ORDINANCES ENACTED BY THE AUDIENCIA OF MANILA
An act decreeing that the Sangleys who are arrested shall pay their creditors within six days, or have their services sold for debt.
In the city of Manila, on the thirteenth of June, one thousand five hundred and ninety-eight, the members of this court, the president and auditors of the royal Audiencia and Chancillería of the Philipinas Islands, while inspecting the prison, declared that, whereas, both in the royal prison of this court and in that of the jurisdiction of the alcaicería [Chinese market] many Sangley prisoners are arrested for debts of long standing, who, by not having the means to pay, or for their own purposes, being thus assured of their sustenance, allow themselves to remain in the said prisons, without making any payment: therefore, since it is advisable to remedy this evil, on account of the great expense incurred by the Confraternity of La Sancta Misericordia for the sustenance of the aforesaid prisoners, and in order that the creditors may be paid, they ordered, and they did so order, that the said Sangleys imprisoned for debts past due be notified that they must pay their creditors within six days, being warned that, if they do not, their services will be sold to anyone who will give enough to satisfy and pay the creditors, and to
