Letter 287. To Father Gracian, Alcala, Valladolid, July 25, 1579

Good health of Father Gracian. Two angels at Valladolid.

JESUS!

May the grace of the Holy Spirit be with your Paternity.

1HAVE been so busy ever since the messenger arrived who is taking you this letter, that I thought I should not have been able to send you these few lines, lest I should omit other business which was absolutely necessary.

Dona Juana tells me that you are ill with an eruption on the skin, and that the dod:ors wish to bleed you, but this friar declares that you are very well and in good condition, which has relieved my anxiety. The heat must have affected you, as I feared it would. For charity's sake, stop in Alcala as short a time as possible.

I am in fairly good health and am to leave here next Thursday for Salamanca. I am very happy at seeing the way in which our Lord is directing matters : may He be for ever praised, and may He at length permit your Paternity to speak, if only as a relief to you in your many trials!

I have written to you twice since I have been here. Our Sister Maria de San Jose is in good health — she is an angel. Everything prospers with this convent, and the postulant who has entered will provide an annual income. She too is an angel, and is very happy. May our Lord be with your Paternity, for my head is extremely tired.

I assure you that I laugh at their giving you a penance which affords rest to you and leaves us to fight the end of the battle. May God grant us the victory, and give you good health, which is the important matter.

The Mother Prioress earnestly begs for your prayers: she says she does not intend to write to your Paternity until you have answered her: she is more resolute than I am.

To-day is the feast of St. James.

The servant and daughter of your Paternity, Teresa de Jesus.

CCXCIV

Fragment of a letter to Father Gracian, probably written towards the end of July, 1579

His need of sleep.

... I assure you that Joseph is right in allowing you to sleep. I am very glad for ever since your

Paternity left me I have begged and entreated Him to do so, as you seemed to need it. At first I thought He had done it for my sake : in fad: I really believe He did, as I asked Him so earnestly. Perhaps sleep will enable you to get through your work. But, after all, you have very little rest, for as you go to Matins and rise early, I do not know how you can obtain enough. . .

ccxcv

Prefatory note.

On July 15, a document signed by the Nuncio and the four assessors was presented to Philip, begging him to obtain from Rome the erection of a separate province for the Discalced. Philip approved and the missive was forwarded to the Holy See by Sega on November 1 1. Fray Juan de Jesus Roca and his companion had reached Rome safely after a trying journey during which they had been alternately tempest-tossed, becalmed, and threatened by Turkish pirates. Here they disguised themselves as secular lawyers living in fear and trembling, for Tostado was in the city and large numbers of the Mitigated had assembled to elect Rubeo's successor.