The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898. Volume 24 of 55. Unknown

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 th

1

See Vol. VIII, p. 217, note 32; also Vol. XIII, p. 292, note 39.

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.

5

Fray Hernando Guerrero, a native of Alcaráz, professed in the convent of San Felipe el Real in 1588. After his arrival at the Philippines, he labored in various Bisayan villages (1599–1613). In 1613, he went to Spain, whence he returned in 1617. He went again to Spain and Rome in 1625. In 1628 he was appointed bishop of Nueva Segovia, and, in 1635, archbishop of Manila. His term in the latter office was marked by contests with the Jesuits, and he was finally excommunicated by a secular priest, and then exiled to Mariveles by the governor, Corcuera—only leaving that island on signing certain conditions. He died July 1, 1641, at seventy-five years of age. See Pérez’s Catálogo, pp. 48, 49; and Buzeta and Bravo’s Diccionario, ii, p. 275.

6

Innumerable are the names which might be cited here of religious who have given proofs of the keenest patriotism, defending the islands with the cross in one hand and the sword in the other: Father Agustín de San Pedro, a discalced Augustinian, called “Father Captain” for his prowess against the Mindanao Moros; the no less famous Father Pascual Ibañez de Santa Filomena, Augustinian Recollect, who died while bravely assaulting the fort of Abisi, Jolo, in 1857; the Jesuit, Father Ducos; the fathers of all the orders, especially the Augustinians in the war with the English; the Augustinian fathers who accompanied General Malcampo on his expedition to Jolo in 1875; Father Ramón Zueco, Recollect, of imperishable memory, besides innumerable others.—Coco.

Continuing his note, Father Coco quotes from Father Fabián Rodriguez in Revista Agustiniana for January 5, 1886, the remarkable defense and military record of the Augustinian Father Julián Bermejo in Cebú, from the latter part of the eighteenth century until his death in 1851.

7

Fray Hernando de San José, the Japanese martyr, whose family name was Ayala, was born at Vallesteros, in 1575, and took his vows in the Augustinian convent of Montilla, May 19, 1593. He arrived in the Philippines in August, 1604, and was soon sent to Japan, whence he returned in 1607 to Manila as procurator. On his return to Japan, he labored in various places, and founded the convent at Nagasaki, of which he was made prior in 1613. He was martyred June 1, 1617. See Diaz’s Conquistas (Valladolid, 1890), pp. 76–103.

8

Fray Hernando Morales, a native of Montilla, in the province of Córdoba, professed in the Córdoba convent, and on his arrival at the Philippines was sent to labor among the Aetas in Panay. He was minister of Sibucao in 1611, and of Laglag in 1618, in which year he took charge of San Nicolás de Cebú, going later to Dumalag. He died in the last place in 1647.

Fray Felipe Tallada was born in Estepa, in the province of Sevilla. Professing in the city of Sevilla, he was sent to the Philippines, where he labored in the province of Pampanga at various periods from 1605 to 1645. He was definitor and examiner in 1617, and procurator to Spain and Rome in 1618. His death occurred in Betis in 1645. He wrote a life of St. Nicholas of Tolentino in the Pampanga dialect.

Fray Pedro del Castillo became a conventual of Pototan in 1605, and was minister of Dingle in 1611 and 1633, of Jaro in 1614, of Laglag in 1617, and of San Nicolás de Cebú in 1621. He was also subprior of the convent of San Pablo in Manila in 1623, and minister of Santa Cruz in Ilocos the same year; was procurator-general; and exercised the care of souls in Bacarra in 1626, and in Purao in 1629, dying in 1642.

Fray Martín de San Nicolás was a native of Osma, and made his profession in the convent of Puebla de los Angeles. He was a missionary in Maluco and Japan for some years. While vicar at Guimbal in 1617, he accompanied the troops on an expedition against the Moros of Mindanao. He died at Manila in 1630.

See Perez’s Catálogo.

9

Fray Estéban Carrillo was a native of the city of Écija and made his profession in the Córdoba convent, where he obtained a professorship. On going to the Philippines he spent four years among the highlands of Ilocos.