Page:The religious life of King Henry VI.djvu/51

Rh his great devotion and reverence for the Sacrament. In explaining to his lords why, in this instance, he had not shown his usual reverence to the place, he said: "I know that my Lord Jesus Christ, in whose honour I would do so much, is not there." It was afterwards found that this was the case, and that the Blessed Sacrament was not, at the time, in the pyx over the altar. It is also said by those who were in the King's confidence, that he frequently had a vision of our Lord in human form in the priest's hands during the Sacrifice of the Holy Mass. On the eve of our Lord's resurrection the King was wont himself to carry the great Paschal candle, out of reverence, and to manifest his faith in the resurrection of Christ from the tomb.

King Henry's humility was made apparent to all in his clothes and the other coverings of his body; in his walk, in his speaking, and in his countenance. From his youth he was accustomed to make use of rounded shoes and leggings, such as country folk use. He generally wore a long cloak with a round hood, like those of the middle classes, with a tunic coming down below the knee; his short leggings and shoes were of dark colour, and