Letter (number unidentified). PoslithehieENTTATE DON LUIS DE LA PENA, Avila, September 13, 1581

PoslithehieENTTATE DON LUIS DE LA PENA, CONFESSOR TO CARDINAL QUIROGA

Entreaties for the permission to make a foundation at Madrid. Doitia Elena threatens to enter the Franciscan Order if refused by the Carmelites.

JESUS!

INN ie the grace of the Holy Spirit be with your Honour, and may His Majesty repay the kindness and comfort contained in your letter! I received it while at Soria. Iam now at Avila where the Father Provincial told me to wait until our Lord was pleased that the most illustrious Cardinal should give me leave to make a foundation at Madrid. The delay would be very long if I had to stay here until his Eminence went to the capital, for as the bishops are to meet there I suppose he would not go until after Lent. I hope that he will grant me the favour before then, so that I may not have to spend the winter in such a rigorous climate as that of Avila, which always does me great harm. I beg of you to remind his Eminence of the matter from time to time. When he wrote to me at Soria he did not speak of so long a delay.

I am now writing to him about Dofia Elena’s affair which gives me much trouble. I shall enclose a letter she wrote me saying that if we do not receive her into our Order she wishes to become a Franciscan. I should be sorry, for, from what I understand of her spirit, which is more suited for us, she would never be happy with them. Besides that, her daughter is a Carmelite and her children are living near the convent. I entreat you to pray about the matter and to ask his Eminence to send me ananswer. Dofia Elenaisin deep distress, which I feel very much as I love her dearly, and do not know how to help her. This is for you alone.

May our Lord watch over your illustrious Reverence, and increase your sanctity as I beg of Him.

Written at St. Joseph’s, on September 13. Your Honour’s unworthy servant, Teresa de Jesus.

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