reign, commands;
and that the said officials may not use the tariff which the Audiencia
made concerning the said fees, which is to be withdrawn. No one of
the persons herein mentioned shall collect fees in conformity with
it, under the penalties imposed upon those who collect excessive
fees. This act shall be made known to all the officials whom it
concerns. So they declared, ordered, and decreed.

Before me:

_Pedro Hurtado Desquibel_

_An act decreeing that the alcaldes-mayor shall not make collections,
nor shall they be given to the official judges; and that the collectors
appointed must be approved 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,
on account of the alcaldes-mayor of the provinces of these islands
collecting, personally or by their agents, the tributes from the
natives in their jurisdiction who pertain to the royal crown,
by commission granted therefor by the officials of the royal
exchequer, there have resulted many injuries and inconveniences,
both to the said natives and the said royal exchequer: therefore,
because it is necessary to avoid the said injuries, and apply a
remedy to the aforesaid evil, they ordered, and they did so order,
that the officials of the royal exchequer of the king our sovereign
should be notified, so that in no way or manner, now and henceforth,
shall they grant the collections, directly or indirectly, to the said
alcaldes-mayor, nor shall the latter have any part of that which is
granted to the collectors. Therefore, the said collectors shall take
oath in due legal form, that they will make the said collection,
taking it for themselves alone, without granting any part to the
said alcaldes-mayor. The latter shall not collect the tribute under
penalty of deprivation of their offices. The said collectors shall
deliver in kind to the royal exchequer the tributes that they shall
collect from the said natives, unless the said officials shall order
otherwise, for the augmentation of the royal exchequer. And in order
that the collectors sent may be fit and proper persons, it is ordered
that those appointed to the office by the said royal officials shall
present themselves before this royal Audiencia, in order that they
may be there approved. The said royal officials shall cause this to be
done, under