Jewelry

RARE POSY RING OF FAITH WITH SECRET FEDE MOTIF

Wide, flat gold band with a slightly concave exterior, engraved with a frieze in capital letters bearing the English motto: “BERE FAITHE TO THE FAITHFUL.” The inscription is framed above and below by a punched arched border. The plain interior is finely engraved with the motif of a pair of cuffed and clasped right hands. The ring shows signs of wear through age and remains in good, wearable condition.

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 motto “BERE FAITHE TO THE FAITHFUL,” prominently displayed on the exterior of the ring, appears to be unique. Related variants—such as “Be faithful,” “Be faithfull & loving,” and “Be firm in faith”—are recorded in the compendium of mottos compiled by Joan Evans (1931, p. 25). For posy rings expressing themes of faith within marriage, compare examples in the Griffin Collection (Scarisbrick 2021, pp. 91–95).

Rare in posy rings is the motif of clasped right hands engraved and concealed inside the hoop, suggesting a secret message intended for the wearer. The joining of right hands is a gesture associated with betrothal and wedding ceremonies, symbolizing loyalty and mutual agreement, and its origins can be traced back to Roman antiquity. The right hand was considered sacred to Fides, the goddess of trust and good faith, from which derives the term fede (Italian, denoting trust and loyalty). For a discussion of this symbolism, see Beatriz Chadour-Sampson, The Power of Love: Jewels, Romance and Eternity, London, 2019, p. 15.

Both the inscription and the fede motif suggest that the ring was given to mark the union of a couple, symbolizing their commitment and pledging loyalty and trust. The style and type of the ring point to a sixteenth-century date.

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-1115