Page:A Dictionary of Saintly Women Volume 2.djvu/26

14 ST. MARGARET both loved and feared her. No one dared to ntter a rude or profane word in her presence. She did much for the Becnlar as well as for the religious im- proyement of her country. She caused traders from all lands to bring their goods, and thus introduced many useful and beautiful articles, until then un- known in Scotland. She induced the natives to buy and wear garments and stuffs of various colours. She is said to have introduced the tartans that after- wards became distinctive of Scottish costume. She instituted the custom that wherever the king rode or walked he should be accompanied by an escort, but the members of this band were strictly forbidden to take anything by force from any one, or oppress any poor person. She beautified the king's house with furniture and hangings, and intro- duced cups and dishes of gold and silver for the royal table. All this she did, not that she was fond of worldly show, but that the Court should be more decent and less barbarous than heretofore. Numbers of captives were taken in the wars and raids between England and Scotland, and many English prisoners were living as slaves in Mal- colm's lands. They were of somewhat better education and superior culture to the Scots and gradually advanced the civilization of their captors. Many of these were set free by the queen. When she met poor persons, she gave them liberal alms, and if she had nothing of her own left to give, she asked her attendants for something, that she might not let Christ's poor go away empty- handed. The laidies, gentlemen, and servants who accompanied her took a pride and pleasure in offering her all they had, feeling sure that a double blessing would reward their alms when given through the saintly queen. She provided ships at a place on the Firth of Forth, still called " The Queen's Ferry," that all persons coming from distant parts on pilgrimage to St. Andrews might be brought across the water free of charge. She also gave houses and servants on either shore for their accommodation, that they might find everything necessary for their repose and refreshment and might pay their devotions in peace and safety. Besides this, she built homes of rest and shelter for poor strangers in various places. From childhood she had diligently studied the Holy Writ and having a keen intelligence and an excellent memory, she knew and understood the Scriptures wonderfully well. She de- lighted to consult learned and holy men concerning the sacred writings, and as she had a great gift for expressing her- self clearly, they often found themselves far wiser after a conversation with her. Her love for the holy books made her spend much time in reading and studying such of them as she had. She longed to possess more portions of the Word of God, and she sometimes begged Turgot and other learned clergymen to procure them for her. The king's devotion to her and her influence over him were almost un- bounded. Turgot calls Malcolm's peni- tence and piety a "great miracle of God's Mercy." He wondered how it was that there could exist in the heart of man living in the world such an entire sorrow for sin. The king dreaded to offend one whose life was so admirable as Margaret's. He perceived that Christ dwelt in her, and therefore he readily obeyed her wishes in all things. He never refused or grudged her anything, nor showed the least displeasure when she took money out of his treasury for her charities. Although he could not read, he loved her books for her sake, handling them with affectionate rever- ence and kissing them. Sometimes he would take away one of her favourite volumes and send for a goldsmith to ornament it with gold and gems. When this was done, he would restore it to the queen as a proof of his devotion. Margaret brought up her eight children very strictly and piously, instructing them in the Holy Scriptures and the duties of their station and associating them in her works of charity. She made a great point of their treating their elders with becoming respect. The fruit of her good training appeared in their lives for long years after her time.