on the said ships, or withdrawn from them without registration or appraisal.  They shall also be charged that they shall not allow or consent that, while the said merchandise is on the said ships, either the royal officials or their assistants, or any other person—­Spanish, Sangley, or native—­shall take, buy, or transport the said merchandise in large or small quantities, for cash or on credit; but that the merchants thereof, who brought the merchandise from China on the said ship, after making registry and appraisal, may take them ashore freely and where they will, without any obstacle or hindrance from anyone—­with the warning that, if any one of them do not so observe and fulfil this act, he shall be proceeded against with the full rigor of the law.  They ordered that a commission, in due form, be given to the said guards, both in order that they may wield the authority of justice, and that there be no other guards but those who are so nominated by this royal Audiencia; those hitherto acting as guards shall exercise the said duty no longer, under the penalties incurred by those who so act without power or commission in the matter.  This act shall be made known to his Majesty’s officials, and the chief clerk of mines, and the regidors, for those who are at present guards; and it shall be added to the other acts and investigations made by virtue of the said royal decree of his Majesty.  By this act, they so voted, ordered, and decreed.

Before me:  Pedro Hurtado Desquibel

An act decreeing that tribute be collected for the king, our sovereign, from all the Indians found settled and dwelling in this city and within its bounds, who belong to his Majesty’s encomiendas.

In the city of Manila, on the twenty-second of March, one thousand five hundred and ninety-nine, the president and auditors of the royal Audiencia and Chancilleria of the Philipinas Islands examined the petition of the licentiate Geronimo de Salazar y Salzedo, fiscal for his Majesty in this royal Audiencia, that the collectors of the royal tributes of the king our sovereign, in this city and its environs, may collect tribute from all the Indians who are found therein, notwithstanding any obstacle or excuses whatever which may be offered by the said Indians, or by any encomenderos.  Considering that for many years the Indians have dwelt and resided in this city, and that their tribute belongs and pertains to his Majesty, they declared that they ordered, and they did so order, that the collectors of the royal tribute shall collect their tributes from all the Indians found settled and dwelling in this city and within its bounds, who belong to the encomiendas of his Majesty.  The said Indians shall not pay other encomenderos, nor shall such encomenderos collect any tribute from them, under penalty of returning to the said Indians what they shall have collected from them.  In order that the provisions of this act be observed, enforced, and executed, they ordered it to be publicly