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Blafius. Bishop of Sebafte in Armenia; who is reported to have difcovered the art of woolcombing, and is therefore the patron Saint of the woolcombers, who in fome places (particularly at Norwich) honour his memory by an annual proceffion. On thefe occafions one of the trade reprefents the Bishop, being clothed in epifcopal veftments, and carrying in his hand a pair of combs. He was put to death in his native city during the Dioclefian perfecution, by Agricolaus the prefident of it in the year 289.

Agatha. A Sicilian virgin of honourable family; fuffered martyrdom at Catanea, under the Emperor Decius, the 5th of February 253. Quin tinianus, the governor of the province, being enamoured of her beauty, endeavoured by threats to overcome her virtue; but not fucceeding in his defign, he tortured her in the most horrid manner, and thruft her into a dungeon. After a fhort time, the Prætor fent for her again, intending to repeat his cruelties; but the holy virgin praying to be faved from further torture, immediately expired.

Valentine. A bishop, or according to fome ecclefiaftical writers, only a prefbyter of the church. Under the Emperor Decius he was perfecuted for his religion; and delivered into the cuftody of one Afterius, upon whofe daughter he worked a miracle, and by thefe means converted the whole family to the Chriftian faith. After a year's imprisonment at Rome, he was beheaded in the Flaminian Way (or road) near that city, A.D. 271. The cuftom of choofing Valentines on this feftival is faid by fome 10 have originated in the character of this faint, who was celebrated for his chriftian love and charity; by others, from the fact in natural history, of birds pairing on or about this day,

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The Numbers here prefixed to the feveral days, between the 21st day of March and the 18th day of April, both inclufive, denote the days upon which thole Full Moons do fall, which happen apon or next after the 21ft day of March, in thote years, of which they are refpectively the Golden Numbers; and the Sunday-Letter next following any fuch Full Moon, points out Eagerday for that year. All which holds until the year of our Lord 1899 inclufive; after which year, thplace of thefe Golden Numbers will be to be changed, as is hereafter exprelled.

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* David. Archbishop, a native of Wales, and patron Saint of that Country; uncle to Arthur, and fon of Xanthus prince of Cardigan hire, by Meleria a nun. He was a man of deep learning for the times in which he lived; fkilled in theology, and an able oppofer of the Pelagians. Twelve monafteries near St. David's were founded by him, which produced many great and pious men. At a fynod held at Brevy in Cardiganfhire againft Pelagianifm, St. David spoke with fo much eloquence and ability, that the Archbishop of Carleon begged to refign his fee to a divine fo much better qualified to fill it than himself; but it was only by the command of the fynod that St. David could be prevailed on to accept it. He obtained permiffion to remove his fee from Carleon to Menevia, now St. David's, which obtained that name from the circumstance of his refiding there. Having filled this fee fixty-five years, and lived one hundred and forty-fix, he died in 642, as full of honour as of years. He was buried in his own church of St. Andrew, which then changed its name for that of the deceafed archbishop. Pope Calixtus II. about five hundred years afterwards canonized him.

+ Chad, or Cedde. Bishop of Lichfield, a fubordinate dignity in the church from the Archbishoprick of York, which he had been compelled to accept of, by Egfrid king of Northumberland, in the lengthened abfence of Archbishop Wilfrid. On Wilfrid's return Cedde refigned the archiepifcopal throne to him, and was made Bishop of Lichfield by Wolphere king of Mercia, whom he is reported to have converted to Christianity; though Wolphere had previously in a fit of rage deftroyed both his fons for attending the preaching of Cedde. He died March 2d, A. D. 672.

Perpetua. A female of diftinction, who fealed her faith by martyrdom in the fifth primitive perfecution under the Emperor Severus, A. D. 205. St. Auftin fpeaks of Perpetua in high terms of praife, informing us her conftancy and fortitude under fuffering was fo great, that the fuckled her infant during her tortures. He adds that the anniversary of her martyrdom was an holy-day in his time.

Gregory the Great. Bishop of Rome; a prelate of great learning and equal piety. He was confecrated to his fee in 590, and died in 604. Nothing diftinguifhed him more honourably than the oppofition he made after bis elevation to the mitre, to the title of Univerfal Bishop, which the bishops of Rome have for many centuries affumed. His memory is endeared to this country by the circumftance of its having been converted to Chriftianity through his means. For this purpose he fent to Britain the celebrated Auguftine, with forty attendant Monks, who in a fhort time happily atchieved their undertaking. He died in 604. His numerous works were printed at Rome, A. D. 1588, in eight volumes folio.

Edward, King of the Weft-Saxons. He came to the crown of his anceftors A. D. 975, when little more than twelve years of age. Hated by his ftep-mother Elfrida, because he ftood between her own fon Etheldred and the throne, he foon fell a victim to her fury; for having called at CorfeCaftle in Dorfetfhire to pay his refpects to her, he was ftabbed in the back by her order, whilft drinking a cup of wine on horseback at the gate. Pope Innocent IV. in 1245, appointed the day of his murder to be kept holy.

¶Benedict. An Italian of good family, holy and learned, who instituted, A. D. 529, the famous order of Monks called after his name. His penances and mortifications were of the most painful nature. St. Gregory relates a notable miracle performed on his account, by which he was preferved un injured in a fire made by the Goths in his cell, and in an oven heated to the greatest extremity, and stopped up close. He died March 21, A. D. 542.

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