Character Sketches of Romance Volume Iii Part 133

BRIDES, St. Nicholas, because he threw three stockings, filled with wedding portions, into the chamber window of three virgins, that they might marry their sweethearts, and not live a life of sin for the sake of earning a living.

BURGLARS, St. Dismas, the penitent thief.

CANDLE and LAMP MAKERS, St. Lucy and Lucian. A pun upon _lux lucis_ ("light").

CANNONEERS, St. Barbara, because she is generally represented in a fort or tower.

CAPTIVES, St. Barbara and St. Leonard.

CARPENTERS, St. Joseph, who was a carpenter.

CHILDREN, St. Felicitas and St. Nicholas. This latter saint restored to life some children, murdered by an inkeeper,[TN-148] of Myra, and pickled in a pork-tub.

COBBLERS, St. Crispin, who worked at the trade.

CRIPPLES, St. Giles, because he refused to be cured of an accidental lameness, that he might mortify his flesh.

DIVINES, St. Thomas Aquinas, author of _Somme de Theology_.

DOCTORS, St. Cosme, who was a surgeon in Cilicia.

DRUNKARDS. St. Martin, because St. Martin's Day (November 11) happened to be the day of the Vinalia, or feast of Bacchus. St. Urban protects.

DYING, St. Barbara.

FERRYMEN, St. Christopher, who was a ferryman.

FISHERMEN, St. Peter, who was a fisherman.

FOOLS, St. Maturin because the Greek word _matia_ or _mate_ means "folly."

FREE TRADE. R. Cobden is called "The Apostle of Free Trade" (1804-1865).

FREEMEN, St. John.

FULLERS, St. Sever, because the place so called, on the Adour, is or was famous for its tanneries and fulleries.

GOLDSMITHS, St. Eloy, who was a goldsmith.

HATTERS, St. William, the son of a hatter.

HOG and SWINEHERDS, St. Anthony. Pigs unfit for food used anciently to have their ears slit, but one of the proctors of St. Anthony's Hospital once tied a bell about the neck of a pig whose ear was slit, and no one ever attempted to injure it.

HOUSEWIVES, St. Osyth, especially to prevent their losing the keys, and to help them in finding these "tiny tormentors;" St. Martha, the sister of Lazarus.

HUNTSMEN, St. Hubert, who lived in the Ardennes, a famous hunting forest; and St. Eustace.

IDIOTS. St. Gildas restores them to their right senses.

INFANTS, St. Felicitas and St. Nicholas.

INFIDELS. Voltaire is called "The Apostle of Infidels" (1694-1778).

INSANE FOLKS, St. Dymphna.

LAWYERS, St. Yves Helori (in Sicily), who was called "The Advocate of the Poor," because he was always ready to defend them in the law courts gratuitously (1233-1303).

LEARNED MEN, St. Catherine, noted for her learning, and for converting certain philosophers, sent to convince the Christians of Alexandria of the folly of the Christian faith.

MADMEN, St. Dymphna.

MAIDENS, the Virgin Mary.

MARINERS, St. Christopher, who was a ferryman; and St. Nicholas, who was once in danger of s.h.i.+pwreck, and who, on one occasion, lulled a tempest for some pilgrims on their way to the Holy Land.

MILLERS, St. ARNOLD,[TN-149] the son of a miller.

MERCERS, St. Florian, the son of a mercer.

MOTHERS, the Virgin Mary; St. Margaret, for those who wish to be so. The girdle of St. Margaret, in St. Germain's, is placed round the waist of those who wish to be mothers.

MUSICIANS, St. Cecilia, who was an excellent musician.

NAILERS, St. Cloud, because _clou_, in French means "a nail."

NETMAKERS, St. James and St. John (_Matt._ iv. 21).

NURSES, St. Agatha.

PAINTERS, St. Luke, who was a painter.

PARISH CLERKS, St. Nicholas.

PARSONS, St. Thomas Aquinas, doctor of theology, at Paris.

PHYSICIANS, St. Cosme, who was a surgeon; St. Luke (_Col._ iv. 14).

PILGRIMS, St. Julian, St. Raphael, St. James of Compostella.

PINMAKERS, St. Sebastian, whose body was as full of arrows in his martydom[TN-150] as a pincus.h.i.+on is of pins.

POOR FOLKS, St. Giles, who affected indigence, thinking "poverty and suffering" a service acceptable to G.o.d.

PORTRAIT-PAINTERS and PHOTOGRAPHERS, St. Veronica, who had a handkerchief with the face of Jesus stamped on it.

POTTERS, St. Gore, who was a potter.

PRISONERS, St. Sebastian and St. Leonard.