[Member of the said Council, at that Time.] The Earl found the Council fill'd with zealous and grave Men; the Lords Benedict Rodriguez Valtodano, Peter Bravo de Sotomayor, Alonso Molina de Medrano, Knight of the Order of Santiago, or S. James the Apostle, James de Armenteros, Gonzalo de Aponte, Don Thomas Ximenes Ortis, Don Francisco Arias Maldonado, Benavente de Benavides, John de Villagutierre, Lewis de Salcedo, and Ferdinand de Villagomez; all of them qualify'd by Extraction, noted for Learning, and having taken the highest Degrees in it. These were Counsellors, and the last of them Solicitor General of that Assembly. To which also belong'd John de Ybarra, Knight of the Order of Calatrava, and Commendary of Moratalaz, and Peter de Lodesma, the King's Secretaries. In the Places of the Licenciates, Molina de Medrano, and Gonzalo de Aponte, whom his Majesty afterwards employ'd in his Royal Council of Castile, and in those of some who dy'd, his Majesty, at several Times put in the Licenciates, Lewis de Salcedo, Gudiel, and Don Francis de Texada y de Mendoza, Doctor Bernard de Olmedilla, and John de Ybarra, &c. All these amidst that Multitude of Business they dexterously dispatch'd, laid all their main Designs, for the restoring his Majesty's Monarchy to its Fulness, in those utmost Limits of it; a Project suitable to the Genius of the new President. He enquiring into the general and particular Posture of all Things then depending, met with that of the Molucco Islands, and finding it of Consequence, and almost forgotten, inclin'd to give it a helping Hand.
[Br. Gaspar Gomez informs the Council.] Much about this Time, Brother Gaspar Gomez came into Spain, being sent by Don Pedro de Acunna, to solicite that Enterprize. The Brother at several tedious Audiences, gave the President full Information of all that concern'd the Molucco Islands, their Wealth, the great Treasure Spain has expended in Attempts to recover them, to restore persecuted Christianity, where it had been so much receiv'd; and what Consequence it was, that this should be done by Way of the Philippine Islands. The Earl undertook that Cause, as such ought to be supported, and consulted about it with the Council, with the Duke of Lerma, and most particularly with the King's Confessor. He never desisted, till it was brought to bear, and in such a Forwardness, that it might be effectually dispatch'd. The Members of the supream Council, with the same Zeal, and considering the repeated Disappointments of this Enterprize, forwarded the Expedition, and all of them agreed that Don Pedro de Acunna should undertake it in Person. This favourable Disposition of theirs, was fully confirm'd, by the News brought a Year after, of the ill Success of the united Forces of India under Furtado, and those of the Philippine Islands, under Gallinato. It was writ by Don Pedro de Acunna, describing it to the Life, with Duplicates for his Majesty, and the prime Ministers, and though he left much to Brother Gaspar Gomez, he was very particular himself.