In an account given of his coronation we read that, after the ceremony in Westminster Abbey, Richard went to the shrine of Our Lady at Pewe, near by, where he made a special offering to Our Lady of eleven angels, each wearing the King’s badge, one for each of the eleven years of his young life.  What form this offering of angels took, we know not; they may have been little wooden figures, or coins with an angel stamped upon them; but it is reasonable to connect the offering with this very picture of Our Lady and the angels.  The King’s special badges were the White Hart and the Collar of Broom-pods which you see embroidered all over his magnificent red robe.  The White Hart is pinned in the form of a jewel beneath his collar, and each of the eleven angels bears the badge upon her shoulder and the Collar of Broom-pods round her neck.  One of the King’s angels gives the Royal Standard of England with the Cross of St. George on it to the Infant Christ in token of Richard’s dedication of his kingdom to the Virgin and Child.

Edward III. died at Midsummer 1377 and Richard succeeded him in his eleventh year, having been born on January 6, 1367.  It is necessary to note the exact day of the year when these events took place, for it can have importance in determining the saint whom a personage chiefly honoured as patron and protector.  In this instance St. John the Baptist, whose feast occurs on June 23, near to the day of Richard’s accession, obviously stands as patron saint of the young King.  Next to him is King Edward the Confessor, the founder of Westminster Abbey, who was canonized for his sanctity and who points to Richard II. as his spiritual successor upon the throne.  In medieval art the saints are distinguished by their emblems, which often have an association with the grim way in which they met their death, or with some other prominent feature in their legend.  Here Edward holds up a ring, whereof a pretty story is told.  Edward once took it off his finger to give it to a beggar, because he had no money with him.  But the beggar was no other than John the Evangelist in disguise, and two years later he sent the ring back to the King with the message that in six months Edward would be in the joy of heaven with him.  William Caxton, the first English printer, relates in his life of King Edward that when he heard the message he was full of joy and let fall tears from his eyes, giving praise and thanksgiving to Almighty God.

[Illustration:  RICHARD II.  BEFORE THE VIRGIN AND CHILD From a picture by an unknown artist in the Wilton House Collection]

St. Edmund, who stands next to Edward the Confessor, is the other saintly King of England; after whom the town of Bury St. Edmunds takes its name.  He was shot to death with arrows by the Danes because he would not give up Christianity.  If I could show you several suitably chosen pictures at once, you would recognize in the arrangement of the three Kings here (two standing, one kneeling before the Virgin