Letter (number unidentified). To Leonor de la Misericordia, Novice at Soria, Burgos, May, 1582

The Saint advises her to open her soul to Father Gractan and to consult him about the foundation at Pamplona. JESUS! May the grace of the Holy Spirit be with your Charity, my daughter!

1S LTHOUGH itis nearly an hour past midnight,

I cannot refrain from writing to you. I took pains to find a messenger for your locality and I wrote to you, but I do not know what has become of my letters, and the nuns at Soria do not take much trouble about writing to me. The bearer of this note will be able to give your Charity an account of all that is happening here. I hope your Reverence® will open your soul to your spiritual Father and will derive great profit from speaking frankly to him, as he knows how to help the soul in all its needs. I am very glad that your Charity should make his acquaintance.

As the lad who takes you this letter will return here, I beg of your Reverence to let me know whether you are happy and all else that concerns you, for I speak much to our Lord about you. Tell me what Don Francisco has done; they say he has not decided to marry again, greatly to my astonishment; I hope that he will serve God in all he does.

Dofia Maria de Veamonte’s daughter has been ul for some time; will you kindly write to her and to Dofia Juana thanking them for the alms they sent us. And now, remain with God, for my head prevents my writing more. Remember me very kindly to Father Vallejo and ask him, from me, to tell our Father if he sees anything that requires correcting in the convent at Soria.

The servant of your Reverence, Teresa de Jesus.

You should speak to our Father about Pamplona:5 may God prosper the matter if it would render Him service. If the convent would require to be entirely built, I do not think the foundation would suit us.