Chapter Martin to Mary Anne Associations of M by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Martine A sword. (Italian.)

“Quiconque aura affaire à moy, il faut quill ait affaire a Martine que me voyla au coste (appellant son espee `Martine').”- Brantome: Rodomontade Espagnoles, vol. ii. p. 16.

Martinet A strict disciplinarian; so called from the Marquis of Martinet, a young colonel in the reign of Louis XIV., who remodelled the infantry, and was slain at the siege of Doesbourg, in 1672 (Voltaire, Louis XIV., c. 10). The French still call a cat-o'-nine-tails a “martinet.”
   The French martinet was a whip with twelve leather thongs.

Martinmas The feast of St. Martin is November 11. His Martinmas will come, as it does to every hog- i.e. all must die.
    November was the great slaughter-time of the Anglo-Saxons, when beeves, sheep, and hogs, whose store of food was exhausted, were killed and salted. Martinmas, therefore, was the slaying time, and the proverb intimates that our slaying-time or day of death will come as surely as that of a hog at St. Martin's-tide.

Martyr (Greek) simply means a witness, but is applied to one who witnesses a good confession with his blood.
   The martyr king. Charles I. of England, beheaded January 30th, 1649. He was buried at Windsor, and was called “The White King.”
   Martyr to science. Claude Louis, Count Berthollet, who determined to test in his own person the effects of carbolic acid on the human frame, and died under the experiment. (1748-1822.)

Marvedie (A). A maravedi (q.v.), a small obsolete Spanish copper coin of less value than a farthing.

“What a trifling, foolish girl you are, Edith, to send me by express a letter crammed with nonsense about books and gowns, and to slide the only thing I cared a marvedie about into the postscript.”- Sir W. Scott: Old Mortality, chap. xi.

Marvellous The marvellous boy. Thomas Chatterton, the poet, author of a volume of poetry entitled Rowley's Poems, professedly written by Rowley, a monk. (1752-1770.)

Mary
   As the Virgin, she is represented in Christian art with flowing hair, emblematical of her virginity.
   As Mater Dolorosa, she is represented as somewhat elderly, clad in mourning, head draped, and weeping over the dead body of Christ.
   As Our Lady of Dolours, she is represented as seated, her breast being pierced with seven swords, emblematic of her seven sorrows.
   As Our Lady of Mercy, she is represented with arms extended, spreading out her mantle, and gathering sinners beneath it.
   As The glorified Madonna, she is represented as bearing a crown and sceptre, or a ball and cross, in rich robes and surrounded by angels.
   Her seven joys. The Annunciation, Visitation, Nativity, Adoration of the Magi, Presentation in the Temple, Finding Christ amongst the Doctors, and the Assumption.
   Her seven sorrows. Simeon's Prophecy, the Flight into Egypt, Christ Missed, the Betrayal, the Crucifixion, the Taking Down from the Cross, and the Ascension, when she was left alone.

Mary of Lord Byron's poetry, is Miss Chaworth, who was older than his lordship. Both Miss Chaworth and Lord Byron were under the guardianship of Mr. White. Miss Chaworth married John Musters, generally called Jack Musters; but the marriage was not a happy one, and the parties soon separated. The Dream of Lord Byron refers to this love affair to his youth.

Mary of Robert Burns. (See Highland Mary .)
    It may be added to what is said under Highland Mary that of Mary Morison the poet wrote:-

“Those smiles and glances let me see.
That make the miser's treasure poor.”

   And in Highland Mary we have-

“Still o'er those scenes my mem'ry wakes,
And fondly broods with miser's care. '

   A statue to her has been recently erected in Edinburgh.

Marys The four Marys. Mary Beaton (or Bethune), Mary Livingston (or Leuson), Mary Fleming (or Flemyng), and Mary Seaton (or Seyton); called the “Queen's Marys,” that is, the ladies of the same age