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by R P Weston and Bert Lee (1934)
Weston and Lee's translation of the French motto Honi soit qui mal y pense is that 'beer is best', which is a slight variation from the literal 'Shame be to him who thinks evil of it'.
The motto appears on the coat of arms of several British Army regiments and unsurprisingly used in a monologues written during the military-minded years between the two World Wars.
It is the motto of the Order of the Garter. There are several explanations for use of the word 'Garter'. One comes from the time when the Countess of Salisbury was dancing with King Edward at Eltham Palace. Her garter fell off and to save her embarrassment, Edward picked it up and tied it to his own leg, saying "Honi soit qui mal y pense".
It is not known if she responded by buying him a pint of beer.
Introductory Narrative Oh dear, starting another day I suppose Good Morning! What's that? I'm from Yorkshire meself - aye; Where you wash the cobwebs off your chest. Monologue Eh? I'll have a pint, Sir, and thank yer, That big 'ole outside is the moat, Sir, | |
And now, Sir, we come to armoury; Here's the shirt and chainmail Black Prince wore - And this 'ere's the real headsman's block, Sir, 'Ere's the axe - that's the genuine axe, Sir, And down here's where Princes were murdered, |
Tower of London |
And here's where they tortured the prisoners - Eh? Oh, thank you. I will have a pint, Sir, And why do they call us Beefeaters? And so you shall know we're Beefeaters; But here's why they call us Beefeaters, |