the other a penitential religious habit, bidding her take her choice. The royal virgin with great joy took up the latter. Whereupon her parents put her in the nunnery of St Mary to be educated under the care of the abbess Etheldreda, where she afterward became a nun, and having served God with great fervour, died of a fever. Bishop Ethelwold took up her sacred remains, and put them in a rich shrine, which the abbess Elfleda covered with gold and silver. Algiva, daughter of count Ethelwold, was abbess of this house, when Egilward or Alward-Wada, earl of Dorsetshire, desired of her a portion of the relicks of this holy person, for the monastery of Pershore in Worcestershire, which had been destroyed by the Danes, and he had just rebuilt. The abbess gave him part of her skull, some of her ribs and other bones, which were enclosed in a rich case, and were kept at Pershore, as its most precious treasure: Though the principal part of her body was venerated at St Mary's in Winchester. See Leland Collect. T. r. p. 51. 278. T. 2. p. 264. William, of Malmesbury, &c.

T

From St Dionysius of Alexandria ap, Eus. 1. 6. c. 42. See Baronius ad An. 253. n. 107. ed, nov. Lucensis per Venturini, and Annot. in martyr. Rom.

A. D. 253.

ISCHRYION, was an inferior officer, who attended on a magistrate of a certain city in Egypt, which St Dionysus has not named. His master commanded him to offer sacrifice to the idols and because he refused to commit that sacrilege, reproached him with the most contumelious and threatening speeches. By giving way to his passion and superstition, he at length worked him. self up to that degree of frenzy, as to run a stake into the bowels of the meek servant of Christ, who by his patient constancy, attained to the glory of martyrdom.

We justly praise and admire the tender piety and he. roic fortitude of this holy servant and martyr. It is not a man's condition, but virtue, that can make him truly great, or truly happy. How mean soever a person's sta tion or circumstances may be, the road to both is open to him and there is not a servant or slave who ought not to be enkindled with a laudable ambition of arriving at this greatness, which will set him on the same level with the rich and the most powerful. Nay, a servant's condition has generally stronger incitements to holiness, and fewer obstacles and temptations than most others. But for this he must, in the first place, be faithful to God, and ardent in all practices of devotion. Some al lege want of time to pray. But their meals, their sleep, their diversions, demonstrate, that it is not time, but zeal for the divine service, that is wanting. What Christian does not blush at his laziness in this duty, when he calls to mind Epictetus's lamp, and Cleanthes's labour, who wrought and earned by night what might maintain him in the study of philosophy by day! Prayer, in such a station, ought not to trespass upon, work, but who cannot even at his work raise his mind to God in frequent ejacu lations? Also industry, faithfulness, with the most scrupulous exactness, obedience, respect, esteem, and sincere love which a servant owes to a master, with a care of their honour and interest, are duties to God, whose will he does, and whom he honours in proportion to the diligence and ardour with which he acquits himself of them. Justice, charity, concord, and ready mutual assistance, are virtues constantly to be exercised towards fellow-servants, upon which depend the peace, happiness, and good order of the whole family. Patience, meekness, humility, and charity, must be called forth on all occasions, especially under reproofs and injuries, which must always be received in silence, and with sweetness, kindness, and a degree of gratitude when they carry any admonitions with them. Perfect resignation to the will of God, and confidence in his infinite wisdom, power, and goodness, must be joined with constant cheerfulness and contentedness in a person's station, which bringsser vants much greater advantages for happiness, and re

moves them from dangers, hazards, and disappointments, more than is generally considered. Servants who are kept mostly for state, are of all others most exposed to dangers and ruin, and most unhappy; but must, by devotion and other serious employments, fill up all their moments. By such a conduct, a servant, how low soever his condition may appear in the eyes of men, will arise to the truest greatness, attain to present and future happiness, and approve himself dear to God, valuable to man, a most useful member of the republic of the world, and a blessing of the family wherein he lives.

ON THE SAME DAY.

Constantine, who

SS. CYRIL and METHODIUS, CC. was afterwards called Cyril, was born at Thessalonica, of an illustrious senatorian Roman family. He had his education at Constantinople, and by his great progress in learning, deserved to be surnamed The Philosopher: but piety was the most shining part of his character. He was promoted to the priesthood, and served the church with great zeal. St Ignatius being advanced to the patriarchal dignity in 846, Photius set himself to decry his virtues, and disputed that every man has two souls. St Cyril reproved him for his error. Photius answered

him, that he meant not to hurt any one, but to try the abilities and logic of Ignatius. To which wretched excuse Cyril replied: "You have thrown your darts into the midst of the croud, yet pretend no one will be hurt. How great soever the eyes of your wisdom may be, they are blinded by the smoke of avarice. and envy. Your passion against Ignatius deprived you of your sight." This is related by Anastasius the Bibliothecarian, and the aforesaid error was condemned in the eighth general Council (1). The Chazari at that time desired baptism. These were a tribe of Turci, the most numerous and powerful nation of the Hunns in European Scythia. In the sixth century they were divided into seven, sometimes into ten tribes, governed by so many independent Chagans, that is, Chams or kings (2). They drove the

(1) Can. 11. Conc. T. 8. P. 1132. Eccl. Slav. T. 2. & 3.

(2) Jos. Assiral-Orig.

Abares, and other nations of the Hunns, from the banks of the Ethel, since called Volga, towards the Danube, in the reigns of the emperors Mauricius and Tiberius, who both honoured them with their alliance, and two pompous embassies, described at large by the emperor Constantine Porphyrogenetta (3), and by Theophylactus Simocatta. The Chazari, who descended from the Turci (a), had possessed themselves of a territory near Germany, upon the banks of the Danube, which Porphyrogenetta describes in his time to have had the Bulgarians on the East, the Patzinacita (who came also from the Volga) on the North, Moravia on the West, and on the South the Schrobati, a tribe of Bulgarians settled in the mountains. This nation, by a solemn embassy, addressed themselves to the emperor Michael III. and his pious mother Theodora, begging that some priests might be sent to instruct them in the faith. The empress sent for St Ignatius the patriarch, and by his advice and au thority St Cyril was charged with this important mission. This happened in the year 848, as Henschenius and Jos. Assemani prove: not in 843, as Cohlius writes. The language of the Chazari was not the Sclavonian, as Hen. schenius thinks, but that of the Hunns or Turci, which was entirely different, says Assemani. That, Cyril understood the Sclavonian, Greek, and Latin languages, is clear from the two histories of his life. That for this mission he learned also the Turcic, which was spoke by the Hunns, Chazari, and Tartars, we cannot doubt. In a short time he instructed and baptized the Cham, and his whole nation, and having settled his church under the care of able pastors, returned to Constantinople, absolutely refusing to accept any part of the great presents with which the prince would have honoured him.

(3) Pandextæ Hist. de Legationibus, p. 161.

(a) From these ancient Turci among the Hunns in Scythia, some think the Turks among the Oygyzian Tartars in Asia to be descended. Likewise the Tartars of Crimea. But Constantine Porphyrogenetta (1. de regendo imperio ad Romanum filium) and other Byzanti writers, call also the Hungari, and other northern nations, wheth, f Europe or Asia, by the same name Turci.

The saint's second mission was to the Bulgarians, in which his devout brother Methodius, a monk, was his chief assistant. The Bulgari were a Scythian nation, not of the Hunns, but of the Slavi, whose language was quite different from that of the Turci and all the Hunns. They seem to have been originally planted near the Volga, and to have retired at the same time with the Abares upon the coming of the numerous swarm of the Turci from the coasts of the Caspian sea, under their cham Turaathus; as Evagrius, Theophanes, and Simocatta relate. The Bulgari are first mentioned near the Danube, about the year 634, when Cobratus their king made an alliance with the emperor Heraclius against the Abares; as Theophanes and the patriarch Nicephorus inform us. The Servii were another nation of the Slavi, who accompanied the Bulgari, and founded the kingdom of Servia. The Bulgari possessed themselves of the ancient Mysia, and Dacia, on both sides the Danube, now Walachia, Moldavia, and part of Hungary. They came from the banks of the Volga, in the reign of Anastasius, and erected here a mighty kingdom (b).

The first seeds of the conversion of this barbarous nation were sown by certain Grecian captives taken at Adrianople in the reign of the emperor Basil the Macedonian: but this great work was completed many years after by the following means. Boigoris, king of the Bulgarians, was, inclined to the faith by the assiduous long persuasions of his sister, who had zealously embraced it at Constantinople, having been taken captive, and detained a long time in the court of the pious empress Theodora. But human motives hardened his heart till God was pleased to awake him by a more powerful call. This prince, who was passionately fond of hunting, desired the emperor to procure him a picture which should be a curious hunting-piece. Methodius, according to the custom of many devout monks in that age, employed himself in drawing pious pictures, and excelled in that art. He was therefore sent to the court

(b) Their kingdom flourished till John their last king being slain in 1018, Basil II. added Bulgaria to the empire: upon which also the Chazari, Patzinacæ, and Croats, voluntarily submitted to him. VOL. XII.