Letter (number unidentified). To Mother Mary of St. Joseph, Prioress of Seville, Toledo, July 2, 1576

Expressions of forgiveness and affeóíion. Business matters,

Jesus be with your Reverence !

Mother Prioress of Malagon, I see perfeélly well that it was not your fault but that God, Who willed I should suffer so many trials at Seville, seeing that your company would comfort me, ordained that I should be deprived of it. Most certainly, if my troubles brought any relief to you and the sisters, I should have thought them turned to good account had they been far worse. Believe me, I love you dearly, and when I see you have such affection for me, all else is a trifle beneath my notice, although at Seville, when the two kinds of trials came together and I treated you as a daughter I loved deeply, I was keenly hurt at not meeting the same simplicity and love from you. But this letter of yours has driven such thoughts away and my affedtion remains: it is a pity that nothing survives to make it less strong.

I was unspeakably glad at your having managed matters so well. Be sure to make the contract, although there is little security for the future as a lawsuit is a miserable thing, especially at the beginning of a foundation. We will try to repay my brother soon; I allude to the sum he lent us to pay for the excise duties, for I take as much friends distressed her deeply. I remember that one day she reproached me keenly for leaving her by herself. She declared that since her troubles in founding the convent of St. Joseph, she had never felt so unhappy. I quieted her by saying that she could not possibly leave Seville at such a juncture, as the Inquisition was investigating the charges made by that woman, and if she were summoned to appear before it and could not be found, what would happen ? The Saint answered : You are right, daughter ; I see that it is the will of God I should stay here, for the only thing that troubled her was uncertainty as to what her Lord wanted . . . She often laughed about it afterwards, saying : My daughter, the comfort you offered me in my great affliction was to tell me that I should be called before the Inquisition.'

interest in your house now as when I was there, or even more.

Oh, how delighted my brother was with your letters ! He is never tired of praising your prudence. They arrived in good condition, but whenever your Reverence tries to write better, you write worse. As Lorenzo and Teresa are going to write to you, I say nothing about them. I have already written to my Father, the Prior of las Cuevas, and ought to send a letter to Malagon to-day about our affairs and another to our Father,' so it will be much if I can even manage a line in answer to the sisters as visitors never leave me free.

I am not surprised at what the good Garci Alvarez is doing, knowing how charitable he is; give him many kind messages from me. I was pleased with the Father Prioras letter. My friends do me a great favour by being friends with you; be sure to retain their liking, and when an opportunity arises of showing any kindness to Father Mariano or Fray Antonio, take advantage of it for I do not wish them to be annoyed with you. God forgive them ! They could have avoided all the difficulties with these Calced friars and arranged matters with them by behaving differently. Our Father is deeply grieved about it. He is in good health and the Nuncio approves of his not returning to Andalusia.

You cannot complain again that I do not write to vou often. Treat me in the same wav, for vour letters give me extreme pleasure. I knew nothing of what was happening at Seville as our Father writes very briefly: doubtless he can do no more. May God be with you and make you a great saint !

I had written a great part of this letter before reading Gabriela's. She tells me she is ill and suffers with pains in her stomach: God grant it may be nothing worse ! I cannot remember now whom I charged to take care of you : let the Subprioress do so and be sure to obey her. Attend to your health for love of me; I should suffer unspeakably if it failed. God give you strength as I ask of Him ! Remember me kindly to Beatriz' mother and to Delgado. The Prioress sends her remembrances to you. We were all glad to hear how well you are getting on: mav it always be so. I think I told you that to-day is the feast of the Visitation.

The cleric came to say his Mass and went away afterwards. I spoke to him and would have paid him some kind attention, had he stayed. However, he said that he had a companion with him and left on that pretext.

The year 1576. Yours,

Teresa de Jesus. Sister Gabriela tells me that you keep the convent in perfedt order: how I should like to see it! I have not yet had time to find out from whom all the letters come that you forwarded. I was highly pleased with the one from our good Father, Garcia Alvarez, and gladly write to him: my daughters must forgive me if I only answer him who is so kind to them.

I have made further enquiries about the postulant; there is no question of admitting her for the present.

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