Old French, translates to
Shame to him who thinks evil of this. The
motto originates with the
Order of the Garter, and appears on the British
Coat of Arms. It's considered a
reiteration of
God's words to
Abram: "I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee." (
Genesis 12: 3)
Apocryphal origins of the phrase
At a ball, Joan Countess of Salisbury lost one of her garters. Seeing her embarrasment, King Edward III retrieved it, bound it to his own leg and rebuked onlookers by saying, "Honi soit qui mal y pense." Inspired by his act of chivalry, King Edward founded the Order of the Garter in 1348.