Page 401 - J. C. Turner - History and Science of Knots

Heraldic Knots 395

of the Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire [17] that was founded
in 1917.
The collar of the English Order of the Bath [19], founded in 1399, has
some links of `knots' (88).
One of the most interesting of the knightly orders to the knot tier is the
Company of the Holy Spirit of Right Desire, commonly called the Company of
the Knot [5]. It existed on mainland Sicily, that is Naples, from 1352 to 1362.
Companions wore at all times a Figure Eight Knot (89) tied in about 50 cm of
plain white silk cord, sometimes heavily bejewelled, and accompanied with the
words Se dieu plaist ('if God pleases'). When certain feats of arms and piety
were accomplished, the knot could be untied (90). It could then be retied and
given ornamentation and a new motto (Il a pleu a dieu, `It has pleased God')
(91) if the knight visited the Holy Sepulchre at Jerusalem. A representation
of the knot badge, probably in enamel, was also on the pommel of the knight's
sword.
The insignia of several other Orders incorporated Figure Eight Knots.
The Order of the Collar, formed in Savoy in 1364 and renamed the Order of
the Annunciation of Our Lady in 1518 [5] incorporated the knot in several
ways at different times in badges hanging from the collar (92). The collar of
the Order of the Sword in Cyprus had Figure Eight Knots alternating with
the letters R and S.
The Order of the Crown of Italy [17] had the knot between the arms of
the cross of the main medallion (93), in much the same way as the knots on
the cross of the Netherlands Order of the Lion [17] which were intended to
represent the letter W (Fig. 1, 1).
Finally, the French Order of St Michael the Archangel had several designs
for its collar between 1469 and 1790 [5]. Some of these incorporated apparent
cordage in gold, showing from time to time various knots (94, 95, 96).

References

1. C. W. Ashley, The Ashley Book of Knots (Doubleday, New York, 1944).
2. H. Bedingfeld & P. Gwynn-Jones, Heraldry (Bison Books, London,
1993).
3. W. Berry, Encyclopaedia Heraldica (Sherwood Gilbert, London, 1859).
4. C. K. Bolton, Bolton's American Armory (Genealogical Publishing,
Baltimore, 1969).
5. D. J. D. Boulton, The Knights of the Crown (Boydell Press, Suffolk,
1987).
6. G. Briggs, Civic and Corporate Heraldry (Heraldry Today, London,
1971).
7. J. P. Brooke-Little, Boutell's Heraldry (Warne, London, 1983).