Decree of Archbishop Wacław Hieronim Sierakowski regulating the distribution of income from the estates of the Lviv Chapter

Wacław Hieronim of Bogusławice Sierakowski, by the grace of God and the Apostolic See, Archbishop Metropolitan of Lviv. To all and singular whom it concerns or may in any way concern in the future, and who shall see, read, and hear this Our letter having the force of a perpetual memorial, greetings in the Lord. The true essence of religion requires the increase of the worship of God, Thrice Best and Highest, the splendor of churches, and the number and presence of the priestly people and servants serving at the altar. Hence, we learn from the books of the Old Law that the wisest of kings, Solomon, by His inspiration built the House of God and filled it with priests and Levites. And when the promise was replaced by the truth, and the old law by the new law, we believers read that He who is greater than Solomon, among the miraculous works of His goodness and our redemption, built the Church, which we now profess, upon a rock, strengthened it with the teaching of the Apostles as foundations, and made Himself the cornerstone, so that it might remain unshaken until the end of ages, and the gates of hell could not prevail against it. Drawing a pattern from this testimony of faith, the great Emperor Constantine, having destroyed the statues of idols and demolished their temples in the lands of the East and West, established, erected, and most generously endowed churches for the honor of the true Divinity. His example was followed by his successors in other parts of the world: orthodox kings, princes, and other faithful zealous for the honor of God, which is clearly shown to our eyes also in this city of Lviv, the metropolis of Rus', to which, after the abolition of the schism, the archiepiscopal see was transferred from Halych and a cathedral church was erected with metropolitan rights, and in it, originally, ten canons were founded, so that thanks to such a holy senate, the greater majesty of this church as the mother and mistress of the entire Ruthenian province might shine, the dignity of its bishop might be more visible, and above all, divine services might be celebrated according to canonical regulations for the honor of God and the edification of the people. To these canons, besides other incomes, certain villages were assigned, from the revenues of which they were to ensure themselves a decent livelihood according to their status. When, therefore, in the course of time, new foundations for new canons arrived, and those new canons, endowed with a sufficient dowry, were received into the body of the chapter and admitted to all prerogatives, shares, and distributions, soon at last, without the support of any law, a custom was introduced that the senior canons chose [by way of option] and held for themselves the villages assigned in the original foundation, contributing nothing from their income to the chapter mass for distribution among the others, and furthermore, collecting their due share from the income of the new canonries in proportion to their residence at the cathedral. For this reason, the canons possessing the aforementioned villages did not care at all about residence at the cathedral, while others, due to meager incomes, were accustomed to leaving it, and consequently, due to the absence of canons, especially on more solemn holidays, divine services suffered and piety weakened, the archbishop was deprived of due assistance, and the people were forced to take scandal from this. Quare, desiring to bring such unnecessary errors to the proper paths of justice and equity and to remove this abuse, our predecessors as archbishops, namely the most illustrious of holy memory Jan Skarbek on the twenty-eighth day of June in the year seventeen hundred and fifteen, and subsequently the most illustrious Mikołaj Wyżycki on the thirteenth day of September in the year seventeen hundred and forty-three, in their reformatory decrees decided and ordered that prelates and canons possessing chapter estates by virtue of seniority should give a third part of the income from the estates held by them to the chapter mass for the meals of the residents. Since these decrees have not been executed until our times, and we, based on the best foundations, although we would not be obliged to follow this somewhat arbitrary regulation of our above-mentioned predecessors and execute it, but rather we would be all the more obliged to induce the holders of those chapter villages, assigned in the original foundation exclusively for daily distributions and the equal share of all, to restore them for this purpose – yet, after considering, reflecting upon, and taking into account the reasons of the Venerable Chapter of our Metropolitan Church, humbly presented to us, and the request for further preservation of it under the old law and custom of making options of the aforementioned villages (subject to our moderation in the spirit of justice and equity), and also keeping in mind that we exercise the duty of a shepherd and at the same time a father, and having regard to the measure of merits laid and to be laid at our cathedral by prelates and canons senior by vocation, so that they might receive some consolation for their labors and merits beyond those younger by vocation, and the latter might be encouraged by the hope of future benefit to similar efforts – we maintain and preserve the aforementioned prelates and canons, now and in the future, in the held and to be held possession of chapter estates and in the custom of option of the same estates. However, in accordance with the above-cited decrees of our most illustrious predecessors Skarbek and Wyżycki (to which, regarding this point, we add the power of our ordinary authority and perpetual durability), we order that they annually on the fifteenth day of January contribute and bring to the chapter mass the third part of the income from the held estates – after their prior valuation and reduction to a fixed, fair annual amount by commissioners, appointed for this first time one each by us and by the Venerable Chapter, and in the future for all eternity appointed and elected every three years, immediately after the Easter holidays, exclusively by the Venerable Chapter itself. And since the estates of Uniatycze with appurtenances, secondly Pikulowice, and thirdly Żydatycze bring significantly greater income than the others, therefore, without violating the rights of their current holders, we oblige and order their future holders, to whom the choice and possession of these will fall after the promotion, resignation, or death of the current ones, to give half of the income. On the other hand, we exempt and release the holders of the deanery jurisdiction of St. John the Baptist in the Krakow suburb of Lviv, as well as certain fields in Prusy, Podberce, and Sokolniki, as they bring too meager and negligible income, from the above-mentioned contribution. Finally, as regards the benefits collected since the years of the issuance of the aforementioned decrees of Skarbek and Wyżycki, according to which and in obedience to which the holders of such chapter estates were obliged to give a third part of the income, and yet until now have given nothing – we, having taken into consideration that the former holders, on whom the duty of return would weigh most heavily, have departed from this world and there is no longer hope or way of claiming that third part, and the current ones have incurred no small outlays and expenses for the benefit of the substance of the estates covered by the option according to the old custom and to some extent in good faith, and consequently most humbly begged us for the remission of that third part, acceding to their requests, out of our benevolence and gentleness, which most recommends shepherds, we graciously forgive, grant, and remit the aforementioned withheld third part of the benefits, regardless of the amount and sum to which it has grown. In testimony of which, we have ordered this letter of privilege, indult, ordination, donation, and remission, signed by our own hand, to be strengthened with our seal. Given in our archiepiscopal palace in Obroszyn, on the second day of the month of March, in the year of our Lord seventeen hundred and sixty-five. Wacław Archbishop [by his own hand] [On the right side at the bottom:] Franciszek Ksawery Załęski, apostolic protonotary of the Most Illustrious Prince Archbishop [...] [...] chancellor [...] [On the reverse:] [Chancery note:] In the year of our Lord seventeen hundred and sixty-five, on the eighteenth day of the month of March. I have read the privilege written inside, submitted to the acts of the general consistory of Lviv by oblation, accepted and entered. So it is, Wojciech Mokrski, canon and cathedral penitentiary, official and judge of the general consistory of Lviv. [Regest:] In which the archbishop decides that a third part of the income from prebendal estates should be given to the chapter mass, and also that new inventories of prebends should be drawn up every three years. [Seal:] [Wax heraldic seal of Archbishop Wacław Hieronim Sierakowski (Dołęga coat of arms under an archiepiscopal hat, cross, and pallium) in a round metal box, suspended on blue silk ribbons. Legend in the border: WACŁAW HIERONIM Z BOGUSŁAWIC SIERAKOWSKI Z BOŻEJ ŁASKI ARCYBISKUP METROPOLITA LWOWSKI...]

Wenceslaus Hieronymus de Bogusławice Sierakowski Dei, et Apostolicae Sedis Gratia Archiepiscopus Metropolitanus Leopoliensis.~~ Universis et singulis, quorum interest, aut in futurum quomodolibet interesse poterit, praesentes Literas Nostras ad perpetuam rei memoriam valituras, visuris lecturis, et audituris, Salutem in Domino.~ Ratio vera Religionis exigit Cultus DEI Ter Optimi Maximi augmentum, Ecclesiarum amplitudinem, Populi Sacerdotalis, et Ministrorum qui Altari deserviant, numerum, et frequentiam. Hinc ex Tabulis veteris Legis didicimus: Sapientissimum Regum Salomonem, Domum DEI, Eo inspirante aedificasse, ipsamq[ue] Sacerdotibus, et Levitis implevisse. Postquam vero figura veritas, et Lex nova antiquae successisset; legimus credentes, Eum, Qui plus quam Salomon est, inter opera Bonitatis suae, et Redemptionis Nostra mirabilia, Ecclesiam, quam nunc profitemur, super Petram aedificasse, Apostolorum praedicatione, tanquam fundamentis firmasse, seq[ue] ut inconcussa ad finem Saeculorum permaneat, adversus quam nec portae Inferi praevalere possint, in lapidem Angularem posuisse. Unde Fidei argumento sumpto Constantinus Imperatorum Magnus, deletis Idolorum simulacris, eorumq[ue] fanis subversis per Orientis, et Occidentis plagas, Ecclesias ad Cultum veri Numinis constituit, erexit, et munificentissime dotavit. Hujus morem secuti posteri per alias Orbis partes Orthodoxi Reges, Principes, aliiq[ue] Fideles, honorem DEI zelantes, prout exemplum oculis Nostris se manifestum obtrudit, in hac etiam Civitate Leopoliensi, Metropoli Russiae, ad quam sublato Schismate, Sedes Archiepiscopalis, Halicia translata, Ecclesia Cathedralis cum Metropolitico jure, erecta, et in eadem Canonici primitivè numero decem fundati, ut tali Sacro Senatu instructa, et ipsiusmet Ecclesia, uti totius Provinciae Russicae Matris, et Magistra insignior Majestas emineret, et sui Pontificis major appareret Authoritas, ac principaliter Divina Officia juxta Canonicas Sanctiones ad DEI cultum, Populiq[ue] aedificationem agerentur. Quibus ultra alios reditus, certi Pagi assignati, ex quorum proventibus honesta sustentationi sua pro ratione status providerent. Cum itaq[ue] successu temporis, nova pro novis Canonicis accederent Fundationes, Iidemq[ue] novi Canonici cum sufficienti dote fundati, in gremium Capituli assumpti, et ad omnes Praerogativas, participationes, et distributiones admissi essent, mox tandem citra assistentiam Juris alicujus inductum est, ut antiquiores Canonici Pagos primava Fundatione assignatos pro se optarent, et possiderent, nihil quidquam ad Massam Capituli de proventibus eorumdem pro iis distribuendis inter reliquos, comportando, quin etiam pro rata Residentia sua circa Cathedram de reditibus novorum Canonicatuum participando. Propterea Canonici dictos Pagos possidentes Residentiam circa Cathedram minime curare, alii vero ob tenues proventus eandem deserere consveverunt, et per consequens propter absentiam Canonicorum, praecipue Festis solennioribus in suis Officiis damnum, et Devotionis diminutionem pati, Archiepiscopus debita assistentia frustrari, populus inde occasionem scandali, sumere cogebantur. Quare ejusmodi devios errores, ad rectos tramites Justitiae et aequitatis reducere, et corruptelam hanc abrogare cupientes Praedecessores Nostri Archiepiscopi, et quidem Illustrissimus pia memoria Joannes Skarbek sub die vigesimaoctava Junii Anno Millesimo, Septingentesimo Decimoquinto, deinde Illustrissimus Nicolaus Wyżycki sub die decimatertia Septembris Anno Millesimo Septingentesimo, Qvadragesimo Tertio Decretis suis Reformationis statuerunt, et injunxerunt, ut Praelati et Canonici ex Senio possidentes Bona Capitularia, tertiam partem proventuum Bonorum a se possessorum, ad Massam Capituli pro refectionibus residentium contribuerent. Quorum Decreta, cum ad Nostra usq[ue] tempora suam executionem non acceperant; et Nos optimis innixi fundamentis licet non teneremur hanc utcung[ue] arbitrariam altedictorum Praedecessorum Nostrorum sequi et exequi Dispositionem; quinimo eo magis obligati essemus Possessores talium Pagorum Capitularium unice pro distributionibus quotidianis et aequali omnium participatione ex primava Fundatione assignatorum, ut Eos ad hunc effectum restituant, stringere. Nihilominus ponderatis, pensatis, et attentis rationibus Venerabilis Capituli Ecclesia Nostra Metropolitana Nobis humiliter expositis, et supplicationi pro conservatione sui ulteriori circa jus et usum antiquum optionum de memoratis Pagis salvo Nostro pro justitia et aequitate moderamine faciendarum, et eo considerato quod rem Pastoris, Patris simul geramus, habitaq[ue] ratione, et mensura obsequiorum circa hanc Nostram Cathedralem per Praelatos et Canonicos vocatione priores positorum, et inpost ponendorum; ut hi aliquod solatium laborum, et meritorum plus ultra vocatione minores accipiant, isti vero ad similia agenda, spe futuri emolumenti alliciantur; dictos Praelatos et Canonicos nunc, et in futurum circa possessionem Bonorum Capitularium apprehensam et apprehendendam, necnon circa usum optionis eorumdem bonorum, manutenemus, et conservamus; ita tamen ut ad mentem Decretorum praeallegatorum Illustrissimorum Praedecessorum Nostrorum Skarbek et Wyżycki (quibus quo ad hoc punctum Nostra etiam Authoritatis Ordinaria, et perpetua firmitatis robur apponimus:) tertiam partem proventuum de Bonis possessis, pravia eorum per Commissarios pro hac prima vice unum a Nobis, alterum a Venerabili Capitulo deputandos, in posterum autem successivis perpetuis temporibus tantum a solo Venerabili Capitulo de Triennio in Triennium immediate post Festa S. Paschatis assignandos et deligendos liquidatione, et ad certam quotam annuam justam reductione, ad Massam Capituli quotannis pro die Decimaquinta Januarii contribuant et comportent. Quia vero bona Uniatycze cum attinentiis, altera Pikulowice, tertia Żydatycze, notabiliores prae caeteris faciunt reditus, ideo salvis eorum modernis Possessoribus, futuros illorum Possessores, quos post ascensum, cessum, vel decessum modernorum eadem optare, et possidere contigerit, ad mediam partem proventuum contribuendam adstringimus et obligamus. Eam autem Possessores Jurisdictionis Decanalis Sancti Joannis Baptistae in suburbio Cracoviensi Leopoli consistentes, necnon certorum lanceorum in Prusy, Podberce, et Sokolniki, utpote nimis tenues, et exiguos reditus facientes, a praefata contributione eximimus et liberamus. Quantum deniq[ue] ad perceptos fructus ab Annis prolatorum Decretorum Skarbecviani et Wyżycciani supramentionatorum, ad quorum tenorem et obsequen[tiam] Possessores Bonorum ejusmodi Capitularium tertiam partem proventuum contribuere obligati fuerant, non tamen usq[ue] ad praesens, quidqvam contribuerunt, Nos considerato eo: quod Anteacti Possessores, quos vel maximè onus restitutionis aficeret, e vivis decesserant, nec spes, aut modus superest repetitionis ejusmodi tertia partis, moderni vero sumptus, et expensas non modicas in commodum fundi Bonorum, antiquo usu, et fide aliquomodo bona per optionem apprehensorum crogarunt, exindeq[ue] pro condonatione ejusmodi partis tertia humillime Nobis supplicarunt, quorum precibus inclinati, de benignitate et clementia Nostra, qua Pastores plurimum commendat, dictam partem tertiam fructuum retentam ad quamcunq[ue] quotam, et Summam ascendentem, gratiose Iisdem indulgemus, remittimus, et condonamus. In quorum fidem praesentes Literas Privilegii, Indulti, Ordinationis, condonationis, et remissionis, manu Nostra subscriptas Sigillo communiri jussimus. Datum in Palatio Nostro Archiepiscopali Obroszynensi hac Die Secunda Mensis Martii, Anno D[omi]ni Millesimo, Septingentesimo, Sexagesimo Quinto. Wenceslaus Archiep[iscop]us [manu propria] [Po prawej stronie u dołu:] Franciscus Xaverius Załęski prothon[otarius] apost[olicus] Celsi[ssimi] Principis Archiep[iscop]i [...] [...] Cancellarius [...] [Verso:] [Nota kancelaryjna:] Anno Domini Millesimo Septingentesimo Sexagesimo Quinto Die vero Decima Octava Mensis Martii. Introscriptum Privilegium legi ad Acta Consistorii G[ene]r[a]lis Leopolien[sis] per oblatam insinuatum, susceptum, et ingrossatum. Ita est Adalbertus Mokrski Canonicus et Poenitentiarius C[athedralis] Officialis et Consistorii G[ene]r[a]lis Leopolien[sis] Judex. [Regest:] Quibus tertiam partem proventuum ex bonis praebimonialibus ad massam Capituli contribuendam, nec non ut singulis trienniis nova Inventaria Praebimoniorum conscribantur statuit Archiepiscopus. [Pieczęć:] [Woskowa pieczęć herbowa arcybiskupa Wacława Hieronima Sierakowskiego (herb Dołęga pod kapeluszem arcybiskupim, krzyżem i paliuszem) w okrągłej metalowej puszce, zawieszona na błękitnych jedwabnych wstęgach. Legenda w otoku: WENCESLAUS HIERONYMUS DE BOGUSŁAWICE SIERAKOWSKI D[EI] G[RATIA] ARCHIEPISCOPUS METROPOL[ITANUS] LEOPOL[IENSIS]...]