any idle or ridiculous story told by the Romanists concerning their saints, and other persons, in order to support the credit of their religion.

The legend was originally a book used in the old Romish churches, containing the lessons to be read at divine service; hence the lives of the saints and martyrs came to be called legends, because chapters were read out of them at matins, and at the refectories of religious houses. Among these the golden legend, which is a collection of the lives of the saints, was received in the church with great applause, which it maintained for 200 years; though it is so full of ridiculous and romantic stories, that the Romanists themselves are now ashamed of it.

Legend is also used to signify the words or letters engraven about the margins, &c. of coins. Thus the legend of a French crown is, Sit nomen Domini benedictum; that of a moidore, In hoc signo vinces; on those of the last emperors of Constantinople, we find Jesus Christus Basileus Basileon, IHS XPS NIKA, Jesus Christus vincit.