To Don Francisco Thello, my governor and captain-general of the
Philipinas Islands. Through God's grace, the affairs of those
islands are daily assuming greater proportions--both because of
the many exploring expeditions by which that island and the others
of that great archipelago are becoming settled; and because of the
Chinese trade and commerce, which likewise are a cause of increase
in the consequence of affairs there. Hence, in matters of justice,
there should be such expedition as is desirable, without its being
necessary for the parties to go to the City of Mexico, in order to
carry on their cases--thus spending and consuming their means in these
long voyages, or else running risk of losing their rights. And also,
if you are disengaged from matters pertaining to justice, you will
have more time for matters of government and war; or in important
and arduous cases you may find it advisable to have those with whom
to take counsel, that matters may be considered with the requisite
continuity and by a sufficiently large body of advisers. For these
reasons, I have decided to reëstablish an audiencia in that city of
Manila, as in former years. You shall be president thereof, holding
this office with the offices of my governor and captain-general. My
purpose in advising you thereof is that, having taken note of it, you
may do all that is requisite for the establishment of the Audiencia and
the receiving of my royal seal. This must follow the same procedure
which would be observed in the reception of my royal person. [27]
Accordingly, as soon as you shall hear of its arrival, you shall go
to receive the seal, accompanied by the auditors, the fiscal, all the
soldiers in military array, the citizen encomenderos, my officials,
and all others in public positions. The said seal will be contained in
a box borne under a canopy, the supports of which shall be carried
by the regidors of the city. The box will be borne by a horse,
richly caparisoned, and having on the two sides of its hangings,
which must be of brocade or silk, two shields bearing my royal arms,
the face [of the horse] being covered with cloths [a frontal] of the
same [material]. You, with your retinue, shall precede the canopy,
and the soldiers in military array, with their captains, under rule
and command of the master-of-camp as general, shall follow it. All
of you shall go straight to the cathedral with bared heads, where
the archbishop will be waiting, clad in his pontifical vestments,
together with all his clergy. He shall go to the door, where you and
all the people shall stop. Then you shall take the box in both hands,
and shall approach the altar, near which in the principal chapel
there shall be a chair of state. There you shall place the box, and
the archbishop shall repeat his prayers, beseeching our Lord to direct
the founding of the said Audiencia for His good service, and the pure
administration of justice. After the ceremony, the archbishop and his
assistants, and the clergy, shall remain there, while you shall take
the box again and place it on the horse, which must always be led by
the chief constable of the Audiencia, in person and on foot, and with
head bared. You shall then proceed with the same assemblage to my royal
houses, where you shall deposit the said seal in a suitable place. Then
you shall enter upon the proceedings for installing the Audiencia, and
together with the auditors and fiscal you shall establish it. This day
shall be occupied solely with examining the ordinances of audiencias,
with taking the oath from the said auditors, fiscal, and assistants,
and with an address from you, in which, in my name, you shall charge
them to exercise their offices faithfully, and to maintain peace
and harmony among themselves; and you shall enjoin the inferiors
to observe respect, secrecy, and diligence. Thenceforth you shall
proceed according to the usual form of the other audiencias of these
kingdoms and of the Yndias. Given at El Pardo, November twenty-sixth,
one thousand five hundred and ninety-five. [28]
_I The King_
By order of the king:
_Juan Ybarra_
Signed by the president and members of the
Council.
[_In the margin at the beginning of this document_:
"To Don Francisco Tello, governor of the Philipinas Islands, in
regard to the establishment of the Audiencia, and the receiving of
the royal seal."]