Letter (number unidentified). To Mother Mary Baptist, Prioress, Segovia, September 11, 1574

OF VALLADOLID

The S>iiint regrets that she ca?iJiot visit Vallado lid. Money difficulties conneSied with the foundation at Segovia. A message to Father Medina.

JESUS ! May the Holy Spirit be with you, my daughter!

THE letter I am sending to the Father Master Domingo will inform you of what is happening, and will show you that God has so ordered matters that I cannot visit vou. I assure you that it grieves me deeply — very deeply indeed, for the sight of vou is one ot the things capable ot consoling and cheering me now-a-days. Yet the pleasure would soon have been over, as all things are in this life, and bearing that in mind, I hnd all vexations easy to endure.

Give my love to my dear Casilda' and Maria de la Cruz. I am much disappointed at not seeing them. God will make an opportunity some day for my paying you a longer visit than would now be possible. Take care of your health for you know its importance and my grief at hearing that you are ill, and strive to be a great saint, as you need be to bear all your trials. I am not suffering from the quartan ague just now; when God wishes me to do any work He gives me better health at once.

I start from here at the end of the month, and I fear that even then I shall not leave the nuns in a house of their own, as the arrangement made with the Chapter was that we should pay them six hundred ducats at once. Though we have a quitrent of six hundred ducats belonging to a very good novice, we can find no one who will accept its reversion on any terms. Will you pray about it for I should be exceedingly glad to leave the sisters in a home of their own. If the Señora Doña Maria has paid you the money, it would be a very good thing it you would stand security, as the affair is perfectly safe and a profitable investment. Let us know whether you can, or whether you know any one who would, or who would lend us money on good security, worth over a thousand.

Pray for me because I have to undertake a long journey in the winter, for at the end of this month at the latest, I must go to the Incarnation.' If you require anything, write to me before I start and do not grieve over not seeing me. Perhaps you would grieve still more at seeing me so old and worn out. Remember me kindly to all my sisters. I should very much like to see Isabel de San Pablo. The canons of Segovia have tried us all severely; God forgive them for it!

Endeavour to find some one who will — I do not say give, but kfid me a few reales until I receive some part of the sum my brother sent me which they say has already arrived, for I have not a penny and could not possibly go penniless to the Incarnation. There is no way of getting any here as every maravedí must be used in fitting up the convent — so get me something, little or much.

Two very suitable girls have been proposed to us as choir nuns. Each would bring with her more than two thousand ducats, which would pay for the house that has cost four thousand ducats besides the six hundred for the canons, and even then there would be a large sum left. I tell you this that you may thank God tor His mercy, and for sending us such good postulants.

1 knew nothing about Señora Doña Maria's affairs: write to her enclosing a kind message from me and perhaps she may send me something. Thank God, my Father, Fray Domingo, has arrived in good health.

If by any chance the Father Master Medina should be in your city, kmdly send him the enclosed letter, as the Father Provincial tells me that Father Medina fancies 1 am annoyed with him on account of a letter he wrote me. Father Domingo ought to remember what he told the other person, although 1 have said nothing about it. Our Father Visitor stated that she was already professed, but that her dowry only amounted to a thousand ducats. Let me know how she goes on and what our Father says about her. However, as she is in his Order, he will be patient with her.

Was the letter I wrote a short time ago delivered to you? It is wrong of you to write so seldom, knowing as you do how glad I am to hear from you. God be with you. I am deeply disappointed at not seeing you, as I still hoped to do. To-day is September 11. Yours,

Teresa de Jesus.