Jewelry

EARLY POSY RING WITH LATIN INSCRIPTION OF LOVE AND FRIENDSHIP

Wide gold band, plain on the interior and engraved on the rounded exterior is an intricate scroll-like frieze against a hatched background with abbreviated Latin motto in black letters (He will know victory). Spaced between the inscription are four carved roundels imitating diamond-shaped faceted gemstones in cusped settings. The ring was formerly enameled. It shows signs of wear through age and remains in good, wearable condition.

Provenance:

United Kingdom, The Jonest Collection, published in: Diana Scarisbrick and Sonja Butler, Marvels in Miniature, The Jonest Collection of Rings, London 2024, p. 150, no. 102.

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. Earlier examples like here 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 even New Year wishes. They enjoyed great popularity in England, especially as betrothal or wedding rings.

The design of this posy ring is exceptional, with the motto engraved within an elaborate scroll-like frieze and punctuated by four imitation gemstones, which would have appeared even more striking when enhanced by their original enamel. The inscription in abbreviated Latin, “x vicii / + sciet / + cer / amer,” may be partially translated as “He will know victory.” In the context of a ring associated with friendship or love, it suggests that God is invoked to grant the wearer strength (vicii sciet), while the remaining words imply a devotion that is both spiritual and worldly.

In the Middle Ages, French was the language of courtly love, while both French and Latin were widely understood among educated members of society. Latin functioned as the principal language of diplomacy and learning, while French remained central to aristocratic life across much of Europe. The use of a compressed and partly hybrid inscription may therefore suggest that this elaborate ring was intended for, and worn by, an individual within the upper echelons of society.

For a history of posy rings with extensive examples ranging from the medieval to the eighteenth century, see Scarisbrick 2021; for further studies on posies, see A Garland of Love: A Collection of Posy-Ring Mottoes, London, 1907; Dalton 1912, pp. 174 ff.; Evans 1931; Oman 1974, pp. 39 ff.; Taylor and Scarisbrick 1978; Scarisbrick 2007, pp. 74 ff. See also for an analysis of posies found on rings, ring brooches, and seals: Malcolm Jones, “The Beautiful Game: Courtly Love Posies in Anglo Norman Inscribed Jewellery and Seals,” in Journal of the British Archaeological Association, 2024, 177:1, pp. 101-130. 

R-1176