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KNIGHTS OF THE THISTLE, OR OF St. Andrew in Scotland. CHAP. XXIII.
HVNGVS, King of the Picts, the Night before the Battel that was fought betwixt him and A∣thelstan King of England, saw in the Skie a bright Cross in fa∣shion of that whereon St. Andrew suffered Mar∣tyrdom; 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 their Ensigns and Banners the Figure of the said Cross, which is in fashion of a Saltier.
And from hence 'tis believed that this Or∣der took its rise, which was about the year of our Lord 810. For King Hungus and Achains (Confederates against Athalstan) went bare∣footed (in a devote way) to the Kirk of St. Andrew, to return thanks to God and his A∣postles for their Victory; vowing for them∣selves and their posterity, ever to use the said Cross in their Ensigns in any warlike Expediti∣on.
The principal Ensign of this Order is a gol∣den Collar composed of Thistles, intermixed with Annulets of Gold, to which hangs the fi∣gure of St. Andrew with his Cross, and this E∣pigraph, Nemo me impune lacessit. But for their common Ensign they wore a green Ri∣bon, to which hung a golden Thistle crowned with an Imperial Crown, within a Circle of Gold, with the said Epigraph.
Their grand meeting was annually on St. Andrews day, in the Church of the Town so called; and during the Solemnity of the Feast, these Knights (which were in number Thir∣teen, in allusion to our Saviour and the Twelve Apostles) were richly apparelled, and in their Parliament Robes, having embroidered on their left Shoulders St. Andrews Cross within a blew Rundle, and in the Center of the said Cross was a Crown composed of Golden Flower de lis.
Having thus treated of the several Degrees of Knighthood which are or have been used a∣mongst us: In the next place I shall give the Reader an account of divers Degrees of Knighthood in other Kingdoms, although ma∣ny of them are now Extinct.