Certainly St Peter Martyr is the saint of choice for splitting headaches. For
migraines we have in The Oxford Companion to the Year (publication in 1999;
proofs expected shortly) St Urban I (25 May), who allegedly was martyred with a
nail through his head. On the other hand, one might wonder if he was being
invoked against a hangover, since in Germany he is the patron saint of wine-
growers. If his day is fine, plentiful good wine is expected (`Hat Urbanstag
scho:n Sommerschein, verspricht es viel und guten Wein'); in former times his
statue was sprinkled with wine, but on a rainy day water or worse:
But if the day be clowdie nowe, or given unto raine,
On him they list not to bestow such honour, nor such paine,
Poore knave into some ryver than, they cast him cruellie,
And all to souse him in the streame, or durtie let him lie.
(Naogeorgus, fo. 54v)
Bonnie Blackburn
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Bonnie Blackburn
67 St Bernard's Road
Oxford OX2 6EJ
tel. 01865 552808 fax 01865 512237
e-mail: [log in to unmask]
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