"The rough burr thistle spreading wide
Among the bearded bear,
I turned the weeder—clips aside,
An spar'd the symbol dear."
The Scottish order of Knighthood known as "The Thistle," has for its principal decoration, a gold collar composed of sixteen thistles, interlaced with sprigs of rue; to which are suspended a small image of St. Andrew, and this Saint's cross of silver. In the centre of this is a thistle surrounded by the motto of the Order, from which emanate silver rays forming a star. The motto of the Order, as also that of Scotland, is a Latin inscription, "Nemo me impune lacessit,"—no one insults me with impunity. The institution of the order in honor of St. Andrew, is attributed by the Scots to King Achaias in the 8th century, in memory of an appearance in the heavens of a bright cross resembling that whereon St. Andrew suffered martyrdom,—seen by Achaias the night before he gained a victory over Athelstan, King of Northumberland, the first who called himself King of England. He died in 940. The introduction of the order has also been attributed to the same King (Achaias), as commemorative of a famous league of amity he formed with Charlemagne (Charles the Great), King of France, he having selected as a badge "The Thistle and the Rue." It has also been suggested that Charles VII, of France, who reigned 1403-1461, having received great assistance from Scotland, renewed the league of amity which had been entered into with Achaias, the 65th King of Scotland, who had died in 809. Authors are divided as to the origin of the order; but it was no doubt instituted in 787; restored about 1540, by James V, of Scotland, who was "the handsomest and most chivalrous Prince of his times;" revived May 29, 1687, by King James VII (II of England); and reestablished by Queen Anne, December 31, 1703. This order also called the Order of St. Andrew; was accessable only to the Peers. It dates at least from the time of King Robert II, 1370-90, whose coin bore the cross and image of St. Andrew. The order as a regular "organized knightly fraternity," is conceded as existing in the reign of King James VII, in 1687. By a statute passed in May, 1827, the order consists of the sovereign and sixteen knights. It is contended by some that the badge of the Thistle may not have been worn before the reign of James III, and was not probably connected with any distinct order of knighthood previous to James V. 1540. If the Thistle and the Rue, as one writer claims, were once symbols of two different orders, one "The Thistle," with the present motto; the other "The Garland of Rue," it is certain that from the collars of both hung one and the same jewel, the figure of St. Andrew bearing his cross. The Thistles, which no one could touch without being hurt, was in the badge significantly associated with the Rue, the antidote for poison.
The Andrew cross is worn in their hats, by the people of Scotland, on the day of the feast of the Saint. It consists of blue and white ribbons disposed with a cross, and is intended as a commemoration of his crucification. I have before me seven ancient copper coins with three thistles on one stalk, one bearing date 1678, another 1692. The other five pieces are older but without date, or the dates cannot be deciphered, and are quite crude and irregular in workmanship, having been made and stamped by hand, machinery not being used in coining at the early period they were made. One of the gold coins issued by King Robert II, 1371-90, was called "St. Andrew's," and bore the image of the Saint on his cross. Another was issued with only a St. Andrew cross. The "St. Andrew's" of Robert III, 1390-1406, has the figure of the Saint on the cross. The "St. Andrew's Half," differs by representing the Saint with his arms extended, but without the cross. The gold coinage of
