Letter 25. To Diego Ortiz, Toledo, Salamanca, March 29, 1571

Arrangements about the rights of the Ramirez family respeSling the convent.

JESUS!

MAY the Holy Spirit ever dwell in your soul and repay you for your kind and charitable letter! It would not be waste of time if you wrote to me often, for we might encourage one another

' Isabel of St. Paul, a novice at the Incarnation, left it with St. Teresa for St. Joseph's. She assisted the Saint in the foundations at Toledo, Pastrana, and Segovia, and died in 1584. {Life, xxxvi, 23.)

in our Lord's service. His Majesty knows how I long to be at Toledo and that I am trying to purchase a house here as soon as possible: no easy matter though there are plenty to be had cheaply enough. I trust God that the affair will be quickly settled. Did I yield to my wish of seeing Señor Alonso Ramirez, I should be very expeditious indeed. I kiss his hands and Señora Francisca Ramirez'.

Your church must be a great satisfaction to you, since the reports about it so delight me. May our Lord preserve you for many a long year to rejoice in the service you have rendered Him! Leave the matter to His Majesty, and do not be so impatient to see the work completed: He has blessed us greatlv during these two years.

I do not understand what they say about the parish priest and the chaplains — of St Justa I suppose.? Will you kindlv explain the matter. I am not writing to Señor Ramirez because it is needless to trouble him, I am sending you a letter as I cannot repay my debts to you and your friends, I entreat our Lord to reward you, to preserve you to us for many years, and to make your little angels very holy, especially our patron, for we need that he should become a saint. May His Majesty ever have you in His keeping! To-dav is March 29.

Your Honour's unworthy servant,

Teresa de Jesus, Carmelite.

■ After the church was opened at Toledo, a child who entered exclaimed: ' Blessed be God, how beautiful it is!' The Saint overhearing him, said to her nuns: 'This praise of God from the mouth of a little angel repays me for all my trouble.'

XXXII

Prefatory Jiote