Letter 176. To Mother Mary of St. Joseph, Prioress of Seville, Toledo, April 9, 1577

Personal affairs. Father Nicolas Doria enters the Order, Condolence offered to the Prioress of Paterna.

Jesus be with your Reverence, my daughter !

1SENT you a letter by the courier which 1 think you will receive before this one. The crucifixes are being forwarded; they are all alike and only cost nine reales each indeed, I believe they are a quartillo less, yet people say they would not cost less than a ducat. A turner can easily make the holes which could not be done here, as the crosses were not sent until Easter Day. The latter are of ebony. They are not dear and I should have liked to send you more of them.

I very much wish to hear about the good Sister Bernarda.' I have already written telling you that, to my great sorrow, God has withdrawn a nun from this convent.

There is no reason why your Reverence or any other nun led by the same way of prayer should not speak of it to Father Garci Alvarez, as ¡t is not of a kind to require much investigation. It would appear strange should you omit doing so, especially as our Father Visitor desired it. Remember me very kindly to Garci Alvarez.

Oh! How I long to send my little book to the saintly Prior of las Cuevas ! He asked me to lend it him and we owe him so much that I should like to give him this pleasure. It would do no harm to let Father Garci Alvarez read it, as it would explain our mode of life and a great deal of our prayer. If only the book were here, the Prior should have it, for we can only treat this saint as we should by doing what he asks of us. Perhaps I shall manage it some day.

I have been so busy all day on my own account that I can say no more. I wrote to inform you that your parcel arrived safely by the muleteer, but in bad condition. Such things cannot be sent now, because of the heat. Do not give me anything except orange-Hower water, as the flask is broken; also a few orange-flower leaves, if possible on the stem, dry, and preserved in sugar. I will pay the cost. If that cannot be had, let me have some sweets, but cost what it may I particularly want some orange-flower leaves on their stem, even if you can only let me have a small quantity.

I have already said that one of our nuns has gone to heaven : that we have passed through much trouble, and that I am glad Nicolas has entered the novitiate. I am deeply obliged to you for your generosity to the sisters at Paterna of which they have told iiie. Believe me, it is divine Providence that has given us so generous a prioress at Seville as your Reverence with such a charadler as yours, so that you may help us all. I hope these qualities will greatly develop in you.

I am afraid I cannot write to Father Prior today; donot let him know of this letter. Remember me kindly to all, especially to my Gabriela to whom I should like to write. Oh, how I long to see the widow in the convent and professed; God grant it and proted: your Reverence for me ! Amen. I enclose a letter from Doña Luisa.

To-day is the last of the Easter festivals The servant of your Reverence, Teresa de Jesus.

You must know that, to my sorrow, they have sent away San FranciscoV brother from the Society. I have not dared to write to tell her lest she too should grieve, yet perhaps it would be best for her to learn it from us. You will see by the enclosed paper that I have tried to ascertain the truth from the Fathers of the Society. I also send you what the Prior of Salamanca wrote. I am glad the brother has some means of livelihood: perhaps it is for the best even as regards the service of God. If you think well, tell the sister and give her the enclosed lines and the letters.

Fray Bartolomé de Aguilar says that he would

" Easter Tuesday.

see the nuns more often but that he has not been invited, and being merely an ordinary religious, he can only do so by request. Do not fail to ask him to preach and visit you sometimes, for he is exceedingly good.

You are welcome to read the accompanying letters. Why not?