Letter 336. To Mother Mary of St. Joseph, Prioress of Seville, Valladolid, October 25, 1580

The epidemic of influenza. Don Lorenzo's affairs and the fleet from the Indies. JESUS! May the grace of the Holy Spirit be with your Reverence, my daughter !

HAVE received the letters from you and the

Mother Subprioress, and old as they were, I was glad to see your handwriting, but my joy was soon diminished on learning of your illness. One written by you on October 1 to Father Nicolas relieved me very much as it spoke of the improvement in your health. God grant it may continue. You must not fancy that the swellings always come from dropsy: the nuns here have them and have had them before: some are cured and others go about taking no notice of the complaint. In any case, take care of yourself and avoid whatever the doctor declares would injure you, if only to please me and not to increase our anxieties here. As for me, I have never been well since I came to Valladolid, which is the reason I have not written to you. My head is so weak that I do not know when I shall be able to write with my own hand, but I have a secretary whom I can trust implicitly. You must know that

I was so ill that the nuns expeéted me to die. The fever left me some days ago. I do not know why God keeps me in this world unless it is to witness the death of many of His servants this year, which grieves me deeply. I did not feel the loss of Father Soto much, but am very sorry for the sufferings of Fray Gregorio? and the fathers at los Remedios. As the epidemic has been general we need not be surprised but should thank God, for though it has caused great suffering in our convents, no Discalced nun has died of it. The good Maria del Sacramento‘ has been anointed at Alba: pray for her, and much for me that I may be able to render Him some service since He has left me in this world.

I deeply regret what you tell me ‘bout the former Prior of las Cuevas.’ For the love of God, do all you can to comfort him and remember me most kindly to him, as I am too weak to write. Compose a very cordial message to my Father, Rodrigo Alvarez, and send it to him from me. I know that Father Prior of Pastrana is so fond of the nuns of Seville that he is sure to write and tell them all about our affairs here, which is a great comfort to me.

As regards Sister Beatriz, you did well to burn that paper: it would be wise not to mention it either to her or to any one else. If God is pleased to grant the favour of a separate Province, we can decide as to what is to be done with her, for as I said, it would not be right to let her go unpunished.

possible. May His Majesty have you in His keeping as I beg of Him, and make you a great saint! Tell me if the swelling and thirst subside. All here are anxious for your prayers and are much interested in what you tell them about the Moriscos.? Never mind if you cannot write yourself: the Subprioress can be trusted implicitly. October 25, of the year 1580. The servant of your Reverence, Teresa de Jesus.

Remember me affectionately to San Francisco, whose letter amused us immensely: also to Sister Juana de la Cruz and the Portuguese, for whose prayers I ask. Will your Reverence request all the nuns to pray for Fray Pedro Hernandez who is near his death. Remember that we owe much to him, and that we need him sorely at the present moment. I am very much grieved at my F ather, Fray Gregorio’s, illness; I wish I could write to him. Tell him that is how saints are made: I say the same to you, my daughter.

I cannot get used to not writing to you with my own hand,

Postscript added to the letter by Father Nicolas Doria.

Jesu, Maria! Tue Mother sent me this letter open; I have read it and am forwarding it to you with another she addressed to me," so that you may know thé state of our affairs. Her plans for Don Francisco, son of Sefior Lorenzo de Cepeda, cannot be acted upon as he has returned to the world.

"The Moriscos had risen in insurrection for the purpose of abolishing Christianity, and of murdering religious and priests, as they had done in other places.