Note 17 — Chapter VII · THE AUDIENCIA AND THE GOVERNOR: THE MILITARY JURISDICTION

That the consejo de guerra was something more than a (tribunal of) courtmartial and that it actually participated in the administration of military affairs may be seen in the cédula of June 22, 1599, which authorized the local consejo to act with the audiencia and cabildo in restraining the military officials in the provinces from imposing undue exactions on the natives, assessing them too heavily or confiscating their property in the equipment of military forces in time of threatened invasion (Recopilación, 3–4–3).