Letter 429. To Dona Teresa de Laiz, Foundress of the Convent of Alba, Palencia, August 6, 1582

Disturbances in the convent at Alba, and scandal caused by them. JESUS!

May the grace of the Holy Spirit be with your

Honour.

Nha letter reached me but I can do little in the matter you mention for when I spoke to Mother Tomasina Bautista on the subject she said that she trembled from head to foot at the mere thought of returning to Alba. She gave such reasons relating to her peace of soul that no superior could force her to go back to that office. She is now at perfect peace, her community is in very good order, and she is happy. If you are fond of her, you ought to be satisfied, and not wish her to be near you against her will. May God forgive you! I am so anxious to content you that I wish I could do so in every way. For the love of God do not feel disappointed, for there are many nuns in the Order who can supply the place of Mother Tomasina. If you are distressed at the idea that Mother Juana del Espiritu Santo may become prioress, your fears are groundless, for she told me that nothing in the world would induce her to accept that office again. I do not know what to think of that community. I am afraid that no one will be able to hold the charge of prioress there for every one dreads it.

I beg you to reflect that the house is yours and that God cannot be served in the midst of disturbances: therefore it is important that you should take no part in the matter. If the nuns were what they ought to be, what would they care who was prioress? Such childishness and personal attachment are far from being the right spirit of Discalced nuns and do not exist in the other convents. I know more or less which sisters are disquieting the rest, and if God gives me health I shall try to go to Alba as soon as possible to unravel the plots. The matter has pained me deeply as I know for certain that things which never ought to have been mentioned have been told to friars of another Order, who have related them to seculars outside Alba. Is it well for us that the nuns’ childishness and imperfections should so injure the Order, for the world will think that all the rest are like them? I beg you to tell them so, and try to quiet them, for our Father will soon be going there. Iask this of you as a favour to me, for whoever the Prioress may be, she will not fail to oblige you.

I assure you that if I had known what was going on before, I should have already put a stop to it, and every possible means of doing so must be taken now. Will you remember me to Father Pedro Sancho? and show him this letter, so that he may convent; I cannot think why you ask whether I approve as I told you repeatedly at Burgos that it would not be well for people to know we have no income, much less that we should beg, although I believe the Constitutions declare that we may ask for help when in real necessity. This the nuns are not, as Sefiora Catalina told me she was gradually giving you her daughters’ inheritance. If people understood that we have not an annuity, it would not matter, but you must keep it secret. God deliver you from begging for your community now, for you would gain nothing by it; what you got in one way, you would lose in many others. Ask advice of those sefiores in my name and state your case. I have told you always to remember me kindly to them. In future I approve Of whatever messages you give them from me, so you will not be telling an untruth.

The heat here is terrible, though it is rather cooler this morning. I felt glad on account of your invalid, for it will be fresher still at Burgos. Tell the licentiate Aguiar, who enters your convent every day, that now he knows how I miss seeing him; that I was delighted with his letter, but that as I think fe will be delighted at not having to reply to me at once, I am deferring my answer to it. Tell Doétor Manso that the case is the same with him: always give my kind remembrances to him and to the Father Master Mato and let me know how they are. Thenuns here are very envious of such a confessor. You must know that the priest