In the city of Manila, on the twenty-second day of the month of
January, one thousand five hundred and ninety-nine, the president and
auditors of the royal Audiencia and Chancillería of these Philipinas
Islands, who signed their names to the above act, declared and
proclaimed it in public session. Diego de Mercado and Juan Garcia,
interpreters, were present and were notified.

_Pedro Hurtado Desquibel_




_An act decreeing that the probate judge shall examine the accounts
of guardians of minors in this court._

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 and Chancillería of these Philipinas Islands declared
that, whereas in this court there are many minors--encomenderos,
and others--whose property and effects are in charge of guardians
and curators; and because the said property might be spent and
dissipated without these guardians being able afterward to give
an account thereof to their said minors, which would result to
the great harm and prejudice of the latter: therefore, to remedy
the aforesaid, they resolved, and they did so resolve and decree,
that the common probate judge, now or hereafter, in these islands be
empowered to examine, not only in trust but on the party's petition,
the accounts of all the guardianships and curatorships of minors in
this court, and of the administration and conservation of the same;