THE LILY OF THE SAINTS 221 



Virginity; because it is a sign of the more per- 

 fect love: according as the Truth saith, " Greater 

 love hath no man than this, that a man lay down 

 his life for his friends.' " 



Occasionally these early saints are given the 

 lily in addition to the palm. Mantegna paints 

 Saint Euphemia with a lily in the right hand 

 and a palm in the left.' But usually they have 

 the palm alone. The HHes of Saint Cecilia 

 allude to the celestial liUes of her legend. 



A propos of Saint Ceciha, Chaucer's very 

 charming, if fanciful, derivation of her name 

 may be recalled: 



' First wol I you the najne of Sainte Cecilie 

 Expoune as men may in hire storie see : 

 It is to sayn in EngHsh, Hevens hlie, 

 For pure chasteness of virginitee, 

 Or for she whitnesse had of honestee. 

 And grene of conscience, and of good fame 

 The swote savour, hlie was her name.' 



Since the lily was appropriated by the celi- 

 bates of the Church another symbol had to be 

 found for the chastity of those still in the world, 

 and for the virtue of the secular the unicorn was 

 chosen. The mediaeval legend ran that the 



' Cremona. 



