MARTYN (saint). Martin of Tours, c. A.D. 316-397, was born in Pannonia (Hungary). While he was in the Roman army, his regiment was sent to Amiens in Gaul. One winter's day, he met a naked man in the street, who begged for alms. Taking his sword, he cut his mantle in two and gave half to the beggar. That night he dreamed that Christ appeared to him, wearing the half cloak. Martin was eighteen at the time and a catechumen. Becoming a disciple of Hilary of Poitiers, he lived as a solitary monk at Ligugé, where others joined him to create the first monastery in Gaul. In 372 he was made bishop of Tours and served for twenty-five years. During this time he became famous as a wonder-worker in healing lepers (Sulpicius Severus, De vita beati Martini, PL 20: 159-222).

Daun John swears by St. Martyn, ShipT 149.

The form is a spelling variant and occurs in final rhyming position.