his parents were juan nadal cerbuna, "alguacil" or sheriff of the spanish inquisition and bailiff of fonz, and of isabel del negro y de ejea. he studied at the universities of huesca, valencia, lérida and salamanca, where he gained his doctorate in theology in 1563. the following year he was ordained priest at lérida. he later held several ecclesiastical positions such as professor of theology and vicar general of the diocese of lérida, canon penitentiary and visitor to huseca and canon and vicar general to the archbishop of zaragoza (1583-85).