be strictly observed, enforced, and fulfilled, they ordered, and they did so order, the said book, for the said purpose, to be made immediately; and when all that his Majesty orders and commands in the said royal ordinance is finished and completed, copies shall be made in duplicate and sent on the first ships leaving these islands for Nueva Espana, to the king our sovereign in his said royal Council.  By this act they so voted, ordered, and decreed.

Before me: 

Pedro Hurtado Desquibel

An act decreeing that the treasurer of the royal exchequer shall collect all the fines that are in any wise imposed by this royal Audiencia.

In the city of Manila, on the nineteenth of December, one thousand five hundred and ninety-eight, the president and auditors of the royal Audiencia of the Philipinas Islands declared that, whereas the king our sovereign, in one of his ordinances, orders and commands the said Audiencia, that the treasurer of his Majesty’s royal exchequer in these islands shall collect all the fines that are in any wise imposed by this royal Audiencia, which are to be applied both to the use of the royal treasury, and to the courts and other judicial expenses; that the chief alguazil of this court shall have charge of executing them; that whatever the said treasurer collects, he is to present immediately to the officials of the royal exchequer; that the aforesaid officials shall place it in the chest with the three keys; that they shall enter in a book all that they may collect from such fines, placing on one side the fines for the royal treasury, and on the other those of the courts; that the aforesaid officials shall take care that charge of them is given to the said treasurer; that the latter, at the end of each year, shall audit the said fines; and that then a succinct report of them shall be sent to the royal Council of the Indias, signed with his name and the names of the other officials, together with the certification of the court notary of this royal Audiencia, of the fines that shall have been imposed:  therefore, in conformity with the said royal ordinance, and in order that its provisions may be strictly enforced, they ordered, and they did so order, that the official judges of his Majesty’s royal exchequer in these islands be notified to observe and enforce thoroughly the provisions of the said royal ordinance of which mention is here made, in toto, without failing in any point, each one in matters concerning him, just as is here declared.  Nor shall the said fines be expended, under any consideration, otherwise than shall be specified by this royal Audiencia, under penalty that whoever shall order them otherwise disbursed shall repay the amount from his own pocket.  By this act they so voted, ordered, and decreed.

Before me:  Pedro Hurtado Desquibel

Bibliographical Data

All documents in this volume—­translated from either the originals or transcriptions thereof—­are obtained from MSS. in the Archivo general de Indias, Sevilla; their pressmarks are indicated as follows: