Letter 302. To Mother Mary of St. Joseph, Malagon, before the middle of January, 1580

SEVILLE

Past trials at the convents of Seville and Malagon. Father Soto and Father Doria. New foundations.

JESUS!

May the grace of the Holy Spirit be with your Reverence, my daughter!

IN my letter to my Father, Fray Nicolas, I spoke at length on certain points which I will not mention here, as you are to read it. Your own was so kind and humble that it deserves a long answer. As you wish me to write to the good Father Rodrigo Alvarez, 1 will do so, but my head is not equal to much more. Serrano says he will deliver these letters to a trustworthy messenger. God grant

' Fuentc 273. The original letter is in the V'alladolid collection, Rector of the Jesuit college of Seville.

he may ! Though I enjoyed seeing him, I was sorry that he returned here. You need not have reminded me of his services to us in our trouble: I am too grateful to forget them. I will manage to persuade him to go back to Seville, for it is a great thing to have somebody one can trust there.

I am not so ill in Malagon as elsewhere. I was much grieved at what Sister Gabriel told me about your health. Had your heart been of stone, the many trials through which you have passed would have injured it. I hope I did not contribute to them. Your Reverence must forgive me, because I am so anxious that any one I love dearly should never do amiss that I am unbearable. The same thing happened with Mother Brianda, to whom I wrote terrible letters, with but little result. I really think that, in one way, the devil managed to do more harm at Malagon than at Seville. It lasted longer and gave graver scandal outside the house, and it is doubtful whether matters will go on as well in future as yours. I believe not, though things have been rectified and peace restored within the convent. God set the affair right: may He be praised for it, though the nuns were little to blame! I am most annoyed with Sister Beatriz de Jesus, for she has never spoken to me on the matter, even now when she is aware that all the nuns tell me about it and that I know all. She seems to possess little virtue or discretion. She must think she is performing an ad: of friendship to the sisters, to whom she

■' Neither Mother Brianda nor Mary of St. Joseph preserved the 'terrible letters' addressed to them.

■ The nun who had been president at Malagon.

is deeply attached, but true friendship would not hide faults that could be cured without great difficulty. For the love of God, let your Reverence be most careful never to do what would cause scandal if it were known. Let us get rid of those 'good intentions' which cost us so dear. As for that Father of the Society's having dined in your parlour, tell it to nobody, even our Discalced fathers, for the devil, being what he is, would stir up commotion among them.

You must not fancy that it cost me little to bring the Re(5lor to better terms with us, as all the fathers of the Society at Avila are now. I had great difficulty about it and even wrote to Rome, from whence, I believe, the matter was re(5tified. I was very grateful to that saint. Father Alvarez and to Father Soto. Remember me kindly to the latter and tell him that I think he proves his friendship rather by actions than by words, for he has never written to me or even sent me a message.

I cannot think how your Reverence can allege that Father Nicolas has disparaged you to me, for you have no warmer partizan in the world. He told me the truth, so that I should understand what harm was being done in the house and not be misled. O my daughter! how needless it is to make so many excuses as to what regards me! I can truly say that it matters nothing to me whether the nuns care for me or not as long as I know that they fulfil their obligations. You mistook my motive. It seems to me that, when I show so much solicitude and love for the sisters' affairs, they are undutiful if they do not trust to me but let me weary myself in vain. My feelings vvere so deeply hurt that I should have liked to leave the matter alone, for it seemed to me, as was the faft, that I could do no good. But my affection is so strong that when I found my words had any effedl, I could not resist speaking again. However, let us say no more about the matter.

Serrano tells me that you have received another postulant. If, as he thinks, you are twenty in community, your number is complete and no one can authorize you to take more. The Father Vicar himself has no power against the decree of the Apostolic Commissioners. For the love of God be careful on this point, for you would be astonished at the harm that comes from having a large community in our houses, even though they have an income and the means of living. I do not know why you pay such heavy interest every year when you could settle the debt. I was very glad to hear of the sum sent you from the Indies: thank God for it!

As regards the choice of the subprioress, as your Reverence has not health to come to choir regularly, you need some one who can take the Divine Office. Though Sister Gabriela seems young for the post, that matters little : she has been professed for many years and has the virtues that are required. If she is not verv suited for the parlour, San Francisco could accompany her there.

At least Gabriela is obedient, and would do nothing against vour wishes. Besides, she has good health, which San Jeronimo has not, and it is important that the subprioress should not miss choir. As a matter of conscience, the office could best be laid on Gabriela. As she led the choir in the time of that miserable deputy-prioress, the sisters know she is competent and will be the more ready to vote for her. Ability is of more consequence than age in a Subprioress.

I have written to the Prior of Pastrana about the novice mistress: I quite agree with what you say. I should not like the community to be large, for, as I said, it is a drawback for every one and is always the sole reason why religious houses become relaxed.

As you have the means with which to assist the Order I should be very glad if you would pay your debt to my brother with the money that comes from Toledo. He is in real need, is always borrowing in order to pay the yearly sum of five hundred ducats for the property he bought, and has lately sold something which would fetch a thousand ducats in Seville. He has mentioned your debt several times, and I think that he has the right to reclaim his money. Perhaps, if you cannot repay all at once, you might send him part of the sum. You will see what can be done in the matter.

It is a great thing that the holy Prior of las Cuevas should supply you with bread. With such

' Negra v'tcaria — wicked vice-prioress. This appears to have been Beatriz de la Madre de Dios, who after having expelled Mary of St. Joseph from her post by slandering her, was made prioress in her stead.

an alms, the nuns of Malagon could overcome their difficulties. I do not know what will become of them: all the religious have been received without a dowry.

The Archbishop' is very anxious to realize the project about Portugal. I intend to put off going there. If possible I will write to him now. Will you see that the letter is forwarded by a trustworthv bearer.

For the sake of her own soul, I should be glad to know that Beatriz had repented and withdrawn her statement to Garci- Alvarez, but I very much fear that she does not understand her fault and that God alone can convince her of it. May He make your Reverence as holy as I ask of Him, for bad as you are, I wish I had others like you, as if a foundation were to be made, I could find no one suitable for prioress, though there ought to be some one. No one has had any experience and what occurred here alarmed me very much. The devil entraps us by good intentions into doing his work, so we must always be cautious and hold fast to God, trusting little to our own wits. Otherwise, however clever we may be, God will leave us to ourselves and we shall make mistakes when we fancied we were most sagacious.

Now that you understand the matter, you can learn experience from what has happened in this house, for I assure you the devil was certainly trying to play some trick, and I was astonished at your taking the part of the nuns in your letter.

" Don Teutonic de Braganza, Archbishop of Evora. Beatriz de la Madrc de Dios, of Seville.

What were you thinking about? And San Francisco too! Good heavens! What foolish things were said in that letter for the sake of getting your own way! God give us light, for without that we have neither strength nor mind for anything but evil! I am glad your Reverence is completely undeceived, as it will help you in many ways. Mistakes secure success by giving us experience. God watch over you. I did not think I could have written so long a letter.

The servant of your Reverence, Teresa de Jesus.

The Prioress and nuns beg earnestly for your prayers.