A correspondent signing himself Vandyke asks, "Why is Sir Kenelm Digby represented, I believe always, with a sunflower by his side?" The very first portrait of Digby I turned to, in Lodge's Collection, engraved, too, after Vandyke, is without any flower at all.
Jaydee.
Martin Drunk (Vol. v., p. 587.).—I cannot find that this phrase has been satisfactorily elucidated. Perhaps the following will throw some additional light on the subject.
In an Analysis of the Gospels for the Lord's Days, by Conrad Dieteric, edit. 1631, p. 465., I read:
"Tritum est illud veterum veriverbium:
'Festa Martini iterata,
Absumunt anseres et prata.'
Id quod Germanicus hunc in modum effert:
'Wer all tag will S. Martin prassen,
Der muss endlich S. Nicias fasten.'"
It would seem from this, that not the English alone were wont to enjoy themselves on St. Martin's Day. Baxter, in his Saint's Rest (p. 116. 1st edit.), seems to use the word Martin as synonymous with a noisy tippler:
"The language of Martin is there a stranger, and the sound of his echo is not heard."
Internal evidence clearly refers all these sayings to the unrestrained mirth and jollity with which the feast of St. Martin was anciently celebrated.
B. H. C.
The Church Catechism (Vol. vii., p. 64.).—It might interest your correspondent to know that the Catechismus brevis et Catholicus of Jacobus Schoepper (published at Antwerp, 1555), contains a remarkable series of passages closely similar to the last twelve questions and answers of the Church Catechism. If desired, I would send these "parallel passages," as I expect the book is very scarce.