Letter 387. To Juan de Ovalle, the Saint’s Brother-In-Law, Alba de Tormes, Avila, November 14, 1581

St. Teresa persuades him to remove his daughter Beatriz from Alba. News from their relations in the Indies.

JESUS! May the grace of the Holy Ghost be with your Honour. OU may well believe that I am not at ease, nor can I be, while I hear that you are still at Alba. I should like to know what steps you are taking in the matter, for which the same reason still exists. For love of our Lord, do not be careless about it. The wintry weather is already so severe

'The husband of Dofia Elvira de Manrique, daughter of the Duke of Osorno: they lived at Palencia.

The conditions are so favourable that Don Lorenzo has an income of about seven thousand ducats. His wife is an excellent choice, and people say he is very sensible and upright. In his letter to his brother he asks to be remembered to you, your wife, and Dofia Beatriz. He says he cannot forward money to you just now, his expenses being heavy, but will send some by Augustin who is to sail with the next fleet. God grant he may, for however small the sum, it would be a great help! I will advocate your cause strongly when I write to him. It would not be a bad plan for you to send a letter of thanks which I could enclose in mine.

Give my very kind regards to Don G6 and ask him not to forget what he promised me. Remember me to Dofa Beatriz also: I do not know when she will be able to repay me for all my prayers for her. May His Majesty be with you all, and may He make you as holy as I ask of Him.

To-day is November 14. . Your servant, Teresa de Jesus.

in Peru. He occupied that post when Lorenzo married his daughter and was also temporary governor of Peru, as the viceroy had just died. He transferred to his son-in-law the annual income given him by the king which was derived from the territory of Riobamba.

any favour less than this He has shown me now, and I felt troubled about every foolish thing I had done. As I do not wish to say any more on paper, I beg you to come and see me to-morrow, the eve of the Presentation, when I will bring before you a soul that has ruined itself repeatedly, so that you May treat it as you see is most pleasing to God. I trust His Majesty will give me grace to obey you all my life, for I do not imagine that the absence of my confessor sets me at liberty, nor do I wish for such freedom, knowing the dangers of such ideas. It is impossible that I should not gain much if your Reverence does not forsake me, and you will not do that. I think I shall keep your letter as a pledge, though I have better security than that.

What I ask of you is, that for love of our Lord, you should always bear in mind what I really am, and so make no account of the favours shown me by God, except to think the worse of me because I serve Him so badly, which proves that what I receive only involves me more deeply in His debt. Let your Reverence avenge His Majesty on me, since He only punishes me by showering on me fresh favours, which is no light penalty for the soul that knows itself.

When you have finished the manuscripts, I will send you more, and you will find it difficult not to hate one who ought to be'so different from what Tam. Yet I think you will enjoy them, May our Lord give you His joy as I ask of Him. Amen,

The diction of your letters has not lowered my opinion of your Reverence: I was about to

TO CANON CASTRO 249 compliment you upon it. Everything that springs from the motive of rendering God service tends to His glory. May He be for ever blessed. Amen! for I have never been so happy as I am to-night. I kiss your hands repeatedly for the title you give me, which does me great honour.

My good Sefior Doétor Castro y Nero...3

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Avila, before November 28, 1581’ LTO {DON PEDRO DE CASTRO

Disappointment at his refusal to preach at a professton. The preacher’s partridges.

Jesus be with your Reverence.

| DO not know, nor can I imagine, why you refuse. You were better able than any one last night to discern and remove the cause of the trouble of that poor little novice,’ who certainly had spent a trying day—not the first by a great many. I shall say no more to her mother, but will take your advice, for that is what submission means. But even without that motive, I should have followed the same course, so repugnant is it to my character to make a request that gives pain.

I have just been told that Sister Ana de San Pedro has sent to Don Alonso, begging him on no account to omit calling on you to ask you to preach. This happened before your letter arrived, for I should on no account have allowed it afterwards. We shall have no sermon unless the Father Provincial comes, for though the nuns will not insist upon any one’s preaching unwillingly, they would evidently rather give the partridges? than lose the sermon, and I do not know what will be done. May our Lord make your Reverence as great a saint as I ask of Him. I wish this letter to reach you before Don Alonso does, as I do not want you to think that I would go against your wishes in any way, so I will say no more except that I am greatly vexed about the little scheme. The daughter and servant of your Reverence, Teresa de Jesus.

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