them, and commanded them in the name of God to cease their devastations, when the barbarians seized him and beheaded him. He is considered the patron saint of the Orkney Islands, and the Cathedral of Kirkwall is dedicated in his name. He was commemorated on April 16th, and the Churches in England named in his honour are Morton, Dorset; Bessingley, Yorkshire; and one in the city of London.

S. Mannacus is commemorated at the Church and village of Mannacus, Cornwall.

S. Margaret, queen of Scotland, A. D. 1093. Was the wife of Malcolm III., and foundress of Dumfermline abbey, where she was buried. She was a princess of the royal race of the Anglo-Saxon kings, and after the fatal battle of Hastings, she fled into Scotland with her brother Edgar, the lawful heir to the throne of S. Edward the Confessor. Among the treasures which she carried with her, was the venerated crucifix, afterwards called the "black rood of Scotland." This cross seems to have engaged her last thoughts, for her confessor relates, that when dying she caused it to be brought to her, and that she embraced, and gazed stedfastly upon it, until her soul passed from time to eternity, on the 16th of November, 1093.

S. Mark. See Calendar, April 25, p. 66.

S. Marnack, or Marnerch. The Church of Lanreath, Cornwall, is thus dedicated.

S. Martha, V., A.D. 84. Was the sister of Mary

Magdalene1, and one of those whom Jesus lovedk. She is generally supposed to have been one of the holy women present at the Crucifixion1 and the embalmingm of our Saviour. Though nothing authentic is known of her beyond the record of the Gospel history, her legend says that after the Ascension she went to Marseilles, and preached to the people there, converting many by miracles; among others she is said to have overcome a terrible dragon that lived in the river there during the day, and came out at night and slew and ate the inhabitants; this she accomplished by sprinkling the monster with holy water, which so subdued it that she bound it with her girdle, and led it to the city, where it was soon killed. The dragon is therefore her usual attribute; she generally has one foot upon it, in one hand an asperge or sprinkle, and in the other a vase of holy water; sometimes she is leading the dragon bound. As the patron saint of

i S. John xi. 1.

1 Mark xv. 41; Luke xxiii. 27.

S. MARTHA,

from a painting at Florer.ce.

Ibid. 5.

m Luke xxiii. 55, 6.

housekeeping, she sometimes holds a ladle, and has a bunch of keys at her girdle. She is commemorated in the Roman Church on July 29th.

S. Martin. See Calendar, Nov. 11th, p. 134. S. Mary the Virgin. See Calendar, February 2nd, June 25th, Sept. 8th, Dec. 8th.

S. Mary Magdalene. See Calendar, July 22nd, p. 91.

p.

47.

S. Matthew. See Calendar, Sept. 21st, p. 109. S. Matthias. See Calendar, Feb. 24th, S. Maurice, M., A.D. 286. Was general of the Theban legion, which consisted of 6,666 men, all Christians, who refused to offer sacrifice to the gods at the command of the Emperor Maximian for the success of their arms in Gaul, and were by his orders twice decimated. Encouraged by S. Maurice and their other generals, they still refused, and the whole legion was then butchered by the army under the order of the emperor, they offering no resistance, but encouraging each other to suffer. S. Maurice is with his companions honoured in the Roman calendar on Sept. 22nd, and is represented in complete armour, with a sword and banner, and generally, but not always, as a Moor. The Churches of Plympton, Devon; Horkstow, Lincolnshire; Briningham, Norfolk; Eglingham and Ellingham, Northumberland; and one in the city of York, are named in his honour alone; and a Church in the city of Winchester in the joint names of SS. Maurice and Mary.

S. Mawgan. The Churches and villages of Mawgan-in-Meneage and Mawgan-in-Pyder, Cornwall, are named in honour of this saint.

S. Mawnan is commemorated at the village and Church of Mawnan, Cornwall.

S. Medardus, B., A.D. 545. Was much celebrated for his holiness, humility, and almsgiving; born at Salency, near Noyon, c. 457, he very early gave proofs of extraordinary sanctity. He was selected and consecrated Bishop of Noyon by S. Remigius, and afterwards the bishopric of Tournay was added to his cure without his being allowed to give up Noyon; he died at the age of 88, having been Bishop fifteen years. It is related of him that upon being appealed to by two noblemen to settle a dispute between them relative to the boundary of their lands, he set his feet upon the proper boundary stone, and their shape was immediately impressed on it; and also that at his funeral two white doves from heaven floated over his coffin, and that a third came out of the coffin and flew with the others to the skies; he is therefore represented with three white doves flying over him, and the marks of his footsteps in the pavement upon which he treads; also in accordance with another legend, an eagle with outstretched wings over his head protects him from rain; sometimes a beggar stands near him, to whom he is giving alms. He is always habited as a Bishop, and is commemorated on June 8th. The

Church of Little Bytham, Lincolnshire, is named in his honour.

S. Melan, C., is commemorated on October 10th, the Church of Mullion, in Cornwall, being dedicated in his name, as well as one in the archdeaconry of Llanda

S. Meliorus, or Melior, M., A.D. 411. Son and heir of Melianus, duke of Cornwall, who having become a Christian, was by his brother-in-law, a pagan, "partly in hatred of his faith and religion, and partly to injoy his inheritance"," cruelly murdered and mutilated. The Church of Linkinhorn, Cornwall, where he was buried, is named in his honour, "wherat in signe of his innocency it pleased God forthwith to worke many miracles.." He is commemorated on January 3rd. S. Mylor in the same county probably derives its name and the dedication of its Church from this saint.

S. Mellin has left his name to the Church and village of Mellion, Cornwall. He is commemorated on Dec. 24th.

S. Merther is commemorated at the village and Church of Merther, Cornwall, and is probably the same saint who is commemorated rather extensively in Wales under the name of Merthyr.

S. Merryn was commemorated on January 6th, the village and Church of S. Merryn, Cornwall, being named after him.

n English Martyrologe, p. 3.

• Ibid.