and during the interregnum certain long-delayed cases were handed over to the hood court for settlement 1). The sejmik also acted similarly and dealt with certain matters that were urgent, such as releasing certain expiring taxes, at the first meeting. In this way, the querelo, i.e. court councils, sometimes turned into sejmiks, and the deputation sejmik usually became a sejmik for dealing with land matters, i.e. it turned into an economic sejmik. We also have a number of economic resolutions adopted at these parliamentary assemblies2). This was the beginning of the sejmik, later called the economic sejmik, which usually followed the deputation sejmik.
At the same time, another practice developed, following the example of delegating urgent matters during the interregnum to the hood court for settlement. An institution that was in office every year, dealing with all matters related to the treasury, tax control, etc., developed, namely the institution of fiscal courts. This body, elected by the nobility, was commissioned to deal with certain earthly matters that needed to be resolved quickly. In this way, the land tax court, which functions in every land, becomes an institution replacing the sejmiks, or rather a sejmik, because resolutions are passed both in the sejmik and, of course, with the participation of the nobility 3A But this development belongs to the third period, we mentioned it here because it began in the second period and must be considered not only as a symptom of the growth of the sejmik life but also of decentralization cheesecake.
We should also take a look at the attitude of the local council towards the cities, which, as we know, were characterized by great love for the homeland, sacrifice and heroism during this period.
III.
The attitude of the local council towards the townspeople. Other moments of the assembly activities. Characteristic.
It cannot be said that the Wisła council did not develop protection for the cities, even though they did not always want it, and the city of Lviv, as in 1648, criticized the orders of the Wisła council4). However, the sejmik, although he called for the protection of the cities from oppression5), although he paid tribute to the townspeople and called the defense of Lviv from the Cossacks and Tatars famous1), however, as a representative of the land, he took an equally critical position towards the urban economy as the cities took towards it. Some revenues, such as the Czopowe, were given to the land for land defense. The Czopowe from the city of Lviv, amounting to a significant amount, was detached from the sejmik and joined to the city in order to strengthen the city fortifications.
') Ob. No. 7, 9, 10, 18, 20, 23, 250, 251, 257, 258; matters of defense against robbers were dealt with there, the district militia was managed, and loans were taken out. Jj Ob. No. 145, 231, 320. 3) Ob. No. 203, 230, 238. *) Zubrzyck'
Chronicle of the city of Lviv, p. 294. *j No. 151 art. 106. •) No. 144 art. 63.
Already in 1655, the Wiszeń sejmik objected to this order of the sejm and claimed that since the fortifications of the city were not visible, the information about the townspeople's decisions should be returned to the sejmik 1). It was also said that the townspeople were asking the king for confirmation of privileges that were not granted at the sejmik2); so, when the sejmik wanted to strengthen the town presidium in 1657, the townspeople declared through their deputies at the sejmik that they did not need other people on the presidium, and if there was a need, I would have my own urban people3).