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St. Hans with the red mouth . . .:
This reference is quite perplexing. The names Johannes, Hans and John are the same,
so Saint Hans with the red mouth probably refers to
the Bishop of Constantinople, John Chrysostom (ca. 349 - 407),
who earned his epithet ("
Chrysostomus"= golden mouth) because
of his eloquence. It's less than clear why he's being criticized here.
Meyer suggested that the author might have been thinking of the contemporary Oluf Chrysostomus, the Danish Reformer,
who wrote "Kirkens Klagemaal" (i.e. the Church's complaint) and thus started the criticism
of the Catholic Church. However, Meyer couldn't explain why he should have
"spoiled justice thoroughly" - and besides he was named Oluf, and not Skt. Hans.
Meyer's suggestion was rejected by pastor Holger Frederik Rørdam,
who called Oluf Chrysostomus an "outstanding humanist".
Rørdam in turn was sure that the red mouth was an allusion to bribery, and
referenced unspecified writings from the 16. Century,
where the expression "St. Hans with the red mouth must come forth now" meant
that words and persuasion were no longer sufficient.
(Kirkehistoriske Samlinger IV pp. 810-812,
see also Kirkehistoriske samlinger 1899 p. 134)
Kristoffer Nyrop
agreed and referred to a quote from Decameron,
where the name Saint Johannes Goldenmouth (Giovanni Bocca d'oro) was used in connection with bribery:
»Gli fece, con una buona quantità della grascia di san Giovanni Boccadoro ugner le mani«.
The conklusion was that the name Johannes Goldenmouth had been synonymous with bribery in the Middle Ages.
Not because of anything the old saint had ever done, but simply because of his epithet.
Nyrop makes a parallel to another saint, St. Blasius:
Because of his name there was a superstition on Jutland connecting St. Blasii Day
with stormy weather (Danish: blæsevejr).
(Dania; Tidsskrift for dansk sprog og litteratur samt folkeminder 1897 pp. 250-252)
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