*Ø* Honi soit
June 24, 1348 The exact day is not known, but some time between this day and August 6, King Edward III of England instituted the Order of the Garter.
During a festival at court, a lady happened to drop her garter. King Edward picked it up, and noticed that the others were giggling. He said, with displeasure, "Honi soit qui mal y pense" – "Shame to him who thinks ill of it". In the spirit of gallantry, perhaps to prevent any further impertinence, he put the garter around his own knee. Or, so it is said.
Traditionally, the lady was the Countess of Salisbury. The garter was an object of note in the year preceding June 24, 1348. Garters with the motto embroidered on were common, as were banners and couches with the motif, and a surcoat provided to the king in 1348 was covered with garters.
The Australian folklorist, Rabbi Dr Rudolph Brasch, says the story is hardly convincing. "Fourteenth-century ladies, even those attending royal functions, were not so finicky or modest that the mere loss of a garter would have caused them to blush or feel uncomfortable," he writes.
Margaret Murray advances a different theory. In the14th century the garter symbolised witches. To lose it was to give away her allegiance to Satan and was an acute danger. Her very life was threatened. By making light of it, the king was protecting her honour, saving her life. By picking up the garter and making light of it, King Edward was showing his confidence in her as not a witch. In case anyone still had doubts, he uttered the famous expression – thus issuing a threat to anyone who would say that the garter was a witch's badge.
This is just a snippet of today's stories. Read all about today in folklore, historical oddities, inspiration and alternatives, with more links, at the Wilson's Almanac Book of Days, every day. Click today's date when you're there.
June 24, 1348 The exact day is not known, but some time between this day and August 6, King Edward III of England instituted the Order of the Garter.
During a festival at court, a lady happened to drop her garter. King Edward picked it up, and noticed that the others were giggling. He said, with displeasure, "Honi soit qui mal y pense" – "Shame to him who thinks ill of it". In the spirit of gallantry, perhaps to prevent any further impertinence, he put the garter around his own knee. Or, so it is said.
Traditionally, the lady was the Countess of Salisbury. The garter was an object of note in the year preceding June 24, 1348. Garters with the motto embroidered on were common, as were banners and couches with the motif, and a surcoat provided to the king in 1348 was covered with garters.
The Australian folklorist, Rabbi Dr Rudolph Brasch, says the story is hardly convincing. "Fourteenth-century ladies, even those attending royal functions, were not so finicky or modest that the mere loss of a garter would have caused them to blush or feel uncomfortable," he writes.
Margaret Murray advances a different theory. In the14th century the garter symbolised witches. To lose it was to give away her allegiance to Satan and was an acute danger. Her very life was threatened. By making light of it, the king was protecting her honour, saving her life. By picking up the garter and making light of it, King Edward was showing his confidence in her as not a witch. In case anyone still had doubts, he uttered the famous expression – thus issuing a threat to anyone who would say that the garter was a witch's badge.
This is just a snippet of today's stories. Read all about today in folklore, historical oddities, inspiration and alternatives, with more links, at the Wilson's Almanac Book of Days, every day. Click today's date when you're there.
Pip Wilson posted item above at 7:31 PM | Permalink
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