The mainstream vita of St Margaret (similar to that which was printed by
Mombritius) is available in Mary Clayton and Hugh Magennis's edition
of The Old English Lives of St Margaret, CSASE 9 (Cambridge, 1994).
In this mainstream tradition, a dove descends from heaven to verify
Margaret's sanctity just before her decapitation (as Wendy Larson
pointed out with reference to the SEL version). Interestingly, in the
OE life in CCCC 303, it is God himself, and not a dove, who directly speaks to
Margaret in front of the assembled masses.
Elaine Treharne
Department of English
University of Leicester
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
|