Page:The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803 (Volume 11).djvu/79

An act decreeing that secretaries of this court and government may be attended by slaves with swords.

In the city of Manila, on the thirteenth of May, one thousand five hundred and ninety-nine, the president and auditors of the royal Audiencia of the Philipinas Islands declared that, whereas, in conformity with the decrees and ordinances given by his Majesty for his royal Chancillería of Nueva España, residing in the City of Mexico, and for other audiencias throughout the Yndias, he orders that secretaries of the court and the government shall have, as a retinue and guard, slaves with swords, conformably to the dignity and gravity of their office: therefore, in order that the same be done in this court, in regard to the secretaries of this court and government, and in order to preserve the preëminence and exemptions which they may and should enjoy here, they ordered, and they did so order, that, now and henceforth, the said secretaries of this court and government may freely bring into this court, as their retinue, the said slaves with swords, according to the usual custom in the said royal Chancillería of the City of Mexico, and other chancillerías of the Yndias, without the interposition—by any person, of whatever estate, quality, or rank—of any hindrance or impediment whatever, under the penalties provided by law. Thus they voted, and ordered it to be recorded as an act, and signed it in my presence.

An act decreeing that the Sangleys shall not be allowed to have godchildren, on account of the injury which may result therefrom.

In the city of Manila, on the seventeenth of May,