[2] Fray Juan de Montesdoça went to Mexico with his parents who gave him a good education. He professed in the Augustinian convent in 1575, and went to the Philippines in 1582. He quickly mastered the Pampanga dialect, and ministered in the villages of Bacolór (1590), Mexico (1593), and Macabebe (1596). He was elected subprior and procurator of the Manila convent in 1594, provincial secretary in 1597, and prior provincial in 1599. He was missionary at Apálit in 1602, and prior of Guadalupe in 1605. He died at Malate in 1612, having gone thither in 1608. See Pérez’s Catálogo, pp. 30, 31.
[3] Fray Mateo Mendoza, born of noble stock, was intended for the profession of arms. Having gone to the Philippines, he was received into the Augustinian order at Manila in 1575. He was sent to Mexico to receive holy orders, as there was then no bishop in the islands. He was missionary at Malolos in 1580, Arévalo (in 1584), San Pablos de los Montes (in 1586), and Pórac (in 1594). Although elected definitor-general in 1596, he resigned that office to go to Japan. Returning to Manila in 1598, he became first definitor in 1599, and presided at the provincial chapter in 1602; and labored at Parañaque in 1603, and Tondo in 1605, dying that same year.
Fray Agustín de Tapia was a native of Burgos, and professed in the convent at the same city. He had charge of the mission which arrived at Manila in June, 1595; was preacher and confessor in September of the same year; preacher-general in 1597; missionary in Panay in 1599; at Guagua in 1601; definitor and prior of Cavite in 1602. He died in 1604.
For brief sketch of Fray Bernabé Villalobos see vol. xxiii, note 32.
Fray Diego Cerrabe was a native of Burgos, professing in the convent of that city in 1584. On going to the islands he became confessor and preacher in 1595, examiner in 1596, and lecturer and minister at Pásig in 1600–1602, going to Europe as definitor of the general chapter in the last year, and probably remaining in Spain.
Fray Pedro(not Diego) Salcedo was born of an illustrious family in Mexico, and took his vows at that city in 1583 at the age of twenty-five. He went to the Philippines in 1598, where he exercised the care of souls in Bay in 1600, in Hagonoy in 1607 and 1617, in Bulacán in 1614, and in Malolos in 1618. He was definitor in 1602 and 1608, and prior of Manila in 1605 and 1611. His death occurred at Malolos in 1619.
Fray Juan Bautista de Montoya was a native of Castilla, and after professing at the convent in Burgos went to the Philippines, where he was subprior and master of novitiates in the Manila convent (1581–1583), and missionary in Cagayán (1583–1586), after which he returned to Manila, but the same year went to Macao, where he remained until 1591. He acted as definitor that same year, and afterward was missionary at a number of villages, where he lived a busy life, his death occurring in 1632. He wrote sermons in Tagál, and translated the catechism into the same language, and wrote a history of the Augustinian order in the Philippines.
Fray Francisco Serrano professed at San Felipe el Real in 1574. After going to the islands he labored at Macabebe, Lubao, Candaba, and Guagua until 1596, when he was appointed provincial secretary. At the end of his term in that office, he was chosen subprior of the Manila convent, visitor, and finally definitor. He died in 1613.
The above notices are taken from Pérez’s Catálogo.
[4] Fray Pedro Solier was born in the town of Barajas in 1578, and began his studies in Toledo. Me entered the Augustinian convent at Salamanca in 1593, where he remained until 1598, when he went to the Philippines. He was appointed provincial reader, and retained that office until 1603, when he returned to Spain as commissary procurator. After three years he went again to the islands, laden with honors; and after ministering for two years at Bacolór, was elected provincial in 1608, governing until 1610, when on account of the deposition of Fray Lorenzo de León, he went to Spain to give a report of that matter. He was appointed bishop of Puerto Rico in 1614 and took possession of his see in 1615. In 1619 he became archbishop of Santo Domingo. He died in 1620. See Pérez’s Catálogo, p. 57.