By some writers it has
been ascribed to Richard Coeur de Lion, who is said to have girded a
leathern band round the legs of his bravest knights in. Palestine. By
others it has been asserted that it arose from the word "garter" having
been used as a watchword by Edward at the battle of Cressy. Others
again have stoutly maintained that its ringlike form bore mysterious
reference to the Round Table. But the popular legend, to which,
despite the doubts thrown upon it, credence still attaches, declares its
origin to be as follows: Joan, Countess of Salisbury, a beautiful dame, of
whom Edward was enamoured, while dancing at a high festival
accidentally slipped her garter, of blue embroidered velvet. It was
picked up by her royal partner, who, noticing the significant looks of his
courtiers on the occasion, used the words to them which afterwards.
became the motto of the Order--" Honi soit qui mal y pense;" adding that
"in a short time they should see that garter advanced to so high honour
and estimation as to account themselves happy to wear it."
But whatever may have originated the Order, it unquestionably owes its
establishment to motives of policy. Wise as valiant, and bent upon
prosecuting his claim to the crown of France, Edward, as a means of
accomplishing his object, resolved to collect beneath his standard the
best knights in Europe, and to lend a colour to the design, he gave forth
that he intended a restoration of King Arthur's Round Table, and
accordingly commenced constructing within the castle a large circular
building of two hundred feet in diameter, in which he placed a round
table.
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