vated by the beauty of the
fair Margaret, who inclined not to his highness, shut her up in a
dungeon, and subjected her to all kinds of torments, and that during her
imprisonment the devil, in the form of a dragon, appeared ready to devour
her, but she held up the cross and he fled. Many old prints represent
the dragon lying peaceably down, and Margaret with the cross standing by
unharmed. An old church at Canterbury is dedicated to this Saint
Margaret. Whether or not there exists any connection between her and the
heroine who usually is associated with St. George, we know not.

We conclude this speculative inquiry with a curious extract from a work
by Dr. Sayer, a translation of a fragment annexed to the Vatican MS. of
Olfrid's Gospels, some say written in the fourth century:--

George went to judgement
With much honour
From the market-place,
And a great multitude following him,
He proceeded to the Rhine {223}
To perform the sacred duty,
Which then was highly celebrated,
And most acceptable to God.
He quitted the kingdoms of the earth,
And he obtained the kingdom of heaven.
Thus did he do,
The illustrious Count George,
Then hastened all
The kings who wished
To see this man entering,
(But) who did not wish to hear him.
The spirit of George was there honoured,
I speak truly from the report of these men,
(For) he obtained
What he sought from God.
Thus did he,
The Holy George.
Then they suddenly adjudged him
To prison;
Into which with him entered
Two beautiful angels
* * * * *
Then he became glad
When that sign was made (to him),
George then prayed;
My God granted every thing
To the words of George;
He made the dumb to speak,
The deaf to hear,
The blind to see,
The lame to walk.
* * * * *
Then began the powerful man
To be exceedingly enraged.
Tatian wished
To ridicule these miracles.
He said that George
Was an impostor;
He commanded George to come forth;
He ordered him to be unclothed;
He ordered him to be violently beaten
With a sword excessively sharp.
All this I know to be altogether true;
George then arose and recovered himself;
He wished to preach to those present,
And the Gentiles
Placed George in a conspicuous situation,
(Then) began that powerful man
To be exceedingly en