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In the Royal courts of England it was considered a mark of education and culture to be able to speak French.
An English King (perhaps Henry eighth) saw that a lady was in trouble when she was dancing at a Royal ball. Her garter was slipping down her leg. As was his right, he commanded the musicians to stop playing and he walked over to her and knelt before her, notwithstanding the fact that he was the King. Then he slid the garter down her leg, held it up for everyone to see, and called out "Honi soit qui mal y pense" which is French for "Evil be to he who evil thinks".
So nowadays it could be seen as meaning "If you think something is going on here, are YOU so blameless?"
Postscript from Cammy; Perhaps HSQMYP would be better translated as "Shame on YOU if you have evil thoughts". I rather suspect that Honi Soit Qui Mal Y Pense is the motto of the English monarch.

15 years ago. Rating: 1
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