Project Gutenberg's The Seven Champions of Christendom, by W. H. G. Kingston

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Title: The Seven Champions of Christendom

Author: W. H. G. Kingston

Release Date: May 15, 2007 [EBook #21454]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SEVEN CHAMPIONS OF CHRISTENDOM ***

Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England

The Seven Champions of Christendom, by W H G Kingston.

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A most unusual book, especially from this author, erudite though he is.

The seven champions are the Patron Saints of England, Scotland, Ireland,
Wales, France, Italy and Spain. These rove about Europe and beyond,
slaying Enchanters, Dragons, and other nuisances, accompanied by their
Squires, who, although they put on weight and become obese, help as best
they can, and carry their masters' trophies for them.

That they all knew one another and were living at the same time is a
novel idea, but it all adds to quite a good story, however whimsical.

It is alleged that the book is no more than an edited transcription of a
book written at the end of the fifteen hundreds. It may well be, but it
stands quite well on its own for what it is--an amusement for the
children: that, and no more.

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THE SEVEN CHAMPIONS OF CHRISTENDOM, BY W H G KINGSTON.

The following pages should not go forth into the world without due
acknowledgment being made to that worthy old Dominie, Richard Johnson,
to whose erudite but somewhat unreadable work the author is so largely
indebted. As he flourished at the end of the sixteenth century, and the
commencement of the seventeenth, great allowances should be made for his
style, which is certainly not suited to the taste of this generation.
It is to be hoped that the present version, while much of his vivid
imagery is retained, may be free from his more glaring errors. And,
thus quoting the Dominie's dedication:--

"To all courteous readers The Author wisheth encrease of vertuous
knowledge.

"Gentle readers, in kindness accept my labours, and be not like the
chat