Letter 152. To Mother Brianda de San José, Prioress of Malagon, Toledo, the end of December, 1576

Concerning the illness of the Prioress, Professions,

JESUS !

MAY the Holy Spirit be with your Reverence, my daughter, and grant you during this Christmas-tide a deep love for God, so that vou may not feel your pains so keenly. God be praised! Many persons think they are spending a very happy Christmas because they enjov good health, pleasures, and gaiety, but they will be miserable on the day they have to render an account of it to God. Your Reverence may feel entirely at your ease on this point, for even while you lie in bed, you are adding glory to glory by your merits. It is a very great boon that you are not worse in this severe weather. Do not be surprised at your weakness for the illness has lasted a long while. The cough must be the result of your having caught cold: it would be impossible to prescribe a remedy here simply from your account of it, as we do not know the cause. It will be better treated by your own doftors.

I have no nun whom I should care to send you. Seeing your need, I remarked that it would be well for you to have one who is at Medina and who, they say, is excellent. However, as you state that the hundred ducats will make things right, it will be best to wait until you have a house of your own.

I am astonished at their telling you to get up in such cold weather; for charity's sake do not do so, for it might kill you. Remember me to N. . . and tell him that great efforts are being made to obtain Casilda's renunciation. Don Pedro wrote to me on the subjeól. Dodlor Velasquez, my confessor, says that her will must not be forced. They wish to give her five hundred ducats and the cost of the veiling — What a heavy expense to reckon for ! And they do not wish to pay that down at once. The angel certainly owes little to her mother. I wish the matter were settled on account of the keen pain it gives the girl herself. I wrote to her, telling her not to mind in the least if they gave her nothing at all.

Beatriz' writes saying that she is well and feels no fatigue; but even if she were ill she would think she was not because you wish it; I never saw such a thing. I am in good health as, please God, my daughter, you will soon be. Amen. Beatriz had a very poor trousseau, according to the memorandum they sent me. I said that nuns were to bring at least their blankets, two sheets, and some curtains for the bed, but I think the carriage would cost more than the things are worth. I will defray the expense of porterage if your Reverence likes. Her sister has sent to me for the mattresses and other trivial items. . . .

and Doctor Velasquez. Eventually Casilda got nothing but the payment for her board, as when she left Carmel to become a Franciscan, St. Teresa says Doña Maria wanted her property for a Jesuit college. In the end, Don Antonio received a large share of it which came to the Jesuit college at \alladolid. There was some litigation between the Jesuits and Carmelites with no gain for the latter. Casilda's second sister was dispensed, later on, from her vow of celibacy and married her uncle Martin. On the death of her husband she settled her children in life, and entered the convent of Discalced Carmelites at Talavera. {(EuvreSy ii, p. 70).