In the city of Manila, on the seventeenth of May, one thousand five hundred and ninety-nine, the president and auditors of the royal Chancilleria of these Philipinas Islands, having examined the information which was referred to this royal Audiencia by Estevan de Marquina, alcalde-mayor of the village of Tondo and its presidio, regarding the custom which the Christian Sangleys of that jurisdiction have among themselves, of receiving and having a great number of godchildren, both Christian and infidel, in order to have them ready for any emergency that may arise, and to employ them as false witnesses—­to which they lend themselves with great facility, and at little cost—­and for other evil purposes and intents, exchanging with them favors and assistance in their affairs; and whereas, on account of these and other causes which have come to light, and as is quite evident from the said information, that district is ruined and divided into factions, and that it would be advisable, for its reform, to suppress this custom of having godchildren, and that they should not continue it, under severe penalties:  therefore, they declared that they ordered, and they did so order, that, now and henceforth, the Sangleys of these islands shall in no manner have or avail themselves of the said godchildren; nor use their names, nor those of any others, in order to have them for their partisans or accomplices in any kind of transaction which might occur, as they have been wont to do hitherto; nor shall they regard them as such, or receive others in their place; and they shall give up immediately all those that they had.  The others who are infidels shall do the same, so that there shall remain no remembrance of the said intercourse—­under penalty that any Sangley, of any rank whatever, who shall be known to have continued it and to have the said godchildren or godparents, shall be condemned to row in the galleys for four years, in a place prescribed, without pay, as soon as they are adjudged guilty thereof.  The said alcalde-mayor of Tondo and its presidio, and all other magistrates whatever, are ordered to take especial care in the fulfilment and execution of this act.  They shall cause it to be published, in order that all persons may know of it, and none plead ignorance—­for which purpose an order shall be given in due form, and this act inserted therein.  Thus they voted, ordered, and decreed.

Before me: 

Pedro Hurtado Desquibel

An act decreeing that the Christian Sangleys, and all those who may become Christians in the future, shall practice and exercise the occupations that they had before they became Christians.