David, or Dewi, Archbishop, was grandson of the King of Ceretica, now Cardiganshire. In A.D. 519 he was elected Archbishop of Caerleon. David removed the episcopal chair from Caerleon to Menevia, since called St David's. He is said

to have died A.D. 544.

Chad, or Ceadda, Bishop, was a native of Britain, and educated at Lindisfarne, under St Aidan. In A. D. 666 he was consecrated to the see of York, in the absence of Wilfrid, who had gone to Paris for consecration to that see. On Wilfrid's return Chad resigned York, and was promoted to Lichfield A.D. 670. He died A.D. 673Perpetua, Martyr, a married lady of Carthage, suffered about A.D. 203. Her festival was observed at Carthage in the time of Augustine. She has been commemorated in the Canon of the Roman Mass since the time of Gregory the Great. Gregory the Great (Magnus), Bishop, was born at Rome about A.D. 540. In A.D. 577, seeing some young English slaves exposed for sale at Rome, and learning that England was heathen, he entreated Benedict I., Bishop of Rome, to send missionaries thither, and, when no one would undertake the duty, offered to go himself. He with difficulty obtained permission, but, on his leaving Rome, his loss was so severely felt, that he was almost immediately recalled. In A.D. 590 he succeeded to the see of Rome, and in A.D. 596 sent Augustine, with 40 companions, to evangelize England. He died A.D. 604. Among his most important works were the reform of the Divine offices and the improvement of the music of the Church. Edward, King of West Saxons, son of Edgar, King of England, and Ethelfleda the Fair, was born A.D. 962. In A.D. 975 he succeeded his father on the throne. While visiting his step-mother, Elfrida, at Corfe Castle, A.D. 978, he was murdered by her order. His favour to the monks caused his murder to be esteemed martyrdom. Benedict, Abbot, was born at Norcia, a city of Italy, about A.D. 480. At the age of 16 he left Rome, where he had been sent to study, and shut himself up in a hermitage. Deeming this not lonely enough, he shortly after fled to a cave at Subiaco, a wild part of the country about 40 miles from Rome. About A. D. 529 he left Subiaco and founded the celebrated monastery of Monte Cassino, whence was promulgated the famous rule of St Benedict. He died A.D. 543.

The Festival of the Annunciation is at least as old as the Council in Trullo, A. D. 680. See note on the Collect. The Proper Lessons were appointed in 1559. The names of David, Chad, Perpetua, Gregory, Edward, and Benedict, were first placed in the reformed Calendar in 1561. Their designations were added in 1662. Richard, Bishop, surnamed De Wyche, from a place so called in Worcestershire, where he was born, was brought up at the Universities of Oxford and Paris. In A.D. 1245 he was appointed Bishop of Chichester. Henry III. opposed Richard and confiscated his revenues. Richard died A.D. 1253.

St Ambrose, Bishop, was born about A.D. 340, probably at Treves. He studied law and practised as an advocate. About A.D. 373 he was made governor of Northern Italy. Upon the death of Auxentius, Bishop of Milan, who had been a leader of the Arian party, fierce struggles took place at Milan about the election of a new bishop. Ambrose, as governor of the province, interfered, and entered the church where the contest was going on. While he was speaking to the people, in the hope of allaying the excitement, a child, it is said, cried out thrice, "Ambrose is Bishop." The whole multitude took up the cry, and he was unanimously elected. In spite of his remonstrances (he was then only a catechumen), he was forced to yield to the importunity of the people, and, having been baptized, was consecrated A.D. 374His works are very numerous. He is said to have first introduced the practice of singing hymns in the Divine offices. He died A. D. 397.

Alphege, Archbishop, was born of a noble family in Britain about A.D. 954. He was elevated A.D. 984 to the see of Winchester. In A.D. 1006 he was translated to Canterbury. In A.D. 1011 the Danes sacked Canterbury and took the Archbishop prisoner; who, refusing to give them the treasures of the Church for ransom, was, after seven months' captivity, stoned to death by them at Greenwich A.D. 1012.

St George, Martyr, (history uncertain), is said to have been of Cappadocia, to have risen high in the army, and to have suffered at Nicomedia about A. D. 303. Gibbon would identify him with the Arian rival of Athanasius massacred by the Alexandrian mob, A.D. 361. Milman thinks that his worship has been traced "up to a period which makes it improbable that so notorious an Àrian could be palmed upon the Catholic church as a saint and martyr.” St George was first acknowledged as the Patron Saint of England at the Synod of Oxford A.D. 1222.

The festival of St Mark, Evangelist, is as old as A.D. 730. See note on the Collect. The Proper Lessons were appointed in 1559.

The names of Richard, Ambrose, and Alphege, were first added to the reformed Calendar in 1561. Their designations were added in 1662. St George's name was inserted in black letter in 1552, in red letter in 1559, and again in black letter in 1604. His designation was added in 1662.

The festival of St Philip and St James was observed A.D. 730. See note on the Collect. The Second Lesson appointed in 1549 was Acts 8 to v. 13. This was omitted in 1552, and no Second Lesson was appointed till 1662. The First Lesson was appointed in 1559.

Invention of the Cross. Helena, mother of Constantine the Great, was converted to the Christian faith A.D. 311 Fifteen years afterwards she visited the scenes of our Lord's life; and anxious to recover the cross on which He had suffered, she caused excavations to be made on the site of the sepulchre. Three crosses with the Title were dug up. Our Lord's cross is said to have singled itself out from the other two by its wonder-working power. Helena sent a part of the cross to Constantinople, left a part at Jerusalem, and carried the rest with her to Rome, where she deposited it in her Church of the Holy Cross of Jerusalem.

St John the Evangelist is said to have been apprehended at Ephesus and sent prisoner to Rome A.D. 95. Being accused before the Emperor Domitian, he was sentenced to be thrown into a caldron of boiling oil, which sentence was executed before the city gate, called Porta Latina. The Apostle came out unhurt; and the Emperor, attributing his escape to magic, banished him to the Isle of Patmos. Dunstan, Archbishop, born A.D. 924, was devoted by his parents to the Church while still a child. He subsequently embraced the monastic life, and soon became Abbot of Glastonbury. He was thence elevated by king Edgar to the sees of Worcester, London, and Canterbury, in succession. Dunstan was a warm advocate of the monastic clergy. He was well skilled in the liberal arts, and, among other accomplishments, was a skilful worker in metals. He died A.D. 988.

Nothing is known of the life of Augustine, Archbishop, before he became Abbot of the monastery of St Andrew in Rome. In A.D. 596 he left Rome, with forty companions, to preach the Gospel in England. He landed in the Isle of Thanet A.D. 597, and soon converted Ethelbert, king of Kent, and many of his subjects. Augustine went after this to France for Episcopal consecration, and, on his return to England, fixed his see at Canterbury, where he built a Cathedral. He died A.D. 604. Bede, Presbyter, for his piety and learning surnamed the Venerable, was born, A.D. 673, at Jarrow in Northumberland. He was ordained Deacon A.D. 691, and Priest A.D. 703. He is the author of a most valuable Ecclesiastical history of England and of several other learned works. He is said to have died A.D. 735, while dictating the concluding words of a translation of St John's Gospel.

The days of the Invention of the Cross, St John Port. Lat., Dunstan and Augustine, were noted in the reformed Calendar in 1561. Bede's name was added in 1662, when the designations were affixed to the others.

Nicomede, Priest and Martyr, was a Priest in Rome about A.D. 90. He is said to have been a disciple of St Peter. In the reign of Domitian he was beaten to death. He is commemorated in the Sacramentary of Gregory the Great.

Boniface, Bishop and Martyr, the Apostle of Germany, as he is called, was born in Devonshire about A.D. 680. His English name was Winfrid. He embraced the monastic life. From his youth he was actuated by a desire to preach the Gospel to the heathen; and, having with difficulty obtained the permission of his abbot, he went to Friesland, A.D. 716, but was obliged to return. He afterwards went again, with authority from Pope Gregory II., preached with great success, and founded several bishoprics. Having thus established the Church in Germany, he set out to preach to the savage inhabitants of East Friesland, where, after having made many converts, he was massacred near Utrecht by a band of enraged pagans, A.D. 755. "His dying finished what his life began.'

The festival of St Barnabas is noted by Bede and in calendars of the 8th century. See note on Collect. The Second Lesson was appointed in 1549, the First in 1559. St Alban, Martyr, the Proto-martyr of Britain, was a native of the city of Verulamium, the ruins of which still exist near the town of St Albans. He was converted to Christianity by one Amphibalus, a priest of Caerleon, whom he sheltered during the Dioclesian persecution. The date of his martyrdom is variously given from A.D. 286 to A.D. 305.

Edward, King of West Saxons, whose death is commemorated on March 18th, was first buried at Wareham. After three years, A.D. 982, his body was translated to Shaftesbury and there interred with great pomp. This translation is here commemorated.

The institution of the festival of St John Baptist is as old as the 4th or 5th century. See note on the Collect. The proper Lessons were appointed in 1549.

The festival of St Peter, Apostle and Martyr, dates from the 4th century. See note on Collect. The Second Lesson was appointed in 1549, the First in 1559. The names of Nicomede, Boniface, and Edward, were placed in the reformed calendar in 1561. St Alban's name, and all the designations, were added in 1662.