225. [Advocates must not betray secrets, or advise both parties, and must swear to obey the laws--on pain of fines, and of being removed from the office of advocate.] 226. [Advocates are to take precedence in order of the seniority of their admission. Penalty: suspension for one year.] 227. [Irrelevant questions are forbidden. Penalty: ten pesos to court-room.] 228. They shall sign the powers of attorney of their clients; and shall not frame their interrogatories in the second instance of a case exactly as on the first hearing, or exactly opposite, under a penalty of six pesos to the court-room; and therewith shall cease the examination of the said powers and interrogatories required from our auditors, in conformity with the new laws and ordinances made by us. 229. [Bachelors may not plead or sit with the doctors and licentiates. Penalty: forty pesos to the court-room.] 230. [Clerks of advocates are not to charge clients fees. Penalty: double the fee, to the exchequer.] _Attorneys_ 231. [Attorneys must be examined and licensed by the court.] 232. [Attorneys and counselors must not agree to prosecute cases at their own expense. Penalty, fifty thousand maravedis.] 233. [The number of attorneys is to be fixed and usual.] 234. [Attorneys must enter no pleadings except for default, conclusion of preliminary process, and the like; and must sign their papers.] 235. [Attorneys must not retain money sent to pay fees and court costs, and must transmit documents to counsel within three days.] 236-241. [These articles deal with the conduct of attorneys in court, and the procedure necessary to institute actions.] 242. [Attorneys must be present to inspect the taxation of costs.] 243. [Petition for a decree is to be assigned to the next meeting of the Audiencia.] 244. Attorneys who ask for documents beyond what the interests of the parties require shall pay six pesos to the court-room, and be imprisoned at the judgment of the president and auditors. This provision shall be valid against all officials. 245. [Names of attorneys of both parties must be entered on all judicial acts and documents.] 246. [Money sent to attorneys for costs must be immediately deposited with the clerk, who shall keep a record.] 247. They shall accept no more fees than shall be regulated by our president and auditors, especially in cases where Indians are plaintiffs or defendants, under a penalty of twice the amount, for our exchequer. 248. [Of notice to parties as to testimony on second instance.] 249. [Documents must be clearly written, without erasure, and properly folded.] 250. [Attorneys may not receive gifts to protract causes.] BIBLIOGRAPHICAL DATA All the documents presented in this volume, except four, are obtained from the Archivo general de Indias at Sevilla, and are translated from our transcriptions of the original MSS. They are located as follows: