Confirmation by King John Casimir of the rights of the Lviv Dominicans to the water supply

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 to all and each one whom it may concern: That just as Our Most Serene House and Our Divine Predecessors placed the care of ecclesiastical matters above even the great affairs of the Kingdom, so We, from innate virtue, following in their holy footsteps, also strive with daily examples [to prove] how great is the piety by which We are led in upholding the worship of God and protecting and expanding the Catholic faith, and how much We favor the multiplication of goods, as well as the freedoms, privileges and immunities of churches and monasteries, and strive for their growth. And therefore, since a request has been submitted to Us in the name of the friars preachers of the Lviv convent at the church of the Most Holy Body of Christ, that We might deign to approve and strengthen with Our Supreme royal authority the right and deed for the water supply granted to them by the Lviv magistrate in the manner described below, and confirmed by a proper privilege of Our Most Serene Parent of holy memory. The literal content of which privilege and right follows and is as follows: Sigismund III, 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. We hereby announce to all and each one whom it may concern: That a parchment document has been submitted to Us, signed by the hand of the Illustrious Mayor and Councilors of the City of Lviv, mentioned below in the body of this document, and with two seals under blue [wax], both the general one of the same City of Lviv and the private ones of the aforementioned magistrate and the same commonalty, [concerning] the water supply on city lands at the foot of the mountain [...] for the benefit of their convent brother by those same venerable fathers of the Order of St. Dominic residing at the church under the invocation of the Most Holy Body of Christ, granted whole, intact and undamaged, free from any suspicion, and we were requested to deign to approve and confirm this document with Our Royal authority, and the tenor of this document is as follows: In the name of the Lord, amen. For the eternal memory of the immeasurable God and mortals. Since it is experienced from abundance that the friar preachers of the Order of Saint Dominic in the city of Lviv, settled for many years at the church under the invocation of the Most Holy Body of Christ, have grown in great stature, not only cultivating piety and the propagation of the worship of God, and hence the salvation of souls through numerous labors, we surround them with special kindness and grace, [...] and we greatly strive to increase their benefits and ornaments. Therefore, when the aforementioned venerable fathers approached Us with a request that we cede and assign in perpetuity the water supply on city lands at the foot of the mountain [...], abounding in pure, gushing spring water, built by those same friar fathers at their own expense, Therefore We, the Mayor and Councilors of this City, considering that the friar brothers, servants of St. Dominic [...] have brought to the same city of Lviv the greatest piety [...] in propagating the glory of God in the heavens, by prayers and supplications they erase the sins of the City and help [...], the aforementioned water supply [to] the Reverend Father Brother Stanisław [...] at that time and act of the City to those same friar fathers and brothers, now and in the future existing, with all the water sources, canals, vaults, appurtenances and in general [...] of the City we have allowed forever, as we indeed jointly and actually give, transfer and assign for the future and for eternity, and for all time without any exception [...] with the intention towards them that the illustrious Lviv councilors, now and in the future, in the name of great gratitude will accept this with a pure heart rather as a proof of respect than of what good they have done, wishing prosperity to the City, and finally with holy prayers and sacrifices to God they will make the Divine Majesty gracious and [...] appeased, and before the Turks and Tatars, the cruelest enemies of the name of Christ, as the City is exposed to frequent invasions of barbarians, they will bring a shield and defense with pious vows and prayers; so, however, that [...] the friar fathers, beyond their own use, make the perpetual outflow of this water available to our city Armenians [...] under the act of this day accepted into the acts of the same City by perpetual right and make them participants in the benefit granted to them at present, without any detriment to that water. [...] to Christians, so that this gift defined and limited in the manner mentioned above [...] of the City, and anyone else's will never be violated, and signed hereby by the hand [...] to preserve the fidelity and authority of their ancestors and [...] to preserve them constantly in an equal course in the manner mentioned above, and they will possess our full pure and irrevocable gift for all time. Given in the Lviv town hall on Wednesday, on the very day of the feast of the month of July in the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred and thirteen. Paweł Dominik Kłosowic, Mayor of Lviv, in his own name and by the matter of the noble [...] by his own hand. P. Erazm Syxt, physician and Lviv councilor, by his own hand. Alfons Belle Ordinationis, Lviv councilor, by his own hand. Marcin Mikołaj Pianus, doctor, Lviv councilor, by his own hand. Stanisław Niewiarowic, Lviv councilor, by his own hand. Marcin Korzeniewski, Lviv councilor, by his own hand. Melchior Zachtyry, Lviv councilor, by his own hand. We therefore, the said King Sigismund, graciously acceding to the request of the aforementioned convent, due to Our [kindness] for the friars of the Order of St. Dominic, have deemed it appropriate to approve and ratify it in all its points, clauses and articles, as we also approve, ratify and confirm within the limits of the law by this Our document, deciding that it should obtain its perpetual force. In witness whereof, this document, signed by Our hand, we have ordered to be strengthened with the Crown seal. Given in Warsaw, on the 11th day of the month of November in the year of our Lord 1628, of Our reign in Poland the 42nd, and in Sweden the 37th year. Sigismund, King. Place of the hanging seal. Mikołaj Gembicki, secretary of the most illustrious [chancellor], by his own hand. WE THEREFORE, John Casimir, King of Poland and Sweden, graciously acceding to the request of the aforementioned, having regard also to the fact that these same friar preachers maintained this water supply of theirs throughout the past time with such care, skill and expenditures, that even [...] Czarniecki and the Muscovites, although all other water supplies of the City were destroyed by the enemies, yet this water supply of the Friar Preachers remained and survived intact, and supplied water to the entire population [...] remaining, we willingly deemed the above-written matter of Our Most Serene Parent, and the consent or donation of the Lviv magistrate inscribed therein, worthy of approval in all points and conditions [...], as we also approve and confirm by the power of this joint acquisition in writing with Our Royal authority, supplementing any deficiencies, if any should appear, namely the words of the commonalty of the same City of Lviv or any others that might ever arise, from the fullness of Our royal power, we preserve those same friar preachers of [the same] convent in this use of water with the existing authority, and let this document signed by Our hand obtain the force of perpetual durability and let it be actually implemented by our Lviv starosts serving at the given time, as well as by the magistrate and the entire commonalty. In witness whereof, this document, signed by Our hand, we have ordered to be strengthened with the Crown seal. Given in Lviv, on the 26th day of the month of May in the year of our Lord 1663, of Our reign in Poland and Sweden the 15th year. John Casimir, King [Note on the right side at the bottom:] Confirmation of the rights of the Friar Fathers of the Lviv Convent of St. Dominic under the invocation of the Most Holy Body of Christ to the water supply serving [them]. [Secretary's signature:] Stefan Hankiewicz, Secretary of His Royal Majesty, by his own hand [Note in the bottom right corner:] By the effort and labor of the very venerable and religious father Jacek Rzeczkowski, Doctor of Sacred Theology, Prior of the Lviv Convent of the Most Holy Body of Christ of the Order of Preachers. [Seal:] [No seal; preserved multicolored silk seal cords threaded through the file] [Verso:] [Note:] King Casimir's confirmation of the water supply [...] [Note:] Privilege [...] [Date:] 1650 [or 1656?] [Signatures:] No. 20; Letter F; No. 10; .10.; 10 [Note:] King Casimir's confirmation for the water supply [Signature:] Registered under no. 335. [Signature:] Fascicle I. No. = 1643 [or 1673?] [Note at the edge:] From the privileges of the [...] Lviv Convent of the Dominicans [...]

IOANNES CASIMIRUS Dei gra[tia] Rex Poloniae, Magn[us] Dux Lithuan[iae], Rus[siae], Prus[siae], Masouia[e], Samogitia[e], Liuon[iae], Smolen[sciae], Czerniechouiaeq[ue]; nec n[on] Suec[orum], Gottor[um], Vandalor[um]q[ue] haer[editarius] Rex. Significamus praesentibus literis nostris quorum interest universis & singulis. Quòd quemadmodum Serenissima Domus Nostra, D[ivique] Praedecessores Nostri, magnis quoque negotiis Regni primarie rerum Ecclesias[ticarum] curam, anteponebant curas, ita et Nos ex innata virtute, sanctis eorum inhaerentes vestigiis etiam quotidianis id comprobare [conamur?] exemplis, quanta in prosequendo Divino cultu, fideque Catholica protegenda et amplianda ducimur pietate, et quantum augendis pariter bonorum, prout et libertatum, Privilegiorum, immunitatum, Ecclesiarum et Coenobiorum favemus ac studemus incrementis: Ac ideò cum Nobis nomine Religiosorum Praedicatorum Conventus Leopolien[sis] ad Ecclesiam Sacratissimi Corporis Christi existen[tium] supplicatum sit, ut ipsis Jus ac inscriptionem per Magistratum Leopoliensem super ductum aquae modo infrascripto collat[um], et per Regulare Privilegium à Serenissimo Divoe memoriae Parente Nostro confirmat[um], etiam Suprema authoritate Nostra Regia approbare et consolidare dignaremur: Cuius quidem Privilegii et Juris tenor de verbo ad verbum sequitur et est talis. Sigismundus III Dei gratia Rex Poloniae, Magnus Dux Lithuaniae, Russiae, Prussiae, Masoviae, Samogitiae, Livoniaeque, nec non Suecorum, Gottorum, Vandalorumque haereditarius Rex. Significamus praesentibus literis Nostris quorum interest universis & singulis. Exhibitas Nobis esse literas pergameneas, manu Famosi Proconsulis et Consulum Civitatis Leopoliensis, inferius in contextu isto literarum specificatorum subscriptas, et duobus Sigillis subcaeruleis, tum generali Civitatis ejusdem Leopoliensis quam privatis, dicti Magistratus et eorundem communitas, aquaeductum in fundis Civitatis ad radices montis [...] pro parte fratris sui conventus ab eorundem Religiosis Patribus Ord[inis] S. Dominici ad Ecclesiam tituli Sacrat[issimi] Corporis Christi consisten[tium] concessione sanas salvas et illaesas, omnique suspitione carentes, supplicatumq[ue] Nobis esse, ut easdem literas authoritate Nostra Regia approbare et confirmare dignaremur, quarum literarum tenor est qui sequitur. In nomine Domini Amen, ad perpetuam immensae Dei et mortalium memoriam. Cum abunde experiatur Religiosos Praedicatores Patres Ord[inis] Sa[nc]ti Dominici in Civitate Leopoliensi ad Ecclesiam tituli Sacrat[issimi] Corporis Christi ab annis plurimis fundatos magno crevisse augmento, non solum pietatem Divinique cultus propagationem ac inde salutem animarum sedundis excolendis compluribus labores, singulari favore ac benevolentia complectimur, [...] commodis et ornamentis obtendendis dare est plurimum studemus: Quamobrem cum a Nobis petierint dicti Patres Religiosi Patres, [qvod?] ductum in fundis Civitatis ad radices montis [...] puro fontis suae scaturien[tis] abundantem per eosdem Fratres Religiosos Patres sumptu proprio extructum concederemus et in perpetuum attribueremus, Nos itaque Proconsul et Consules Civitatis huius considerantes, quod Religiosi fratres institoris S. Dominici, [conteg?] Leopoli Civitati eidem maxima pietatis [...] in caelo Divini propagando adcreverunt, suffragiis et execrationibus noxas Civitatis expiant, juvantque [...] aquae nominatum ductum Thomas R[everen]di Patris Fratris Stanislai [...] tempore ac Actus Civitatis Civitatis Religiosis Patribus et Fratribus nunc et in futurum existentibus cum omnibus ejusdem aquae fontibus, canalibus, fornicibus attinentiis et generaliter [...] Civitatis in perpetuum permisimus, prout quidem iam commune et de facto ipso damus et conferimus ac attribuimus, in futurum et in perpetuum ac in aevum absque ulla exceptione [...] erga ipsos effect[u] complacere, eam suam Famosi Consules Leopolien[ses] nunc et in futurum existentes Religiosos Patres ac Fratres, nomine gratitudinis ma[gnae] hoc quoque observantia potius, quam bene fecerunt argumentum puro animo acceptaturos Civitati bene futuros, ac denique sanctis apud Deum precibus ac sacrificiis Numen Divinum propitium atque [...] placatum reddituros, ac praesidium contra Turcas et Tartaros Christi nomini immanissimos hostes, quippe in Civitate frequentibus barbarorum incursionibus exposita votis et supplicationibus piis allaturos esse, ita tamen [...] Religiosi Patres citra usum suum perpetuum defluxum huius aquae Civitatis nostris Armeniis [...] sub actu diei praesentis ad Civitatis eiusdem acta perpetuo suscepto extat communicent et beneficii sibi ad praesens concessi sine quovis eius aquae praejudicio participes faciant. [...] Christianis, tum ex donationis praesentem concessionem modo praemisso determinatis atque limitantis [...] Civitatis quam cuiusque nullo unquam existente subamovebimus praentibusque subscriptis manu [...] fidem et authoritatem Maiorum suorum observari et [...] eorumdem aequo cursu modo praemisso perenniter conservari, et plenam Donationem nostram puram et irrevocabilem perpetuis temporibus sint habituri. Data in Praetorio Leopoliensi feria quarta ipso die Festo Mensis Julii Anno Domini Millesimo Sexcentesimo Decimo Tertio. Paulus Dominicus Klosowic Proconsul Leopol[iensis] suo et actu Nobilium [...] nomine m[anu] p[ropria]. D. Erasmus Syxtus Medicus et Consul Leop[oliensis] m[anu] p[ropria]. Alphonsus Belle Ordinationis Consul Leop[oliensis] m[anu] p[ropria]. Martinus Nicolaus pianus Doctor Cons[ul] Leop[oliensis] m[anu] p[ropria]. Stanislaus Niewiarowic Consul Leopol[iensis] m[anu] p[ropria]. Martinus Korzeniewski Consul Leop[oliensis] m[anu] p[ropria]. Melchior Zachtirius Cons[ul] Leop[oliensis] m[anu] p[ropria]. Nos itaque praefatus Sigismundus Rex supplicationi praedicti con[ven]tus benignè annuentes, pro Nostra erga Religiosos S. Dominici Ordinis in omnibus punctis suis, clausulis et articulis approbandam ratificandam esse duximus, prout quidem quantum de Jure est approbamus ratificamus et confirmamus praesentibus literis n[ost]ris decernentes easdem robur suum perpetuum obtinere debere. In quorum fidem praesentes manu Nostra subscriptas Sigillo Regni communiri jussimus. Dat[um] Varsaviae die XI Mensis Novembris Anno D[omi]ni MDCXXVIII Regnorum Nostrorum Poloniae XXXXII, Sueciae XXXVII Anno. Sigismundus Rex. Locus Sigilli pensilis. Nicolaus Gembicki Secretarius Illustr[issi]mi m[anu] p[ropria]. NOS itaque Joannes Casimirus Poloniae & Sueciae Rex supplicationi memorat[orum] benignè annuentes, eoque attento, quod iidem Religiosi Praedicatores hunc suum ductum aquae, toto anteactorum temporum tractu tanta cura, arte et expensis foverint, ut etiam [...] Czarniecki et Moschos, licet adii omnes ductus aquae Civitatis per hostes intercepti fuerant, is vero tamen Patribus Praedicatoribus aquaeductus intactus fuerit manseritq[ue], et totum populum [...] manentem aquis suppeditaverit, libenter suprascriptam Serenissimi Parentis Nostri rationem et in ea consensum seu Donationem Magistratus Leopol[iensis] inscriptam in omnibus punctibus et conditionibus approbandam [...] censuimus, prout quidem vigore huius emp[ti]onis communis per scriptum Authoritate Nostra Regia approbamus et confirmamus, defectus omnes in quantum aliqui experirentur et aliquo nominatim verba communitatis Civitatis eiusdem Leopol[iensis] seu quocunque alioqui quandoque poterint ex plenitudine potestatis n[ost]rae Regiae supplentes, eorundem Religiosorum Praedicatorum [iidem?] Conventus circa eundem usum aquae eousque illos autoritate conservamus, praesentesque manu Nostra subscriptas perpetuae firmitatis robur obtineat et a Capitaneis n[ost]ris Leopolien[sibus] pro tempore existentibus, tum et a Magistratu et tota communitate in reali habeatur exequutione. In cuius rei fidem praesentes manu Nostra subscriptas Sigillo Regni communiri iussimus. Datum Leopoli die XXVI Mensis Maii Anno Domini MDCLXIII Regnorum Nostrorum Poloniae & Sueciae XV Anno. Joannes Casimirus Rex [Nota po prawej stronie na dole:] Confirmatio Jurium Religiosorum PP. Patrum Conventus Leopoliensis S. Dominici tituli Sacrat[issi]mi Corporis Christi super aquaeductum servien[tem]. [Podpis sekretarza:] Steph[anu]s Hankiewicz secr[etari]us Reg[iae] M[aiesta]tis m[anu] p[ropria] [Nota w dolnym prawym rogu:] Cura et labore Adm[odum] R[eve]ndi et Rel[igiosi] P[at]ris Hyacinthi Rzeczkowski S. Th. D. Prioris Conventus Leopolien[sis] SS. Corporis Christi Ordinis Praedicatorum. [Pieczęć:] [Brak pieczęci; zachowane jedwabne sznury pieczętne przewleczone przez plikę] [Verso:] [Nota:] Aquaeductu Confirmatio Casimiri Rex [...] [Nota:] Privilegium [...] [Data:] 1650 [lub 1656?] [Sygnatury:] No 20; Litt. F; No 10; .10.; 10 [Nota:] Confirmatio Casimiri Regis super Aquaeductum [Sygnatura:] Consignat[us] Nro 335. [Sygnatura:] Fasc. I. N. = 1643 [lub 1673?] [Nota przy brzegu:] Ex Privilegia Conventus [...] Leopoliens[is] Dominici [...]