It is to be observ'd, that it being possitively believed in Spain and the Indies, [Reflection of the Spanish Author.] that none had ever pass'd the Streights of Magellan, since the first Discoverer, except F. Garcia de Loaysa, and one of the Ships sent by Don Gutierre de Vargas, Bishop of Palencia, to the Spice-Islands, it was look'd upon as incredible, that any Pyrates were come into the South-Sea, especially through the Streight, and to the Islands of Ternate, and that Archipelago. This Man was the first that open'd the Passage to the Sectaries Hugonots, Lutherans, and Calvinists, who afterwards pierc'd into those Seas, with Ship Loads of perverted Texts, Heretical Bibles, and other Books of unsound Doctrine; but the Divine Providence has given Proofs, that it is so much Offended at this Hellish Innovation, tho' it permits Idolatry, and Mahometanism, that it has not suffer'd those Souls which through its profound Judgments, lie involv'd in the Shades and Darkness of Ignorance, to imbibe that Poyson, till it sent them the Gospel in its Purity. It has Oppos'd those new Apostacies making use of, as Instruments of Spanish Religious Men, giving Strength to our King, who protects them, his main Design being the Support of Religion. This Truth plainly appears in the many Victories the Church has obtain'd through his Officers, and the Armies maintain'd in the remotest Parts of the Monarchy, for the Propagation of the Faith preach'd to the most distant Indians.
But the better to demonstrate this true Forecast and Care, I think it a [Reason for this Digression.] necessary Digression, so far from being superfluous, to relate the Preparations made by the Viceroy Don Francisco de Toledo, directing his Actions to this End, as became a Minister who follow'd his Princes Designs, in Order to secure himself against Drake's surprizing Celerity and Boldness; for as much of this as concerns the Molucco Islands, obliges us to write it, and we will slightly run over all the particular Passages.