Letter 279. To Mother Ana de la Encarnacion, Prioress of Salamanca, Avila, June 18, 1579

The Sainfs journey to Salamanca. Don Andrea de Xtmene and Isabel de yesus.

JESUS!

May the grace of the Holy Spirit be with your

Reverence!

TO-DAY, the feast of Corpus Christi, I received from the Father Vicar, Fray Angel, the enclosed letter for your Reverence and a formal order to go to your convent. God grant you have not managed the matter! I am told that it is the request of Don Luis Manrique. But, if it will help to settle your affairs peacefully, I am quite willing, and I only wish that I could go to you at once, but his Paternity has told me to visit Valladolid first. Doubtless he could take no other course; most certainly I had nothing to do with it, for, between ourselves, I have done all that was lawfully possible to avoid the journey, as it seemed to me unnecessary at present. However, he who holds the place of God knows best. His Paternity tells me to shorten my stay at Valladolid, but even then, I must be there the whole of next month, and God grant that may suffice.

I do not think the delay will be of much consequence to you. Keep the visit a secret from Pedro delaVanda for he would kill us all with his arrangements, and it is best that he should make none.

If anything happens, you can write to me at Valladolid. Your letters have not arrived and the student's father is searching everywhere for him. Do not be distressed about me, for I shall be in the neighbourhood of Father Baltasar Alvarez. I am glad to hear that the Bishop of Salamanca is well again.

Tell Sister Isabel de Jesus that I am deeply grieved to hear of her illness. I have written to the Prioress of Segovia telling her to ask Senor Andres de Jimena to come here at once if he wishes to speak to me: I do not know whether he will. The Father Vicar has written authorizing me to settle the matter. I hope the senor will not fail to come, for, with God's grace, we shall not quarrel, as I only wish to serve and please Him.

Tell my dear Isabel de Jesus that I do not want to find her an invalid: I wish her health of body, and am content with the state of her soul. Kindly tell her this. The messenger is waiting so I can say no more, except to beg God to proted: you and to ask to be remembered to all the nuns.

To-day is the feast of Corpus Christi. The servant of your Reverence, Teresa de Jesus.