Letter 100. To Mother Mary of St. Joseph, Prioress of Seville, Toledo, July 11, 1576

Departure of Don Lorenzo de Cepeda, estions of health. Various matters. Accident to the Father General,

Jesus be with your Reverence!

YOU will not say now that I rarely write to you for perhaps this letter will reach you before another I sent about three or four days ago. You must know that I shall stay here for the present. My brother left the day before yesterday; I made Teresa accompany him, for I am not sure whether I may be told to make some roundabout journey, and I do not want to have charge of the child.

I am in good health and it has been a rest to be away from all the bustle. Much as I love my brother, I do not like his being absent from his home. I do not know how long I shall stay here and am still wondering how best to arrange affairs at Malagon.

I am grieved to hear of your illness and it does not seem to me wise of you to dose yourself in such weather. Let me know how you are; may God give good health to you and these daughters of mine as I beg of Him ! I entreat you all to pray for me. Your letters gave me great pleasure. I have answered some of them already and intend writing

at once to my Gabriela and San Francisco. They both know how to exaggerate: God grant they do not tell untruths ! Another time, do not let them both tell me the same thing, tor all three of you described how the Oótave of Corpus Christi was spent: still, I am not sorry for that and was delighted at your having had such fine ceremonies. God reward our Father, Garcia Alvarez, for having provided the means. Give him my very kind regards ; I wrote to him the other day.

My brother and I were very glad that you have settled the excise duties on the house. His attachment to you is wonderful, in which he resembles me. I am also delighted to hear that some books have been given you and that my saintly prior is kind to you. May God reward him for it.

I should like to receive full details about what those poor friars are doing, and whether there is any way of pacifying them. How about the Franciscan fathers? Let all of you pray for our Father who is undergoing great trials. God grant that the severity shown to the Calced fathers may have done good ! Remember me to Fray Antonio of Jesus and Father Mariano: in future I shall practise perfeftion as they do, by not writing. Tell Father Mariano that Fray Baltasar and I are firm friends.

Juan Diaz arrived yesterday from Madrid, but as there is no longer any idea of founding a house here, he returned to Court. The King has commanded our Father to address himself in matters concerning our Order to the President of the Royal Council and to Quiroga. God grant the arrangement may be successful ! I assure you that our Father stands in urgent need of prayers. I also ask you to pray for the Father General who has fallen off his mule and broken his leg, much to my grief for he is an old man now.

Remember me affeftionately to all my friends. Let the directions written on the enclosed paper be carried out.

Oh, how well the tunics suit me that you made out of the sheets ! People here say that they are like linen.

May God make saints of you for my sake and grant you health. Take good care of yourself, for it is better than being ill.

To-day is July 11.

Your servant,

Teresa de Jesus.

the Priory of Pastrana, and was made Vicar General of the Discalced Carmelites of Castile. In 1575 the powers of Delegate Visitor Apostolic of the Carmelites of Andalusia were granted him, but for the reasons given in the Introduction to the Foundations, (xxx- xxxv) he subdelegated Father Gracian in August of the same year. Later on Fray Baltasar brought false evidence against the latter which he retracted. He retired to Lisbon where he died in 1589. (See Found, xvii, note 16.) and prefatory notes of Letters of June 11,1573 and May 13, i 574.