ST. FRIDESWIDE 327 the Plague. At her profession she out the comers off her veil, considering her- self inferior to the virgin nans. Some time after, the dnke and duchess made Frances and some of her nuns come to the convent of SooStz, near Nantes. Here she died Nov. 4, 1485. Seven years later her body was taken np to be placed in a comer of the chapter-house, and was found uncorrupted. Thenceforward her tomb became a place of pious pil- grimage, much frequented by the faith- ful, who went there to invoke '* la bonne duchesse.'* In 1863 the Pope approved her immemorial worship and /e/e, Nov. 5, and her solemn beatification was pro- claimed with great pomp at Nantes in 1865. A.B.M. Albert le Grand de Morlaix, Saints de la Bretagne, P.B, B. Frances (8), June 4, bora at Como, + 149^. Became a nun of the Order of the Servants of Mary, at Mantua, in 1482. A year after her death, when the bones of some buried nuns were dis- placed in making an addition to the church and convent, the body of Frances was found sweet and life-like, holding in her hand a lily as fresh as if it had been newly gathered. She was placed in a marble tomb, on which was in- scribed, *^ La Beata Francesca da Como." AA.SS.y from Giani's Annah of the Order. B. Frances (9) de Lucena. Founder of the Order of Minims (Order of St. Francis of Paula) for women, in Spain, about 1495. Represented with her hands clasped and holding a rosary. Gu6ne- bault. B. Frances (10), Aug. 17, Sept. 12, burned, in 1627, with B. Magdalene, at Nangasaki. Beatified with Luct Freitas. B. Frances (l l), of the Five Wounds, Mary Frances. St. Franchild, Framechilde. B. Francischina, Frances (3), of Gubbio. St. Franda, Fracla. (See Posenna.) St. Fratria, June 27, M. at Cordova, in Spain. AA.SS., from St. Jerome's Martyrology, St. Fraude, PnARAifLDis. St. Freaude, or Fr^eaude, Phara- iLDIB. St. Frecise. 6th century. Eelics at Bome. Mas Latrie. Perhaps Fbk- SOENDIS. St. Fredeswend, Fredbswytha, Fbideswide. St. Frescendis, June 29. Cistercian nun in the abbey of Prato, at Douai. Henriquez, Lilia. St. Frevise, Frevisse, or Fr^wisse, French for Frideswide. SL Frideswide, Oct. 19; translation, Feb. 12 (Fredeswend, Fredeswytha, Fritheswitha, Fritheswoed, etc.; in French, Frevise, Fr^wissb). c. 650-735. Patron of Oxford and of Bomy, in Artois. Bepresented with the pastoral staff of an abbess, a fountain springing up near her, an ox at her feet. Bom at Oxford, which was then in the kingdom of Mercia. Her pious parents, Didan and Safrida, com- mitted her to the care of a holy woman named Algiva. After her mother's death, she returned to live with her father. He built a church at the gates of Oxford, and there she took the veil with twelve young women of her acquaintance. Didan then built them a convent near the church, and they lived there, not bound by the rules of the cloister, but by holy charity and love of seclusion. Algar, prince of Mercia, sent to ask Frideswide to marry him, as she was beautiful and very rich. She excused herself on the plea of her vow of celi- bacy. He persisted, and at last made a plan to carry her off. She fled to the river, and finding a boat, floated to Benton, about ten miles from Oxford. She took up her abode in a deserted hut used to shelter the swine that fed on the acorns in the forest. Here a fountain sprang up at her prayer. She remained concealed for about three years, while Algar tried to find her, at one time threatening to bum the city of Oxford unless she were given up to him. At last he discovered her hiding-place, and vowed to sacrifice her not only to his own brutality, but to that of his men. Just as she was about to fall into his hands, and was so worn out with fatigue and starvation that her last strength was forsaking lier, she bethought her of the great saints who in the days of the early Church had saved their honour at the price of life ; she invoked SS. Catherinb
