Letter 44. To Doña Juana de Ahumada, Alba de Tormes, Convent of the Incarnation, Avila, March 9, 1573

Don Lorenzo s speedy return. Commissions given by him.

Jesus be with you !

THOUGH I did not write by that messenger I was very glad he was there to take you my brother's letter, which was delivered to me during Vespers. Thank God, he is well, and we can now feel assured of his return as you will learn.

God grant that Señor de Ovalle's health is good ! As this carrier is thoroughly trustworthy, you should send me a few lines in return. I am well, as I understand that you are, thank God!

You ought to obtain the security as soon as possible and take possession of the sum my brother mentions. I do not know where the town is of-which he speaks, nor whether it is far away; my brother will know. But take care to lose no time, as they say couriers go to Madrid almost every day. Try to find this Flores, who must be pleading his cause, and then you can send the message immediately. May God dired: all these matters and make you very holy ! The letter you mention seems to be from a brother-in-law of Sayo, our uncle Ruy Sanchez. I will try to forward a letter to you by him, for he will certainly come to Avila, and you too must be sure to write to me. To-day is March 9. Give my love to my little ones. To your Reverence from

Teresa de Jesus.

XLVII

Prefatory note

St. Teresa had frequently written to Philip II. but her letters have been lost. The licentiate, Juan de Padilla, was a zealous priest who enjoyed the confidence both of St. Teresa and the King, and had been entrusted by the latter with the reformation of the religious houses of Andalusia. The Saint had probably asked him to beg Philip to regulate some foundations made in that province against Rubeo's decree and without his knowledge. The facts are stated in the notes to the Acta Capitulorum as follows:

present and former provincials of that province, (Alfonso Gonzalez and Angelo de Salasar), on condition that they were to be under obedience to the provincial of Castile from which they were never to withdraw themselves ... he also wrote special Constitutions to be observed by these friars. (See appendix i and 2 to the Book of Found.)

Antonio de Heredia and St. John of the Cross, having joined St. Teresa's Reform, founded the first Priory at Duruelo in 1568, which was transferred to Mancera on July 11,1571. The second priory was erected on July 13,

1569, at Pastrana, by the hermit Mariano Azaro and Baltasar Nieto, (cousin to Gaspar and Melchior) who took the habit and were soon after joined by a large number of friars from the Mitigated houses of Castile and Andalusia. Rubeo, hearing of this, wrote on August 8,

1570, decreeing that the Discalced were under the rule, visitation, and correction of the provincial authorities, and that they might neither transfer friars to their priories nor change their Constitutions. He granted their priors and socit active and passive voice in the provincial chapters. (Ibid, appendix 4.) He also forbade the reception, except by a written order from himself, of friars from the province of Spain or Portugal, especially the rebellious and contumacious Andalusians, Gaspar and Melchior Nieto, Ambrosio de Castro, Juan de Mora, and their accomplices. However, friars from Portugal and Castile who were not fugitives and who bore with them letters of dismissal might be received with the consent of the Provincial of Castile.

Hitherto Rubeo had favoured the Discalced and had gradually relaxed his restrictions regarding them, allowing one foundation to be made in Andalusia. But shortly after, having received news of what was being done in that province, he changed his mind. (See introduction to Letter of May 27, 1571.) The reasons were as follows : Pedro Hernando, Visitor of Castile, conducted matters on the lines laid down by the General and gave him notice ot what was being done so that no difficulties arose in Castile between Rubeo and the Discalced, but matters were otherwise in Andalusia where Francisco de Vargas was Apostolic Visitor.

Vargas seems to have known Mariano de Azaro personally while the latter was living at the hermitage of Tardo. (See Book of Found. Introduction xxxii, 7.) Finding that he was now a Discalced Carmelite at Pastrana

Vargas ordered him in virtue of obedience to convert a house belonging to him in the suburbs of Seville into a Discalced priory, as Mariano had refused the houses formerly offered him by the Visitor for that purpose. (Nov. 2 1, 1 57 1.) However the Discalced refused to found new houses on account of the limited number of the religious. But, as two friars, formerly belonging to the Caked communities of Andalusia, but who had now joined the Pastrana priory, happened to come from Seville to Cordova, Vargas gave them the Caked priory of San Juan de Puerto. (Oct. or Nov. 1572.) Meanwhile, Gabriel de Peñuela(or'of the Conception') a Caked Carmelite, formerly Vicar of the priory of Utrera (see St. Teresa's letter of June 18, 1575) having taken the Discalced habit at Pastrana by the advice of Fray Diego de Leon, returned home and erected a priory at Peñueía. At the same time, Baltasar de Jesus (Nieto) went to Granada, and in the name of the Discalced Carmelites accepted a hermitage near the Aihambra offered by the Count de Tendilla. This having been settled, Vargas, now made Prior of the Dominicans at Granada, chose Baltasar as Superior and Visitor of the three priories of Andalusia — San Juan de Puerto, Peñuela, and Granada.' (April 28, 1573. Acta Capit. Gen. Vol. L p. 513-14. Also Introduction to Found, p. xxiv-xxxii.)

St. Teresa, while at the convent of the Incarnation, was not wholly informed as to what was being done, as appears from the letter of June 18, 1575, nor did she approve of any foundation being made without the General's knowledge and consent. In her letters she expresses her regret that he should only have learnt of what was done through the Caked Carmelites in the summer of 1574.