the advocates and attorneys of this royal
Audiencia shall follow the customs of the natives._

In the city of Manila, on the seventh of January, one thousand five
hundred and ninety-nine, the president and auditors of the royal
Audiencia of the Philipinas Islands declared that, whereas in suits
brought by natives of these islands, wherein they consider in this
royal Audiencia questions of slavery, divisions of inheritances,
slaves, marriage-dowries, and other things, it is fitting that the
advocates and attorneys of this royal Audiencia follow the customs
of the said natives, observed formerly and now in the said suits:
therefore, in order that they may be observed as his Majesty orders,
and that to that end they may keep a copy in their possession, in order
that they may know and observe them, they ordered, and they did so
order, that the said advocates and attorneys in all suits at present
pending in this royal Audiencia, as in those which shall be brought
and continued henceforth, touching the said natives, shall approve and
adhere to the said customs which the Indians were thus accustomed to
follow and do follow; and they shall take a copy of the said customs
which are set down in the books [1] of the royal Audiencia resident in
these islands. They ordered that all the aforesaid persons should be
notified of this act, in order that they may observe and execute it,
under penalty of the loss to the parties; and, besides that, their
consciences were charged with it, and it was declared that they would
be judged guilty for any laxity or neglect which should thus occur. By
this act it was so decreed, and they ordered it to be registered.

_Don Francisco Tello_
_Doctor Antonio de Morga_
The licentiate _Tellez Almazan_
The licentiate _Albaro Cambrano_

Before me:

_Pedro Hurtado Desquibel_

_An act declaring that no use shall be made of the tariff made by
this royal Audiencia._

In the city of Manila, on the seventh of January, one thousand five
hundred and ninety-nine, the president and auditors of the royal
Audiencia of the Philipinas Islands declared that, whereas it has been
provided and ordered that the court clerk and other officials of the
Audiencia and ordinary courts shall collect their fees in conformity
with the tariff of the royal Audiencia of the City of Mexico in Nueva
Espana: therefore, they ordered, and they did so order, that this be
observed and executed exactly as the king, our sove