Flat, wide gold band, plain on the interior and engraved on the exterior in Gothic letters with the French inscription en bon an (literally “in a good year”). Interspersed between the words are three sprigs bearing five-petalled forget-me-not flowers, with traces of white enamel remaining. The ring shows signs of wear through age with loss of enamel. It remains in good, wearable condition. 

Provenance:

Portable Antiquities Scheme ID: DUR-13DFA3 with list of similar rings found.

Literature:

Posy rings derive their name from the term poésie, or poetry. These rings bear inscribed mottoes either in prose or verse. They enjoyed enduring popularity throughout the late Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Early examples like this one feature inscriptions in gothic letters visibly engraved on the exterior of the band, while later examples conceal their mottoes inside the hoop with their personal messages known only to the giver and recipient. Posy rings are mentioned in the plays of William Shakespeare (1564–1616), including Hamlet and The Merchant of Venice. From the fifteenth century onward, such rings were known to be exchanged between lovers, friends and family members expressing affection, friendship, faith, or, like the present ring, New Year wishes.

In late Medieval and Renaissance England, it was customary to exchange gifts on New Year’s Day, and jewelry was a common choice. The French inscription en bon an, wishing a Happy New Year, appears on many posy, iconographic, and heraldic rings. As French was the language of courtly and aristocratic life in England from the Norman Conquest through the late Middle Ages, its use here suggests that the ring’s original owner belonged to the upper echelons of society. This ring was likely presented on New Year’s Day as a token of good luck or affection, and the forget-me-not flowers further emphasize its sentimental message.

See for parallels to this fifteenth-century type in London public collections: British Museum, London (Dalton 1912, nos. 925, 939, 970, 971); Museum of London (inv. nos. A22158; A24240 with en bon an); and the Victoria and Albert Museum, London (Church 2017, p. 15, fig. 7; inv. no. M.57-1946). See also Scarisbrick 2007, nos. 88–89; Scarisbrick 2021, no. 10 (Griffin Collection). These rings typically combine small floral ornaments with inscriptions expressing love, affection, or wishes for a good year.

For a history of posy rings, with extensive examples ranging from the medieval period to the eighteenth century, see Scarisbrick 2021. Additional references on posies include Evans 1931; A Garland of Love: A Collection of Posy-Ring Mottoes, London 1907; Dalton 1912, pp. 174 ff.; Scarisbrick 2007, pp. 74 ff.; Taylor and Scarisbrick 1978; and Oman 1974, pp. 39 ff.

R-1118