Chapter Sweet to Sword-makers of S by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Swithin (St.). If it rains on St. Swithin's day (15th July), there will be rain for forty days. (See Gervais. )

“St. Swithin's day, gif ye do rain, for forty days it will remain;
St. Swithin's day, an ye be fair, for forty days `twill rain nae mair.”

   The French have two similar proverbs- “S'il pleut le jour de St. Médan ” (8th June), “il pleut quarante jours plus tard; ” and “S'il pleut le jour de St. Gervais ” (19th June), “il pleut quarante jours après. ”
   The legend is that St. Swithin, Bishop of Winchester, who died 862, desired to be buried in the church-yard of the minster, that the “sweet rain of heaven might fall upon his grave.” At canonisation the monks thought to honour the saint by removing his body into the choir, and fixed July 15th for the ceremony; but it rained day after day for forty days, so that the monks saw the saints were averse to their project, and wisely abandoned it.
   The St. Swithin of Scotland is St. Martin of Bouillons. The rainy saint in Flanders is St. Godeliéve; in Germany, the Seven Sleepers.

Switzers Swiss mercenaries. The king in Hamlet says, “Where are my Switzers? Let them guard the door” (iv. 5).

Sword Owners' names for their swords.
   (1) AGRICANE'S was called Tranchera. Afterwards BRANDEMART'S.
   (2) ALI'S sword was Zulfagar.
   (3) ANTONY'S was Philippan, so named from the battle of Philippi. (Shakespeare: Antony and Cleopatra, ii. 4.)
   (4) ARTEGAL'S was called Chrysaor. (Spenser: Faërie Queene.)
   (5) ARTHUR'S was called Escalibar, Excalibar, or Caliburn; given to him by the Lady of the Lake.
   (6) SIR BEVIS'S OF HAMPTOUN was called Morglay.
   (7) BITEROLF'S was called Schrit.
   (8) BRAGGADOCHIO'S was called Sanglamore. (Faërie Queene.)
   (9) CÆSAR'S was called Crocea Mors (yellow death). (See Commentaries, bk. iv. 4.)

“ `Erat nomen gladio `Crocea Mors,' qua nullus eyadebat vivus qui eo vulnerabatur.”- Geoffrey of Monmouth, iv. 4.

   (10) CHARLEMAGNE'S were Joyeuse or Fusberta Joyosa, and Flamberge; both made by Galas.
   (11) THE CID'S was called Colada; the sword Tizona was taken by him from King Bucar.
   (12) CLOSAMONT'S was called Hauteclaire, made by Galas.
   (13) DIETRICH'S was Nagelring.
   (14) DOOLIN'S OF MAYENCE was called Merveilleuse (wonderful).
   (15) ECK'S was called Sachu.
   (16) EDWARD THE CONFESSOR'S was called Curtana (the cutter), a blunt sword of state carried before the sovereigns of England at their coronation, emblematical of mercy.
   (17) ENGLISH KINGS' (the ancient) was called Curtana.
   (18) FRITHIOF'S was called Angurvadel (stream of anguish).
   (19) HACO I.'S OF NORWAY was called Quern-biter (foot- breadth).
   (20) HIEME'S was called Blutgang.
   (21) HILDEBRAND'S was Brinnig.
   (22) IRING'S was called Waskë.
   (23) KOLL, THE THRALLS, Greysteel.
   (24) LAUNCELOT OF THE LAKE'S, Aroundight.
   (25) MAHOMET'S were called Dhu' l Fakar (the trenchant), a scimitar; Al Battar (the beater); Medham (the keen); Halef (the deadly).
   (26) MAUGIS'S or MALAGIGI'S was called Flamberge or Floberge. He gave it to his cousin Rinaldo. It was made by Wieland.
   (27) OGIER THE DANE'S, Courtain and Sauvagine, both made by Munifican.

“He [Ogier] drew Courtain, his sword, out of its sheath.”- Morris: Earthly Paradise, 634.

   (28) OLIVER'S was Haute-Claire.
   (29) ORLANDO'S was called Durindana or Durindan, which once belonged to Hector, and is said to be still preserved at Rocamadour, in France.
   (30) OTUEL'S was Corrougue (2 syl.).
   (31) RINALDO'S was called Fusberta or Flamberge (2 syl.). (See above, Maugis.)
   (32) ROGERO'S was called Balisarda. It was made by a sorceress.
   (33) ROLAND'S was called Durandal, made by Munifican. This is the French version of Orlando and Durandana.
   (34) SIEGFRIED'S was called Balmung, in the Nibelungen-Lied. It was made by Wieland. Also Gram. Mimung was lent to him by Wittich.
   (35) SINTRAM'S was called Welsung.
   (36) STRONG-I'-THE- ARM'S, Baptism, Florence, and Graban, by' Ansias.
   (37) THORALF SKOLINSON'S- i.e. Thoralf the Strong, of Norway- was called Quern-biter (foot-breadth).
   (38) WIELAND. The swords made by the divine blacksmith were Flamberge and Balmung.
Sword-makers
   ANSIAS, GALAS, and MUNIFICAN made three swords each, and each sword took three years a-making.
   ANSIAS. The three swords made by this cutler were Baptism, Florence, and Graban, all made for Strong-i'-the- Arm.
   GALAS. The three swords made by this cutler were Flamberge (2 syl.) and Joyeuse for Charlemagne; and Hauteclaire for Closamont.
   MUNIFICAN. The three swords made by this cutler were Durandal, for Roland; Sauvagins and Courtain for Ogier the Dane.
   WIELAND (“the divine blacksmith”) also made two famous