_Authority given by the Cabildo to Diego Hernandez Bitoria, whom they elected attorney-general._ On November [_sic_] nineteen, one thousand five hundred and ninety-one, there met and assembled before me in Manila, Esteban de Marquina, public and cabildo notary of this city, and the magistrates and regimiento of the same--namely, Captain Diego de Castillo, Alcalde Don Francisco de Poya y Guevara, High Constable Antonio de Cariedo, Captain Joan Pacheco, Diego Hernandez Bitoria, and Antonio Garrido de Salzedo. All these regidors met, and unanimously elected and appointed the regidor Diego Hernandez Bitoria attorney-general for them and for this city. They gave him power, as he holds it and justly needs, to draw and present all the claims, petitions, injunctions, evidences, oaths, warrants, and investigations which may be fitting and necessary, and which the said cabildo would, if present, offer, in connection with all the trials and suits, both civil and criminal, which the said city might have concerning its privileges and exemptions; and in whatever process, whether in or out of court, might come before any magistrate and judge of the king our lord. They also gave him power to replace or recall attorneys, and to appoint new ones. They gave him this power, and gave assurance for maintaining it, by signing their names, and by pledging the property and revenues of this city which have been or are to be received. It was signed by Diego del Castillo, Joan Pacheco Maldonado, Antonio de Cariedo, Don Francisco de Poya, and Diego Hernandez Bitoria. Before me: _Estevan de Marquina_ Therefore I have hereto set my seal in witness of the truth. _Esteban de Marquina_ [_Testimony_] _Witness_: _Captain Poyatos_. On May twenty-seven, one thousand five hundred and ninety-one, in the city of Manila, Melchor de Baeca, attorney of this city, presented as witness in the name of the same, Captain Hernando Muñoz de Poyatos, a citizen of this city, from whom he took oath, according to law, upon a sign of the cross, under obligation of which he bound himself and promised to tell the truth. After having been questioned according to the interrogatory presented by the said Melchor de Baeca, he made the following declaration: 1. To the first question, the witness testified that the Portuguese of the city of Macan trade and hold business communication with the Spanish inhabitants of this city and of these islands; that much gain and profit has come and comes to them, and that they have not met, and never will meet any injury for coming to trade in these islands. The witness knows this because he has been in the city of Macan, and has seen that matters are as the question declares them to be. And he believes that they will surely continue thus if the inhabitants of Malaca and other regions of India will continue to trade in these islands. This is his answer.