Common Maidenhair. _Asplenium trichomanes._
Dedicated to _St. Martina_.
~January 31.~
King George IV. proclaimed. Holiday at the Exchequer.
_St. Peter Nolasco_, A. D. 1258. _St. Serapion_, A. D. 1240. _St.
Cyrus and John._ _St. Marcella_, A. D. 410. _St. Maidoc_, or
_Maodhog_, alias _Aidar_, otherwise _Mogue_, Bishop of Ferns, A. D.
1632.
_St. Peter Nolasco._
Ribadeneira relates, that on the 1st of August 1216, the virgin Mary
with a beautiful train of holy virgins appeared to this saint at
midnight, and signified it was the divine pleasure that a new order
should be instituted under the title of Our Blessed Lady of Mercy, for
the redemption of captives, and that king James of Aragon had the same
vision at the same time, and “this order, therefore, by divine
revelation, was founded upon the 10th, or as others say, upon the 23d of
August.” Then St. Peter Nolasco begged for its support, and thereby
rendered himself offensive to the devil. For once taking up his lodging
in private, some of the neighbours told him, that the master of the
house, a man of evil report, had lately died, and the place had ever
since been inhabited by “night spirits,” wherein he commended himself to
the virgin and other saints, and “instantly his admonitors vanished away
like smoke, leaving an intolerable scent behind them.” These of course
were devils in disguise. Then he passed the sea in his cloak, angels
sung before him in the habit of his order, and the virgin visited his
monastery. One night he went into the church and found the angels
singing the service instead of the monks; and at another time seven
stars fell from heaven, and on digging the ground “there, they found a
most devout image of our lady under a great bell,”--and so forth.
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