ABSTRACT

Report oj the Council oj State 2 13 it is possible to make these conquests of heathens who neither disturb nor attack us. That this Pedro Fernandez de ~iros has got it into his head to be a second Columbus, and seeing that from what is aforesaid his design cannot be encouraged, it is not desirable to drive him to despair on account of what he has seen and discovered, and the risk there would be that he might have recourse to Your Majesty's enemies to occupy it; and therefore, taking for granted that it will be best not to discuss this fresh discovery, it is of opinion that this man being so experienced should be retained here as cosmographer in order that he may be of service in marine charts and globes, through the Council of War, for the Council of the Indies does not help him as he has not gone to the Indies by their order, but by that of the Council of State; and in this way everything will be settled, namely, not to make known or publish what this man has discovered, nor to drive him to despair, and to avoid the difficulty about his giving information to the enemies of this Crown, and to retain him and get from him all the profit that may be possible in whatever may arise here in respect of his profession.