Letter (number unidentified). To the Venerable Mother Anne of Jesus, Seville, after June 3, 1576

. . . Imagine my feelings, when in the presence of all the religious and confraternities of Seville, so great a prelate fell on his knees before me, poor, insignificant little woman that I am, and refused to rise until I had given him my blessing ! . . .

been commissioned to visit the Caked Carmelites of Andalusia and had asked Cardinal Quiroga to free him from the task as he feared for his life. 'Let them kill you ! ' answered the prelate, with holy fury: 'upon whom shall we depend it not on a man of birth and nobility, known to be fearless of death as you are.''' Father Gracian had set out wearing round his neck as an antidote against poison a bezoar stone, the gift of St. Teresa, and eating nothing but eggs boiled in their shells while staying in the Observant priories, for 'fear makes a bad sauce.'' He also carried a water bottle in which one day his companion found a salamander, though no salamander could have crept in. (Peregrinación Dial. I, p. 28.) This is why, in letter after letter, the Saint urges Mary of St. Joseph to give him his meals at the convent.