The Contract for Orliny near Grodwiec

In the year of Our Lord, 1784 day 5^th of May, from the will of our the Honorable Lord Franciszek from Stadnicki Count and Starost of Ostrzeszow, knight of order of St. Stanislaus, my Lord and heir of Grodziec and Krolikowo properties with adjacent territories, I am giving a contract to the honest Boguslaw Krol who as mayor will undertake the settlement in place called Orlach (Orliny).

With this contract I allow the mayor free clearing of land and construction of households there along with his neighbors, whose names and surnames will be listed in this contract. I recommend construction of households, cowsheds and barn. At the latest after second year from taking over the place, the latter buildings should be standing; after signing the contract, the mayor is obligated to oversee this work.

If a farmer taking huba or a half of it has no wood in his property suitable for his buildings, then I swear with this contract to find and designate the place where from he would bring wood special for his household. With this contract, I allow each farmer receiving a huba or a half-huba, that all theirs is wood in their huba. Also with this contract when building all their households, oaks then should not be destroyed. I swear with this contract that it all happened with will of his Honorable Lord Heir mentioned in this contract, that nowadays and former (farmers, settlers) will have a Wolnica – tax exemption from rent and tributes for seven years.

Seven years after St. Martin’s Day in current year 1784, that is the following year 1792, on St. Martin’s Day the rents per huba will be 76 () of salt, 4 wiertels* of oats, 2 geese or the money for geese, and one duty on all these and former (older) settlers. I allow with this contract all farmers residing in Orly free pasture towards Krzyzowiec (Krzyzowka?) and boundaries of Trabczyn.

It is enacted also with this contract that honest Michal Arynt will keep an eye on all farmers taking over huba, so that as first households were built. It is mentioned in this contract and required all obedience of mayors with lay judges to the court and communities to mayors and lay judges and the court. If there is a farmer found who is disobiedient, then the court owes him an ordinary prize (punishment). The lay judge and mayor with this contract has the permission to reconcile fairly all neighbors disturbances, but if whichever side would feel aggrieved, I allow with this contract the grieved for appeal to the court.

It is warned that whoever wants to sell their huba or a half-huba with buildings before the lapse of 7 years, it should be done with awareness of the court, because tenth grosz belongs to the Honorable Lord Heir. It is reminded with this contract that there will be Lord’s liquor there, so that other one is not used, as penalty would then be (executed) with harm. It is reminded with this contract that whichever farmer would farm for a different place, they will be penalized with fine of 10 Thalers.

Both parties sign this contract voluntarily. The Honorable Lord Franciszek from Stadniki Stadnicki Count and Starost of Ostrzeszow, knight of order of St. Stanislaus, heir of Grodziec and Krolikowo properties with adjacent territories, swear to receive the law to introduce the contract. It happened on 5^th of May year of our Lord 1784,