God and Mary to you

[masonite]

I'm coming across this phrase (used as a greeting) in The Once and Future King quite a bit. I'm charmed by it. Does it appear in any of the medieval romances, or did T.H. White make it up?

[Iteki]

Sounds like Irish, it is the response to "hello" (dia dhuit = god be with you), the response is "Dia 's Muire dhuit" (God and mary be with you). I think Patrick comes next (God and mary and patrick be with you) but I could be wrong, after that all bets are off.

[Eve]

Should be "Mary and God." Always mention the lady's name first.

[Avalonian]

Originally posted by Eve
Should be "Mary and God." Always mention the lady's name first.

No, that would have been in Mists of Avalon. ;)

[masonite]

Originally posted by Iteki
Sounds like Irish, it is the response to "hello" (dia dhuit = god be with you), the response is "Dia 's Muire dhuit" (God and mary be with you). I think Patrick comes next (God and mary and patrick be with you) but I could be wrong, after that all bets are off. This sounds right; I'm recalling at least one exchange where Patrick got brought up too. Forgot to mention, it's those wild&woolley Orkneys who use the phrase most in TOAFK. Not Irish, but still. Not Camelot. Countrified.

Eve: My mama brought me up right, and I let her down! :D