Adieu to you, my dear Sister, and to all our dear professed. Let us love God and accomplish His will, I beseech you, my dearly loved daughter.
XLIII.
To Madame du Tertre.
Vive ✠ Jésus!
Paris,
11 August, 1620.
My very dear Daughter,
Having a little free time I make use of it to beg of you in the name of God to accept the judgement of the Bishop of Geneva, to whom you have referred this affair, and who considers that what was so deliberately settled on the house of Nevers should remain with that house. You, my dearest daughter, ought to be indifferent about such matters so long as we give you all you desire. Why should you trouble as to what use we make of your gift since quite sufficient is provided for your maintenance? If you keep to your holy desire of living amongst us and giving yourself entirely to God you must, if you please, trust his Lordship and show that you are satisfied with his decision. As for us, we desire neither law-suit nor contention, and a hundred times would we prefer to return all you have given us rather than retain it with the least accompanying unpleasantness: for we value peace with holy poverty incomparably more than all the goods this world can give us.
The Bishop of Geneva will not disclaim what I now say to you. I am a little surprised that, since his letters have arrived, we have received no news except that much pressure is being brought to bear on our Sisters of Nevers to induce them to return the money they have received. It is their Bishop tells me this. You understand, my very dear daughter, that if you desire to persevere, as I believe you do, you must please, now that you are acquainted with the views of his Lordship of Geneva, cease to discuss this matter.
Our poor Sisters of both houses are sorely afflicted at having to give ear to a style of conversation with which they are unacquainted—peace is more to them than such things. Let them have it, then, I pray you.