The Editors

August, 1903.

Documents of 1583-85

Foundation of the Audiencia of Manila (concluded).  Felipe ii; Aranjuez, May 5, 1583.  Two decrees regarding the religious.  Felipe ii; San Lorenzo, June 21, 1583, and Aranjuez, April 24, 1584.  Annual income of the royal exchequer in the Philippines.  Andres Cauchela, and others; Manila, June 15-30, 1584.  Letter to Felipe ii.  Melchor Davalos; Manila, July 3, 1584.  Letter to the archbishop of Mexico.  Santiago de Vera; Manila, June 20, 1585.  Two letters to Felipe ii.  Fray Geronimo de Guzman [Madrid? 1585]; and Fray Jhoan de Vascones [1585?]

Sources:  These documents are obtained from the original MSS. in the Archivo de Indias, Sevilla—­excepting the royal decrees, which are found in the Cronica of Santa Ines and in the “Cedulario Indico” of the Archivo Historico Nacional, Madrid, respectively.

Translations:  The first document is translated by Henry B. Lathrop, of the University of Wisconsin; the second and fourth, by Alfonso de Salvio, of Harvard University; the third, by Arthur B. Myrick, of Harvard University; the fifth, by Jose and Clara M. Asensio; the sixth, by Herbert E. Bolton, of the University of Texas.

Foundation of the Audiencia of Manila (concluded)

Commissioners

251. [Examinations not to be repeated.]

252. Item:  We command that the said commissioners of examination [receptores], and special clerks who go on inquiries, shall not play games of chance, except for articles of food ready to be eaten, on pain of removal from office.

253-259. [Form of entry of witness’s oath; fees charged must be endorsed; cases must be accepted promptly, in due order; absence and accounting for writs; fees received must be recorded; commissions may not be begged for; reports of investigations made out in public form must be given to the parties.]

260-264. [Taxing of charges; discharge of commissioners on completion of commission; commissioners may not be employed if they are relatives of clerks, attorneys, or advocates, or if they have boarded or lodged with them within a year; procedure on second trial.]

265-272. [Procedure in the assignment of commissions; cases accepted must not be thrown up; requests of parties for summoning of witnesses are not to be entered on the record; testimony is to be taken before local magistrates, if so desired; rights of commissioners-in-ordinary and of supernumerary commissioners to assignments.]

273. Item:  A commissioner of inquiry may be appointed as soon as there shall be two court clerks appointed, or even one, that possible frauds may be avoided.

274-277. [Procedure in the event of challenge of commissioner; procedure for appointment of commissioners within and without the five leagues; oath of commissioner for outside cases; commissioners and clerks to take down testimony themselves, with no other person present.]