The Irish standard., 1901-10-26

tered through the venerable paees ~
heating and others: Dervail, Deyor-
ghl' Finoola, Bbfe (Eve), Ita, Ina, Una.
4Monina, Norma. Nora, Inorna, Inor.
Bride pronounced Breed, commonly
called Brgid; Scotia, samthan, Dymn.
m, SYRIA, Nab. Afacha, and Maelmara.
Many of these We're saints Of the
Irish calendar, although Rome has not
formally recognized them. Yet few
lrishwomen bear their names-St.
Bride, or Bridget, being about the only
exception.
This saint, although of Legitimate
birth, was the greatest female apostle
Ireland has known. She Is also held
IN veneration by the Scots, particular
ly. by the great House of Douglas.
which, In its Catholic branch, owns
the holy guardianship Of st. Bride of
Boutwell,
She founded the monastery for nuns
Mt Kildare, near Dublin, and lit lamp
In the shrine, which, being constantly
tended by the pious nuns, remained
unextlnguislcd during several centu-
ries. Moore made this incident the
foundation Of one Of his grandest
melodies.
There was also a st. Bridget of Swe-
den, who flourlsled mostly in the first
half of the fourteenth century. Her
father was II prince of the blood royal
Of that country, and, when but girl
of 1G, she married the Prince Of Ne
ricin, who was only two years her
senior. blight children were born to
them, the youngest of whom, Catha-
rlnc, became the patron saint Of Swe-
den. Although in the prime of life,
both Bridget and her husband took
vows of confluence mt the monastery
of st. James of Compostella in Spain.
The prince died in 1874, and Bridget
founded the holy order of st. Savior,
which existed until the Reformation,
and branches of which are still extant
in Europe. After pilgrimage of the
Holy Land she died in Rome A. D.
1873
Another famous Bridget was an
English princess-Lady Bridget Plan
tagenct-the youngest daughter and
child of Edward Nv, who was born in
the Tower of London, where her hand
some and heroic, but cruel, father then
held court, in 1880, and, after the fall
and total extinction of the male line of
the House of York. she became q re-
ligious and died n nun Mt the monas-
terry Of Dartford, in England, about the
middle Of the sixteenth century.
A curious document bearing on this
princess is preserved among the royal
archives in London, and bears date A.
d, 1884. Part Of it runs thus: -
Memorandum, That 1 Richard Oils
by the grace of God (?) king Of Eng
land and France, and Lord Of Ireland,
in the presence Of you, my lords spir-
itual and temporal and Of you Mayor
and Aldermen Of My city Of London
[by which it would seem the lords and
aldermen formed a kind Of parliament1
promise and swear, verbo regio, and
upon these Holy Evangiles of God by
me personally touched, that If the
daughters of Dame Elizabeth Gray, late
calling herself Queen of England, will
come unto me out of the sanctuary Of 4
Westminster 1.-THE royal ruffian had al &
ready caused their unfortunate broth
ers to be murdered] towit, Elizabeth
fafte1rward consort of Henry VIII,
Cecil, Anne, Katherine and Bridget, IL
they will do so, and be guided, ruled
and demeaned after me, shall see that
they be in surety of their lives and
also not suffer any manner of hurt,
ETC."
Some of the language used dn the !
document, although proper enough In
that remote age, would hardly bear the
printing in this generation.
So low was the tone of morals at the
time that the s'surety" was accepted,
and the demon of York was making
hot love to his niece, Nlizaheth- her
mother not objecting- -when tie battle-