MARGARET, the daughter and heiress of Florent
count of Holland, who is famous on account of a story
repeated by a hundred compilers even of the present
century. Having refused charity to a woman whom
she at the same time accused of adultery, she was, as
a punishment from God, brought to bed (A.D. 1276)
of 365 children, partly boys and partly girls. The
boys, it is added, were all named John, and the girls
Elizabeth. This story is represented in a large paint-
ing in a village not far from the Hague; and by the
side of the painting are seen two large basins of brass,
on which it is pretended the 365 children were pre-
sented to be baptized. But if a picture is a sufficient
authority for the truth of any thing, it is impossible
to tell how many fables would be fully attested. It
has been remarked, that the most ancient annals are
altogether silent concerning this fact; and that it is
related only by modern writers, who besides do not
agree with one another concerning either the date of
time, or the life of the countess, or the number of
the children; and in short, that Nassau, who was at
that time bishop of Utrecht, was called John, and not
Gui, as the chronicles declare. Several learned men
have endeavoured to trace the cause which could have
given rise to a relation so extraordinary. M. Struik
fixed upon the epitaphs of the mother and son, which
appeared to him worthy of some attention; and, in
conformity to the dates which they bear, he supposed
that the countess was brought to bed on Good-Friday
1276, which was the 26th of March. Now, as the
year then began on the 25th of the same month, there
were only two days of the year elapsed when the coun-
tess was brought to bed, which circumstance caused it
to be said that she had brought into the world as many chil-
dren as there were days in the year. In fact only two
children are mentioned in history, John and Eliza-
beth. The fable thus explained is only a common
event, wherein there is nothing of the marvellous, but
in consequence of a double meaning in the expression.
Later writers, who have not examined this circum-
stance, have ascribed 365 children to the countess.
(Journal des Savans, February, 1758, on the Gen-
eral History of the United Provinces.)