Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-03-30
THE GARTER.
CuriOus vagarIes of Fancy.

A garter has always been associated with
sentiments Of gallantry, and to wear
lady's fSvor-her glove, her ribbon, or any
thing which belonged to her-was COM
mon practice of the age of chiValry and
this token or s'emprise" was regarded with
feelings of which posterity has no compre-
hension. The grave cause for instiCuting
the most noble and ancient order Of knight
hood is said to have been the fall Of lady's
garter and the desire of a king to commemo-
rate the knightly manner in which be re-
lieyed high born dame from the rudeness
of q crowd, and converted an untoward &C
cideut into a mark of favor and distinc-
ton. The most generally credited &C
count of tie formation Of the Order
of the Garter, is that during a festival
at court a lady happened &c drop her garter,
which was taken up by King Edward Ill,
who, observing a significant smile among
the bystanders, exclaimed with some dis
pleasure, "Honi soft qui NAL q peTSe"-
t'Disgraced be be who thinks i'll of it," and
added, 81 will make it ere long the most
honorable garter that ever was worn" and
comfortably TO the spirit of gallantry which
belonged to the time, placed iC around his
own knse, and in few months Instituted
the order Of which it is the symbol. There
sre many variations regarding the name OF
the lady, some writers stating her to have
been the queen, others the countess Of Sal
isbury. and others the countess of Kent.
Some writers attempt TO divest the order
OF this 'feminine institution" but they
are rejscte by the best authorities,
who believe that this remarkable
badge and motto, of which there is no trace
of either ever having been before used,
would not have been selected unless some
incident bad given rise to both. Soon after
the formation Of the order ladies we're in
yited TO share its honors by becoming MEM
bers OF the fraternity, wearing its habit and
attending iss festivities; and it was not I'M
til the reign of Henry VIII that they ceas-
ed to belong TO the illrstriOus society. The
habit was worn on the feast dag Of Saint
George by the queen, by the wives and
widows of the Knights Companions, and,
as an especial mark Of the sovereign favor,
by other distinguished ladies. These robes,
which were annually given out Of the royal
wardrobe, were made Of the same materials
and color as the surcoats Of the knights,
and were like them embroidered with
numerous small carriers, each containing
the motto, "Honi soft qui NAL pense."
The ladies belonging to the order also wore
a garter similar to that Of the knights, on
their left arm, and were considered MEM
bers under the name, "Ladies of the So
ciety of the Garter" The romantic spirit
of chivairy, which softened the fsrocity OF
the middle aces, becoming impaired and
finally decayiDg in the ungeniAl reign or
the king whose time was marked By the
ntrocious murder of his wives, the ladies'
were then deprived of their ancient p2rtici-
AZ. ~ ho Garfnr No q =
temDt seems since to nave been Rade to
restore them TO the distinction Whlcn the
usage of two centuries has given them a
strong claim. A recurrence OF the ancient
practice by ladies of rank of wearing the
beautiful garter on their arm has been sug-
gested as an appropriate distinction 10 the
reign Il female severe gn who IS also SOW
ereign the order The name Of Fonts gne,
by which the ladies' coiffure was Known
during the latter years of Louis XIV. OF
France, had an equally singular origin.
Nine. de Fontaigne, at hunting pTry at
VinceDnes, had her hesd-dress disarrsnged
by gust of wind, and 10 order TO keep it
in its place she took off her garter and
ted it up with that. Louis thought that
abe looked so pretty in this fashion that he
bepged her to continue 10 wear her head
dress 80 arranged. Next day the ladies OF
the court made their appearance with a rib
bon or top knot, (which assumed the name Of
the sFontaigne."
Among the Roman ladies the garter wa;
one OF the most ornamental parts of The
attire, being formed of gold and silver
hands. resplendent with precious sones
Sometimes this precious trinket was worn
on the naked leg. The patrician DANES, il
khair mad efforts to OutVie each other il
this species Of garment, of en- spent a grea
portion of their fortunes. SabiDa possessed
a pair of garters which have become hlstor
ical. They were valued at t4O,OOO, on &C
count of the rich canoes thaf casped them