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Honi soit qui mal y pense
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"Honi soit qui mal y pense" sometimes rendered as "Honi soit quy mal y pense", "Hony soyt qe mal y pense", "Hony soyt ke mal y pense", "Honni soit qui mal y pense", "Hony soyt qui mal pence" and various other phoneticizations, is the motto of the English chivalric Order of the Garter. It is also written at the end of the manuscript Sir Gawain and the Green Knight but it appears to have been a later addition.[1] Its literal translation from Old French is "Shame be to him who thinks evil of it"[2] (although it is sometimes re-interpreted as "Evil be to him who evil thinks"[3]).
This statement supposedly originated when King Edward III was dancing with the Countess of Salisbury. Her garter slipped down to her ankle, causing those around her to respond with sniggers at her humiliation. In an act of chivalry Edward placed the garter around his own leg, saying "Honi soit qui mal y pense", and the phrase later became the motto of the Order.
It may be understood as 'A scoundrel, who thinks badly by it', or 'Shame on him, who suspects illicit motivation'. Nowadays it is also used to express a slightly ironic sentiment about seemingly, but not explicitly related statements or events. Examples might be a story containing a double entendre, in which the teller 'warns' against the licentious interpretation. It can also be used to point out, by ironically denying, the actual relation of actions. If a politician were to argue the national benefit of a government program - which would happen to bring great investments to a particular county; the county where that politician happens to hail from: Then you'd be 'a scoundrel' to think anything but the 'national benefit' was the true motivation.
The phrase was quoted by Judge Goodwill Banner to Roy Hobbs near the finale of "The Natural."
The motto of the Order appears on a representation of the garter, surrounding the shield, on the Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom. (The motto of the Royal arms, Dieu et mon droit, being displayed on a scroll beneath the shield). Several British Army regiments also use the motto of the Order of the Garter, including the Grenadier Guards, Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, Life Guards and the Blues and Royals.
Futher, the motto is also present on the emblem of the Royal Australian Engineers, and is denoted on a circular belt, surrounded by a wreath, with the crown jewels atop.
The motto was also used as the motto on the official emblem of the South Australian Railways.
References
- ^ Waldron, Ronald Alan, editor (1970). Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Evanston, Illinois: Northwestern University Press, p. 139. ISBN 9780810103283. OCLC 135649
- ^ "Order of the Garter". Encyclopedia Americana XII. (1919). New York: Encyclopedia Americana Corp.. 300.
- ^ Thomas, Tayler (1866). "Equites Garterii". The Law Glossary: Being a Selection of the Greek, Latin, Saxon, French, Norman, and Italian Sentences, Phrases, and Maxims, Found in the Leading English and American Reports and Elementary Works: With Historical and Explanatory Notes : Alphabetically Arranged, and Translated into English, for the Use of the Members of the Legal Profession, Law Students, Sheriffs, Justices of the Peace, Etc. Etc.. New York: Baker, Voorhis & Co.. 183. ISBN 1886363129.
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