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This
order was founded in 1540 by King James V who being honoured
with the order of the Garter from his uncle King Henry VIII of
England and with the Goldern Fleece from the Emperor, and the
order of St Michael from France, resolved to be in the royal
mode, and so made the order of the Thistle for himself and
twelve knights, in imitation of Christ and his twelve
apostles. Then celebrating all the festivals of the orders, he
set up their arms and badges over the gate of his palace at
Linlithgow, joing St. Andrew with them.
The common badge (shown
right) worn by the knights are, a cross surmounted by a star
of four silver points, and over them a green circle bordered
and lettered with gold, containing the motto "Nemo
me impune lacessit", "No-one harms me without
punishment" but more commonly translated in Scots as as
"Wha daurs meddle wi me". and in the centre is a
thistle proper, the whole being embroidered on the left breast. |
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