Letter (number unidentified). To Dona Ines Nieto, Avila, after December 17, 1577

The Saint has an interview with Philip II at the Escorial.

. . . Imagine, Dona Ines, what this insignificant woman must have felt in the presence of so great a king. I was too confused to speak, for his penetrating gaze — one of those that probe the soul itself — was fixed on me and seemed to pierce me through and through. I cast down my eyes and stated my cause as briefly as possible. After explaining matters, I looked at him again, and his expression had changed, being kinder and more mild. He inquired whether

" This letter was published for the first time with a photographic reproduction of the original by Don Bernardino de Melgar, Marques de San Juan de Piedras Albas, in the Boletin de la Real A cade mia de la Historia, Madrid, May, 1519. The first page is missing. The letter describes St. Teresa's Interview with Philip II, to which she was probably summoned in consequence of her letter of Dec. 4. This letter was written to Dofla Ines Nieto, wife of Senor Albornoz, who was superintendent of the estates of the Duke of Alba and accompanied him as his secretary to the Netherlands. Albornoz seems to have returned with the Duke to Spain where he occupied a position at court. He helped to bring about the marriage between Don Fadrlque and his cousin. Dona Maria de Toledo, which the king resented severely, Imprisoning both the Duke and his secretary. The Duke was set free in order to conquer Portugal in 1580; Albornoz, who accompanied him, died in October of the same year as secretary to the army In Lisbon.

On December 4, i 5 77, St. Teresa had certainly not seen Philip II and she must have gone to court before she broke her arm on Christmas eve. As she wrote letters from Avila on Dec. 10 and Dec. 19, the visit must have taken place between Dec. 1 1 and 18. In a letter of Aug. 1 9, 1578, she says it was possible to go from Avila to Madrid and return in 5 or 6 days : the Escorial, where the king was, being half-way, there was ample time for her journey.

that was all I wanted : I answered that I had asked a great deal. Then', he replied; you may be at peace, for all shall be done as you wish '. His words were a great comfort to me. I knelt to thank him for his extreme kindness. He bade me rise, and making this wretched nun, his unworthy servant, the most courteous bow I ever saw, he gave me his hand to kiss. I went away in jubilation, praising God in my soul for the help this Caesar had promised me.

As I left the other building where the Duke was, your kind husband to whom I owe so much, came up to me and told me that the King, our Seigneur, had ordered him to write out my petition so that my wishes might be carried out with no delay. This was done; I dictated and Seilor Albornoz noted down my words.

This being over, I set out from Madrid for the convent of the glorious San Jose, at Avila, where I hope to see the settlement of the affair which has such able administrators.

Trusting that you may have good health and

" Though Philip was not emperor as his father had been, the Saint gives him this title here and in another letter — S.C.C.M. — Sacra Cesaria Catolica Majestad. The title 'Caesar' was used in Spain at that time in accordance with the practice that obtained very early in the Roman Empire of so designating the heir-presumptive to the purple. There is a tradition at the Escorial that she began her speech with the words: 'Sire, you are thinking: "I see before me this gad-about woman",' quoting Sega's description of her.

that God will grant you His glory in return for all you do for us, as I ask of Him in my miserable prayers.

Your Honour's unworthy servant, Teresa de Jesus, Carmelite.