VERGARA y ZAMORAL, Diego Hernandez de, Spanish missionary, born in Jaen, Andalusia, Spain, in 1526; died in Mexico in 1593. He was of noble birth, early entered the military service and fought in Italy till 1549, when he became a Jesuit to escape punishment for having killed a fellow officer in a duel. In the following year he was sent to Santo Domingo, where he studied theology and was ordained priest. He labored afterward in Cuba, in the Tierra Firme, and in Mexico, where he became prior of a convent, librarian and procurator of his order, and was twice sent to Rome to report to the holy see on the American missions. He left two valuable manuscripts, which are preserved in the Vatican library at Rome They are entitled "Litterae annum, ad praeopositum generalem Societatis Jesu, quae stature in provincia Antillensi exponunt," and "Epistolm tres de quadraginta Jesuitis interfectis in Novg Itispang," which recounts the adventures of the first Jesuits that were sent to Mexico.