REMARKABLE RINGS.
A volume of some amplitude might be written on the very attractive subject
of the present chapter, for there are very few families in the kingdom
cherishing a regard for ancestry and for the antiquarian interests of
their country, who could not show examples of rings possessing unusual
interest, not only of family, but of general importance. The Loan
Exhibition of Ancient and Modern Jewellery at the South Kensington Museum
in 1872 exhibited an unusual display of finger-rings contributed from
every part of the kingdom, many of them of extreme rarity and beauty;
while the famous Waterton Collection acquired by the Museum, described by
one of the most eminent authorities on this particular subject as ‘in its
almost unlimited extent, comprising the rings of all ages and nations,’
afforded specimens, many of which were unique, and of singular interest.
The limits of the present book enable me only to mention a few instances
of remarkable rings, in addition to those which have been already alluded
to in the previous chapters. Rings of the earliest ages naturally attract
our observation more than those of later times, and are invaluable studies
to the historian and the antiquarian, throwing light upon many subjects,
of which they are in some cases the only reflex, and enabling us to judge
of the progress of art in distant eras, to assist chronological
researches, and to explain by inscriptions and figures many dubious points
which would otherwise remain obscure.
No doubt there are many instances in which we have to depend on tradition
alone for circumstances in connection with ring incidents, but even in
these cases romance and poetry lend their aid in rendering them full of
charm and interest, as an acquaintance with the mediæval writers more
especially will prove, and to which I have frequently alluded in the
preceding chapters.
Among the most remarkable collections of cameos, intaglios, and
finger-rings, are those known as the ‘Devonshire Gems,’ formed in the last
century by William Cavendish, third Duke of Devonshire. Eighty-eight,
including some of the finest cameos, were withdrawn from it, and mounted
in enamelled gold as a parure, unsurpassed for beauty and rarity.
These precious gems were exhibited at the South Kensington Museum in 1872.
Amongst the finger-rings were a scarabæus in grey and white onyx of three
strata, in its antique ring of massive gold, thickened and expanded at the
shoulders; a splendid specimen of a large gold ring of the best
Italo-Greek work, the hoop formed of delicately woven corded pattern, the
large deep bezel enriched with exquisite applied ornament in minute
threaded work, perhaps the finest ring of its type known; a ring with
intaglio of female head chased on the gold of the bezel is of antique
Greek type; an intaglio of beautiful antique work on banded onyx, set in a
massive gold ring; a most remarkable Roman ring, the bezel representing a
Cupid’s head, chased in full relief on the solid; a small gold ring, the
square bezel engraved with a dolphin, and the hoop formed of triple
beaded pattern; eight antique Roman rings, for the most part of the second
and third centuries, one of which has the open-work hoop; a very
interesting mediæval ring of rude workmanship, formed of electron, or gold
much alloyed with silver; on the circular bezel is a head in intaglio, and
in rather rude lettering ‘VIVAT,’ the shoulders have pellets at the side
of the hoop--the date would appear to be of the seventh or eighth century;
a good example of the iconographic type of English ring engraved on the
bezel with figures of saints, fifteenth century; a massive gold ring,
shoulders and hoop chased, Gothic inscriptions within the hoop; a fine
English fifteenth century signet; a massive signet of the sixteenth
century; a signet with shield of arms engraved on the under side of a thin
piece of rock crystal and coloured, sixteenth or seventeenth century.
Among the classical antiquities in the British Museum is a rich collection
of gems retaining their antique settings, a treasure not to be surpassed
by any in Europe. Among these is a magnificent intaglio of Hercules
slaying the Hydra, very deeply cut on a rich sard, and set in a massive
gold ring of the form fashionable during the Lower Empire. The wonderful
lion-ring from the Prince of Canino’s collection I have already described
in the first chapter of this work. An account of the Museum gems will be
found in the works of the Rev. C. W. King, on ‘Precious Stones’ and
‘Antique Gems.’
In the same magnificent collection are some curious rings, amongst other
objects from Switzerland, of the people who built their habitations on
piles in the lakes.
In the British Museum is also preserved the gold signet-ring of Mary,
Queen of Scots. On the face is engraved the royal arms and supporters of
the kingdom of Scotland, with the motto ‘IN DEFENS’ and her initials ‘M.
R.’ In the inner side of the seal a crowned monogram is engraved, ‘which
might have been an unsolved enigma, but for the existence, in the State
Paper Office, of a letter written by Mary to Queen Elizabeth, in which she
has drawn the identical monogram after signing her name. Sir Henry Ellis,
who first traced out this curious history, says, “It is clearly formed of
the letters M. and A. (for Mary and Albany), and gives countenance to the
opinion that the written monogram was intended for Elizabeth and Burghley
to study, the subsequent creation of the title of Duke of Albany in Lord
Darnley ultimately opening their eyes to the enigma.”’
A similarly interesting ring is that of Henry, Lord Darnley, husband to
Mary, Queen of Scots, now in the Waterton Collection at the South
Kensington Museum. On the bezel it bears the two initials ‘M. H.’ united
by a lover’s knot. In the hoop is the name engraved ‘HENRI L. DARNLEY,’
and the year of the marriage, 1565.
[Illustration: Signet-ring of Mary, Queen of Scots, and the Darnley ring.]
In the interesting ‘Notices of Collections of Glyptic Art,’ by the Rev. C.
W. King, M.A., published in the ‘Archæological Journal’ for October 1861,
is a description of some remarkable rings in the Queen’s and other
collections. By the kindness of the editor of the Journal I am enabled to
give an abstract of the valuable papers contributed by the Rev. C. W.
King. In the Royal Collection is a ruby set in a massy gold ring, having
the name of ‘Loys XII.,’ and the date of his decease, 1515, engraved
inside. The ruby has a head in profile of King Louis, and is a stone of
considerable size (being half an inch in diameter) and of the finest
quality. The drawing is correct, though somewhat stiff, after the usual
manner of the Quattro Cento heads; the relief is somewhat flat, and all
the details most accurately finished; both for material and execution this
gem is an invaluable monument of the early times of the art.
The signet-ring made for Charles II., when Prince of Wales, has the
ostrich plumes between the letters ‘C. P.’--‘Carolus Princeps’--neatly and
deeply cut upon a table _diamond_ (½ × ⅜ inch in size) formed into a
heater-shaped, seven-sided shield. The stone is slightly tinged with
yellow, but of fine lustre, and such that of its nature no doubt whatever
can be entertained. The ring, holding this in every respect interesting
relic, has the back enamelled with a bow and quiver _en saltire_. A
marvellous specimen of metal-work is the signet of his unfortunate father,
having the royal arms most minutely engraved upon a shield of steel, and
the lion and unicorn (modelled with matchless skill in the same metal in
full relief) reclining upon the shoulders of a gold ring, and that of a
size by no means inconvenient for wear upon the little finger.
The Marlborough gems[75] constitute a famous collection, as it now
stands, formed by the union of the Arundel and the Bessborough, together
with certain additions made at the close of the last century by the
grandfather of the present Duke of Marlborough. This collection includes
many masterpieces of art set in rings of fine gold in a plain solid
imitation of the ancient ring worn by the later Romans, having a slight
round shank, gradually thickening towards the shoulders.
The Bessborough Collection deservedly ranks as one of the first in Europe
for the interest and value of the works of art it contains (as viewed
exclusively in that light) and the gems themselves, are pre-eminently
distinguished by the unusual taste and elegance of the rings in which they
are for the most part set. In this point of view alone they will furnish a
rich treat to every amateur in that elegant branch of the jeweller’s
craft. Some are choice examples of the Rénaissance goldsmiths’ skill; the
majority, however, plainly show that they were made to the commission of
the noble possessor, exhibiting as they do the most varied designs in the
Louis XV. style, in which one is at a loss what most to admire, the
fertility of invention displayed in the great variety of the forms, or the
perfection of workmanship with which these designs have been carried out
in the finest gold.
The Rev. C. W. King mentions a ring in this collection, with a
representation of a dancing fawn upon sard, as the most elegant design
ever invented by Italian taste. Appropriately to the subject, the shank
consists of two thyrsi, whilst around the head of the ring runs an ivy
garland, the leaves enamelled green. The execution of this charming idea
equals the design.
Another exquisite old Italian ring is described as being adorned with two
masks of Pan upon the shoulders, the very masterpieces of chasings in
gold, so vigorous, so full of life, are these minute full-faced heads in
half relief.
In the same collection is a sard engraved with a head of Lucilla, mediocre
in execution, but set in a ring worthy of Cellini, to whose age the
workmanship belongs. It is certainly the most artistic example of this
ornament that has ever come under the Rev. Mr. King’s notice. Two nude
figures, one seen in front, the other from behind, carved out in flat
relief upon the shoulders of the shank, bear torches in either hand, which
wind round the setting; doves and flowers fill up the interval between
them. The perfection of these minute chasings is beyond all description,
each is a finished statuette; curious, too, is the elegance with which
they are employed, so as to fall naturally into the curvature required by
their position.
These extracts from the paper in the ‘Archæological Journal,’ by the Rev.
C. W. King, will suffice to show the great value and beauty of these
precious objects.
The famous ring of Chariclea is thus mentioned by the Rev. C. W. King in
his ‘Handbook of Engraved Gems.’ It is ‘an extract from the flowery pages
of the tasteful Bishop of Tricca, Heliodorus, who, though writing amidst
the fast-gathering clouds of the fourth century, still retained a tinge of
early culture, and could not extinguish a sinful admiration for artistic
beauty. Like other educated men of his, and even lower, times, he was
still able to appreciate the productions of an art, even then, nearly
extinct, for with what enthusiasm does he enlarge upon the description of
the ring worn by his heroine Chariclea (‘Æthiop.’ v. 13), possibly a work
the beauty of which he had himself admired in reality, or, perhaps,
actually possessed! “Such is the appearance of all amethysts coming from
India and Ethiopia; but that which Calasiris now presented to Nausicles
was far above them in value, for it was enriched with an engraving, and
worked out into an imitation of nature. The subject was a boy tending his
flocks, himself standing upon a low rock for the sake of looking about
him, and guiding his sheep to their pasture by the music of his Pandean
pipe. The flock seemed obedient to the signal, and submitted themselves
readily to be conducted by the guidance of his notes. One would say they
were themselves laden with fleeces of gold, and those not of the artist’s
giving, but due to the amethyst itself, which painted their backs with a
blush of its own. Pictured also were the tender skippings of the lambs;
whilst some running up against the rock in troops, others, turning in
frolicsome turnings around the shepherd, converted the rising ground into
an appearance of a pastoral theatre. Others, again, revelling in the blaze
of the amethyst, as if in the beams of the sun, were pawing and scraping
the rock with the points of their hoofs, as if they bounded up against it.
Such amongst them as were the first born, and the more audacious, seemed
as if they were wishing to leap over this round of the gem, but were kept
in by the artist, who had drawn a border like a golden fold around them
and the rock. Now this fold was in reality of stone, and not imitative,
for the engraver, having circumscribed a portion of the gem’s edge for
this purpose, had depicted what he required in the actual substance,
deeming it a clever stroke to contrive a stone wall upon a _stone_.”’ ‘A
remark,’ adds the Rev. C. W. King, ‘proving that our author is describing
a real intaglio, not drawing upon his fancy merely.’
The Rev. Walter Sneyd possesses a ring of singular interest, supposed to
have belonged to Roger, King of Sicily (died 1152). A representation of
this relic is given in the ‘Archæological Journal’ (vol. iii. p. 269). ‘It
is of mixed yellow metal, gilt; on either side of the hoop there is a
crown--of the form commonly seen on coins or money of the twelfth
century--and on the signet are the words “ROGERIVS REX,” chased in high
_relief_. In the form of the character they correspond closely with
legends on coins of Roger, second Duke of Apulia of that name, crowned
King of Sicily 1129. This ring has every appearance of genuine character;
but it is difficult to tell for what purpose it was fabricated, the
inscription not being inverted, and the letters in relief ill-suited for
producing an impression. It seems very improbable that King Roger should
have worn a ring of base metal, and the conjecture may deserve
consideration that it was a signet not intended for the purpose for
sealing, but entrusted in lieu of credentials to some envoy.’
[Illustration: Supposed ring of Roger, King of Sicily.]
In the Waterton Collection is a ring assumed on good grounds to have been
that with which Cola di Rienzi, the famous tribune of Rome, was united to
Catarina di Riselli. ‘The ring,’ remarks Mr. Waterton, ‘was purchased for
me in Rome, for a trifling sum, at one of the periodical clearing sales of
the Monte di Pietà, and I had it for several months before I discovered
certain facts--which many archæologists consider to be corroborative of my
supposition--that this ring was the nuptial ring of Cola di Rienzi. Its
style, when compared with other objects of the period, enables us to
ascribe its date to the first half of the fourteenth century. The bezel
is an irregular octagon, in the centre there is cut, signet-wise, a
device, two stars divided per pale. Around this are inscribed two
names--Catarina, Nicola--the interstices being filled up with niello.
These names are written from left to right, and not reversed. The ring is
an elegant specimen of Italian workmanship, and I consider it to have been
produced by a Florentine artist. The reasons for believing that this may
have been the _fiancial_ ring of Rienzi and his wife are the following: 1.
The two names, Nicola (di Rienzi) and Catarina (di Riselli). 2. The date
of the ring, which we may assign to 1320-1340, the time when Rienzi lived.
3. Neither Rienzi nor his wife had any armorial bearing; and, having great
faith in his destiny, he is stated to have selected a star for his device.
The two stars divided per pale were interpreted by an eminent Roman
archæologist to be significant of the star of Rienzi, and that of his
wife.’
A curious seal-ring, formerly in the possession of Sir Richard Worsley, of
Appuldercombe, in the Isle of Wight, was exhibited at a meeting of the
Society of Antiquaries in 1775. An impression in wax was also shown at the
Plymouth Local Committee of the Exeter Diocesan Architectural Society, in
July 1850, by Mr. Cotton, of Ivybridge. The thumb-ring, set in gold, and
of exquisite workmanship, is said to have been in the possession of the
Worsley family since the time of Henry VIII. That King usually wore it on
his finger, and presented it to Sir James Worsley, his yeoman of the
wardrobe, and governor of the Isle of Wight. The device represents a
warrior completely armed from head to foot, and covered with a vest or
surcoat; his helmet is flat at the top, and brought round under the chin,
exactly in the same form as those worn in France about the middle of the
thirteenth century, during the reign of Saint Louis. The scabbard of his
sword hangs by his side, but the sword itself lies broken at his feet. His
uplifted arms grasp a ragged or knotted staff, with which he is in the act
of attacking a lion, who stands opposed to him. His shield bears the coat
armour of the Stuart family; viz., Or, a fesse checky Az. and Argt. Over
the lion’s head appears an arm in mail, holding a shield, with the above
coat of arms of the Stuarts; and in an escutcheon of pretence, a lion
rampant, the arms of Scotland and of Bruce. The sleeve of the drapery,
which falls loosely from the arm, is ornamented on the border with three
_fleurs de lis_; and the whole is enclosed within a double tressure fleury
and counter-fleury, which together form the arms of Scotland.
[Illustration: The ‘Worsley’ seal-ring.]
‘The warrior here represented’ (says Dr. Mills, Dean of Exeter, in his
account of this ring) ‘seems to be Sir Walter Stuart, born anno 1393, so
called from being hereditary High Steward of Scotland. He married Margery,
daughter of Robert Bruce, and sister to David Bruce, Kings of Scotland.
David dying without male issue, Margery became an heiress; and therefore
her arms are placed here in an escutcheon of pretence on those of Walter
Stuart, her husband.’
The device here represented seems to be in some measure ascertained by the
account given by Sir Simeon Stuart’s family in the Baronetage of England,
which says that Sir Alexander Stuart had an honourable augmentation
granted by Charles VI., King of France, viz. argent the lion of Scotland,
debruised with a ragged staff bend-wise or. This honour was probably
granted to Sir Alexander on account of some martial achievement performed
either by him or his ancestors. But the seal seems to determine it to
Walter Stuart, the husband of Margery Bruce, as there is not more than
fifty years between his death and the accession to the throne of Charles
VI. As Sir James Worsley, ancestor to Sir Richard, married Mary, eldest
daughter of Sir Nicholas Stuart, of Hartley Mauditt, in Hampshire, it is
highly probable that this ring descended to the family of Worsley by this
alliance.
The ring of St. Louis of France was formerly kept in the treasury of St.
Denis. In ‘Le Trésor Sacré de Sainct Denys’ (1646) this ring is thus
described: ‘L’anneau du mesme glorieux Roy Sainct Louis qui est précieux:
il est d’or, semé de fleurs de lys, garny d’un grand saphir quarré sur
lequel est gravée l’image du mesme sainct avec les lettres S. L., qui
veulent dire _Sigillum Lodovici_. Sur le rond de l’anneau par le dedans
sont gravez ces mots, “_C’est le Signet du Roy S. Louis_,” qui y ont esté
adjoustez après sa mort.’ A representation of this remarkable ring is here
given. It is now in the Musée des Souverains at the Louvre.
[Illustration: Ring of St. Louis.]
‘The wedding-ring,’ remarks the Rev. C. W. King, ‘of the same prince is
said to have been set with a sapphire engraved with the Crucifixion; the
shank covered with lilies and _marguerites_, allusive to his own name and
his wife’s. This attribution is a mere _custode’s_ story. Mr. Waterton,
who examined this gem, puts it down to a much later age: the King, a full
length, has the nimbus, showing the figure to be posterior to his
beatification. It probably belongs to Louis XII.’s time.’
In the Braybrooke Collection is a cameo portrait of Madame de Maintenon,
on a very large and fine ruby, three eighths of an inch by half an inch
wide, in a most beautiful gold ring, contemporaneous setting; presented to
Louis XIV. when she retired into the convent of St. Cyr. In the same
collection is a cameo portrait of Queen Elizabeth, by Valerio Vicentini,
on a sardonyx of three strata, in a fine gold setting of the period; also
a cameo portrait of Charles I. on black jasper, a splendid work of art,
in a beautifully-enamelled gold ring of his time.
The Rev. C. W. King describes the famous signet-ring of Michael Angelo,
preserved in the Paris Collection. ‘It is a sard engraved with a group
representing a Bacchic festival, quite in the Renaissance style. In the
exergue is a boy fishing, the rebus upon the name of the artist _Gio Maria
da Pescia_. Many connoisseurs, however, hold the gem to be an undoubted
antique. Of this relic the following curious story is told:--In the last
century, as the Abbé Barthelemy was exhibiting the rarities of the
Bibliothèque to a distinguished antiquary of the day, he suddenly missed
this ring, whereupon without expressing his suspicions, he privately
despatched a servant for an emetic, which, when brought, he insisted upon
the _savant’s_ swallowing, and the ring came to light again.’[76]
The celebrated gem representing Apollo and Marsyas, which belonged to
Lorenzo de’ Medici, and formed one of the magnificent collection of the
Grand-Duke of Tuscany, once, mounted on a ring, decorated the hand of the
parricide Nero, who used it to sign his sanguinary mandates. Numbers of
copies have been taken of this gem in ancient and modern times. It is thus
described by Tenhove: Apollo, in a noble attitude, is holding his lyre,
and regarding with disdain Marsyas, who, bound to a tree, and his hands
tied behind him, awaits the just punishment of his temerity. The young
Scythian who is to execute the sentence, kneels before Apollo, apparently
imploring his clemency. The quiver and arrows of the god are suspended
from one of the branches of the tree; on the foreground are the
instruments of which the satyr has made such unfortunate use.
It is known that Nero had the folly to imagine himself the first musician
of his time, and in selecting this subject he doubtless intended to get
rid of all competition, by deterring those who might otherwise have felt
disposed to enter the lists with him. Perhaps he was looking at his left
hand, and assuming Apollo for his model, when he had the singer Menedemus,
of whom he was jealous, flayed, as it were, with whipping, in his
presence, whose yells of agony seemed to the emperor so melodious that he
warmly applauded. Lorenzo’s feeling with regard to the gem was, doubtless,
of a very different character: he selected the stone on account of its
marvellous beauty of execution.
Among the art treasures, in connection with rings and camei in the British
Museum, the Rev. C. W. King notices a cameo with a lion passant, in low
relief in the red layer of a sardonyx, exquisitely finished, which has its
value greatly enhanced by the ‘LAVR. MED.’ cut in the field, attesting
that it once belonged to the original cabinet of Lorenzo de’ Medici. This
stone, set in a ring, has its face protected by a glass; a proof of the
estimation in which its former possessor held it.
[Illustration: Ring Device of Cosmo de’ Medici.]
Cosmo de’ Medici had for device three diamonds on rings, intertwined
emblems of excellency, superiority, and endurance.
[Illustration: Ring Device of Lorenzo de’ Medici.]
Lorenzo de’ Medici had a ring with a diamond; a plume of three colours,
green, white, and red, to signify that in loving God he displayed three
virtues: the white plume representing faith; the green, hope; the red,
charity. Pope Leo X. adopted this device.
Pietro de’ Medici had a falcon holding a diamond-ring in its claws,
signifying that everything should be done to please God.
[Illustration: Ring Device of Pietro de’ Medici.]
In the Staunton collection of antiquities (Longbridge House, near Warwick)
is a remarkable ring, which is described (with illustrations) in the
‘Archæological Journal’ (vol. iv. p. 358). It is a beautiful gold
signet-ring, found, about the year 1825, in the ruins of Kenilworth
Castle, by a person named Faulkner, who was in the constant habit of
searching among the rubbish with the expectation of making some valuable
discovery. Its weight is 4 dwts. 10 grs. The impress is very singular;
under a crown appear the numerals 87, of the forms usually designated as
Arabic, of which no example has been noticed in this country, except in
MSS. prior to the fifteenth century. Above the crown are the letters =s=
and =h=; lower down on one side is seen the letter =a=, and on the other
=m=. Various interpretations of this remarkable device have been
suggested: it has been supposed that it might have reference to the
coronation of Elizabeth, Queen of Henry VII., solemnised at Westminster,
A.D. 1487, or have been connected with the enterprise of Lambert Simnel,
which occurred during that year at the instigation of Margaret, Duchess of
Burgundy. Mr. Hawkins considers its age to have been about the reign of
Edward IV., the crown with fleur-de-lys ornaments, and the form of the =m=
being of similar character to those on his coins; a similar type of crown
may, however, be found in earlier times, as shown by the great seals and
other authorities as early even as the reign of Richard II. The letters
have been supposed to be the initials of a sentence such as ‘Sancta virgo
adjuva me’ (the second letter being read as =h=) or, supposing the ring to
be referred to the times of Henry VII., ‘Sigillum,’ or ‘secretum, Henrici,
anno (14) 87. M{h}.’ The most probable explanation, however, appears to
have been proposed by Mr. John Gough Nichols: that the ring, which is of a
size suited to a lady’s finger, might have been a betrothal or wedding
present; the initials =s.h.= and =a.m.= being those of the two parties,
the Arabic numerals indicating the date 1487, and the crown being merely
ornamental, frequently used during the fifteenth century on seals by
persons not entitled by rank to use them.
[Illustration: Ring found at Kenilworth Castle.]
The coronet, with an initial letter, adopted as a device on the seals or
signet-rings of commoners, appears on numerous rings of the fifteenth
century, as well as on seals appended to documents. It appears on another
ring of later date in Mr. Staunton’s collection, of base metal gilt, found
in Coleshill Church, Warwickshire. The device appears to be a crown placed
upon a shaft or truncheon, resting on a heart, in base, with the initials
of the wearer, I. G., at the sides.
At a meeting of the Society of Antiquaries (May 1875), Mr. Robert Day
(Local Secretary for Ireland) exhibited a silver ring of
fourteenth-century work, the hoop portion of which is formed of two hands,
which grasp an octagonal signet that bears the centre device of a letter R
crowned, with the motto ‘Bacchal,’ and a spray of roses in the border. ‘To
illustrate this,’ remarks Mr. Day, ‘I send a small coin of base silver,
having a similar crowned R on the obverse. These crowned letters recall
the familiar lines of Chaucer, of
------a crowned A,
And after, Amor Vincit Omnia.
The ring was dug up in a potato garden at Howth, near Dublin. The motto
“Bacchal” I am unable to throw any light upon, except it be a contraction
of Baccalaureus. On the rim is a star of six points, to show the position
for sealing.’
A ring-relic of Fotheringay, belonging to Mrs. Simpson, of Edinburgh, is
of gold, set with a diamond cut in facets, with three smaller diamonds
over it, representing a crowned heart. It is considered to have belonged
to the unfortunate Mary, Queen of Scots.
A gold signet-ring, curious and interesting in several respects, the
property of Mr. James Neish, of the Laws, Dundee, was exhibited at a
meeting of the Archæological Institute in May 1864, when the following
particulars were given:--It was found about 1790, in digging the
foundations of Heathfield House, on the Hawkhill, Dundee, formerly called
the Sparrow Muir. The device (of which a representation is given in the
‘Archæological Journal,’ No. 82, 1864, p. 186) is a head, apparently
regal, bearded, with the hair long at the sides; on the breast there is a
mullet or star of five points introduced in scrolled ornament; around the
edge is a corded bordure with knots at intervals like a _cordelière_,
instead of the pearled margin usually found on seals. This knotted
cincture is well known as worn by the Franciscans, thence designated as
_Cordeliers_; as accessory to heraldic or personal ornaments, its use
seems to have been first adopted by Anne of Brittany, after the death of
Charles VIII., in 1498, as we are informed by Palliot and other writers.
It has, however, sometimes been assigned to a rather earlier period. The
hoop of Mr. Neish’s ring is plain and massive, the weight being 199
grains. The device is engraved with skill. It is difficult to tell whether
the object worn on the head is intended for a crown or a helmet, with
lateral projections resembling horns. Examples of helmets with cornute
appendages, especially found in classical art, are not wanting in mediæval
times. It has been suggested that the mullet on the breast may indicate
some allusion to the heraldic bearing of the Douglas family, especially as
the ring was discovered in the district of Angus, of which the earldom was
conferred in 1377 on a branch of that noble race. Mr. Neish--to whom both
this remarkable ring and also Heathfield House where it was found,
belong--stated that he had been informed by two persons that they
remembered the discovery; one, moreover, said that Mr. Webster, of
Heathfield House, to whom it formerly belonged, told him that the late Mr.
Constable, of Wallace Craigie (the Monkbarns of the ‘Antiquary),’ had
taken interest in the discovery, and having carried the ring to Edinburgh,
he had found there in some depository a proclamation regarding the loss of
a gold ring on Sparrow Muir, by a certain Allan Dorward, who had been
employed by David, Earl of Huntingdon, brother of William the Lion, in
building a church founded by the Earl at Dundee, and completed in 1198.
The King, according to tradition, was so pleased with the builder’s work
that he presented to him a ring, which Allan, being afterwards at a
boar-hunt on the Sparrow Muir, had there lost, and he had offered a reward
for its recovery, as made known in the proclamation before mentioned. This
tradition has been related by Mr. Andrew Jervise, in his ‘Memorials of
Angus and the Mearns,’ p. 178. According to another version the ring was
asserted to have been given by David II. (A.D. 1329-70) to his master
mason, and lost by him on the Sparrow Muir in the manner before related.
So much for tradition. The beautiful ring in Mr. Neish’s possession may
possibly be assigned to the later part of the fourteenth century; the
workmanship presents no feature of early character to justify the
supposition that it was a gift from William the Lion. There is also the
assurance of one of the most accurate and acute of Scottish antiquaries
that no such document or ‘advertisement’ as is alleged to have been put
forth by the loser of the ring is in existence; neither is there any
record of any architect employed by David II., or by his father Robert I.
The supposition seems to be that the ring may have belonged to some
person of the family of Douglas by whom St. Francis was held in special
veneration, and that hence the _cordelière_ was introduced upon it. There
existed at Dundee a Franciscan convent, which appears to have received
support from the Douglas family.
A relic of Flodden Field (1513), a ring, was found in 1783, on the site of
the battle. It bore the following inscription in Norman-French: ‘On est
mal loiauls amans qui se poet garder des maux disans’ (no lovers so
faithful as to be able to guard themselves against evil-speakers). Between
every two words, and at the beginning of each line, is a boar’s head. This
being the crest of the Campbells, it is not improbable that the ring was
that of the Argylls, and might have belonged to Archibald Campbell, the
second Earl of Argyll, who was killed while commanding the van of the army
at the fatal battle of Flodden Field,--
Where shiver’d was fair Scotland’s spear,
And broken was her shield.
I have previously alluded to the signet-ring of Mary, Queen of Scots, in
the British Museum. A few additional particulars of this celebrated relic
will be interesting. It were now a fruitless task to seek to discover
through what means this ring passed into the collection of the Queen of
George III. It subsequently came into possession of the late Duke of York,
and at the sale of his plate and jewels at Christie’s, in 1827, it was
purchased for fourteen guineas.
This ring is massive, and weighs 212 grs.; the hoop has been chased with
foliage and flowers, and enamelled, and appears to have been much worn; a
few traces of the enamel remain. The impress is the royal achievement,
engraved on a piece of crystal or white sapphire, of oval form, measuring
about three-quarters of an inch by five-eighths. The royal cognizance or
the crest, on a helmet of mantlings, and ensigned with a crown, is a lion
sejant affronté gu. crowned, holding in his dexter paw a naked sword, and
in the sinister a sceptre, both erect and ppr. Above the crest appear the
motto and the initials previously alluded to. The shield is surrounded by
the collar of the Thistle, with the badge, and supported by unicorns
chained and ducally gorged. On the dexter side there is a banner charged
with the arms of Scotland; on the sinister another with three bars, over
all a saltire. It is remarkable that the heraldic tinctures are
represented on the back of the engraved stone, either by enamelling or
painting, and the field or back-ground is coloured dark blue. This mode of
ornamentation is found in some of the fine Italian works of the period.
Sir Thomas Hepburn has a gold ring traditionally regarded as having been
worn by Queen Mary of Scotland. The hoop is enamelled black; the setting
consists of six opals surrounding one of much larger size, presenting the
appearance of a six-petalled flower.
Apropos of Queen Mary’s assumption of the arms of England in defiance of
Elizabeth, they are so engraved upon a signet-ring that belonged to the
late Earl of Buchan, as certified upon the little boxes containing
facsimiles of the seal, and sold to all sight-seers at Holyrood Palace.
The arms of England and France are placed in the first and fourth quarter
of the shield: those of Scotland in the second quarter, and those of
Ireland in the third quarter.
A ring of very exquisite workmanship connected with the Seymour family,
and in the possession of the Earl of Home, was exhibited at the Society of
Antiquaries (April 1864), and is an interesting historical relic. The
body of the ring is made of mother-of-pearl, and on it is set an oval
medallion, with a cipher ‘E. R.’ in relief, the E. being made of diamonds,
the R. of blue enamel: on each side along the shank of the ring is a line
of rubies set in gold. The medallion with the cipher opens, and discloses
a recess in the mother-of-pearl with a bust in low relief, apparently a
portrait of Jane Seymour, three-quarter face. The bust is made of gold,
coloured with enamel or paint, and is set with a small diamond as a
brooch. The inner surface of the lid with the cipher encloses a bust in
profile of Queen Elizabeth in enamelled gold, with a ruby set as a brooch.
Within the ring, and therefore at the back of the portrait of Jane
Seymour, is a small oval plate of gold, ornamented with translucent
enamel, and representing an earl’s coronet, over which is a phœnix in
flames. The phœnix was a well-known badge of Queen Elizabeth, but it was
also adopted as the crest of the Seymour family, to whom it must here be
referred. Edward Seymour, eldest son of the Protector by his second wife,
was created Earl of Hertford by Queen Elizabeth in 1559, and it is
probable that the ring was made shortly after, before he lost the favour
of the Queen through his marriage with Lady Catherine Grey.
In ‘Archæologia,’ vol. xxxi., is a fine example of a weighty ring of fine
gold, found in 1823 at Thetford, in Suffolk. The device which appears upon
this ring is an eagle displayed; on the inner side is engraved a bird,
with the wings closed, apparently a falcon, with a crown upon its head.
The following posy, or motto, commencing on the outer side, is continued
on the interior of the ring:--=dens me ouroye de bous senir a gree--com
moun coner desiri=--‘God work for me to make suit acceptably to you, as
my heart desires.’ The devices appear to be heraldic, and the motto that
of a lover, or a suitor to one in power. The eagle is the bearing of
several ancient Suffolk families; it was also a badge of the House of
Lancaster, and Thetford was one portion of the Duchy of Lancaster.
[Illustration: Heraldic ring.]
In the ‘Revue Britannique’ for January 1869, the discovery was announced
of the two wedding-rings interchanged between Martin Luther and Catherine
von Bora, one of nine nuns, who, under the influence of his teaching, had
emancipated themselves from their religious vows. She afterwards married
Luther. The _Revue_ states that the ring of the great Reformer is at
Waldenburg, and the bride’s ring is now in Paris; that they are similar in
composition, the latter being smaller. They are of silver gilt, with a
figure of Christ upon the cross, and bear inside the same inscription, ‘D.
Martino Luthero Catherinan Boren, 13 Juni, 1589.’ It is further stated
that the bride’s ring belongs to a Protestant lady, Madame Michael Girod,
and was purchased by her at an old store-shop in Geneva.
[Illustration: Supposed betrothal ring of Martin Luther.]
Considerable doubts exist, however, as to the authenticity of these rings,
a writer in ‘Notes and Queries’ pointing out an evident mistake in the
date, and the inscription on the bride’s ring ‘D. Martin_o_ Luther_o_
Catherinan Boren:’ not meaning ‘Dr. Martin Luther to Catherinan Boren’ but
the reverse. Another correspondent of the same work mentions that ‘Luther’
rings were made for a jubilee at Leipsic in 1825.
[Illustration: Betrothment ring of Martin Luther.]
Mr. H. Noel Humphreys, an eminent authority on these subjects, states
(‘Intellectual Observer,’ February 1862): ‘The betrothment-ring of Luther,
which belonged to a family at Leipsic as late as 1817, and is doubtless
still preserved with the greatest care as a national relic of great
interest, is composed of an intricate device of gold-work set with a ruby,
the emblem of exalted love. The gold devices represent all the symbols of
the “Passion.” In the centre is the crucified Saviour: on one side the
spear, with which the side was pierced, and the rod of reeds of the
flagellation. On the other is a leaf of hyssop. Beneath are the dies with
which the soldiers cast lots for the garment without seam, and below are
the three nails. At the back may be distinguished the inside of the
ladder, and other symbols connected with the last act of the Atonement;
the whole so grouped as to make a large cross, surmounted by the ruby, the
most salient feature of the device. On the inside of the ring the
inscriptions are still perfect. They contain the names of the betrothed
pair, and the date of the wedding-day in German, “der 13 Junij 1525.” This
was the ring presented to the wife at the betrothal, and worn by her after
the marriage. The _marriage-ring_ worn by Luther after his marriage was
still more intricate in its structure. It is an ingeniously contrived
_double_-ring, every intricacy of structure having its point and meaning.
In the first place, though the double-ring can be divided, so as to form
two complete rings, yet they cannot be separated from each other, as the
one passing through the other causes them to remain permanently
interlaced, as an emblem of the marriage vow, though still forming two
perfect rings; illustrating also the motto engraved within them, “_Was Got
zussamen füget soll Kein Mensch Scheiden_”--what God doth join no man
shall part. On the one hoop is a diamond, the emblem of power, duration,
and fidelity; and on the inside of its raised mounting, which, when joined
to the other hoop, will be concealed, are the initials of Martin Luther,
followed by a D., marking his academic title. On the corresponding surface
of the mounting of the gem of the other hoop are the initials of his wife,
Catherine von Bora, which, on the closing of the rings, necessarily lies
close to those of Luther. The gem in this side of the ring is a ruby, the
emblem of exalted love; so that the names of Catherine and Luther are
closely united, when the rings are closed, beneath the emblems of exalted
love, power, duration, and fidelity.
[Illustration: Marriage ring of Martin Luther.]
‘There can be but little doubt that these curious and interesting rings
were designed by the celebrated painter and goldsmith, Lucas Cranach, and
possibly wrought with his own hand, the marriage of his friend Luther
being a special occasion which he doubtless wished to honour with every
attention. Lucas was, indeed, one of the three select friends whom Luther
took to witness his betrothal; the others being Dr. Bugenhagen, town
preacher of Wittenberg, and the lawyer Assel, who all accompanied him to
Reichenbach’s house, where Catherine resided.’
Among the numerous articles of Shakspearian interest presented to the
Shakspeare Library and Museum at Stratford, by Miss Anne Wheler, the
surviving sister of the historian of Stratford-on-Avon, the late Mr.
Robert Bell Wheler, is a gold signet-ring described as Shakspeare’s,
having the initials ‘W. S.’ a true lover’s knot entwined between them.
[Illustration: Shakspeare’s ring (?).]
An account of the discovery of the ring appeared in the ‘Guide to
Stratford-on-Avon,’ by Mr. Wheler, published in 1814, from which it
appears that the ring was found four years previously by a labourer’s wife
upon the surface of the mill close adjoining Stratford churchyard. ‘I
purchased it on the same day,’ observes Mr. Wheler, ‘for thirty-six
shillings (the current value of the gold), yet the woman had sufficient
time to destroy the precious _ærugo_ by having it unnecessarily immersed
in aquafortis, to ascertain and prove the metal, at a silversmith’s shop.
It is of tolerably large dimensions (weighing 12 dwts.), and evidently a
gentleman’s ring of Elizabeth’s age.’ To prove the authenticity of the
ring, Mr. Wheler made many efforts to discover whether there existed
anywhere Shakspeare’s seal attached to letter or other writings, but
ineffectually. ‘From a close observation of the ring,’ adds Mr. Wheler, ‘I
should be inclined to suppose that it was made in the early part of the
poet’s life. Mr. Malone, in a conversation I had with him in London, said
he had nothing to allege against the probability of my conjecture as to
its owner.’
No positive proof, however, according to Mr. Wheler’s own admission, can
be adduced as to the authenticity of the ring having belonged to
Shakspeare, but the very probability gives an interest to it, which most
persons who inspect it will feel.
‘Is it Shakspeare’s?’ remarks Mr. Fairholt. ‘It is evidently a gentleman’s
ring, and of the poet’s era. It is just such a ring as a man in his
station would fittingly wear--gentlemanly, but not pretentious. There was
but one other person in the small town of Stratford at that time to whom
the same initials belonged. This was one William Smith, but his seal is
attached to several documents preserved among the records of the
corporation, and is totally different.’ [He was a draper; and his seal has
a device upon it consisting of a skull with a bone in the mouth; the
letters ‘W. S.’ are under it, and very small. This ring was, most
probably, of silver. It is unlikely that a small trader like Smith should
wear a heavy gold ring, like this which claims to be Shakspeare’s.] Mr.
Halliwell, in his ‘Life of Shakspeare,’ observes, that ‘little doubt can
be entertained that this ring belonged to the poet, and, it is, probably,
the one he lost before his death, and was not to be found when his will
was executed, the word _hand_ being substituted for that of _seal_ in the
original copy of that document.’ [The concluding words of the will are,
‘in witness whereof I have hereunto put my seale,’ the last word being
struck through with a pen, and _hand_ substituted.]
In the ‘Gentleman’s Magazine’ (May 1810) we find: ‘For further
confirmation of circumstances we may observe over the porch leading into
the gate of Charlecote Hall, near Stratford-on-Avon, erected in the early
part of Elizabeth’s reign by the very Sir Thomas Lucy who is said to have
prosecuted Shakspeare, the letters “T. L.” connected in a manner precisely
similar to that on the ring.’
[Illustration: Initials of Sir Thomas Lucy at Charlecote Hall.]
The crossing of the centre lines of the W., with the oblique direction of
the lines of the S., exactly agree with the characters of that day. For
proof, we need wander no farther than Stratford Church, where the
Cloptons’ and Totness’ tombs will furnish representations of rings, and
Shakspeare’s monument of letters, exactly corresponding in point of shape.
The connection or union of the letters, by the ornamental strings and
tassels, was then frequently used, of which we may meet with numerous
instances upon seals of that period.
In the life of Haydon the painter we have the following letter from him to
Keats (March 1, 1818): ‘My dear Keats, I shall go mad! In a field at
Stratford-upon-Avon, that belonged to Shakspeare, they have found a gold
ring and seal with the initials “W. S.” and a true lover’s knot between.
If this is not Shakspeare’s whose is it?--a true lover’s knot! I saw an
impression to-day and am to have one as soon as possible: as sure as you
breathe and that he was the first of beings the seal belonged to him.
‘O Lord!’ ‘B. R. HAYDON.’
The ring of Sir Walter Raleigh, which he wore at the time of his
execution, is, according to the statement in ‘Notes and Queries’ of a
descendant of that truly ‘great’ man, in the possession of a member of the
Blanckley family, being a heir-loom, the Blanckleys being directly
descended from Sir Walter, and having several interesting relics of their
distinguished ancestor.
Octavius Morgan, Esq., F.R.S., F.S.A., exhibited at a meeting of the
Society of Antiquaries (February 1857) a rare and curious ‘Trinity’ ring,
turned out of one piece of ivory, and belonging to the latter part of the
seventeenth century. It is formed by a single band of ivory, making three
circuits, so intertwined with one another as not to touch, and thus
forming a threefold ring. ‘Its curiosity is great,’ remarked Mr. Morgan,
‘because these rings were only made by one person; so much art and skill
were required in the making that they were the wonder of the time, and no
one at the present day knows by what contrivance they were turned, or how
they could now be made. The interest consists in having ascertained the
maker of the ring, which I by chance met with some years ago in this
city.... We find from Doppelmayer that Stephan Zick (born 1639), the
artist to whom I attribute this ring, was descended from a Nuremberg
family long famous for their skill in this art.... Doppelmayer, describing
some of the wonderful objects which he produced, says, the work which most
distinguished him was his Trinity rings. Of these he made only three; the
two first were in the Museums of Vienna and Dresden, and the third became
the property of an amateur collector of curiosities in Nuremberg as a
wonderful work of art and skill. This was written in 1730. On comparing
this ring with the engraving in Doppelmayer, it exactly corresponds. The
little box turned as a case for it shows how it was cared for, and is
indicative of the period when it was made. We also learn from Doppelmayer
that these Trinity rings seem to have been first made in gold by a
jeweller of Nuremberg, Johan Heel, about 1670, and he describes them as
consisting of a single piece of wire, forming a three-fold circuit, each
circuit skilfully intertwined with the other two so as not to touch each
other, the ends being so cleverly united that the point of juncture could
not be discovered. Thus there were three rings in one, and hence the name.
The inventor of these ingenious rings is not known, but it is considered
to be a Jesuit, named Scherern, about 1660. It certainly required great
skill to have turned such a ring out of one piece of ivory, a work which I
believe it is not possible to accomplish with any machinery now in use.
The inference I draw from the foregoing is, that if Stephan Zick alone
could make these rings of ivory--if he only made three, and that if one of
these is at Vienna, and another at Dresden, I must now be the fortunate
possessor of the third.’
[Illustration: Ivory-turned rings.]
(The greatest progress in ivory-carving was made in Flanders, Holland, and
Germany, about the middle of the sixteenth century. There are in the
museums of Munich, Vienna, and Berlin, a quantity of ivory vases, etc.,
covered with exquisite carvings.--_Labarte._)
Mr. Edwards, in his ‘History and Poetry of Finger-rings,’ mentions, and
gives an illustration of, a ring that may well claim a place among
remarkable specimens. It is a gigantic ring, presented in 1852, by some
citizens of California to President Pierce. The description of this
golden monster is given from Gleason’s ‘Pictorial Newspaper’ (December 25,
1852): ‘It weighs upwards of a full pound, and for chasteness of design,
elegance of execution, and high style of finish, has, perhaps, no equal in
the world. The design is by Mr. George Blake, a mechanic of San Francisco.
The circular portion of the ring is cut into squares, which stand at right
angles to each other, and are embellished each with a beautifully executed
design, the entire group representing a pictorial history of California,
from her primitive state down to her present flourishing condition, under
the flag of our Union.
‘Thus, there is given a grizzly bear in a menacing attitude, a deer
bounding down a slope, an enraged boa, a soaring eagle, and a salmon. Then
we have the Indian with his bow and arrow, the primitive weapon of
self-defence; the native mountaineer on horseback, and a Californian on
horseback, throwing his lasso. Next peeps out a Californian tent. Then you
see a miner at work with his pick, the whole being shaded by two American
flags, with the staves crossed and groups of stars in the angles. The part
of the ring reserved for the seal is covered by a solid and deeply carved
plate of gold, bearing the arms of the State of California in the centre,
surmounted by the banner and stars of the United States, and inscribed
with “Frank Pierce” in old Roman characters. This lid opens upon a hinge,
and presents to view, underneath, a square box, divided by bars of gold
into nine separate compartments, each containing a pure specimen of the
varieties of one found in the country. Upon the inside is the following
inscription: “_Presented to_ Franklin Pierce, _the Fourteenth President of
the United States_.”
‘The ring is valued at two thousand dollars. Altogether, it is a massive
and superb affair, rich in emblematical design and illustration, and
worthy its object.’
In the collection of Lord Braybrooke is the ring of Tippoo Saib, which is
thus described in the catalogue: ‘This magnificent jewel has a plain gold
hoop, with the entire surface set with rubies; on the centre is perched a
large bird, apparently intended for a hawk, made of gold and beautifully
executed, with the plumage composed completely of precious stones, the
diamond, emerald, ruby, and sapphire. A better idea of the splendour of
this ornament will be formed from a description of the bird. Length from
the base of the bill to the end of the tail, 3¼ inches; girth round the
body, 3¼ inches; width across the scapulars, 1½ inch; width across the
tail, three-quarters of an inch; height 1⅛ inch. In the beak are two small
ruby-drops, a single emerald in the crest, and rubies for the eyes; a
single row of nine sapphires encircles the throat, and 139 rubies,
including those on the hoop, 14 in number, with 29 diamonds, some of them
very large, and all set flat, cover the rest of the neck, breast, back,
and tail. Several gems beside have been lost from their setting. Across
the belly, behind the legs, is an inscription in some Indian characters,
which has not yet been explained beyond the following remarks upon it in a
letter addressed by the (late) A. Way Esq., who copied it, to Lady
Braybrooke: “The characters are a corruption of the ordinary Sanscrit,
that is, I suppose, some local variety or peculiarity of a dialect in
Tippoo’s district; they appear to signify certain titles of the great
chief, commencing with a portion of his proper style, ‘_Maha ra jah_,’
sufficient to show that the inscription relates only to the name of Tippoo
Saib. This is all that I can at present offer in regard to your highly
curious jewel.--Nov. 24, 1848.” This unique and interesting ring was
brought from India by some one in the army, at the time of the capture of
Seringapatam, 1792, under the first Marquis Cornwallis, and presented to
his family, by whom it has been preserved and descended as an heirloom
through his eldest grandchild, the late Lady Braybrooke. It was stated at
the time of its presentation that Tippoo was in the habit of wearing it
when he went out hawking, perhaps only when he did so in state. Weight of
the whole 2 oz. 6 dwts. 7 grs.’
The Baroness Burdett Coutts possesses a gold ring set with large green
tourmaline. It is of Indian workmanship, and is said to have belonged to
Tippoo Saib.
The Rev. C. W. King in his ‘Precious Stones, Gems, and Precious Metals,’
mentions ‘an unparalleled specimen of Oriental caprice and extravagance--a
finger-ring cut out of a solid piece of emerald of remarkably pure
quality, with two emerald drops and two collets set with rose diamonds,
and ruby borders in Oriental mountings, formerly belonging to Jehanghir,
son of Akbar, Emperor of Delhi, whose name is engraved on the ring.
Diameter 1¼ × 1⅛ in. This ring was presented by Shah Soojah to the East
India Company, and was purchased by the late Lord Auckland, when
Governor-General of India. Now in the possession of the Hon. Miss Eden.’
A wonderful ring was presented by the Great Mogul to the only envoy of the
Emperor of Germany who ever visited his court. ‘The very first sight of
this jewel,’ observes the Rev. C. W. King, ‘sufficed to convince one that
it could have had no other origin than this, such a show of barbarian
splendour did it exhibit, forming in itself a complete cabinet of every
kind of precious stone of colour to be found in his dominions. Its form
was that of a wheel about three inches in diameter, composed of several
concentric circles, joined together by the spokes radiating from the
centre, in which was set a large round sapphire. The spokes at all their
intersections with the circles, had collets soldered on them, each
containing some coloured gem; in fact, every stone of value except the
diamond occurred in this glorious company. On the back was fixed the
shank, and when worn it covered the whole hand like some huge mushroom.’
On the death of the late Cardinal York at Rome, amongst various relics of
the house of Stuart, purchased for Lord John Scott, were the ring worn by
the Pretender--James the Third, as he was styled abroad--on his marriage
with the Princess Clementina Sobieski, and the marriage-ring of his son,
Prince Charles Edward, enclosing a beautiful little miniature; a gold ring
with a white rose in enamel, worn by King James the Second and his son; a
ring with a cameo portrait in ivory of James the Second; a ring with a
miniature portrait of Henry Stuart, Cardinal, Duke of York, when young; a
ring with a cameo portrait, by the celebrated engraver Pickler, of James
Sobieski, great-uncle of the Pretender’s wife; a ring with a cameo
portrait, by the same artist, of the wife of Prince Charles Edward; also
one with a cameo portrait of the Duchess of Albany, and another containing
a lock of her hair.
In the possession of R. H. Soden Smith, Esq., F.S.A., is a gold ring,
having in the bezel a miniature of Prince James Stuart, the old Chevalier,
set round with small crystals. English contemporary work.
Sir Watkin Williams Wynn possesses a gold ring, set with a ruby,
surrounded by the Garter, crowned with the motto ‘Dieu et mon Droit’ on
the hoop.
This is an interesting family relic, having been a present from Prince
Charles Edward.
A signet-ring, believed to be the Council Seal of Queen Henrietta Maria,
made by warrant, Sept. 6, 1626, is the property of Miss Hartshorne, and
has a circular bezel, set with sapphire, engraved with escutcheon, bearing
the arms of England surmounted by a crown, the letters M and R at the
sides; on the shoulders is the rose of England in coloured enamel.
Diameter of the ring 1⅛ in. This curious relic was exhibited at the Loan
Exhibition of Ancient and Modern Jewellery at the South Kensington Museum
in 1872.
Mr. Octavius Morgan, F.R.S., F.S.A., has in his valuable collection of
rings one formed with a diminutive squirt, which, being concealed in the
hand, would, at pleasure, throw a jet of water into the eye of anyone
examining it.[77]
[Illustration: Squirt-ring.]
In the Waterton Collection is a bronze squirt-ring with octagonal bezel,
finely chased with mask of Silenus, the ring hollow, with tube projecting
from the hoop, so that it can be used as a squirt. Italian work of the
sixteenth century. L. one and seven-tenths inch.
In the same collection, also, is a ring made to serve as a _whistle_. It
is of lead, with circular bezel finely chased in relief, with profile
heads of Charles the Fifth and his empress. Flemish, sixteenth century.
Diameter one and one-eighth inch.
In the ‘Annual Register’ for 1764 we read that Mr. Arnold, of Devereux
Court, in the Strand, watchmaker, had the honour to present His Majesty
George the Third with a most curious repeating watch of his own making,
_set in a ring_. The size of the watch was something less than a silver
twopence; it contained 120 different parts and weighed altogether five
dwts. seven grains and three-fourths.
Among curious ring relics may be mentioned one in which a tooth of Sir
Isaac Newton was set. The tooth was sold to a nobleman in 1816 for
730_l._, who had it placed in the ring, and wore it constantly on his
finger. Denon, the French _savant_, wore a ring set with a tooth of
Voltaire.
At Norwich in 1847 a silver ring was exhibited, set with a dark-coloured
substance, supposed to be the palatal tooth of a fish, like those of the
_Sphœrodus Gigas_. This closely resembles the precious ring given
(according to tradition) by Richard Cœur-de-Lion, to one of the Dawnay
family in the Holy Wars, and adopted as their crest. It is preserved in
the collection of Viscount Downe, and was shown by him at a meeting of the
Institute at York. Another ring, with the same kind of setting, belonged
to the late Mr. Albert Way. Date, the thirteenth century.
In the collection of Mr. A. J. B. Beresford Hope is a gold ring set with a
sapphire of extraordinary brilliancy, known as the ‘saphir merveilleux,’
which formerly belonged to Philippe d’Orléans (Égalité), and is mentioned
by Madame de Genlis.
In 1765, a very beautiful and perfect gold ring was found by a workman
among the ruins of the North Gate House, on Bedford Bridge, when that
building was pulled down. It bears the initials ‘J.B.,’ and is engraved
with a death’s-head and the words ‘Memento mori.’ There seems to be every
probability that this ring once belonged to John Bunyan, who was
imprisoned there. This precious relic was sold to Dr. Abbot, chaplain to
the Duke of Bedford, and presented by him in his last illness to the Rev.
G. H. Bower, perpetual curate of Elstow, the birthplace of Bunyan.
The London press has lately announced that Dean Bower bequeathed to his
nephew, Mr. Henry Addington, this ring.
In the preceding chapter I have mentioned several portrait-rings of
remarkable interest; I may add that at the Loan Exhibition of Ancient and
Modern Jewellery at the South Kensington Museum in 1872, some fine and
highly curious specimens of this character were shown, and amongst them
the following:--
Colonel Dawson Damer is the possessor of a gold ring with a miniature by
Cosway of the eye of George, Prince of Wales.
Professor Maskelyne has an intaglio portrait of Sir Isaac Newton, set in a
ring, which was presented to the late Dr. Maskelyne, Astronomer Royal, by
Dr. Shepherd, of Cambridge, contemporary of Newton.
In the collection of Earl Beauchamp is a gold ring with enamel portrait of
the Regent Orleans, by Petitot; French, beginning of the eighteenth
century. Also a gold ring with profile portrait of Frederic the Great; and
another portrait within; eighteenth century.
Belonging to the Rev. J. C. Jackson is a gold ring set with intaglio, an
emerald portrait of James II.; eighteenth century; formerly the property
of Cardinal York. A gold ring, black enamelled, with miniature portrait of
Prince Charles Edward; eighteenth century.
A ring with a portrait head of Queen Elizabeth (?) in carved jacinth,
mounted in gold, set with brilliants; French, sixteenth century, the
property of George Bonnor, Esq.
Till, in his account of ‘Coronation Medals,’ mentions (but without citing
his authority) that the late Cardinal of York wore constantly, till his
decease, a ring which bore the portraits of the Pretender, James the
Third, and his wife; it was taken from his finger in the hour of his
dissolution, by his servant, and sold as a perquisite--a relic of the
instability and mutation of human greatness--to William, Baron Bartholdy,
son to the Jewish Plato, Moses Mendelssohn. It is now in the Ashmolean
Museum, Oxford, to which it was presented by Mrs. Maria Graham (since
Calcott), in 1824.
APPENDIX.
CHAPTER I.
RINGS FROM THE EARLIEST PERIOD. P. 18.
Counterfeit rings belong to all ages and peoples. Hall, in his ‘Satires,’
says:--
Nor can good Myron weare on his left hand
A signet-ring of Bristol diamond,
But he must cut his glove to show his pride
That his trim jewel might be better spied:
And that men might some burgesse him repute
With sattin sleeves hath graced his sacke-cloth suit.
The punishment of whipping in former days was inflicted on dishonest
traders in rings. In the ‘Diary of Henry Machyn, from 1550 to 1563’
(Camden Society), is the following entry in 1556:--‘The iij day of July
was a man wypyd a-bowtt the post of reformacyon be{f} the standard in
Chepsyd for sellyng of false rynges.’
Fines were also inflicted; in the records of the Goldsmiths’ Company we
find: ‘In 1512 Robert Mayne, for mysworkyng of rings wars (worse) than
sterling v oz and dj, leaves in pledge 2½ dozen of the said rings, pledges
as security for the payments of fines and defaults.’
In the same records we have a curious account for ‘costs in the Chauncerie
for the recoverie of a counterfete Diamant set in a gold ring (8th Edward
IV., 1469),’ which affords an idea of lawyers’ charges in those days:--
£ _s._ _d._
For boat-hire to Westminster and home again for the suit
in the Chancery began in the old warden’s time, for
the recovery of a counterfeit diamond set in a gold
ring 0 0 6
For a breakfast at Westminster spent on our counsel 0 1 6
To Mr. Catesby, serjeant at law, to plead for the same 0 3 4
To another time for boat-hire in and out, and a
breakfast for two days 0 1 6
Again for boat-hire and one breakfast 0 1 0
To the keeper of the Chancery door 0 0 2
To Timothy Fairfax at two times 0 8 4
To Pigott for attendance at two times 0 6 8
To a breakfast at Westminster 7_d._, boat-hire 4_d._ 0 0 11
------------
1 3 11
_Pliny’s account of Rings._ P. 25.
Pliny’s remarks on rings are as follow:--‘It was the custom at first to
wear rings on a single finger only--the one, namely, that is next to the
little finger, and thus we see the case in the statues of Numa and Servius
Tullius. In later times it became the practice to put rings on the finger
next to the thumb, even in the case of the statues of the gods; and, more
recently again, it has become the fashion to wear them upon the little
finger as well. Among the peoples of Gallia and Britannia, the middle
finger, it is said, is used for this purpose. At the present day, however,
among us, this is the only finger that is excepted, all others being
loaded with rings, smaller rings even being separately adapted for the
smaller joints of the fingers. Some there are who heap several rings on
the little finger alone; while others, again, wear but one ring on this
finger--the ring that sets a seal on the signet-ring itself; this last
being carefully shut up as an object of rarity, too precious to be worn in
common use, and only to be taken from the cabinet (dactyliotheca) as from
a sanctuary. And thus is the wearing of a single ring upon the little
finger no more than an ostentatious advertisement that the owner has
property of a more precious nature under seal at home. Some, too, make a
parade of the weight of their rings, while to others it is quite a labour
to wear more than one at a time; some, in their solicitude for the safety
of their gems, make the hoop of gold tinsel, and fill it with a lighter
material than gold, thinking thereby to diminish the risk of a fall.
Others, again, are in the habit of enclosing poisons beneath the stones of
their rings, and so wear them as instruments of death. And then, besides,
how many of the crimes that are stimulated by cupidity are committed
through the instrumentality of rings! How happy the times--how truly
innocent--in which no seal was put to anything! At the present day, on the
contrary, our very food even, and our drink, have to be preserved from
theft through the agency of the ring; and so far is it from being
sufficient to have the very keys sealed, that the signet-ring is often
taken from off the owner’s fingers while he is overpowered with sleep, or
lying on his deathbed.’
_Shrewsbury Morse-ivory Thumb-ring._ P. 89.
The coat-of-arms engraved on this ring consists of--‘Quarterly of four: 1.
Talbot, a lion rampant, with a bordure engrailed; 2. Strange, two lions
passant; 3. Neville, a saltire; 4. Verdon, a fret.’
Dr. Iliff observes: ‘The date of the ring appears to me to be about the
middle of the sixteenth century, and it may, therefore, be ascribed to
Francis Talbot, fifth Earl of Shrewsbury of that family, who was elected
K.G. in 1545, and died September 25, 1560.
‘With respect to the quarterings on the ring, I would observe that the
first coat was assumed, as the paternal coat of Talbot, by Sir Gilbert
Talbot (who died in 1298) on marrying Gwenllian, daughter of Rhys Vychan
ap Gruffyd, Lord of North Wales, in lieu of his paternal arms, Bendy of
ten argent and gules. The second quartering (Strange) was brought in by
the marriage of Richard, Lord Talbot, of Eccleswall, Lord Strange, of
Blackmere, in right of his wife Angharad, daughter and heir of John, Lord
Strange. The third and fourth quarterings (Neville and Verdon) were
brought in by the marriage of John Talbot, first Earl of Shrewsbury, of
that family, with Maud, only daughter and heir of Sir Thomas Neville, Lord
Furnival, and great-granddaughter of Thomas de Furnival, Lord of
Sheffield, by Joan, daughter and co-heir of Theobald de Verdon, Baron of
Webley.’
_The Soden Smith Collection of Ancient Rings._
In the splendid collection of rings belonging to Mr. R. H. Soden Smith,
F.S.A. (one hundred and forty specimens of which, dating from various
periods, and commencing with ancient Egyptian, were exhibited at the Loan
Exhibition of Jewellery at the South Kensington Museum, in 1872), are some
fine works of ancient art. I may mention an antique Etruscan gold ring,
with broad oblong bezel, repoussé, with representation of a chimera and
griffin, the sides of the bezel enriched with delicate filigree work. An
antique Etruscan gold ring, terminating in two serpents’ heads, ornamented
with three collars of filigree work. An iron ring (probably Etruscan), the
surface plated with gold, chased with figure of a cock upon a pillar, and
having a gold dot inserted. An antique Græco-Roman gold ring, the hoop
formed of four strands of twisted wire-work, the bezel set with projecting
onyx of four strata. An antique Roman silver pennannular ring, ending in
two serpents’ heads. A Roman ring, of the third century, the bezel set
with a pierced piece of rough emerald, shoulders chased from the solid
with beaded ornament. A silver pennannular ring, of Oriental type,
terminating in ribbed hexagonal knobs. Found with Roman coins, in removing
old London Bridge. An antique Roman bronze key-ring, found at Silchester.
A gold Roman ring, of the third century, very massive, of angular outline,
set with intaglio on nicolo onyx, engraved with a figure of Mercury;
ploughed up in Sussex. A series of five gold antique Roman rings, set with
emeralds, jasper, and sard; some engraved with subjects in intaglio.
Antique Greek rings of gold, hollow, set with sards, vitreous pastes, &c.
An antique Roman bronze ring, plated with gold. An antique Roman silver
ring, the bezel engraved with a hare. Two gold rings of the Lower Empire,
or Byzantine, with projecting bezels; one set with root of emerald, the
other with ribbon onyx.
CHAPTER II.
RING SUPERSTITIONS.
_Solomon’s Ring._ P. 93.
In the Koran (chapter xxxvi., ‘revealed at Mecca’), it is stated:--‘We
also tried Solomon, and placed on his throne a counterfeit body.’ In the
chapter on ‘Ring Superstitions’ I have mentioned the fable of Solomon’s
ring. The exposition of the passage in the Koran is taken from the
following Talmudic fiction:--Solomon, having taken Sidon and slain the
king of that city, brought away his daughter Jerâda, who became his
favourite; and because she ceased not to lament her father’s loss, he
ordered the devils to make an image of him for her consolation; which
being done, and placed in her chamber, she and her maids worshipped it
morning and evening, according to their custom. At length Solomon, being
informed of this idolatry, which was practised under his roof by his vizir
Asâf, he broke the image, and, having chastised the women, went out into
the desert, where he wept, and made supplication to God, who did not think
fit, however, to let his negligence pass without some correction. It was
Solomon’s custom, while he washed himself, to trust his signet, on which
his kingdom depended, with a concubine of his, named Amîna. One day,
therefore, when she had the ring in her custody, a devil named Sakhar came
to her in the shape of Solomon, and received the ring from her, by virtue
of which he became possessed of the kingdom, and sat on the throne in the
shape which he had borrowed, making what alterations in the law he
pleased. Solomon, in the meantime, being changed in his outer appearance,
and known to none of his subjects, was obliged to wander about and beg
alms for his subsistence; till at length, after the space of forty days,
which was the time the image had been worshipped in his house, the devil
flew away and threw the ring into the sea, where it was immediately
swallowed by a fish, which being taken and given to Solomon, he found the
ring in its belly, and having by this means recovered the kingdom, took
Sakhar, and, tying a great stone to his neck, threw him into the Lake of
Tiberias.
_Charmed Ring of Sir Edward Neville._ P. 132.
In the Confession of Sir Edward Neville, he alludes thus to the ‘charmed’
ring:--‘William Neville did send for me to Oxford that I should come and
speak with him at “Weke,” and to him I went; it was the first time I ever
saw him; I would I had been buried that day. When I came he took me to a
_littell_ room, and went to his garden, and there demanded of me many
questions, and among all others, asked if it were not possible to have a
ring made which should bring a man in favour with his Prince; “seeing my
Lord Cardinal had such a ring, that whatsoever he asked of the King’s
Grace, that he had; and Master Cromwell, when he and I were servants in my
Lord Cardinal’s house, did haunt to the company of one that was seen in
your faculty; and shortly after, no man so great with my Lord Cardinal as
Master Cromwell was; and I have spoke with all them that has any name in
this realm; and all they showed me that I should be great with my Prince,
and this is the cause that I did send for you, to know whether your saying
will be agreeable to theirs, or no.” And I, at the hearty desire of him,
showed him that I had read many books, and especially the works of
Solomon, and how his ring should be made, and of what metal; and what
virtues they have after the canon of Solomon. And then he desired me
instantly to take the pains to make him one of them; and I told him that I
could make them, but I made never none of them, and I cannot tell that
they have such virtues or no, but by hearing say. Also he asked me what
other works I had read. And I told him that I had read the magical works
of Hermes, which many men doth prize; and thus departed at that time. And
one fortnight after, William Neville came to Oxford, and said that he had
one Wayd at home at his house that did show him more than I did show him;
for the said Wayd did show him that he should be a great lord, nigh to the
parts that he dwelt in. And that in that lordship should be a fair castle;
and he could not imagine what it should be, except it were the castle of
Warwick. And I answered and said to him, that I dreamed that an angel took
him and me by the hands, and led us to a high tower, and there delivered
him a shield, with sundry arms, which I cannot rehearse, and this is all I
ever showed him save at his desire. I went thither with him, and as
concerning any other man, save at the desire of Sir Gr. Done, Knt., I made
the moulds that ye have, to the intent that he should have had Mistress
Elizabeth’s gear.’
_Wedding-ring of the Virgin Mary and Joseph._ P. 93.
In Patrick’s ‘Devotions of the Roman Church’ is a curious account of the
wedding-ring of the Virgin Mary and Joseph. It is there described as of
onyx or amethyst, wherein was discerned a representation of the flowers
that budded on his rod. ‘It was discovered in the year 996 in this
way:--Judith, the wife of Hugo, Marquis of Etruria, being a great lover of
jewels, employed one Ranerius, a skilful jeweller and lapidary of Clusium,
to go to Rome to make purchases for her. There he formed an intimacy with
a jeweller from Jerusalem, who, when Ranerius was about to return home,
professed great affection, and offered him a ring as a pledge of
friendship. Ranerius, looking upon it as of little value, declined it with
a slight compliment; but the jeweller from the Holy Land bade him not
contemn it, for it was the wedding-ring of Joseph and the Blessed Virgin,
and made him take it, with a special charge that it should not fall into
the hands of a wicked person. Ranerius, still careless of what he said,
threw it into a little chest with articles of inferior value, where it
remained until his forgetfulness cost him dear; for when his son was only
ten years old (the number of years that his father disregarded the
Virgin’s ring) the boy died, and was carried to his burial. But, behold,
as the hearse went forward, on a sudden the dead child rose from the
coffin, ordered the bearers to stop, and, calling to his father, told him
that, by favour of the Blessed Virgin, he was come from Heaven to tell him
that, as he had contemned religion by concealing her most holy ring in a
common heap, he must immediately send for it, and publicly produce it,
that it might be openly venerated. The chest being brought and delivered
into the son’s hand, he presently found the ring, although he had never
seen it before; then most reverently kissing it, and showing it to the
spectators, they religiously adored it, during the joyful pealing of the
bells, which rang of their own accord; whereupon, ordering himself to be
carried to the place where he desired to be buried, he delivered the ring
to the curate of the parish, and then, laying himself down in the coffin,
he was interred.--This ring wrought many miracles; ivory ones touched with
it, worn by women in difficult labour, relieved them; an impression of it
in wax, applied to the hip, removed the sciatica; it cured diseases of the
eyes, reconciled married people that quarrelled, and drove out devils.
Five centuries afterwards, in 1473, the church of Musthiola, where it
effected these wonders, becoming ruinous, the ring was deposited with a
religious community of the Franciscans at Clusium. One of the brethren of
the order, named Wintherus, a crafty German, and very wicked, having
obtained from the magistrates an appointment to show the ring, on a
certain occasion, after exhibiting it at the end of his sermon, stooped
down, as if he were putting it into the place provided for it, but instead
of doing so he slipped it up his sleeve, and privily conveyed himself and
the ring from the city across the water. All was well so far, but when he
got into a neighbouring field it suddenly became dark, so that, not
knowing which way to go, but well knowing what was the matter, he hung the
ring on a tree, and, falling on the ground, penitently confessed his sin
to it, and promised to return to Clusium if it would dispel the darkness.
On taking it down it emitted a great light, which he took advantage of to
travel to Perusia, where he sojourned with the Augustin friars, till he
determined on making another effort to carry it into Germany. He was again
hindered by the darkness returning. It infested him and the whole city for
twenty days. Still he resolved not to return to Clusium, but tell his
story in great confidence to his landlord, one Lucas Jordanus, who with
great cunning represented to him his danger from the Clusians, and the
benefits he would receive from the Perusians if he bestowed the ring on
that city. Wintherus followed his advice. As soon as the ring was shown to
the people the darkness disappeared, and Wintherus was well provided for
in the house of the magistrate. Meanwhile the Bishop of Clusium, coming to
Perusia, endeavoured in vain to obtain the relic. The city of Sena sent an
ambassador to resist the claims of the Clusians; he was entertained by the
Perusians with great respect, but they informed him that, having used no
sacrilegious arts to obtain the Blessed Virgin’s ring, they respected her
too much to restore it to the owners; that they received it within their
walls with as much respect as they would do the Ark of the Covenant, and
would defend their holy prize by force of arms. The bereaved Clusians laid
the case before Pope Sixtus IV., and the Perusians did the same. Wintherus
was ordered by the Pope, on the importunity of the Clusians, into closer
confinement; but, as the heat abated, he passed a merry life in Perusia,
and at his death the Franciscans and the canons of St. Lawrence disputed
for the possession of his body. This honour was, in the end, obtained by
the latter, in whose chapel he was buried before an altar dedicated to St.
Joseph and the Virgin, and a monument was erected by the Perusians to the
ring-stealer’s memory, with an inscription which acknowledged that the
receivers were as much indebted to him for it as if it had been his own
property, and he had offered it of his own accord.
In the pontificate of Innocent VIII., A.D. 1486, the arbitration of the
dispute was left to Cardinal Piccolominæus, who adjudged the relic to
Perusia. The important decision was celebrated in that city by every
imaginable expression of joy, and for the greatest honour of the sacred
ring, a chapel was built for it in the church of St. Lawrence, with an
inscription, informing the reader that there the untouched mother, the
Queen of Heaven, and her spouse, were worshipped; that there in the
sanctuary of her wedding-ring she lent a gracious ear to all prayers; and
that he who gave the ring (Wintherus) defended it by his protection. The
pencil was called in to grace the more substantial labours of the
architect. A curious picture represented the High Priest in the Temple of
Jerusalem, taking Joseph and Mary by their hands to espouse them with the
venerated ring; one side of the solemnity was graced by a band of virgins,
the companions of Mary during her education; the other side was occupied
by a company of young men, Joseph’s kinsmen of the house of David, holding
their withered rods. The imagination of the artist employed one of these
in breaking his own rod across his knee, as envious of Joseph’s, which, by
its miraculous budding, had ended the hopes of all who, by the
proclamation, had become candidates for her hand. In addition to this, an
altar was raised and dedicated to St. Joseph; his statue was placed at its
side; his birthday was kept with great pomp; a society of seculars, called
his Fraternity, was instituted to serve in the chapel jointly with the
clergy of St. Lawrence; and on the joint festival of Mary and her spouse
the splendid solemnity was heightened by the solemn exhibition of the
ring, and by a picture of their miraculous nuptials being uncovered to the
eager gaze of the adoring multitude.’
The ring is said by some to have been made of one whole stone, green
jasper or a plasma, hollowed out, and itself forming both hoop and bezel,
unalloyed with any metal.
In Raffaelle’s beautiful picture, _Le Sposalizio_, Mary and Joseph stand
opposite to each other in the centre; the high-priest, between them, is
bringing their right hands towards each other; Joseph, with his right hand
(guided by the priest), is placing the ring on the third finger of the
right hand of the Virgin; beside Mary is a group of the virgins of the
Temple; near Joseph are the suitors, who break their barren wands--that
which Joseph holds in his hand has blossomed into a lily, which, according
to the legend, was the sign that he was the chosen one.
The Rev. C. W. King, in his ‘Handbook of Engraved Gems,’ observes: ‘The
highest glory ever attained by a work of the engraver was that of the
cameo of the Abbey of St. Germain des Prés, which enjoyed for an entire
millennium the transcendent (though baseless) fame of adorning the
espousal-ring of the Virgin Mary, and of preserving the portraits after
the life of herself and Joseph. But, alas! antiquaries have now
remorselessly restored the ownership of gem and portraits to the two
nobodies (probably _liberti_, judging from their names), whose votive
legend, “Alpheus with Aretho,” is but too plainly legible in our
Greek-reading times.’
When the Abbey was destroyed by fire in 1795, this ring, with other
valuables, disappeared; it subsequently came into the hands of General
Hydrow, and from him passed into the Imperial Russian Cabinet.
_Ring of Gyges._ P. 96.
Nizámi, the famous Persian poet, who died in 1209, has a story of a ring
which is a very close version of the ring of Gyges. A hot vapour once rent
the ground, and brought to light in the chasm a hollow horse of tin and
copper with a large fissure in its side. A shepherd saw it, and
discovered in the body an old man asleep, with a gold ring on his finger.
He took it off, and went next morning to his master to learn the value of
his booty; but during his visit he discovered, to his astonishment, that
when he turned the seal towards his palm he became invisible. He
determined to make use of this power, and he proceeded to the palace, and
secretly entered the council-chamber, where he remained unseen. When the
nobles had left it, he revealed himself to the king by this miracle as a
prophet. The king at once took him as his minister, and eventually the
shepherd succeeded him on the throne.
In Reginald Scot’s ‘Discovery of Witchcraft,’ 1665, is given a charm
whereby ‘to go invisible by these three sisters of the fairies,’ Milita,
Achilia, and Sibylia. You are ‘first to go to a fair parlour, or chamber,
and on even ground, and in no loft, and from people nine dayes, for it is
better; and let all thy cloathing be clean and sweet. Then make a candle
of virgin wax and light it, and make a fair fire of charcoles in a fair
place in the middle of the parlour or chamber; then take fair clean water
that runneth against the East, and set it upon the fire, and if thou warm
thyself say these words, going about the fire three times holding the
candle in thy right hand.’ The incantation is too profane to be repeated.
The following is the effect produced: ‘and if they come not the first
night, then do the same the second night, and so the third night, until
they do come, _for doubtless they will so come_; and lie thou in thy bed
in the same parlour or chamber, and lay thy right hand out of the bed, and
look thou have a fair silken kerchief bound about thy head, and be not
afraid, they will do thee no harm; for there will come before thee three
fair women, and all in white cloathing, _and one of them will put a ring
upon thy finger wherewith thou shalt go invisible_. Then with speed bind
her with the bond aforesaid. When thou hast this ring on thy finger, look
in a glass and thou shalt not see thyself. And when thou wilt go
invisible, put it on thy finger, the same finger that they did put it on,
and every new moon renew it again,’ &c.
_The Cruel Knight and the Fortunate Farmer’s Daughter._ P. 99.
‘The Fish and the Ring, or the Cruel Knight, and the Fortunate Farmer’s
Daughter’ (a reprint for William Robinson, Esq., 1843).
In famous York city a farmer did dwell,
Who was belov’d by his neighbours well;
He had a wife that was virtuous and fair,
And by her he had a young child every year.
In seven years six children he had,
Which made their parents’ hearts full glad;
But in a short time, as we did hear say,
The farmer in wealth and stock did decay.
Though once he had riches in store,
In a little time he grew very poor;
He strove all he could, but, alas! could not thrive,
He hardly could keep his children alive.
The children came faster than silver or gold,
For his wife conceiv’d again, we are told,
And when the time came in labour she fell;
But if you would mind an odd story I’ll tell:
A noble rich Knight by chance did ride by,
And hearing this woman did shriek and cry,
He being well learned in the planets and signs,
Did look in the book which puzzled his mind.
The more he did look the more he did read,
And found that the fate of the child had decreed,
Who was born in that house the same tide,
He found it was she who must be his bride;
But judge how the Knight was disturb’d in mind,
When he in that book his fortune did find.
He quickly rode home and was sorely oppressed,
From that sad moment he could take no rest;
At night he did toss and tumble in his bed
And very strange projects came into his head,
Then he resolv’d and soon try’d indeed,
To alter the fortune he found was decreed.
With a vexing heart next morning he rose,
And to the house of the farmer he goes,
And asked the man with a heart full of spite,
If the child was alive that was born last night?
‘Worthy sir,’ said the farmer, ‘although I am poor,
I had one born last night, and six born before;
Four sons and three daughters I now have alive,
They are in good health and likely to thrive.’
The Knight he reply’d, ‘If that seven you have,
Let me have the youngest, I’ll keep it most brave,
For you very well one daughter may spare,
And when I die I’ll make her my heir;
For I am a Knight of noble degree,
And if you will part with your child unto me
Full three thousand pounds I’ll unto thee give
When I from your hands your daughter receive.
The father and mother with tears in their eyes,
Did hear this kind offer and were in surprize;
And seeing the Knight was so noble and gay,
Presented the infant unto him that day.
But they spoke to him with words most mild,
‘We beseech thee, good sir, be kind to our child.’
‘You need not mind,’ the Knight he did say,
‘I will maintain her both gallant and gay.’
So with this sweet babe away he did ride,
Until he came to a broad river’s side.
Being cruelly bent he resolv’d indeed
To drown the young infant that day with speed,
Saying, ‘If you live you must be my wife,
So I am resolved to bereave you of life;
For till you are dead I no comfort can have,
Wherefore you shall lie in a watery grave.’
In saying of this, that moment, they say,
He flung the babe into the river straightway;
And being well pleased when this he had done,
He leaped on his horse, and straight he rode home.
But mind how kind fortune for her did provide,
She was drove right on her back by the tide,
Where a man was a fishing, as fortune would have,
When she was floating along with the wave.
He took her up, but was in amaze;
He kissed her and on her did gaze,
And he having ne’er a child in his life,
He straightway did carry her home to his wife.
His wife was pleased the child to see,
And said, ‘My dearest husband, be ruled by me,
Since we have no children, if you’ll let me alone,
We will keep this and call it our own.’
The good man consented, as we have been told,
And spared for neither silver nor gold,
Until she was over eleven full year,
And then her beauty began to appear.
The fisherman was one day at an inn,
And several gentlemen drinking with him:
His wife sent this girl to call her husband home,
But when she did into the drinking room come,
The gentlemen they were amazed to see
The fisherman’s daughter so full of beauty.
They ask’d him if she was his own,
And he told them the story before he went home:
‘As I was fishing within my bound,
One Monday morning this sweet babe I found;
Or else she had lain within a watery grave;’
And this was the same which now he gave.
The cruel Knight was in the company,
And hearing the fisherman tell his story,
He was vexed at the heart to see her alive,
And how to destroy her again did contrive,
Then spake the Knight, and unto him said,
‘If you will but part with this sweet maid
I’ll give you whatever your heart can devise,
For she in time to great riches may rise.’
The fisherman answered, with a modest grace,
‘I cannot unless my dear wife were in the place,
Get first her consent, you shall have mine of me,
And then to go with you, sir, she is free.’
The wife she did also as freely consent,
But little they thought of his cruel intent;
He kept her a month very bravely they say,
And then he contrived to send them away.
He had a great brother in fair Lancashire,
A noble rich man worth ten thousand a year,
And he sent this girl unto him with speed
In hopes he would act a most desperate deed.
He sent a man with her likewise they say,
And as they did lodge at an inn on the way,
A thief in the house with an evil intent
For to rob the portmanteau immediately went,
But the thief was amazed, when he could not find
Either silver or gold, or aught to his mind,
But only a letter the which he did read
And soon put an end to this tragical deed:
The Knight had wrote to his brother that day,
To take this poor innocent damsel away,
With sword or with poison that very same night,
And not let her live till morning light.
The thief read the letter, and had so much grace
To tear it, and write in the same place,
‘Dear brother, receive this maiden from me,
And bring her up well as a maiden should be;
Let her be esteem’d, dear brother, I pray,
Let servants attend her by night and by day.
For she is a lady of noble worth,
A nobler lady ne’er lived in the north;
Let her have good learning, dear brother, I pray,
And for the same I will sufficiently pay;
And so, loving brother, this letter I send,
Subscribing myself your dear brother and friend.’
The servant and maid were still innocent,
And onward their journey next day they went.
Before sunset to the Knight’s house they came
Where the servant left her, and came home again.
The girl was attended most nobly indeed,
With the servants to attend to her with speed;
Where she did continue a twelvemonth’s space,
Till this cruel Knight came to this place,
As he and his brother together did talk,
He spy’d the young maiden in the garden to walk.
She look’d most beautiful, pleasant, and gay,
Like to sweet Aurora, or the goddess of May.
He was in a passion when he did her spy,
And instantly unto his brother did cry,
‘Why did you not do as in the letter I writ?’
His brother replied, ‘It is done every bit.’
‘No, no,’ said the Knight, ‘it is not so I see,
Therefore she shall back again go with me;’
But his brother showed him the letter that day,
Then he was amazed, but nothing did say.
Soon after the Knight took this maiden away,
And with her did ride till he came to the sea,
Then looking upon her with anger and spite,
He spoke to the maiden and bade her alight.
The maid from the horse immediately went
And trembled to think what was his intent.
‘Ne’er tremble,’ said he, ‘for this hour’s your last;
So pull off your clothes, I command you, in haste.’
This virgin, with tears, on her knees did reply,
‘Oh! what have I done, sir, that now I must die?
Oh! let me but know how I offend
I’ll study each hour my life to amend,
Oh! spare my life and I’ll wander till death,
And never come near you while I have breath.’
He hearing the pitiful moan she did make
Straight from his finger a ring did take,
He then to the maiden these words did say,
‘This ring in the water I’ll now throw away;
Pray look on it well, for the posy is plain,
That you when you see it may know it again.
I charge you for life never come in my sight,
For if you do I shall owe you a spite,
Unless you do bring the same unto me:’
With that he let the ring drop in the sea,
Which when he had done away he did go,
And left her to wander in sorrow and woe.
She rambled all night, and at length did espy
A homely poor cottage, and to it did hie,
Being hungry with cold, and a heart full of grief,
She went to this cottage to seek for relief;
The people reliev’d her, and the next day
They got her to service, as I did hear say,
At a nobleman’s house, not far from this place
Where she did behave with a modest grace.
She was a cookmaid and forgot the time past,
But observe the wonder that comes at last.
As she for dinner was dressing one day,
And opened the head of a cod, they say,
She found such a ring, and was in amaze
And she, in great wonder, upon it did gaze
And viewing it well she found it to be
The very same the Knight dropped in the sea,
She smil’d when she saw it, and bless’d her kind fate,
But did to no creature the secret relate.
This maid, in her place, did all maidens excel,
That the lady took notice, and lik’d her well;
Saying, she was born of some noble degree,
And took her as a companion to be.
The Knight when he came to the house did behold
This beautiful lady with trappings of gold,
When he ask’d the lady to grant him a boon,
And said it was to walk with that virgin alone.
The lady consented, telling the young maid
By him she need not fear to be betrayed.
When he first met her, ‘Thou strumpet,’ said he,
‘Did I not charge thee never more to see me?
This hour’s thy last, to the world bid good night,
For being so bold to appear in my sight.’
Said she, ‘In the sea you flung your ring,
And bid me not see you unless I did bring
The same unto you. Now I have it,’ cries she,
‘Behold, ’tis the same that you flung into the sea.’
When the Knight saw it, he flew to her arms,
And said, ‘Lovely maid, thou hast millions of charms.’
Said he, ‘Charming creature, pray pardon me,
Who often contrived the ruin of thee:
’Tis in vain to alter what heaven doth decree,
For I find you are born my wife to be.’
Then wedded they were, as I did hear say,
And now she’s a lady both gallant and gay,
They quickly unto her parents did haste,
When the Knight told the story of what had passed.
But asked their pardon, upon his bare knee,
Who gave it, and rejoiced their daughter to see.
Then they for the fisherman and his wife sent,
And for their past troubles did them content.
And so there was joy for all them that did see
The farmer’s young daughter a lady to be.
The Rev. C. W. King, in his ‘Handbook of Engraved Gems,’ gives the
following fish-and-ring story. Pietrus Damianus, a very unlikely personage
to have ever read of Polycrates, relates in his Fifth Epistle a story
worth translating literally, as a specimen of the style of thought of his
age:--‘This Arnulphus was the father of King Pepin and grandfather of
Charlemagne, and when, inflamed with the fervour of the Holy Ghost he
sacrificed the love of wife and children, and exchanged the glory and
pomps of this world for the glorious poverty of Christ, it chanced, as he
was hastening into the wilderness, that in his way he had to cross a
river, which is called the Moselle; but when he reached the middle of the
bridge, thrown over it where the river’s stream ran deepest, he tossed in
there his own ring with this protestation, “When I shall receive back,”
said he, “this ring from the foaming waves of this river, then will I
trust confidently that I am loosed from the bonds of all my sins.”
Thereupon he made for the wilderness, where he lived no little space dead
unto himself and the world. Meanwhile, the then Bishop of Metz having
died, Divine Providence raised Arnulphus to the charge of that see.
Continuing in his new office to abstain from eating flesh, according to
the rule observed by him in the wilderness, once upon a time a fish was
brought him for a present. The cook, in gutting the same, found in its
entrails a ring, and ran full of joy to present it to his master; which
ring the blessed Bishop no sooner cast eyes upon than he knew it again for
his own, and wondered not so much at the strange mine that had brought
forth the metal, as that, by the Divine propitiation, he had obtained the
forgiveness of his sins.’
The same distinguished writer, in the work before mentioned, relates the
story told by St. Augustine, bishop of the city where it happened, ‘and
who has deemed it worthy of insertion in his great work, “De Civitate Dei”
(xxii. 8):--“There lived an old man, a fellow-townsman of ours at Hippo,
Florentius by name, by trade a tailor, a religious poor person. He had
lost his cloak and had not wherewith to buy another. Certain ribald youths
who happened to be present overheard him, and followed him as he went
down, mocking at him as though he had demanded of the martyrs the sum of
fifty _folles_ (12½ denarii) to clothe himself withal. But Florentius
walking on without replying to them, espied a big fish thrown up by the
sea, and struggling upon the beach, and he secured it through the
good-natured assistance of the same youths, and sold it for 300 _folles_
(75 denarii) to a certain cook, by name Carthosus, a good Christian, for
pickling, telling him at the same time all that had taken place--intending
to buy wool with the money, so that his wife might make therewith, as well
as she could, something to clothe him. But the cook in cutting up the fish
found in its belly a gold ring, and forthwith, being moved with
compassion, as well as influenced by religious scruples, restored it to
Florentius, saying, ‘Behold how the Twenty Martyrs have clothed thee.’”’
_King Edward’s Ring._ P. 119.
In the ‘Life of Edward the Confessor’ (forming one of the series of the
chronicles and memorials of Great Britain and Ireland, during the Middle
Ages, published by the authority of H.M. Treasury, under the direction of
the Master of the Rolls), Mr. Luard, the editor, has given the translation
of a manuscript in the public library of the University of Cambridge, to
which the date of 1245 is ascribed, and written in Norman-French. The
legend of the Confessor’s ring is thus introduced:--
The King was at the service
Where was dedicated the church
Of Saint John, who to God was dear,
And whom the King could so much love:
No saint had he so dear except Saint Peter.
Lo, a poor man who was there,
A stranger and unknown,
When he saw King Edward,
For the love of Saint John prays him
That of his possession he would give him a part.
The King who hears his prayer,
Puts his hand to his alms-chest,
But neither gold nor silver does he there find.
He bids his almoner to be summoned,
But he was not found for the crowd.
The poor man ceases not to beg
And the King is in distress
Because neither gold nor silver he finds at hand.
And he reflects, remains silent,
Looks at his hand and remembers
That on his finger he had a cherished ring
Which was large, royal, and beautiful;
To the poor man he gives it for the love
Of Saint John, his dear lord;
And he takes it with joy,
And gently gives him thanks;
And when he was possessed of it,
He departed and vanished.
But to this no one paid attention.
Soon after it chanced that
Two palmers of English birth,
Who go to seek the Holy Sepulchre
By a path where no one guides them
In the land of Syria,
Go astray, far out by the way,
See neither man nor house:
Now they have arrived in the wilderness,
The night comes on, the sun sets;
Nor do they know which way to turn,
Nor where they can lodge for the night,
They fear robbers, they fear wild beasts,
They fear monsters and dreadful tempests,
And many an adventure of the desert.
The dark night surprises them.
Now behold a band of youths
In a circle which was very large and beautiful,
By whom the whole road and air
Were lightened as if by lightning,
And an old man white and hoary,
Brighter than the sun at mid-day,
Before whom are carried two tapers,
Which lighten the path;
He, when he comes close to the palmers
Salutes them; says, ‘Dear friends
Whence come you? Of what creed
Are you, and of what birth?
What kingdom and King? What seek you here?’
And one of them answered him,
‘We are Christians, and desire
Have we to expiate our sins;
We are both from England;
We have come to seek the Holy Sepulchre,
And the holy places of this country,
Where Jesus died and lived.
And our King is named Edward,
The good prince, whom may God preserve to us,
He has not such a saint from here to France.
But it has befallen us by mishap
We have lost to-day the company
Which comforts and which guides us,
Nor know we what has become of us.’
And the old man answered there,
Joyously like a clerk,
‘Come after me, I go before;
Follow me, I will conduct you
Where you will find a good hostelry.
For love of King Edward
You shall have lodging and good care,
Your leader I will myself be,
And your host.’ He leads them on;
They enter a city,
They have found a good hostelry,
The table prepared, and good treatment,
Linen and bed, and other preparatives;
The tired ones, who had great need,
Repose themselves after supper.
In the morning, when they depart,
They find their host and leader,
Who, when they have issued from the gate,
Gently thus comforts them.
‘Be not troubled nor sad,
I am John the Evangelist;
For love of Edward the King,
I neither will nor ought to fail you;
For he is my especial
Friend and loyal King.
With me he has joined company,
Since he has chosen to lead a chaste life,
We shall be peers in paradise.
And I tell you, dear good friends,
You shall arrive, be assured,
In your country safe and sound.
You shall go to King Edward,
Salute him from me,
And that you attempt not a falsehood
To say, you shall carry proofs--
A ring, which he will know,
Which he gave to me, John,
When he was at the service
Where my church was dedicated;
There I besought him, for the love
Of John; it was I in poor array.
And let King Edward know well,
To me he shall come before six months (are over).
And since he resembles me,
In paradise shall we be together
And that of this he may be confidently assured
You shall tell him all that whatever I tell you.’
They, who well understand his words,
Give him thanks for all his benefits,
And when they are possessed of the ring
The saint departed and vanished;
And the pilgrims depart,
Who now are on the certain path
Without ill, and without trouble;
The saint leads and conducts them;
They hasten to go to King Edward,
That they have not arrived seems tardy to them,
And they relate their adventure,
Show the ring at once,
Whatever they relate he believes true,
When he sees the proofs;
Of this witness bears the whole
Company, large in numbers.
_Demons imprisoned in Rings._ P. 132.
There was a strong belief that familiar spirits could be carried about in
rings and trinkets. Le Loyer, in his curious work ‘Des Spectres,’ writes:
‘With regard to the demons whom they imprisoned in rings or charms, the
magicians of the school of Salamanca and Toledo, and their master
Picatrix, together with those in Italy who made traffic of this kind of
ware, knew better than to say whether or not they had appeared to those
who had them in possession or bought them. And truly I cannot speak
without horror of those who pretend to such vulgar familiarity with them,
even to speaking of the nature of each particular demon shut up in a ring;
whether he be a Mercurial, Jovial, Saturnine, Martial, or Aphrodisiac
spirit; in what form he is wont to appear when required; how many times in
the night he awakes his possessor; whether benign or cruel in disposition;
whether he can be transferred to another; and if, once possessed, he can
alter the natural temperament, so as to render men of Saturnine complexion
Jovial, or the Jovials Saturnines, and so on. There is no end of the
stories which might be collected under this head, to which, if I gave
faith, as some of the learned of our time have done, it would be filling
my paper to little purpose. I will not speak, therefore, of the crystal
ring mentioned by Joaliun of Cambray, in which a young child could see all
that they demanded of him, and which eventually was broken by the
possessor, as the occasion by which the devil too much tormented him.
Still less will I stay my pen to tell of the sorcerer of Courtray, whose
ring had a demon enclosed in it, to whom it behoved him to speak every
five days.’ By this familiar (remarks Heywood, in his ‘Hierarchie of the
Blessed Angels’) ‘he was not onely acquainted with all newes, as well
forrein as domesticke, but learned the cure and remedie for all griefs and
diseases; insomuch that he had the reputation of a learned and excellent
physition. At length, being accused of _sortilège_, or enchantment, at
Arnham, in Guelderland, he was proscribed, and in the year 1548, the
Chancellor caused his ring, in the public market, to be layd on an anvil
and with an iron hammer to be beaten in pieces. Mengius reporteth from the
relation of a deare friend of his (a man of approved fame and honestie)
this history. In a certain town under the jurisdiction of the Venetians,
one of their præstigious artists (whom some call Pythonickes), having one
of these rings in which he had two familiar spirits exorcised and bound,
came to a predicant or preaching friar, a man of sincere life and
conversation; and confessed unto him that hee was possessed of such an
enchanted ring, with such spirits charmed, with whom he had conference at
his pleasure. But since he considered with himselfe that it was a thing
dangerous to his soule, and abhominable both to God and man, he desired to
be cleanely acquit thereof, and to that purpose hee came to receive of him
some godly counsell. But by no persuasion would the religious man be
induced to have any speech at all with these evil spirits (to which motion
the other had before earnestly solicited him), but admonished him to cause
the magicke ring to be broken, and that to be done with all speed
possible. At which words the familiars were heard (as it were) to mourne
and lament in the ring, and to desire that no such violence might be
offered to them; but rather than so, that it would please him to accept of
the ring, and keepe it, promising to do him all service and vassallage; of
which, if he pleased to accept, they would in a short time make him to be
the most famous and admired predicant in all Italy. But he perceiving the
divels cunning, under this colour of courtesie, made absolute refusall of
their offer; and withall conjured them to know the reason why they would
so willingly submit themselves to his patronage? After many evasive lies
and deceptious answers, they plainly confessed unto him that they had of
purpose persuaded the magition to heare him preach; that by that sermon,
his conscience being pricked and galled, he might be weary of the ring,
and being refused of the one, be accepted of the other; by which they
hoped in short time so to have puft him up with pride and heresie, to have
precipitated his soule into certaine and never-ending destruction. At
which the churchman being zealously inraged, with a great hammer broke the
ring almost to dust, and in the name of God sent them thence to their own
habitation of darknesse, or whither it pleased the highest powers to
dispose them.
‘Of this kind doubtless was the ring of Gyges--such likewise had the
Phocensian tyrant, who, as Clemens Stromæus speaketh, by a sound which
came of itselfe, was warned of all times, seasonable and unseasonable in
which to mannage his affaires; who, notwithstanding, could not be
forewarned of his pretended death, but his familiar left him in the end,
suffering him to be slain by the conspirators. Such a ring, likewise, had
one Hieronimus, Chancellor of Mediolanum, which after proved to be his
untimely ruine.’ [‘Hierarchie of the Blessed Angels.’]
A learned German physician has given an instance in which the devil, of
his own accord, enclosed himself in a ring as a familiar, thereby proving
how dangerous it is to trifle with him.
_Cramp-Rings._ P. 164.
The precise date when the Kings of England commenced to bless rings,
regarded as preservatives against the cramp or against epilepsy, the
_morbus Sancti Johannis_, is uncertain. The earliest mention of the
practice, which Mr. Edmund Waterton has found, occurs in the reign of
Edward II.: ‘The prayer used in the blessing of the ring implores--‘ut
omnes qui eos gestabunt, nec eos infestet vel nervorum contractio, vel
comitialis morbi periculum.’ And the King, to impart this salutary virtue,
rubbed the rings between his hands, with this invocation: ‘Manuum
nostrarum confricatione quas olei sacri infusione externa sanctificare
dignatus es pro ministerii nostri modo consecra,’ &c. Hitherto these rings
are simply described as _annuli_. But in the 44th of Edward III., in the
account-book of John of Ipres, or Ypres, they are termed _medicinales_.’
In the last chapter of the ‘Constitutions of the Household,’ settled in
the reign of Edward II., the following entry appears: ‘Item, le Roi doit
offrer de certein le jour de grant vendredi a crouce v. s. queux il est
accustumez receivre devers lui a la mene le chapelein afair eut anulx a
_donner pur medicine_ az divers gentz.’
In the Eleemosyna Roll of 9th Edward III. the following entry occurs: ‘In
oblacione domini Regis ad crucem de Gneythe die parasceves in capella sua
infra mannerium suum de Clipstone, in precium duorum florencium de
Florencia xiiij. die Aprilis vi. _s._ viij. _d._, et in denariis quos
posuit pro dictis florenciis reassumptis _pro annulis medicinalibus inde_
faciendis, eodem die vi. _s._; summa xii. _s._ viii. _d._’
In the Eleemosyna Roll of 10th Edward III. we have the following entry:
‘In oblacione domini Regis ad crucem de Gneyth in die parasceves apud
Eltham, xxix. die Marcii v. _s._, et pro iisdem denariis reassumptis pro
annulis inde faciendis per manus Domini Johannis de Crokeford eodem die v.
_s._’ And in the following year: ‘In oblacione domini Regis ad crucem de
Gneyth in capella sua in pcho de Wyndesore die parasceves v. _s._, et pro
totidem denariis reassumptis pro annuli inde faciendis v. _s._’
In the accounts of John de Ypres, 44th Edward III., the following entries
are found: ‘In oblacionibus Regis factis adorando crucem in capella sua
infra castrum suum de Wyndesore, die parasceves in pretio trium nobilium
auri et quinque solidorum sterling. xxv. _s._ In denariis solutis pro
iisdem oblacionibus reassumptis pro annulis medicinalibus inde faciendis,
ibidem, eodem die xxv. _s._’
The same entries occur in the 7th and 8th Henry IV.
In the 8th Edward IV. mention occurs that these cramp-rings were made of
silver and of gold, as appears by the following entry: ‘Pro eleemosyna in
die parasceves c. marc., et pro annulis de auro et argento pro eleemosyna
Regis eodem die,’ &c. And a Privy Seal of the next year, amongst other
particulars relates: ‘Item paid for the King’s Good Fryday rings of gold
and silver xxxiii. _l._ vi. _s._ viii. _d._’
Mention of these rings is also found in the Comptroller’s accounts in the
20th Henry VII.
A MS. copy of the Orders of the King of England’s Household, 13th Henry
VIII., 1521-1522, preserved in the National Library at Paris (No. 9,986),
contains ‘the order of the Kinge’s of England, touching his coming to
service, hallowing y{e} crampe rings, and offering and creeping to the
crosse.’ ‘First, the King to come to the closett or to the chappell with
the lords and noblemen wayting on him, without any sworde to bee borne
before him on that day, and there to tarry in his travers till the bishop
and deane have brought forth the crucifix out of the vestry (the almoner
reading the service of the cramp-rings), layd upon a cushion before the
high altar, and then the huishers shall lay a carpet before y{t} for the
King to creepe to the crosse upon: and y{t} done, there shall be a fourme
set upon the carpet before the crucifix, and a cushion layd before it for
the King to kneele on; and the Master of the Jewell house shal be ther
ready with the crampe-rings in a basin or basins of silver; the King shall
kneele upon the sayd cushion before the fourme, and then must the clerke
of the closett bee ready with the booke conteyninge y{e} service of the
hallowing of the said rings, and the almoner must kneel upon the right
hand of the King, holding of the sayd booke; and when y{t} is done the
King shall rise and go to the high altar, where an huisher must be ready
with a cushion to lay for his grace to kneele upon, and the greatest Lord
or Lords being then present shall take the basin or basins with the rings,
and bear them after the King, and then deliver them to the King to offer;
and this done, the Queen shall come down out of the closett or travers
into the chappell with ladies and gentlewomen wayters on her, and creepe
to the crosse; and that done, she shall returne againe into her closett or
travers, and then the ladies shall come downe and creepe to the crosse,
and when they have done, the lords and noblemen shall in likewise.’
A letter from Dr. Thomas Magnus, Warden of Sibthorpe College,
Nottinghamshire, to Cardinal Wolsey, written in 1526, contains the
following curious passage: ‘Pleas it your Grace to wete that M. Wiat of
his goodness sent unto me for a present certaine crampe ringges, which I
distributed and gave to sondery myne acquaintaunce at Edinburghe, amongse
other to M. Adame Otterbourne, who, with one of thayme, releved a mann
lying in the falling sekenes in the sight of myche people; sethenne whiche
tyme many requestes have been made unto me for crampe ringges at my
departing there, and also sethenne my comyng from thennes. May it pleas
your Grace therefore to shew your gracious pleasure to the said M. Wyat,
that some ringges may be kept and sent into Scottelande, whiche, after my
poore oppynnyon shulde be a good dede, remembering the power and operacyon
of thame is knowne and proved in Edinburghe, and that they be gretly
required for the same cause both by grete personnages and other.’
Mr. Edmund Waterton thinks that the illuminated manual which Queen Mary
used at the blessing of the cramp-rings, and which I have mentioned was in
the possession of the late Cardinal Wiseman, was the same from which
Bishop Burnet printed the formula. Mr. Waterton states that on the second
leaf of the MS. the service for the blessing of the rings begins with this
rubric: ‘Certeyne Prayers to be used by the Quene’s Heighnes in the
Consecration of the Cramperings.’
The next rubric is as follows: ‘The Ryngs lyeing in one basin or moo, this
Prayer shall be said over them,’ &c. This is followed by the _Benedictio
Annulorum_, consisting of several short formulas or sentences. Then
another rubric sets forth: ‘These prayers beinge saide, the Queene’s
Heighnes rubbeth the rings betwene her hands, sayinge _Sanctifica Domine
Annulos_,’ &c.
‘Thenne must holly water be caste on the rings, sayeing, _In nomine Patris
et Filii et Spiritus Sancti_, Amen. Followed by two other prayers.’
Miss Strickland claims the blessing of the cramp-rings as the peculiar
privilege of the Queens of England. But her argument falls to the ground
when tested by collateral and official documents.
Mr. Waterton concludes his most interesting article on Royal Cramp-rings
(‘Archæological Journal,’ vol. xxi. pp. 103-113) by stating that he has
been unable to accompany the essay by the representation of any example,
‘but I have never met with a specimen that could with any certainty be
pronounced a royal cramp-ring, neither have I found any description of the
rings made, as the entries state, from the gold and silver coins offered
by the King on Good Friday, and then redeemed by an equivalent sum.
Probably they were plain hoop-rings. In the will of John Baret, of Bury
St. Edmunds, 1463, a bequest is made to “my Lady Walgrave” of a “rowund
ryng of the Kynge’s silvir.” In another part of his will he bequeaths to
“Thomais Brews, esquiyer, my crampe ryng with blak innamel, and a part
silvir and gilt.” And, in 1535, Edmund Lee bequeaths to “my nece Thwarton
my gold ryng w{t} a turkes, and a crampe ryng of gold w{t} all.”
‘But there is no evidence to show that the second ring mentioned by John
Baret was a royal cramp-ring; whereas it appears to me that the one
bequeathed by Edmund Lee may have been one of the royal cramp-rings, for
otherwise a more particular description would have been given.’
An interesting account of ‘the ceremonies of blessing cramp-rings on Good
Friday, used by the Catholic Kings of England,’ will be found in Pegge’s
‘Curialia Miscellanea’ (Appendix No. 3, p. 164).
It is curious that in Somersetshire the ring-finger is thought to have the
power of curing any sore or wound that is rubbed with it.
CHAPTER V.
BETROTHAL AND WEDDING-RINGS. P. 275.
I should not omit to mention the famous sermon of good Jeremy Taylor on ‘a
wedding-ring for the finger,’ which is worthy the perusal not only of
those who have entered the matrimonial life, but of others who contemplate
an entrance into the same. The text is (Genesis ii. 18), ‘And the Lord God
said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an
help-meet for him.’ Although no allusion is made to the substantial
character of the nuptial circle, yet the deductions made from the text are
the sweetest and the holiest that could be imagined, and the brightest
jewels of the mineral world could not exceed in beauty the language of the
grand old divine. ‘When thou layest out for such a good upon earth, look
up to the God of heaven. Let Him make his choice for thee, who hath made
this choice of thee. Look _above_ you before you look _about_ you.’ ‘Give
God the tribute of your gratulation for your good companion. Take heed of
paying your rent to a wrong landlord. When you taste of the stream,
reflect on the spring that feeds it. Now thou hast four eyes for thy
speculation, four hands for thy operation, four feet for thy ambulation,
and four shoulders for thy sustentation. What the sin against the Holy
Ghost is in point of divinity, that is unthankfulness in point of
morality; an offence unpardonable. _Pity it is but that moon should ever
be in an eclipse, that will not acknowledge her beams to be borrowed from
the sun._ He that praises not the giver, prizes not the gift.’ ‘_It is
between a man and his wife in the house, as it is between the sun and the
moon in the heavens; when the greater light goes down, the lesser light
gets up; when the one ends in setting, the other begins in shining._
‘Husband and wife should be as the milch-kine, which were coupled together
to carry the ark of God; or as the two Cherubims, that looked one upon
another, and both upon the mercy-seat; or as the two tables of stone, on
each of which were engraven the laws of God. In some families married
persons are like Jeremiah’s two baskets of figs, the one very good, the
other very evil; or like fire and water, whilst the one is flaming in
devotion, the other is freezing in corruption. There is a two-fold
hindrance in holiness: first, on the right side; secondly, on the left. On
the right side, when the wife would run in God’s way, the husband will not
let her go; when the fore-horse in a team will not draw, he wrongeth all
the rest; when the general of an army forbids a march, all the soldiers
stand still.’ ‘Man is an affectionate creature. Now the woman’s behaviour
should be such towards the man, as to require his affection by increasing
his delectation; _that the new-born love may not be blasted as soon as it
is blossomed, that it may not be ruined before it be rooted_.’ ‘Husband
and wife should be like two candles burning together, which make the house
more lightsome; or like two fragrant flowers bound up in one nosegay, that
augment its sweetness; or like two well-tuned instruments, which, sounding
together, make the more melodious music.’ ‘A spouse should be more careful
of her children’s breeding than she should be fearful of her children’s
bearing. _Take heed lest these flowers grow in the devil’s garden._’
‘_Good education is the best livery you can give them living; and it is
the best legacy you can leave them when dying._’ ‘Let these small pieces
of timber be hewed and squared for the celestial building; by putting a
_sceptre of grace_ into their hands, you will set _a crown of glory_ upon
their heads.’ ‘Marriages are styled _matches_, yet amongst those many that
are married, how few are there that are _matched_! Husbands and wives are
like locks and keys, that rather break than open, except the wards be
answerable.’
CHAPTER VI.
RING TOKENS.
_The Essex Ring._ P. 336.
The story of the ring given by Queen Elizabeth to the Earl of Essex is of
such romantic interest that it is sad to destroy the charm by casting
doubts on its authenticity; but, at the present day especially, a crucial
test is applied to numbers of similar instances, and ‘historic doubts’
crop up incessantly, with which heretofore no profane hand was expected to
meddle. The story of the Essex ring-token has been investigated with great
care by a writer in the ‘Edinburgh Review’ (No. 200), who says: ‘Whatever
might be the supposed indignation of Elizabeth against her dying cousin,
Lady Nottingham, it is clear that as the real offender was Lord
Nottingham, he would naturally have more shared in her displeasure; and it
is very improbable that a fortnight after the Queen had shaken the
helpless wife on her death-bed, the husband, by whose authority the
offence was committed, should have continued in undiminished favour. The
existence of the ring would do but little to establish the truth of the
story, even if but one had been preserved and cherished as the identical
ring; but as there are two, if not three, which lay claim to that
distinction, they invalidate each other’s claims. One is preserved at
Hawnes, in Bedfordshire, the seat of the Rev. Lord John Thynne; another is
the property of C. W. Warren, Esq.; and we believe the third is deposited
for safety at Messrs. Drummond’s bank.
‘The ring at Hawnes is said to have descended in unbroken succession from
Lady Frances Devereux (afterwards Duchess of Somerset) to the present
owner. The stone in this ring is a sardonyx, in which is cut in relief a
head of Elizabeth, the execution of which is of a high order. That the
ring has descended from Lady Frances Devereux, affords the strongest
presumptive evidence that it was not _the_ ring. According to the
tradition, it had passed from her father into Lady Nottingham’s hands.
According to Lady Elizabeth Spelman, Lord Nottingham insisted upon her
keeping it.
In her interview with the Queen, the Countess might be supposed to have
presented to her the token she had so fatally withheld; or it might have
remained in her family, or have been destroyed; but the most improbable
circumstance would have been its restoration to the widow or daughter of
the much-injured Essex by the offending Earl of Nottingham. The Duchess of
Somerset left a long, curious, and minute will, and in it there is no
mention of any such ring. If there is good evidence for believing that the
curious ring at Hawnes was ever in the possession of the Earl of Essex,
one might be tempted to suppose that it was the likeness of the Queen, to
which he alludes in his letters as his “fair angel,” written from Portland
Road, and the time of his disgrace after the proceedings in the Star
Chamber, and when still under restraint at Essex House. Had Essex at this
time possessed any ring, a token, by presenting which he would have been
entitled to favour, it seems most improbable that he should have kept it
back, and yet regarded this likeness of the Queen, whose gracious eyes
encouraged him to be a petitioner for himself. The whole tone of this
letter is in fact almost conclusive against the possibility of his having
in his possession any gift of hers endowed with such rights as that of the
ring which the Countess of Nottingham is supposed to have withheld.’
CHAPTER IX.
CUSTOMS AND INCIDENTS IN CONNECTION WITH RINGS.
_Wedding of the Adriatic._ P. 419.
In Richard Lassel’s ‘Voyage of Italy’ is an account of the performance of
this ceremony at Venice, about the year 1650. ‘I happened to be at Venice
thrice at the great sea Triumph, or feast of the Ascension, which was
performed thus: About our eight in the morning the Senators, in their
scarlet robes, meet at the Doge’s Pallace, and there, taking him up, they
walk with him processionally unto the shoar, where the Bucentoro lyes
waiting them; the Pope’s Nuncio being on his right hand, and the Patriarch
of Venice on his left hand. Then, ascending into the Bucentoro by a
handsome bridge thrown out to the shoar, the Doge takes his place, and the
Senators sit round about the galley as they can, to the number of two or
three hundred. The Senate being placed, the anchor is weighed, and the
slaves being warned by the Captain’s whistle, and the sound of trumpets,
begin to strike all at once with their oars, and to make the Bucentoro
march as gravely upon the water as if she also went upon cioppini (high
shoes then worn by the Venetian ladies). Thus they steer for two miles
upon the Laguna, while the music plays and sings Epithalamiums all the way
long, and makes Neptune jealous to hear Hymen called upon in his
Dominions. Round about the Bucentoro flock a world of Piottas and
Gondolas, richly covered overhead with sumptuous Canopies of silks and
rich stuffs, and rowed by watermen in rich liveries as well as the
Trumpeters. Thus forrain Embassadors, divers noblemen of the country and
strangers of condition, wait upon the Doge’s gally, all the way long both
coming and going. At last the Doge, being arrived at the appointed place,
throws a Ring into the sea, without any other ceremony than by saying,
_Desponsamus te, Mare; in signum perpetui dominii_. _We espouse thee, O
Sea, in Testimony of our perpetual dominion over thee_; and so returns to
the Church of St. Nicolas, in Lio (an Island hard by), where he assists at
High Mass with the Senate. This done, he returns home again in the same
state, and invites those that accompanied him in his gally to dinner in
his Pallace, the preparations of which dinner we saw before the Doge was
got home.’
* * * * *
By the kindness of Mr. Octavius Morgan, F.R.S., Vice-President of the
Antiquarian Society, &c., I am enabled to reproduce in the present work a
privately-printed tract by that eminent antiquarian, which will be found
of great utility to ring-collectors generally.
CLASSIFICATION FOR THE ARRANGEMENT OF A COLLECTION OF FINGER-RINGS.
The Rings are divided into Two Grand Chronological Classes.
Class I. ANTIQUE, comprising all European Rings prior to the year A.D.
800, when the Empire of Charlemagne was established in Europe, and England
was united under one Sceptre, and all Oriental Rings prior to the Hedjira,
A.D. 622, or prior to the Mussulman Conquest of the various countries.
Class II. MEDIEVAL AND MODERN, comprising all Rings subsequent to those
dates.
Each Ring in the Collection should have a small label or ticket, of card
or parchment, attached to it, bearing on one side the special letters
belonging to the group, and on the other its number in the group; thus any
Ring removed from the Collection, when once so arranged, can be easily
restored to its proper group and place.
The letters O and Y (Nos. 15 and 25) are left vacant in case any collector
should desire to make or add any other group.
CLASS I.--ANTIQUE.
Arranged according to the various nations in the order of their antiquity
or pre-eminence.
1 A Egyptian.
2 B Assyrian.
3 C Babylonian.
4 D Phœnician.
5 E Hebrew.
6 F Greek.
7 G Etruscan.
8 H Roman.
9 I Early Christian.
10 J Byzantine.
11 K Hindoo.
12 L Persian.
13 M Sassanian.
14 N Gnostic.
15 O
16 P Celtic.
17 Q Scandinavian.
18 R Teutonic.
19 S Gaulish.
20 T Frankish (_Merovingian_).
21 U Ancient British.
22 V Ancient Scotch.
23 W Ancient Irish.
24 X Anglo-Saxon (_Early_).
25 Y
26 Z Unascertained and Miscellaneous.
CLASS II.--MEDIEVAL AND MODERN.
DIVIDED INTO OFFICIAL AND PERSONAL.
_OFFICIAL._
ECCLESIASTICAL.
27 =A= Rings of Popes, or with Papal insignia.
28 =B= Rings of Cardinals, or with Cardinals’ insignia.
29 =C= Rings of Archbishops or Bishops, or with Episcopal
insignia.
30 =D= Rings of Abbots and Priors, or Abbesses or Prioresses.
31 =E= Rings of other Ecclesiastical Dignitaries.
CIVIL.
32 =F= Rings bearing the insignia of Sovereigns, not being
Signet Rings.
33 =G= Rings of Investiture.
34 =H= Credential Rings.
35 =I= Presentation Rings (_Sergeants_).
36 =K= Masonic Rings.
MILITARY.
37 =L= Rings worn by Knights of various orders.
Knights of Malta.
" Templars.
" St. John of Jerusalem.
_PERSONAL._
SIGNET RINGS.
38 =a= Heraldic, with Coats of Arms or Badges.
39 =b= Merchants’ Marks.
40 =c= Crowned Letters or Devices.
41 =d= Letters without Crowns.
42 =e= Other Devices.
43 =f= Persian, Cufic, and Arabic, with names.
44 =g= Antique Intagli in Medieval settings.
LOVE, BETROTHAL, AND MARRIAGE.
45 =h= Tokens of Love.
46 =i= Posy Rings.
47 =j= Giardinetti.
48 =k= Betrothal Rings.
49 =l= Gimmal Rings.
50 =m= Marriage Rings.
51 =n= Jewish Nuptial Rings.
MOURNING AND MEMORIAL RINGS.
52 =o= Rings with Hair.
53 =p= Rings with Portraits.
54 =q= Rings with Memorial Devices and Inscriptions.
55 =r= Rings with Emblems of Death.
HISTORICAL RINGS.
56 =s= Rings used by, or belonging to, Historical Persons.
57 =t= Rings commemorating Historical Events.
58 =u= Rings emblematical of particular Persons, Events, or
Countries.
RELIGIOUS.
59 =v= Devotional (_Decade_).
60 =w= Rings bearing Religious Devices or Inscriptions.
61 =x= Rings bearing Figures or Emblems of Saints.
62 =y= Pilgrims’ Rings (_Jerusalem, Mount Serrat, &c._).
63 =z= Rings for containing Reliques.
CHARM, MAGIC, AND MEDICINAL.
64 =a a= Cramp Rings.
65 =b b= Rings with Toadstones or other substances believed to
possess medicinal virtues.
66 =c c= Astrological and Cabalistic Rings.
67 =d d= Talismanic, with Cufic, Arabic, and Gnostic Inscriptions.
68 =e e= Poison Rings.
ORNAMENTAL RINGS.
69 =f f= Rings with Precious Stones, according to their kind.
70 =g g= Rings set with enamels, paste, or other ornaments,
having no special meaning.
71 =h h= Peasants’ Rings.
72 =i i= ASIATIC, including Modern Persian, Hindoo, and
Chinese.
73 =k k= AFRICAN.
74 =l l= MISCELLANEOUS RINGS, which group will contain all
such as cannot be brought under the other heads of
classification, such as whistle-rings, puzzle-rings,
squirt-rings, jointed rings to form devices, rings with
watches, dials, compasses, &c.
75 =m m= Rings made of strange and unusual materials, not being
metal.
76 =n n= Unascertained.
_Additional Note._
In the chapter on ‘Memorial and Mortuary Rings’ (page 378), I have related
the circumstance of an Arabian princess in Yemen, who had been buried with
her rings and other jewels; a tablet recording that she had vainly
endeavoured to exchange them for flour during the great famine mentioned
in the Holy Scriptures.
A singular incident of this character is stated in Forbes’s ‘India’ (vol.
ii. p. 18): ‘The present finest mausoleum in Cambaya was erected to the
memory of a Mogul of great rank, who, during a famine which almost
depopulated that part of the country, _offered a measure of pearls for an
equal quantity of grain_; but not being able to procure food at any price,
he died of hunger, and this history is related on his monument.’
[Illustration]
INDEX.
Abbots invested with the ring, 231
‘Abraxas,’ definition of, 139
Adriatic, marriage of the Doge of Venice with the, 419, 529
‘Agla,’ the mystic word inscribed on rings, 137
Agnes, legend of the saint and the ring, 239
Alcock, Bishop, on consecration of nuns, 233
Alexandrinus, Clemens, advice on rings, 39
‘Alhstan’ ring, the, 62
Amelia, memorial ring of the Princess, 375
American ring, gigantic, 488
Amulet-rings, 103, 126, 138, 166, 140, 141, 147
Ancient custom of Archbishops of Rouen, 211
Anecdote of a mourning-ring used at a wedding, 449
Angelo, ring of Michael, 470
Anglo-Saxons, betrothal rings of the, 306
Anne, mourning ring of Queen, 373
‘Annuli Ecclesiæ,’ Bishops’ rings so called, 212
Antique intaglio rings with mottoes, 418
Antoinette, ring of Queen Marie, 374
Apollo and Marsyas, ring of, 470
Archery, rings prizes for, 444
Armenians, betrothal rings among the, 312
Arnulphus, ring of Bishop, 228
Arundel Collection of gem rings, 462
Ashantee, rings from, 455
Astrological rings, 108
Bailewski Collection, Jewish betrothal ring in the, 300
Bards rewarded with rings, 192
Bavarian peasant’s ring, 84
Becket, ring from the shrine of Thomas à, 247
‘Beef Steak’ Club, ring of the, 193
Bequests of rings, 355
Berquem, rings engraved by Louis de, 450
Berry, Lady, the fish and the ring, 100
Bessborough Collection of gem-rings, 462
-- -- religious ring in the, 258
Betrothal and wedding rings, 275, 526
-- -- -- -- of the Jews, 298, 299
-- -- -- -- -- -- Romans, 303
-- -- -- -- -- -- Anglo-Saxons, 306
-- -- -- -- -- -- Germans, 310
-- -- -- -- -- -- Italians, 310
-- -- -- -- -- -- Middle Ages, 307
-- -- -- -- -- -- Armenians, 312
-- -- -- -- in the North, 305
-- -- -- -- -- -- of Sir Thomas Gresham, 318
-- -- -- -- -- -- Martin Luther, 481
-- rings divided, 309, 316
Bishops buried with rings, 203
-- rings used to seal baptismal fonts, 212
Bishops’ rings, manner of benediction, 219
-- -- -- of investiture, 209, 213
-- -- engravings on, 212
-- -- used as signets, 213
-- -- importance attached to, 213
-- -- how worn, 218
-- resignation of, by the ring, 211
-- rings taken from degraded, 218
Bitton, ring of Bishop de, 228
Blaize, rings on the fingers of St., 221
Blessing of coronation-rings, 179