Letter (number unidentified). To Mother Mary Baptist, Prioress of Valladolid, Seville, April 29, 1576

Lorenzo de Cepeda has to seek refuge. Trials at the convent of Seville brought about by two novices who had left the house. God punishes the calumniators. Virtues of the nuns at Seville. The title of Don. The Saint's affeSiion for her brother. Minor ?natters.

JESUS!

May the grace of the Holy Spirit be with you, my daughter!

THE courier leaves to-morrow but I did not intend to write to you as I had no good news to give.

But to-night, just before closing time, they sent to tell me that the occupant of the house is willing to let us enter on the day after to-morrow, the feast of Saints Philip and James, which makes me think that God intends to comfort us in our trials.

Forward this letter as soon as possible to the Prioress of Medina who will be feeling very anxious about what I told her in my last, though I was far from exaggerating our troubles. I assure you that, since the foundation of St. Joseph's, Avila, I have undergone nothing in comparison with these. When thev become known, people will see that I am right in saying this. It will be by the mercy of God if we come through them successfully, as it is evident that we shall. The injustice, the falsehoods, and the duplicity one meets with here are astonishing. I assure you that the Andalusians deserve their ill name. Blessed be God, Who knows how to draw good from everything! In the midst of all these troubles I have felt an extraordinary joy.

My brother was here, or the matter might have been fatal to us. He has had much to endure, but has been so generous with his alms and so courageous that we thank God for it. The sisters may well love him for he has been our one help: every one else has only added to our troubles. He has sought sanctuary on our account : there was a great chance of his being shut up in the town gaol which is like hell. The whole thing is utterly unjust: they ask us to pay what we do not owe, and take him for surety.' The matter will be settled when we appeal to court, for the claim is quite baseless. Lorenzo was glad to suffer something for God. He is in the Carmel with our Father, for troubles rain on him like hail, and although I do my best to keep him from knowing our trials, he feels them more than his own, as is right.

I will give you an idea of them. You know what I told you in my letter had been said about us by a novice who left us;" yet that is nothing

compared to the accusations she has made since, as you may feel sure. Without any motive she has gone more than once to repeat them to those to whom she has denounced us. This has been told us by the person whom the Inquisitors summoned. As for me, I assure you that God has granted me the grace to live in a state of extreme happiness; the thought of the great harm that might result to all our houses could not stop my overflowing joy. It is a great thing to have a good conscience and liberty of spirit.

The other novice who left us entered another convent. I was told for certain yesterday that she had gone out of her mind solely on account of having quitted us. How great are the judgments of God, Who defends the truth! Now people will realize what crazy things she said: for instance, that we tied the nuns hand and foot and flogged them — and would to God she had said nothing priest who heard her confessions to leave. To palliate her own fault, she accused the nuns of heresy. Their examination by the Inquisition dragged on for several months. Father Gracian says that the chief charge was that the Prioress heard the nuns' confessions and absolved them. This arose from the custom of the sisters' occasionally giving her an account of their prayer. On discovering the truth, the inquisitors blamed the priest for his mistake, took the community into their favour and asked Father Rodrigo Alvarez, S.J. to examine the spirit of the Saint.

One day, when Father Gracian went to the convent, he was terri-fied at seeing the carts of the Inquisition waiting outside to take away the' nuns, while the officials were busy searching the convent, and the priest was watching them at the corner of the street. St. Teresa only laughed, saying: 'Well and good. Father! let them burn us all for Christ's sake, but never fear lest any of us should err from the Faith, for by God's grace we would rather die a thousand times.' [Jound. ch. xvii, 19, and note.)

worse ! She made a thousand other charges, bringing most serious accusations against us. I see clearly now that the Master wished us to suffer trials which would be to our advantage in the end. Do not let your daughters grieve — it is my wish. On the contrary, I hope that I and my companions shall be able to leave Seville dire¿tly we have entered our new house, as the Franciscans have given no further trouble, and even if they should, they can do no harm when once we have taken possession.

The nuns in this house are grand souls, and I am amazed at the courage of the Prioress: she is briver than I am. I think my presence has helped the community as the blows have fallen on me. The Prioress is very clever; in fad:, I consider her wonderfully suited to Andalusia. How necessary it was to have picked nuns for Seville!

I am well now, although my health has been very bad. That syrup gives me life. Our Father is out of sorts, but is not feverish; he does not know that I am writing to you. Pray for him and ask God to bring us safely through all our difficulties. I believe that He will. Oh, what a year I have spent here!

Now to come to your advice. As for the prefix Don it is borne in the Indies by all who keep servants, but I asked Lorenzo not to call his boys by that title when he returned, and gave him my reasons. He agreed and everything was arranged quietly, but when Juan de Ovalle and my sister arrived, my arguments were overruled. I do not know whether they are planning to adopt the title for their own son. My brother was absent and stayed away some time and I was not with them, but they had discussed the subjeót so fully with him that when he returned I could do nothing. And now, the boys are given no other title in Avila, which is disgraceful. As for me, I blush for their reputation although 1 never thought that it aífeíted my own. Do not trouble yourself about it, for it is not to be compared with other accusations made against me. For love of you I will speak to their father about it, but I do not exped: to succeed, as their uncle and aunt have become accustomed to the term. I feel greatly ashamed whenever I hear it.

I do not think that Teresita has written to Padilla. To please you both, she sent letters to you and the Prioress of Medina but to no one else. I fancy she wrote two or three words once to Padilla. She has taken it into her head that my mind is set on you and my brother and I cannot change the idea. And indeed, were I a better woman it ought to be the case, considering what you two are to me. Yet in spite of all my love for him I am glad my brother has sought shelter, because he does not come here so often. In fait, his visits are rather embarrassing, although when our father or some other caller arrives he obeys like an angel if I tell him to go. Not that I do not love him dearly, for I do indeed, but I wish to be alone. This is the fad:; what people may think about it matters little.

" Don Lorenzo's daughter. ' Casilda de Padilla.

As for Padilla saying that he was Visitor, he must have been joking: I know him well. However, he has been a great help to us and we owe much to him, but no one is faultless. What would you have? I am very glad that Señora Doña Maria' is pleased with the permission. Give her very aífeélionate messages from me as it is too late for me to write to her. Although I regret that the Duchess is not with her, I see that God wishes to have her to Himself: let her keep company with Him alone and be comforted.

I only know what you tell me about Avila. God be with you ! Remember me to all and to Casilda, and very, very kindly to my Father Domingo. '° I heartily wish he would postpone his visit to Avila until I arrive there, but since he wants me to have nothing but the cross, so be it. Do not forget to write to me. Do not dismiss the postulant you say is so good unless she wants to enter here, for I should like some from your part of the country if possible. I do not think we need feel anxious now, for I believe all will come right. Be sure to send this letter to the Mother Prioress of Medina and let her forward it to the Prioress of Salamanca," so that it may be for all three of you. May God make you holy for me ! I own that the natives of this part of the country do not suit me and that I long to be in the 'promised land" if God so wills, although if I thought God preferred my staying here, I would do so joyfully. May His Majesty dispose of all things. To-day is Low Sunday. Yours,

Teresa de Jesus. Remember me to mv dear Maria de la Cruz and the Subprioress. Please read this letter to the former and let all the nuns pray for us.

XCV

Prefatory note