Letter (number unidentified). To Antonio Gaytan, Alba de Tormes, Seville, July 10, 1575

The foundations at Seville and Caravaca.

JESUS!

May the grace of the Holy Ghost ever be with you, my good founder!

THE muleteer did not arrive until yesterday: God grant the licentiate may be careful about sending him, as he promised me solemnly ! Still, I shall warn him about it again, as I was very preoccupied at the time. I include in the parcel a piece of two for the Prioress, asking her to pay the rest. We are rich now, although we were never really in need of money except when I longed for it most at your departure.

The Archbishop came to see us and granted all I asked; he gave us corn and money and was very

Pius V to appoint Apostolic Visitors for the Order. From the time the Discalced Carmelites established themselves at Seville he favoured them in every way, but the Mitigated stood in awe of him. He died in 1580, with the reputation of being a strict disciplinarian and a friend of the poor. {(Euvres iv, 36). '" The rest of the letter is missing.

gracious. People beg us to take the house and church of Bethlehem; I do not know how we shall decide. The matter is going on extremely well; do not feel anxious about it. Tell the nuns so, and say to my sister that I shall not write to her until I have good news about my brothers. But be sure you write to us, for you know how your letters cheer me.

I am very well; so are the sisters and Prioress. The weather is unpleasantly hot but we can bear it better than the sun in the inn at Albino as we have an awning in the courtyard, which is a great advantage.

I have already mentioned that the same licence has been given for Caravaca as for Veas, so since you have pledged your word, you must find some means of carrying out the foundation. I assure you that, unless the founders themselves fetch the nuns away from Segovia, the matter will remain in its present state. However, until we know how things will go at court, we can do nothing. It seems as though our good friend Don Teutonio would manage the affair successfully. Pray for him and for me and remember me to the Mother Prioress, Sister Tomasina, and San Francisco.'

Let me know how you found your naughty little pickle/ what was the state of your house, whether it had tumbled down, and how your servant is. Remember me kindly to any one you think fitting and abide with God. I am already longing to see you again even though it should cost me the same fatigue. May His Majesty make you as holy as I ask of Him! Amen. To-day is July lo. Your unworthy servant,

Teresa de Jesus.

The Nuncio, after having read the letter I wrote to him at Madrid asking for some friars, said that he had no intention of agreeing to it. Will you be kind enough to call on the Señora Marquesa and let me know how she is, also her sisters, and Doña Mayor.

LXXX

Prefatory note "At the instance of St. Teresa (in her letter to Philip II on July 19) the Nuncio, on August 3 of the same year conceded full patents by which Gracian was named Provincial and Reformer of the province of Andalusia, to reform all the friars of the Carmelite Order in that province, and also Apostolic Commissary of the friars in the province of Castile who observe the primitive Rule' notwithstanding the definitions of the General Chapter.

Bautista (de Perea) niece of Teresa Laiz, foundress of Alba, was professed at Medina and assisted at the foundations of Salamanca, Alba, Burgos, and Vitoria. She was chosen as a foundress in France but died before the plan could be carried out. Maria de San Francisco, professed at Salamanca, was twice Prioress there.