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S. Augustine, which, in reality, was merely a mission to establish the papal supremacy in England, where it had not been previously acknowledged. In 597 S. Augustine was consecrated "Bishop of the English," and fixed his see at Canterbury, which has ever since been the metropolitan see of England. He died in 604, after consecrating Bishops to London and Rochester, and having laid a firm foundation upon which to build the jurisdiction of the see of Rome over this country. Bede speaks of S. Augustine as "the beloved of God;" and Capgrave describes him as 66 very tall by stature, of a dark complexion, his face beautiful, but withal majestical." There are twenty-nine Churches in England dedicated in the name of S. Augustine; possibly some of these may be in the name of the Bishop of Hippo, commemorated on Aug. 28; but there is little doubt the greater part were dedicated in honour of S. Augustine of Canterbury, who was most peculiarly an English saint, especially as there are five so named in the county of Kent, the scene of his earliest labours.

MAY 27. Venerable Bede, A. D. 735. S. Bede, born at Jarrow, in Northumberland, A. D. 67, is said to have been a prodigy of learning and piety, to have surpassed S. Gregory in learning and eloquence, and to have expired dictating the last words of a translation of S. John's Gospel". His learning m See Churton's Early English Church, pp. 150-2.

and piety gained him the surname of "Venerable,” though the legend is, that his scholars, wishing to put a title upon his tombstone, one of them wrote

Placing the word ossa at the end of the verse for a rhyme, not being able at the moment to think of any epithet that would exactly suit him. Being tired in puzzling over a fit word, he fell asleep, and when he awoke he found his verse filled up by some angelic hand inserting the word venerabilis in the blank space he had left. Many of his works, which are very valuable, especially his Ecclesiastical History, are still extant.

JUNE 1. S. Nicomede, Priest and Martyr, A.D. 90, was scholar to S. Peter, and was discovered to be a Christian by his burying Felicula, a Virgin martyr, with Christian rites at the peril of his life. He was beaten to death with leaden plummets, or other accounts say a spiked club, for refusing to sacrifice to the gods, in the reign of Domitian. He is represented as a priest with a spiked club in his hand.

JUNE 5. S. Boniface, Bishop and Martyr, A.D. 755. S. Winfred, afterwards called Boniface, was born at Crediton, or Kirton, in Devonshire, about 680, and was brought up at the abbey of Nutsall, near Winchester: from his infancy he evinced great sentiments of piety, and a strong desire of preaching the Gospel to the heathen inhabitants of Germany. With this end in view he made a journey to Rome and obtained the sanction of Pope Gregory II. to proceed as a missionary to Germany where he converted several

nations, and founded many monasteries; he is called the Apostle of Germany and was made first Bishop of Mentz in the year 745. Having thus spent his life, he suffered martyrdom near Utrecht in his 75th year. With him were martyred fifty-two companions. The Churches of Bunbury, Cheshire, and Bonchurch, in the Isle of Wight, are named in his honour. He is represented in full episcopal costume, hewing down an oak, or with an oak tree prostrate at his feet, having gained a large accession of converts by boldly cutting down a tree of immense size held in superstitious veneration by the people, and called the oak of Jupiter. He is sometimes drawn with a scourge, and very frequently with a book pierced through with a sword.

JUNE 11. S. Barnabas, Apostle, though not one of the twelve chosen by Christ, is nevertheless styled an Apostle by the primitive Fathers and by S. Luke; he was by origin of the tribe of Levi, and called Joses. Besides his labours as recorded in the acts of the Apostles, he is believed to have preach

ed at Milan, of which place his legend says he was the first Bishop. After a life spent in preaching the gospel, S. Barnabas suffered many torments, and was stoned to death at Salamis in Cyprus. His remains were found near that city with a copy of the Gospel

of S. Matthew in Hebrew laid on them. His day was anciently a great feast among English people; it was the longest day, according to the old style. He is said always to have carried about with him the Gospel of S. Matthew, written by the Evangelist himself, from which he preached, and which healed all sick or diseased persons who touched it. He is therefore generally represented carrying this Gospel in his hand, and in the other he frequently bears the missionary staff. Sometimes he carries a stone; his emblem in the Clog almanacks is a rake, probably from some tradition which we have been unable to find relative to his martyrdom. Six Churches are named in his honour in England.

JUNE 17. S. Alban, A.D. 303, proto-martyr of England. S. Alban was the first Christian martyr in this island, and suffered in 303. He was converted to Christianity by Amphibalus, a priest of Caerleon, in Monmouthshire, who, flying from persecution, was hospitably entertained and sheltered by S. Alban at Verulam, in Hertfordshire, now called from him S. Alban's. Amphibalus, being closely pursued, made his escape dressed in S. Al

8. ALBAN,

from the brass of Abbot Delamere, in S. Alban's Abbey.

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