The Life of Saint Teresa of Avila

FOREWORD

of the Saint.

The Sisters of this Monastery of Saint Joseph of Avila, knowing that Father Presentatus original: "Pere Preſenté." This was a specific academic title within the Dominican Order for a friar who had completed his studies and been "presented" to the authorities to receive his Master of Theology degree. Domingo Báñez, a religious of the Order of the glorious Saint Dominic, who is currently my Confessor, has permitted me to write about Prayer original: "l'Oraiſon." In the 17th-century context, this specifically refers to oraison mentale or "mental prayer"—an internal, contemplative dialogue with God as opposed to the recitation of set vocal prayers., they believed that I could do so usefully, because I have discussed this subject with several very spiritual and very holy persons; and they have urged me so much to tell them something about it, that I have resolved to obey them, because the great love they bear for me will make them better receive what comes to them from me, however imperfect and poorly written it may be, than books whose style is excellent, and which have been made by men very learned in this matter. I put my confidence in their prayers, which might perhaps obtain from God that, by giving me the means to [tell] them

é This letter "é" is a catchword, a common printing practice where the first syllable of the next page is printed at the bottom right to help the bookbinder assemble the pages in the correct sequence.