HERBS USED IN DECORATIONS, ETC. 115 



sufFered Martyrdom, and the day proving successful 

 unto Hungus in memorial of the said Apparition, which 

 did presage so happy an omen, the Picts and Scots 

 have ever since bore in the Ensigns and Banners the 

 Figure of the said Cross, which is in fashion of a Saltier. 

 And from thence 'tis believed that this Order took its 

 rise, which was about the year of our Lord 810." Both 

 authors are quite positive as to their facts regarding the 

 origin of the Order, but they have hardly one fact in 

 common, not even the founder's name ! 



It is perhaps not very well known that there was 

 once a French Order of the Thistle, or, as it was some- 

 times called, " Order of Bourbon." It was instituted by 

 Louis II., third Duke of Bourbon, surnamed the Good 

 Duke, and it consisted six and twenty knights, ^ each of 

 whom " wore a Belt, in which was embroydered the word 

 Esperance in capital letters ; it had a Buckle of Gold at 

 which hung a tuft like a Thistle ; on the Collar also was 

 embroydered the same word Esperance, with Flowers de 

 Luce of Gold from which hung an Oval, wherein was 

 the Image of the Virgin Mary, entowered with a golden 

 sun, crowned with twelve stars of silver and a silver 

 crescent under her feet ; at the end of the Oval was the 

 head of a Thistle." 



There are other Orders called after flowers, or of 

 which flowers form the badge. Several of the 

 " Christian Orders of Knighthood " — orders instituted 

 for some religious or pious purpose — bore lilies among 

 their tokens, and flowers-de-luce appeared in many. 

 The Order of the Lily or of Navarre was instituted 

 by Prince Garcia in 1048. The Order of the Loohing- 

 Glass of the Virgin Mary was created by ' ' Ferdinand, 

 the Infant of Castile, upon a memorable victory he had 

 over the Moors. The Collar of this Order was composed 

 of Bough-pots, full of Lillies, interlaced with Griffons." 



'Ross. "View of all Religions," 1653. 



