Oath of Doctor Antonio de Morga.  “Do you swear by God our Lord, and upon the holy gospel, that as auditor and judge you will obey the commands which publicly or privately the king our lord may give you, and will observe his royal ordinances, both those which are given by the royal Audiencia and chancilleria, and those which may be given in the future; and that you will maintain the sovereignty, the territory, and the provinces of the king our lord in every way; and that you will not reveal the secrets of the royal judgments, or others which are to be kept; and that you will avoid in all ways and by all means any losses which might occur to the king our lord; and that likewise you will faithfully expedite and decide the pleas which may come before you in this royal Audiencia and out of it, conformably to the laws of these realms; and that you will not leave the path of truth and right either for love, hatred, ill-feeling, fear, gift, promise, or any other cause, nor receive favors or stipends from any grand council or corporation, for any plea which may be brought before you to determine?” He answered, “I do so swear.”  “If you act thus, may God aid you; but if otherwise may He require account from you.”  He answered, “Amen.”

When this was done the above-mentioned lieutenant-governor arose, and seated himself in the said halls of court.

In the said order the other honorable auditors and the fiscal of his Majesty were called, received, and put under oath, and likewise the other officials of the said royal Audiencia, each one taking the oath conformably to each of the offices.  And when this was finished, in the form above stated, the said lord president gave a general instruction in the presence of all, in which he charged the said honorable auditors to strive for peace and harmony, and the increase of the royal exchequer, and to take care to attend punctually to their duties, and to keep the secrets of this royal Audiencia, whereby his Majesty would be served.  In his name he thanked them, as well as the citizens and others present.  He charged them with the respect which is due to the said royal seal, and to the commands of the said royal Audiencia; and asked me, the present clerk of court, to give a testimonial thereof.  Forthwith he commanded the articles establishing the royal Audiencia to be read.  As they were not new (for some of them had been read), he ordered that this cease; whereupon the said Audiencia rose from session for this day.  To all which I bear witness.

Pedro Hurtado Desquibel, clerk of the court.

[Attestation]

This copy is certain and truthful, having been corrected and compared with the said book from which it was copied.  In order that this may appear, I have made the present copy at the request and command of Don Francisco Tello, knight of the Order of Santiago, governor and captain-general of these islands, and president of the royal Audiencia here, in the city of Manila, on the twenty-eighth of June of the year one thousand five hundred and ninety-eight, being witnesses