hi Jim
allways a pleasure.
for a start, you have the following:
http://www3.tky.3web.ne.jp/~jafarr/s...symbolism.html
this site is related to masonry lecturing. but if you browse the net using the motto as the key, you will find several other pages, further masonry ones included, all giving account of the motto origin, in precisely the same manner. there seems to be no doubt about this.
we know that blade word engraving started very early, with all kinds of sayings and mottos. what is to be known is, if this motto is the strict oath pronounced by the templars, or a sort of condensation of a larger cerimonial speech ... and when has its engraving started, namely in clear castilian ( configuring a trade behaviour ? ). other members will probably know more about this.
naturally this and other spanish sugestive phrases were also common in portuguese swords of the 1600-1700 period, as i already saw some cup hilts with them on. some spanish colonial espada anchas also had this motto.
coming back to masonry, how's about the symbols like the ones in Jeff D's
basket hilt, the sun and the half moon, being masonic ? at least they deal with similar stuff, as can be seen.
if all this was the wrong answer, please tell what i missed.
lots of health for you, Jim