The kings of arms in England, Scotland and Ireland wear crowns, the
ornamentation of which round the upper rim of the circlet is composed of
a row of acanthus or oak leaves. Round the circlet is the singularly
inappropriate text from Psalm li., "_Miserere mei Deus secundum magnam
misericordiam tuam_." The form of these crowns seems to have been
settled in the reign of Charles II. Before that period they varied at
different times, according to representations given of them in grants of
arms, &c.
This brings us to the crowns of lesser dignity, known for that reason as
coronets, and worn by the five orders of peers.
[Illustration: FIG. 21.]
[Illustration: FIG. 22.]
[Illustration: FIG. 23.