A Tale of a Garter

Once when Edward III was travelling with his courtiers a member of the party spotted a garter lying in the road. Edward guessed it had been lost by Queen Philippa, who had gone on ahead, and asked to see it. His courtiers protested that it was of no worth, but the King insisted.

Despite his interest, Edward’s courtiers still dismissed the garter as worthless, so the King vowed to make them hold a blue garter in honour one day. From that moment, he began to devise the Order of the Garter, and in due course threw a royal feast at Windsor at which he invested twenty-six handpicked men with a blue Garter.

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