1. The Gimmal or Gimmow Ring. 2. Sonnet by Davison. 3. Church
Marriage ordained by Innocent III.; and, Marriage-Ring. 4. Rings
used in different countries on Marriages and in Betrothment:
Esthonia; the Copts; Persia; Spain; Ackmetchet in Russia. 5.
Betrothal Rings. 6. Signets of the first Christians. 7. Laws of
Marriage. 8. Wedding Finger; Artery to the Heart; Lady who had lost
the Ring Finger. 9. Roman Catholic Marriages. 10. Marriage-Ring
during the Commonwealth. 11. Ring in Jewish Marriages. 12.
Superstitions. 13. Rings of twisted Gold-wire given away at
Weddings. 14. Cupid and Psyche. 15. St. Anne and St. Joachim.
16. Rush Rings. 17. Rings with the Orpine Plant. 18. Ancient
Marriage-Rings had Mottoes and Seals. 19. The Sessa Ring. 20. Rings
bequeathed or kept in Memory of the Dead: Washington; Shakspeare;
Pope; Dr. Johnson; Lord Eldon; Tom Moore’s Mother. 21. The Ship
_Powhattan_. 22. Ring of Affection illustrated by a Pelican and
Young. 23. Bran of Brittany. 24. Rings used by Writers of Fiction;
Shakspeare’s Cymbeline. 25. Small Rings for the _Penates_. 26.
Story from the “Gesta Romanorum.”
§ 1. One of the prettiest tokens of friendship and affection is what
is termed a _Gimmal_ or _Gimmow_ Ring. It is of French origin. This
ring is constructed, as the name imports, of twin or double hoops,
which play within one another, like the links of a chain. Each hoop
has one of its sides flat and the other convex; and each is twisted
once round and surmounted with an emblem or motto. The course of
the twist, in each hoop, is made to correspond with that of its
counterpart, so that, on bringing together the flat surfaces of the
hoops, these immediately unite in one ring.[305]
[Illustration: (Friendship Ring)]
This form of ring is connected with the purest and highest acts
of friendship; it became a simple love token; and was, at length,
converted into the more serious _sponsalium annulus_, or ring of
affiance.
The lover putting his finger through one of the hoops and his
mistress hers through the other, were thus symbolically yoked
together; a yoke which neither could be said wholly to wear, one half
being allotted to the other; and making, as it has been quaintly
said, a joint tenancy.