proclaimed in this city and its limits, in both the Tagal and the Castilian languages.  They committed the execution and enforcement of it to the official judges of the king our sovereign in these islands.  The aforesaid president and auditors also ordered that, if any persons claim to have any right contrary to the matter herein contained, they are to appear before this royal Audiencia, to petition before it for whatever is fitting in their case.  By this act they so voted, ordered, and decreed.

Before me:  Pedro Hurtado Desquibel

An act decreeing that the alguazils, as soon as they arrest delinquents, shall give notice thereof to one of the auditors and to the commissioners, who shall formulate their cases and bring them to the office of the clerk of court.

In the city of Manila, on the third of April, one thousand five hundred and ninety-nine, the president and auditors of the royal Audiencia of the Philipinas Islands declared that, whereas it is continually happening that the alguazils of this court arrest delinquents whose cases the notaries and commissioners undertake, and, without giving notice to the aforesaid president and auditors, or taking such cases to the office of the present secretary, they allow them to remain in their possession, and the said prisoners to remain in jail, without any note or account of their imprisonment, whence result vexations to the said prisoners, and the said alguazils and commissioners do not fulfil the obligation which rests upon them:  therefore, to find a remedy for this and other annoyances which may result from it, they ordered, and they did so order, that now and henceforth, as soon as the said alguazils shall arrest any delinquent, they shall give notice thereof to one of the above-mentioned persons, in order that he may take the fitting action in regard to the said imprisonment.  Any commissioner who shall undertake the cause of said prisoner or prisoners shall immediately take it to the office of the present clerk of court, so that in this manner there may be the necessary system.  Whatever one or the other may do shall be despatched with all promptness and punctuality, and no favor—­under penalty of a fine of six pesos for anyone who shall disobey this decree, to be given the poor in the prison.  By this act they so voted, ordered, and decreed.

Don Francisco Tello Doctor Antonio de Morga The licentiate Tellez Almacan

Before me: 

Pedro Hurtado Desquibel

An act decreeing that the royal officials shall give Doctor Antonio de Morga three hundred pesos from treasury fines, for ornaments and other things necessary for the chapel.