Word from New Spain : The Spiritual Autobiography of Madre Maria de San Jose 1656-1719

This is the account of the social and spiritual difficulties of an aspirant nun in Mexico at the end of the seventeenth century.

In an extensive introduction, Myers discusses the chronology and provenance of Madre Maria's manuscript and gives biographical details of her life; surveys literary aspects of the text; and seeks to show the socio-historical value of the striking scenes of family life which the text offers.

Notes and guidance are given on style, orthography and pronunciation; and a bibliographical essay complements a selected bibliography.