(at Angers)¹

Friday (1640)

Monsieur²,

Our good woman is very willing to do as you wish. If 1 am not mistaken, she will serve you well. I have explained all the necessary conditions to her and she finds them quite acceptable. She told me that ever since she has been employed at the hospital she needs wine while she is working. However, one ample portion a day is sufficient for her. I told her to come back to see me tomorrow or that I would let her know if this good position for her could be arranged.

The administrators have asked me to tell them the best manner in which to bury the sisters. I am including my thoughts on the matter as well as some of the practices observed for the first sisters. I beg you, Monsieur, to review it and to add or delete what you see fit. Our young sister is still very ill and, as usual, I need to be assisted by your charity before God in whose love I remain, Monsieur, your very humble and most obedient servant.

P.S. I very humbly beg you, Monsieur, to take the trouble of returning the document to me so that I can show it to the administrators tomorrow after dinner. They are expected early. They have had the official act³ signed, but I do not think that the one that I am supposed to have will be ready. Would it not be just as well to have it sent to us in Paris? I humbly beg you, Monsieur, to let me know.

1. Louise de Marillac left Paris with three sisters at the end of November and arrived in Angers on December 6, 1639 (Coste I, 609)
2. Monsieur Guy Lasnier (1602-1681), Abbot of Saint-fitienne-de-Vaux in Saintonge and Vicar General of Angers. He met Monsieur Vincent during a retreat at Saint-Lazare in 163S. He became the protector and advisor of the Daughters of Charity at the Hospital of Saint-Jean in Angers. There are 101 letters from Louse de Marillac to Monsieur l’abb£ de Vaux kept in the archives of the Motherhouse.
3. The official Act of Establishment of the Daughters of Charity at the hospital was signed on February 1, 1640 by Louise de Marillac, C£cile Angiboust, Elisabeth Martin and Marguerite Francois.