ST, a celebrated virgin, who, as is supposed, received the crown of martyrdom at Antioch in the year 275: the manner of her death is not known. The ancient martyrologists make no mention of her name, and she did not become famous till the 11th century. There is no more foundation for what is said concerning her relics and girdles than for the stories which are told of her life. A festival, however, is still held in honour of her memory on the 20th of July: See Baillet's Lives of the Saints, for that day. "Her actions (says this authority) have been falsified and altered, in the opinion even of Metaphratus, that the Romish church have not thought proper to insert any of them into their breviary." The Orientals pay reverence to her by the name of Saint Pelagia or Saint Marina, and the western church by that of Saint Geruma or Saint 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 18th century. Having refused charity to a woman whom she at the same time accused of adultery, she was, as Margaret. 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 painting 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 presented 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 Nallau, 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 countess was brought to bed, which circumstance caused it to be said that she had brought into the world as many children as there were days in the year. In fact only two children are mentioned in history, John and Elizabeth. 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 circumstance, have ascribed 365 children to the countess. Journal des Savans, February, 1758, on the General History of the United Provinces.

Countess of Richmond and Derby, the learned and pious mother of Henry VII. was born at Bethoe in Bedfordshire, in 1411; and was the sole heiress of John Beaufort duke of Somerset, grandson to John of Gaunt. Her mother was the heiress of Lord Beauchamp of Powick. Whilst yet very young, the great duke of Suffolk, minister to Henry VI. or rather to Queen Margaret, sought her in marriage to his son; and he was at the same time solicited by the king for his half brother Edmund earl of Richmond. To the latter he gave her hand. Henry VII. was the sole fruit of this marriage, his father dying when he was but 15 weeks old. Her second husband was Sir Henry Stafford, knight, second son to the duke of Buckingham; by whom she had no issue. Soon after his death, which happened in the year 1482, she fought consolation in a third husband, Thomas Lord Stanley, who, in the first year of her son's reign, was created earl of Derby. He died in the year 1504, without issue, being then high constable of England. She survived her lord not quite five years, dying at Westminster in June 1509, in the 69th year of her age. She was buried in Henry VII.'s chapel; on the south side of which was erected to her memory an altar tomb of black marble, with her statue of brass.

From her funeral sermon preached by her confessor Margaret, Bishop Fisher, who, says Ballard, knew the very secrets Margaret, of her soul, we learn, "that she possessed almost all things that were commendable in a woman, either in mind or body." She understood the French language perfectly, and had some knowledge of the Latin. She was devout even to austerity, in humility romantic, profuse in the encouragement of learning, and singularly chaste; but this last virtue became conspicuous only towards the latter end of a third marriage. "In her last husband's days (says Baker), she obtained a licence of him to live chaste, whereupon she took upon her the vow of celibacy." "A boon (says Mr Walpole), as seldom requested, I believe of a third husband, as it probably would be easily granted." Her life, from the turbulence of the times, and vicissitude of her son's fortune, must necessarily have been subject to infinite diliquet, which however she is said to have supported with singular fortitude. She wrote, 1. The Mirroure of Golde for the sinful soul, translated from a French translation of a book called Speculum aureum peccatorum. Emprynted at London, in Flete-strete, at the signe of St George, by Richard Pynfon, quarto, with cuts on vellum. 2. Translation of the fourth book of Dr Gerlen's Treatise of the Imitation and following the blessed Life of our most merciful Saviour Christ, Printed at the end of Dr William Atkinson's English translation of the three first books, 1504. 3. A letter to the king: in Howard's collections. 4. By her son's order and authority, she also made the orders for great estates of ladies and noble women, for their precedence, and wearing of barbes at funerals, over the chin and under the fame.

the daughter of Woldemar III. king of Denmark, styled the Semiramis of the North; she succeeded her father in the throne of Denmark, her husband in that of Norway; and the crown of Sweden was given her as a recompense for delivering the Swedes from the tyranny of Albert their king. Thus poifecled of the three kingdoms, she formed the grand political design of a perpetual union, which she accomplished, pro tempore only, by the famous treaty, styled the union of Calmar. She died in 1412, aged 59.

MARGARET of Anjou, daughter of René d'Anjou, king of Naples, and wife of Henry VI. king of England: an ambitious, enterprising, courageous woman. Intrepid in the field, she signalized herself by heading her troops in several battles against the house of York; and if she had not been the authoress of her husband's misfortunes, by putting to death the duke of Gloucester his uncle, her name would have been immortalized for the fortitude, activity, and policy, with which she supported the rights of her husband and son, till the fatal defeat at Tewkbury; which put an end to all her enterprises, the king being taken prisoner, and Prince Edward their only son barely murdered by Richard duke of York. Margaret was ransomed by her father, and died in Anjou in 1482. See ENGLAND, No 201 —226.

Duchess of Newcastle. See CAVENDISH.