Page:The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803 (Volume 11).djvu/58

ninety-nine, the president and auditors of the royal Audiencia of the Philipinas Islands declared that, whereas it has come to their knowledge that in the royal accountancy of the king our sovereign there are, at this very day, many accounts to be balanced and closed of individuals who owe the royal treasury a large sum of gold pesos, and others to whom money is due—whence has resulted, and results, the lack therein of the system and management which should be observed in the said royal exchequer: therefore, in order that on this account no losses may result, and that the matter may receive its due consideration, they ordered, and they did so order, that the official judges of the royal treasury of the king our sovereign, in these islands, within the four months first following the day on which they shall have been notified of this act, shall balance and close each and every account that the royal treasury holds with any individuals of these islands. They are warned that whoever shall not so fulfil and execute his orders, after the expiration of said time, will be charged with everything, and ordered to pay all accounts not balanced and liquidated. By this act they so declared, ordered and decreed.

Before me:

An act decreeing that all the officials of the royal Audiencia shall take copies of the royal ordinances.

In the city of Manila, on the twenty-first day of the month 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 one of the royal ordinances, it is ordered