Letter (number unidentified). To Don Rodrigo de Moya, Carayaca, Seville, February 19, 1576

Business affairs at the convent of Caravaca. The Bishop's licence.

JESUS! May the grace of the Holy Spirit be with you!

YOUR letter was a great comfort to me. Things are in a very different state from what we imagined: God be praised for it all! I was extremely surprised about the Mother Prioress/ and should have felt annoyed had she ailed in any way against your will. I understand, more or less, her motive for speaking as she did, for she thought she was telling the truth. As I could hardly believe it, I wrote asking you what you had seen. The Mother Prioress repeatedly declares how much she owes you, what a comfort you are, and how kind to her in every way.

I am not vexed about the price of the house, nor need you be. I never hesitate to pay a third more than the property is worth for a convent in a good situation, and have sometimes given half as much again. Considering the importance of a favourable site for the convent, it would be a mistake to look at the cost. I would willingly give far more than the price of this house for water and a good view. Thank God for your success !

Do not worry about the provisor, for, as you say, he is not the chief authority.' The convent is founded with the authorization of the Council of Ordinances and the King's permission. His Majesty has shown me great favour on account of his high esteem for our houses. For want of this authorization, the foundress of the Veas convent waited vainly for twelve years for leave to found a community of another Order. A house established as ours is cannot easily be abolished, so there is nothing to fear.

They will deliver to you with all despatch the documents which I think are necessary, except the one mentioned in my letter to Señor Miguel Caja which I will forward to you soon. If I do not, it will be because the Bishop is going there as he announced to me by letter to-day. He will be in a most favourable mood and ready to accept the foundation without delay, for he is a perfeót gentleman, and has relations and friends who would second me with him in every way, so there is no cause for anxiety.

The mistake has been in not letting me know at once about the difficulties; I had so often written to say that I would never found without the Bishop's permission, that I made sure they possessed it, or I should have seen to it before coming here. This permission is requisite. I have stated here that the nuns have an annuity of seven hundred ducats, as the Mother Prioress wrote to tell me. I find it is corred: and the Bishop has been informed of it. If this is insufficient, the sum might be completed by the addition of the dowry, however small, of some nun they admit. All will come right; do not distress yourself about the matter: perhaps our Lord wishes us to suffer a little. At first I felt misgivings about this foundation because it had been made so peacefully, for we always have to undergo trials in the convents where God will be greatly served because the devil is angry at it.

I was exceedingly glad to hear of the improvement in the health of our sister and señora.' God grant it may last for many years, and may He watch over you and the señora Doña Constanza! I kiss both your hands again and again.

To-day is Septuagésima Sunday. Your unworthy servant,

Teresa de Jesus.

' Francisca de la Cruz (de Cuellar), daughter of the addressee and his wife, Luisa- de Avila.