«Convinced and Interested in Gifts»: The Trial of the Nobleman's Servant Jan Pelygrymovskyi in 1623

Abstract

The article raises the problem of enmity among the Volyn nobility in the second half of the 16th – the first half of the 17th century. The place of a nobleman in society, according to the early modern law is analyzed. It is indicated that on the territory of Europe at that time, and therefore also in Volyn, legislative bodies secured a privileged place for the nobility, protecting their personal freedoms and rights, which had a direct impact on the formation of the values of the noble community. It was emphasized that belonging to the society elite did not guarantee a safe and conflict-free life, which was closely related to noble needs that required constant contact with other members of society. The interpretations of the szlachta conflict in historiography are analyzed. It is stated that the majority of historians see the connection of this phenomenon with the nature of the early modern state, and with the features of the social order. The point of view according to which excessive conflict was a consequence of improper functioning of the executive branch of power, which created a field for social confrontations was highlighted. It has been established that in historical research this aspect is interpreted as characteristic of the culture of that time and such that in the perception of the nobility itself, it looked like regularity in which it knew how to navigate, reacting to each subsequent gesture and new stage of the conflict. The caveats regarding acted materials pointed out by Maria Bogucka and the approaches to work with the historical source, Jerzy Topolski drew attention to, were analyzed. All of the above aspects are considered from the local history angle – the case of the murder of the Volyn nobleman Hryhorii Bylynskyi and the trial of the accused. The behavior and statements of the szlachta during the trial, which took place in September–October 1623 in the Lutsk court, were analyzed. Jan Pelygrymovskyi`s motives in committing the crime are highlighted and analyzed. The involvement and interest in its implementation of a possible customer of a murder – Martyn Bohush, was traced. Possible versions of the murder are highlighted and the course of the trial is shown. Attention is drawn to the facts that despite the presence of two versions of the murder in the sources, this does not simplify the task of interpreting the event itself, and even complicates it, since we often do not have necessary evidence at our disposal. In order to cover all possible aspects of the murder, the importance of patron-client and family relationships was considered. Attention is drawn to specific manifestations of the everyday culture of this time, which shed light on szlachta customs in Volyn in the second half of the 16th – the first half of the 17th centuries.