Probably the earliest of these newer legends were those of St. Juliana, St. Margeret and St. Katherine, which are written in rhythmical alliterative prose clearly manifesting the earlier English tradition, but which give premonition of a new era in the ring of a lyrical tone and in the already richer, more highly coloured diction. (Cf. C. Horstmann, Altenglische Legenden, Neue Folge, p. xv, Heilbronn, 1881.) Quite romantic in tone and colour are the very early, fine poems, in four-line strophes, of Katerine, Gregory, Mergrete, and the Magdalen, all of which unfortunately are preserved only in later, remodeled forms, and are perhaps only scant remains of an originally much richer literature. (Cf. Horstmann, as above, p. xlii, 225, 242.) According to Horstmann, the poems of Margaret and Gregory belong to the most beautiful productions of the early English language. Even more finely constructed, but rather lyric than narrative in form, are the few legends which fall in with the movement, influenced by French and especially strong in the South of England shortly before 1250, toward the development of the religious lyric. (Cf. R. Morris, Old English Miscellany.) Of these semi-lyrical legends, Eustas (MS. Digby 86) and the legends of the Psalter (MSS. Digby and Auchinleck) are composed in six-line strophes. (Cf. Horstmann, pp. 211, 228.) Other poems of this period, such as the _xi Pains of Hell_, already have the short riming couplet. Nearly to this same time belongs the Assumption of our Lady, in riming pairs and also in the Southern dialect. The Assumption thus finds its setting among the very finest of the English legendary poems. According to Horstmann (as above, p. xliii): ‘Never again has legendary poetry reached the same height of pathos, the same purity and beauty of form as in these older legends. The period immediately following shows a decided falling off in poetic power and in talent for form. The tone loses in depth and warmth, the style in fullness and swing.’ In the last quarter of the 13th century, as we shall see, the legendary poetry entered the service of the church, and was worked over by the monks into great collections for reading in the services. This no doubt explains the remarkable falling off in poetic style and quality. § 3. THE RISE OF THE LEGEND.