Letter 162

From Quebec. To her son. 27 September 1654.
Recommendations about the 1654 Relations

My dear and well beloved son,

My love and affection for you and my consolation that you belong entirely to God has made me overcome myself to send you the writings you desire. Written with repugnance they are sent with pain but grace and nature have overcome my inclinations. Now I am going to tell you my intentions about them. I desire that no one at all should know about them or their contents except yourself I trust that you accept faithfully my request. As I have given you what you wanted from me you will not refuse my desire.

On account of the visitation of Religious houses I beg you to write on the cover “Conscience Matter” so that nobody will touch them without scruple. With this precaution people of your state can easily keep papers of this nature that nobody can look at. If you happen to fall ill or be in danger of death, have them thrown into the fire, or better still that I might be certain, send them to my niece who will take care to keep them for me if I should survive you. I am laying down many conditions my dear son, I am very particular on this point and you are sufficiently enlightened to know I have good reason to be. This letter is short so that it may make a greater impression on your mind and that you reflect more easily on the necessity of what I am asking and hoping for my dear and dearly beloved son.

Your humble and affectionate Mother,
Sr Mary of the Incarnation, Unworthy Ursuline.
Quebec. 27 September 1654.
Kelly, Sr M. St. Dominic, O.S.U. Marie of the Incarnation 1599 - 1672 Correspondence, (translated from the French edition by Dom Guy Oury Monk of Solesmes), Irish Ursuline Union, 2000, p. 209.