Letter 342. To Lorenzo de Cepeda, St. Teresa’s Nephew in Peru, Valladolid, December 27, 1580

News of his father’s death and his brother’s marriage.

JESUS!

May the grace of the Holy Spirit be with you, my son. Neon may feel sure that I am deeply grieved at the bad news I have to announce to you, but as you are bound to hear it from others who could not give you such grounds for consolation in so great a sorrow, I would rather you learnt it from me. If we reflect upon the miseries of this life, we shall rejoice over the happiness of souls that are with God.

Two days after the feast of St.John, His Majesty was pleased to take to Himself my good brother Lorenzo de Cepeda. His death, which was very sudden, was caused by hemorrhage of the lungs.

foundations had the community so much to suffer, chiefly through the caprices of Pedro de la Vanda.

Ye) ST. TERESA’S LETTERS

He had confessed and communicated on St. John’s day, and I think that, with his temperament, it was a favour that the end came so quickly, for I know that, as regards his soul, he was always prepared. He wrote a week before, telling me he had not long to live though he did not know the day of his death. He died commending himself to God like a saint, so that our faith leads us to believe that he had little or no purgatory. Though, as you know, he always served God faithfully, he had made such progress that he wished to have nothing todo with this world, and, unless those he was with talked of His Majesty, my brother was so utterly wearied by them that I

\ found it hard toconsole him. He retired for solitude to la Serna, where he died— or rather I should say began to live. If I could tell you in a letter certain details about his soul, you would realize how you ought to thank God for giving you so good a father, and that you should follow in his footsteps. But I cannot say more on the subject in a letter except that you must be comforted by believing that where he now is, he can do more for you than he could when on earth.

The loss has been felt most by myself and the good little Teresita de Jesus, though God has given her such wisdom that she bears it like an angel— and an angel she is and an excellent nun, full of joy in her religious life. I trust in God that she wiil take after her father.

I have had no lack of work to establish Don Francisco in his present position, as he was quite alone, and you know how few relations he has. So many people in Avila have sought him in marriage

TO HER NEPHEW g!

for their daughters that I feared he might make an unsuitable match. But it was God’s will that, on the feast of the Conception he should marry a lady from Madrid whose mother is living, but whose father is dead. The mother was so eager for the marriage that we were astonished, as in her position the girl could have made a much better alliance, and although her dowry was small, no one in Avila whom we considered suitable could have brought as much, even had she wished it. The bride’s name is Dofia Orofrisia; she is not fifteen, and is beautiful and very sensible. Her title is Dofia Orofrisia de Mendoza y de Castilla. The mother is first cousin to the Duke of Alburquerque, niece of the Duke of Infantazgo, and of several other titled people: in faét, both on her father’s and mother’s side, no one in Spain comes of better blood. In Avila, she is related to the Marquis de las Navas and the Marquis de Velada, and is closely connected with the wife of Don Luis Mosen Rubi. The bride’s dowry is four thousand ducats. Don Francisco tells me he is highly satisfied with it, which is the principal thing. Her mother, Dojia Beatriz, is so capable and prudent that she will be able to advise them both and, from what people say, is so arranging matters that they will be able to live very economically. Dofia Orofrisia has a sister who is a nun, and an only brother on whom the succession devolves. Should he leave no children, which is quite possible, she would inherit the property.

I see no drawback except Francisco’s very slender means. His estate is so encumbered that, unless

? Rubi de Bracamonte, The word Moser is a title answering to ‘ Lord.’

the money due to him from Peru is sent soon, I do not know how he is to live. Will you, for the love of God, see that he gets it immediately, so that as God has called him to so honourable an alliance, he may be able to maintain his rank.

Until now, Don Francisco has borne an excellent character as I trust the Lord he will in future, for he is a very good Christian. God grant I may be told the same of you. You know, my son, that nothing here will last long, but the good and evil we do in this life will endure for ever.

Pedro de Ahumada and my sister and her children are well, though very necessitous now, as my brother used to help them generously—may he be in glory! Dofia Juana’s son, Don Gonzalo, was here a short time ago: he is very fond of you, as were others whom you led to hold a high opinion of you—as for me, I wished you were better,’ as, please God, you are now. May His Majesty make you as good and holy as I ask of Him. Amen.

You can send letters to our nuns in the Seville convent as I know they have the same Prioress as when I was there. All the former difficulties have been most satisfactorily settled, thank God.

I am writing this in our house at Valladolid: the Prioress kisses your hands as I do those of our relations in Peru:

Teresa de Jesus.