Letter 167. To Father Ambrosio Mariano, Madrid, Toledo, February i i, 1577

Sufferings of Senor Diego Perez, Difficulties about making the foundation at Madrid,

Jesus be with your Reverence.

1HAVE been daily expeóling a letter from the Prior of Carmel, yet I thanked God when you told me that the messenger had not yet been des-patched. It is fortunate, for Señor Diego Perez is himself the bearer of this missive. On seeing him at liberty again I rendered thanks to God, Whose true servant he must indeed be, since our Lord thus tries him. It is sad to witness what a world this is.

In case you should need a letter from Doña Luisa de la Cerda in favour of your negotiation, I have been told that she is not at home, but at Paracuellos, three leagues out of Madrid. I was sincerely pleased with Father Diego Perez: he must be capable of doing good in every way.

The resolution taken by the Prior of the Carmel, according to what was stated to me to-day by the Maestro Cordoba in presence of Señor Diego Perez is that, until he hears from the most Reverend Father General, he will do all he can to prevent the foundation of the priory at Madrid, for he says there is no reformer and that the nuncio can do nothing except in person. The Prior is persuaded of this, and that the Discalced fathers are acfting against obedience, so that the Calced friars are under no obligation to the Visitors, but only to the General. The Maestro Cordoba added that it would be useless for me to argue with him to the contrary if Father Diego Perez' could not convince him. Finally he declared that when the king saw how the Discalced rebelled against authority, he commanded that the order given in Council should be sent.

I assure your Reverence that we ought to thank God for the way in which these fathers are behaving. To listen to them, one would suppose that they held a new Brief, but they have nothing except the ad: published a year and a half ago by the General Chapter. This the Maestro Cordoba saw himself to-day. Unless J am mistaken, he is cousin to Father Alonso Hernandez who is in your neighbourhood, so that I cannot understand why you do not ask the latter to lay the true state of the affair before those fathers. If the answer from the prior to his Lordship arrives before this letter goes, I will send them together; if not, write and let me know whether I am to forward it to the archdeacon. But until the king's decree is published, nothing can be done: we must aft diredtly it is made known. Meanwhile, do not let us weary our friends so much. Father Diego Perez can tell his Lordship about the prior's answer, as he heard it given. Probably the archdeacon could not give his information so quickly, therefore it would be best to make the Archbishop aware of what is happening.

God grant that you are in better health for I have felt very anxious about it !

To-day is Monday, February 11. Your Reverence's unworthy servant, Teresa de Jesus.