The next Book Publish'd in this Collection, will be Diarium Italicum: Or, Singular Remarks upon Ancient Monuments, Collections of Rarities, &c. made in a Journey through Italy: With variety of Cuts and Figure. By the R. F. Bernard de Montfaucon, Monk of the Order of S. Benedict, of the Congregation of S. Maur.
Our Author, Bartholomew Leonardo de Argensola, was a Learned Clergyman, and as such employ'd by the President and Council of the Indies to Write this History. He calls it, The Conquest of the Molucco Islands, without Enlarging any further in his title, tho' at the same time his Work contains their first Discovery, their Description, the Manners, Customs, Religion, Habit, and Political and Natural History; with all the Wars, and other Remarkable Accidents in those Parts, since they were first known to Europeans, till their Reduction under the Crown of Spain. In Speaking of them he Occasionally runs out to give the same Account of the Philippine Islands, and of several others in those Eastern Seas. This is frequent in Spanish Books, wherein we generally find much more than the Titles promise, contrary to what is Practis'd with us, who strive to fill up a Title Page with abundance of Inviting Heads, the least part whereof is Treated of in the Body of the Work, or at best so Superficially, that scarce any more can be made of them there, than was in the Frontispiece.
For the Compiling of this Work the Author, being Employ'd by the Authority abovemention'd, had the Command of all Authentick Manuscript Relations, which were either in the Kings Custody, or in Private Hands; besides the Testimony of such Persons then Living, as had been Eye-Witnesses to any part of what he delivers. His Design was only to Write the Conquest of those Islands, by King Philip the Third of Spain; but considering how few were acquainted with them, and that of Consequence most Readers would be at a loss to know where, or what these Moluccos were, he Judiciously Resolv'd to bring down his History from its proper Source. To this End he begins with the Antient, and Fabulous Original of their Kings; then comes to the Discovery of them by Europeans, and proceeds to the Wars between them, and with the Natives, for the Possession of those so much coveted Dominions.