38 Dr. Wilson on Linton and its Legends. 



presented St. Olaf, in full armour, trampling on a dragon. St. 

 Olaf, it will be recollected, established Christianity in Norway 

 towards the commencement of the eleventh century ; proselyti- 

 zing sometimes by not the gentlest of methods. The intention 

 of the symbol is, therefore, here as distinct as it is appropriate*. 

 In Sweden, Afzelius informs us, there are many churches in 

 which representations of dragon conflicts are sculptured in 

 stone f. The banner of St. Eric (1155-61), the palladium of 

 victory with the ancient Swedes, was kept in the cathedral 

 church at Upsala as a sacred relic. On one of its sides was em- 

 broidered in gold a lamb and a dragon ; and the accompanying 

 inscription denoted that these were to be held as typical of the 

 mildness of the sainted monarch in peace, and of his prowess in 

 war: — 



" I helgd och frid 



Som Lambet blid, 



I fejd och krig 



Som Lindorm wig." 



We are thus reminded of the indistinct outline, which we have 

 surmised to be that of a lamb, behind the figure of the knight 

 at Linton ; and this animal here peculiarly suggests itself as an 

 ordinary emblem of the purity and mildness of the Christian 

 faith. Turning to Flanders, we find, that in the church at 

 Wasmes, in Hainault, was preserved an ancient picture to com- 

 memorate the destruction of a dragon about the year 1133. 

 The champion was Gilles de Chin ; and under the picture, in 

 which he is represented kneeling before an image of the Virgin, 

 is the following quatrain : — 



" Sainte Vierge en ce jour 

 Je viens pour t'implorer, 

 De detruire en ce jour 

 Un dragon, qui vient nous devorer." 



There is a curious legend of a dragon at Ghent, in which the 

 image of the creature appears to have been solemnly baptized J. 

 But the church of Our Lady at Kerselarberge was, of all others, 

 the most fortunate ; for Arnoud van Pameln, who slew the 

 monster, placed, says the tradition, the identical carcase within 

 the sacred walls, as a perpetual memorial §. 



We have forborne from entering into the minute details of 

 these traditions, though all of them are curious relics of their 

 times. It will have been observed that sometimes the name of 

 the knightly champion is recorded ; but in others the successful 



* Nordisk Tids-skrift for Oldkyndighed, B. iii. p. 250. 



t Afzelius, Swenska Folkets Sago-hafder, D. iii. pp. 148-170. 



J Wolf, Nederlandsche Volksoverleveringen, p. 155. 



§ Ibid. " De lieve Vrowen-kerk te Kerselarberge.'"' 



