientiam Nobis inprimis testata sit, cum in novissima Kosakorum rebellione Tartarorumq[ue] ad ipsa moenia incursione et insultu, quamvis exhausta fortunis, infracta tamen fide et subiectione permansit, praefatam Civitatem N[ost]ram Leopolien[sem] cum omnibus et singulis Incolis suis non minori gratia et patrocinio N[ost]ro complectentes, ex certa Nostra scientia, liberalitate, et matura deliberatione, de consilio et approba[ti]o[n]e Consiliariorum N[ost]rorum pro felici gubernationis Nostrae auspicio, Proconsulib[us], Consulib[us], Scabinis, totiq[ue] Communitati dictae Civitatis N[ost]rae Leopoliensis, Iura, privilegia, libertates, immunitates, praerogativas, literas, Inscriptiones, Decreta, f[a]cti iudicata, prout de his omnibus f[act]us in Confirmatione G[e]n[er]ali Serenissimi [s. 4:] renissimi divae memoriae Vladislai IV Fratris N[ost]ri Charissimi exstant et queram in continuo usu hucusq[ue] fuerunt innovand[a], ratificand[a], roborand[a], approband[a] et confirmand[a] esse duximus, uti praesentium harum patrocinio innovamus, ratificamus, roboramus approbamus et confirmamus. Cujus vero Confirmationis G[e]n[er]alis Fratris tenor de verbo ad verbum sequitur talis: Vladislaus IV Dei Gratia Rex Poloniae Magnus Dux Lithuaniae, Russiae, Prussiae, Masoviae, Samogitiae, Livoniaeq[ue], Necnon Suecorum, Gottorum, Vandalorumq[ue] haereditarius Rex Electus Magnus Dux Moschoviae. Universis et singulis quorum interest praesentibus Literis N[ost]ris scamus. Quod tametsi in praesenti Comitiorum Felicis Coronao[n]is N[ost]rae G[e]n[er]ali Conventu, omnibus inclyti huius Regni Poloniae ordinibus, ac statibus, tam Spiritualium, quam Secularium Civitatibus etiam N[ost]ris in genere et specie, Iura, Privilegia, libertates, concessiones, ac quasvis praerogativas per Serenissimos Antecessores N[ost]ros Regni huius Poloniae et magni Ducatus Lithuaniae, Russiae, Prussiae, aliarumq[ue] Provinciarum ac Regionum eisdem amplissimo Poloniae Regno annexarum Reges ac Principes iuste, ac rationabiliter concessas, iureiurando per Nos sacra et solemni ceremonia in summo Cathedrali templo praestito, etiam Literis publicis, ra[ti]o[n]e vero legis promulgatis datis benigne prout authoritati N[ost]rae Regiae parerat, approbaverimus confirmaverimus, et ratificaverimus, adeo ut nihil amplius quisq[ue] de certitudine plenitudine et soliditate iuris sui addubitare possit. Nihilominus tamen cum singulariter et seorsim eandem confirma[ti]onem Iurium pro maiori eorum subsistentia negare nemini soleamus. Itaq[ue] Spectabilibus et Famatis Proconsuli, Consulibus, Advocato, Scabinis, totiusq[ue] Communitatis Civibus ac Suburbanis, ad N[ost]ram Civitatem Leopoliensem pertinen[tibus], quorum fides, integritas, et rei bene administrandi scientia, cum semper alias tum praecipue his temporum [s. 5:] porum turbulentis interregnis Serenissimorum Antecessorum Patrisq[ue] N[ost]ri desideratissimi praedefuncti Regum Poloniae, atq[ue] frequentibus Tartarorum, et aliorum finitimorum Nostrorum incursionibus, in retinenda, gubernanda, munienda ac defendenda illa Leopoliensi Civitate abunde testata apparuit, per Internuntios suos id a Nobis enixe et submisse postulantibus, hoc idem libenter, uti in re honesta et aequitati consona exemplo Praedecessorum Nostrorum faciendum ac praestandum esse duximus. Itaq[ue] omnia et singula iura Civitatis eiusdem Leopoliens[is] Privilegia, libertates, immunitates, praerogativas, literas, Inscriptiones, Donationes, Resignationes, Cessiones, permutationes, praesentationes, Uniones, incorporationes, Confederat[i]ones, consuetudines, Decreta, Litis iudicata, Processus, ac Sententias, temet alias quasvis, tam Officij, quam Iudicij electus, etiam sub interregno protempore praeterito celebratos, atq[ue] primarias Civitatis eiusdem Leopoliensis iuxta Originales Ladislai Ducis Opiliensis et Russiae Haeredis, atq[ue] Casimiri Tertii literas, de centum et septuaginta mansis, seu Laqueis Franconicis, Iureq[ue] Theutonico disponentes, fundationes, locationes extremitatis emergentias, coercentias, vastitates, tum et ordinationes Civiles, Plebiscita, Senatus consulta, ac sanctiones, quaslibet, Iura Castralia, Iurisdictiones, exemptiones, observantias, consuetudines, usus, determinationes, emporia, depositoria, pignoratia, aggeralia, Thelonea, Requisitiones, et actus quorumvis Commissionum ac Inquisitionum, pro parte tantum eiusdem Civitatis Leopoliensis peractos expeditos, et bibramenta, homagia, et Acta, Sedesque, munimenta, statuta, dictam Civitatem N[ost]ram Leopoliensem quoquomodo concernentia, quaecunq[ue], tam in voluminibus Regni continentur, vnaq[ue] approba[ti]onis in Conventibus G[e]n[er]alibus per modum vidimus obtinuerunt, quam quae a Ludovico alias Loyse, Hedwigi, Casimiro antiquo, Vladislao secundo Iagellone, et Vladislao [s. 6:] et Vladislao Tertio Iagellonis filio Poloniae et Hungariae, Ioanne Alberto, Alexandro, Sigismundo primo, Sigismundo Augusto secundo, Henrico, Stephano, et Serenissimo olim Sigismundo Tertio, Patre Nostro desideratissimo, anno proxime elapso vita functo, Regibus, et Principibus Poloniae, super quasvis libertates, immunitates, praerogativas, videlicet super ius Teutonicum, seu Magdeburgense atq[ue] Iurisdictionis Civilis, ab omnium singulorumq[ue] quorumvis Iudiciorum, Commissariorum Palatinorum, Castrensium, Terrestrium, Tribunaliorum, et Conventuum Regni G[e]n[er]alium, caeterorumq[ue], subseliorum exemptiones, super Thelonea tam terragena, quam Aquagia, intra Regnum Poloniae et Magnum Lithuaniae Ducatum, Tum et super finitimas quasvis in vim Thelonei cuiuslibet exactiones eidem Civitati N[ost]rae Leopoliensi seruientia, atq[ue] super Pontalia, Aggeralia benigne data, quae praedicta Civitas Nostra liberaliter per Duces, Principes, et Reges Poloniae, Antecessores Nostros concessa, approbata, confirmata et ratificata sunt, et quae hic de verbo ad verbum pro insertis habere volumus, in omnibus et singulis eorum punctis, positionibus, conditionibus, clausulis, articulis, titulis, nexibus, ligamentis, ac toto tenore, de plenitudine authoritatis N[ost]rae Regiae approbanda, ratificanda, renovanda, gratificanda, et confirmanda duximus, quemadmodum praesentium literarum Nostrarum patrocinio, prout Iuris est et usus earundem habetur, innovamus, gratificamus, et confirmamus. Decernentes ipsa omnia et singula in Originalibus literis, ac Privilegiis descripta et contenta, vim et robur perpetuae firmitatis obtinere debere. Insuper in verbo N[ost]ro Regio promittimus, et praesentibus spondemus, eadem omnia et singula, atq[ue] ius Civitatis N[ost]rae Leopoliensis iura, et libertates, praerogativas, ordinationes et consuetudines in eadem N[ost]ra Civitate [s. 7:] Civitate tentas a antiquitus, et observatas. Decreta item et Privilegia, per omnia rata, firma et grata, perpetuo et in aevum habere, et plene, integre ac irrevocabiliter observare, et manutenere, ac eis satisfacere in effectu. Volumus etiam, et promittimus omnes et singulos Cives, et incolas Leopolienses, suburbanos, et villanos ad dictam Civitatem, et Iurisdictionem eius ex antiquo spectantem, et pertinentem, atq[ue] singula eorum bona, tam nomine communi, quam privato tenta, possessa, et realiter cum usufructu apprehensa, ab omnibus iniuriis, violentiis, gravaminibus, et angariis, quibuscunq[ue], quarumvis personarum, cuiuscunq[ue] status, dignitatis, et conditionis atq[ue] Officialium Nostrorum, praecipue Capitaneorum, nunc et pro tempore existentium, defendere, nec alias novas adinventiones in eos adinveniri faciemus, nec quemquam permittemus, sed eos bonaq[ue] eorum in suis metis, limitibus et graniciebus conservando, iuxta antiquam consuetudinem, prout per Antecessores Nostros inclytos Poloniae Reges fuerant conservati conservabimus, et manutenebimus, atq[ue] conservari faciemus. Nulla bona eorum ad Civitatem et Iurisdictionem euidem pertinentia ab eadem Civitate Leopoliensi et Iurisdictione ipsius alienabimus, aut alienari permittemus. In cuius rei fidem et testimonium Sigillum N[ost]rum praesentibus est appensum. Datum Cracoviae in Conventione Generali Felicis Coronationis Nostrae Die Secunda mensis Martii, Anno Domini Millesimo Sexcentesimo Trigesimo Tertio, Regnorum vero Nostrorum [...] Anno Primo. Vladislaus Rex. / Finitus. Datum Cracoviae in Comitiis Augustae Coronationis Nostrae die XIII mensis Februarii Anno Domini MDCXLIX Regnorum Nostrorum Poloniae et Sueciae Primo Anno. Ioannes Casimirus Rex [Nota z prawej strony:] Confirmatio G[e]n[er]alis Privilegiorum Civitatis Leopolien[sis]. [Podpis:] Stan[is]laus Rzeczenb[...] / Regens Cancellar[iae] R[egni] P[oloniae] M[agestatis] [s. 8: Verso / okładka zewnętrzna:] [U góry wpisy atramentem, częściowo zatarte:] area 19 / [nieczytelne] / 77 / 929 / No 12 [Czerwonym atramentem:] Rubrica Ducta Litt. G. No 16to ad Fasc. 101 [Na dole dawna sygnatura:] 9138