Faith in “cramp rings” corresponds in many respects with the
reverential confidence in the royal touch as a cure for scrofula.
The former, however, appears to have been of entirely English origin.
Legend attributes the first cramp ring to Edward the Confessor.
St. Edward on his death-bed is alleged to have given a ring from his
finger to the Abbot of Westminster with the explanation that it had
been brought to him not long before by a pilgrim from Jerusalem to whom
it had been given by a mysterious stranger, presumably a visitant from
the world of spirits, who had bidden him give the ring to the king
with the message that his end was near. The ring was preserved as a
relic at Westminster for some time, and was found to possess miraculous
efficacy for the cure of epilepsy and cramp. It was next heard of at
Havering in Essex, the very name of which place, according to Camden,
furnished evidence of the accuracy of the tradition. Havering was
obviously a contraction of “have the ring.” So at least thought the old
etymologists.
When the relic disappeared is not recorded; but the Tudor kings were
in the habit of contributing a certain amount of gold and silver as an
offering to the Cross every Good Friday, and the metal being made into
rings was consecrated by them, in accordance with a form of service
which was included in old English prayer books (see Burnett’s History
of the Reformation, Part 2, Book 2, No. 25). This was actually used
until the reign of Queen Anne. Andrew Boorde, in his “Breviary of
Health,” 1557, says: “The kynges of England doth halow every yere cramp
rynges ye which rynges worn on one’s finger doth helpe them whyche hath
ye cramp.” They seem to have been regarded especially as a protection
against epilepsy, and courtiers were much importuned to obtain some for
persons afflicted.
The process of hallowing the rings is described in Brand’s “Popular
Antiquities.” A crucifix was laid on a cushion in the royal chapel, and
a piece of carpet was spread in front of it. The king entered in state,
and when he came to the carpet crept on it to the crucifix. There the
rings were brought to him in a silver dish, and he blessed them.
In the Harleian Manuscripts (295 f119) a letter is preserved dated
the xxi. daie of June, 1518, from Lord Berners (the translator of
Froissart), then ambassador to the Emperor Charles V. He writes from
Saragoza “to my Lord Cardinall’s grace” (Wolsey), “If your grace
remember me with some crampe rynges ye shall doo a thing muche looked
for; and I trust to bestowe thaym well with Goddes grace, who evermor
preserve and encrease your most reverent astate.”
It does not appear certain that the royal consecration of these rings
was continued after the reign of Queen Mary; but cramp rings continued
in esteem almost until our own time in some parts of the country. In
Brand’s book, and in several numbers of _Notes and Queries_ references
to superstitions in connection with these, their production and the
wearing of them particularly against epilepsy, are recorded. Sometimes,
to be effective, the rings must have been made from coffin handles, or
coffin nails, the coffins from which they have been taken having been
buried; or rings of silver or gold, manufactured while the story of the
Passion of the Saviour was being read, would possess curative power.
So would a ring made from silver collected at a Communion service,
preferably on Easter Sunday. In Berkshire, a ring made from five
sixpences collected from five bachelors, none of whom must know the
purpose of the collection, and formed by a bachelor smith into a ring
was believed in; and in Suffolk, not very long since, nine bachelors
contributed a crooked sixpence each to make a ring for a young woman
in the village to wear for the cure of epileptic fits to which she was
subject.