THISTLE, order of the, or of St. ANDREW, a military order of knighthood in Scot land, the rise and institution whereof is variously related by different authors : Lesley, Bishop of Ross, reports, that the night before the battle between Athelstan, King of Northumberland, and 'Tungus, King of the Picts, a bright cross, in form of that whereon St. Andrew (the tutelar saint of Scotland) suffered martyrdom, ap peared to Hu ngus, who, having gained the victory, ever after bore the figure of that cross on his banners. Others assert, that Achains, King of Scotland, first instituted this order, after having made the famous league, offensive and defensive, with Charlemagne, King of France. But al though the thistle had been acknowledg ed as the symbol of the kingdom of Scot land from the reign of Achaius, yet some refer the beginning of this order to the reign of Charles VII. of France. Others place the foundation of it as low as the year 1500.
The chief and principal ensign is a gold collar, composed of thistles and sprigs of rue interli liked with amulets of gold, hav ing pendent thereto the image of St. Andrew with, his cross, and the motto, NEMO ME IMPUNE LACESSET.
The ordinary or common ensign worn by the knights is a star of four silver points, and over them a green circle, bor dered and lettered with gold, containing the said motto, and in the centre is a thistle proper ; all which is embroidered on their left breast, and worn with the collar, with a green over the left shoulder, and brought under the right arm ; pendent thereto is the image of St. Andrew, with his cross,
in a purple robe, within an oval of gold enamelled vert, with the former motto : but sometimes they wear, encircled in the same manner, a thistle crowned.
About the time of the reformation, this order was dropped, till James II. of Eng land resumed it, by creating eight knights: however, the revolution unsettled it again ; and it lay neglected till Queen Anne, in 1703, restored it to the primi tive design, of twelve knights of St. An drew. King George 1. in the first of his reign, confirmed the statutes signed by Queen Anne, with the addition of several more, among which was that of adding rays of glory to surround the figure of St. Andrew which hangs at the collar : and though from the reformatien to George I. both elections and instalments had been dispensed with, his majesty ordered that chapters of election should, for the future, be held in the royal presence ; to which end he ordered the great wardrobe to provide the knights brethren, and of ficers, with such mantles as the statutes of the said order appointed.