Page:The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803 (Volume 11).djvu/55

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1599–1602]
ORDINANCES OF AUDIENCIA
51

pired, the case shall be decided. If any of the parties shall appeal, the original process shall be sent to the Audiencia; because in this way the said natives will avoid heavy expense and cost, and the cases will be more quickly decided. In criminal cases, no other form of process shall be used than that which is appointed for civil cases.

Third. Item: If the suit be to the amount of three pesos, or less, the judgment shall be so summary that only the substance of the whole matter is to be written, together with the decision, in a report. The original shall be retained by the notary, and if either of the parties shall desire an authenticated copy, it shall be given them as a safeguard of their rights. And in suits for the said amount, only one real, and no more, may be collected between judge and notary.

Fourth. Item: That if the judge shall attest the testimonies in any civil or criminal suit by flourishes and signatures that he may make, he cannot collect any fees; since there are none due him except for the acts that he shall draw up and sign.

Fifth. In order that the said instructions be exactly observed and fulfilled, they declared that they order, and they did so order, the alcaldes-in-ordinary and the notaries-public to be informed thereof, and testimony thereof to be sent to all the alcaldes-mayor, whose consciences they declared they charged, and they did so charge, with the fulfilment thereof. Furthermore, in the residencias which shall be taken from them, he who shall not have fulfilled this decree, or caused it to be fulfilled, shall be punished and with great rigor. So they provided, ordered, and decreed.

Before me: Pedro Hurtado Desquibel

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