hesitation. After this, when the tribunes went their way, they did not forget St. Nicholas, for it happened that while they were absent in Phrj'gia their enemies poisoned the mind of Constantine against them, so that when they were returned to Constantinople he accused them of treason, and threw them into prison, ordering their execution the next day. Then these tribunes called upon St. Nicholas, and prayed him to deliver them. Tliat same night he appeared to Constantine in a dream, and commanded him to release those wliom he had imprisoned, and threatened him with God's wrath if he obejed not. Constantine not only released them, but sent them to Myra to thank St. Nicholas, and to present him with a copy of the Gospels, which was Avritten in letters of gold, and bound in covers set with pearls and rare jewels. Also certain sailors who were in danger of shipwreck on the /Egean Sea called upon Jesus to deliver them, for the sake of St. Nicholas, and immediately the saint appeared to them, saying, " Lo ! here I am, my sons ; put your trust in God, whose servant I am, and ye shall be saved."' The sea be- came calm, and he took them into a safe harbor. Henxe those who are in peril invoke this saint, and seek aid from liim. His life was spent in doing all manner of good ^vorks; and when he died, it was in great peace and joy, and he was buried in a magnificent church in Myra. The miracles attributed to St. Nicholas after his death were quite as marvellous as those he is said to have performed while yet alive. Thus we are told, for example, that a man who greatly desired to have a son made a vow that, if this wish could be realized, the first time he took his child to church he would give a cup of gold to the altar of St. Nicholas. The son was granted, and the father ordered a cup to be made; but when it was finished it was so beautiful that he decided to retain it for his own use, and had another less valuable made for St. Nicholas. At length he went on the journey necessary to accomplish his vow, and while on the way he ordered the little child to bring him water in the cup which he had taken for himself. In obeying his father the boy fell into the water and was drowned. Then the father sorely repented of his covetousness, and repaired to the church of St. Nicho- las, and offered the second cup; but when it was placed upon the altar it fell off and rolled on the ground, and this it did the second and third time; and while all looked on amazed, behold ! the drowned child stood on the steps of the altar with the beautiful cup in his hand ; and he told how St. Nicholas had rescued him from death, and brought him there. Then the joyful father made an ofiering of both cups, and returned home full of gratitude to the good St. Nicholas. This story has often been tolil in prose and poetry, as well as represented in art. Again, a Jew of Calabria, having heard of all the wonderful deeds of St. Nicholas, stole his image from the church, and set it up in his own house. Whenever he left his house he put the care of his goods in the hands of the saint, and threatened that if anything should befall them in his absence he would chastise the saint on his return. One day the robbers came and stole his treasures. Then the Jew beat the image, and cut it also. That night St. Nicho- las appeared to the robbers all wounded and bleeding, and commanded them to restore what they had stolen; and they, being afraid at the vision, did as he bade them. Then the Jew was converted by this miracle, and was baptized. Another rich Christian merchant, who dwelt in a pagan country, had an only son who was made a captive, and ^v'as obliged to serve the king of the country as a cup-bearer. One day, as he tilled the king's cup, remembering that it was St. Nicholas's day, he wept. Then the king demanded the cause of his grief, and when the j'oung man told him, he answered, " Great as is thy St. Nicholas, he cannot save thee from my hand !" Instantly the palace was shaken by a whirlwind, and St. Nicholas appeared and caught tiie youth by the hair, and set him in the midst of his
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own family, with the king's cup still in his hand. It happened that at the very moment when he arrived his father was giving fnod to the poor, and asking their prayers for his captive son. It is necessary to keep these traditions in mind when regarding the pictures of St. Nicholas, for in two different pictures there appears- a boj' with a cup, so that it is important to distinguish them by the accessories. Sometimes it is a daughter who is rescued from captivity.
The tomb of St. Nicholas was a famous resort for pil- grims for centuries. In 807 the church was attacked by Achmet, commander of the fleet of Hariin Al Ras- chid. But the watchfulness of the monks prevented him from doing harm, and, putting to sea, he and his whole fleet were destroyed in punishment for their sac- rilegious attempt. The remains of the saint rested in Myra until 1084, although several attempts were made by different cities and churches to possess themselves of these sacred (?) relics. At length, in the year mentioned, some merchants of Bari, who traded on the coast of Sv'ria, resolved to obtain the remains of which they had heard such great wonders. At this time Myra was desolated by the Saracens, and the ruined church was guarded by three monks. The remains were taken without difficulty and carried safely to Bari, where a splendid church was erected for their resting-place. The Venetians, however, claim that they have the true relics of St. Nicholas, brought home by Venetian merchants ill 1100. But the claims of Bari are generally acknowl- edged, and the saint is frequently mentioned as St. Nicholas of Bari.