Posy rings

Number recorded on PAS database: 775

This section on posy rings is limited to rings with an inscription of an amatory nature. The rings were exchanged between lovers and were a popular way of swapping secret messages. The name is derived from the French word for poem ‘poésie’.

The earliest rings date from around the 13th C and examples as late as the 19th C are recorded in the PAS database. Many different styles exist ranging from the very simple, plain bands with an inscription on the interior to highly decorated bands and inscriptions on both the interior and exterior. They are perhaps the most difficult of the ring categories to date and a number of factors need to be taken into account when attempting to assess their date of production.

The easiest posy rings to date are those with an inscription that is in a language other than English. Only 2 of the 88 recorded examples have been dated to potentially later than the 17th C.

Inscription language

Inscription position

Lettering style

Destination

List of all inscriptions (sorted alphabetically)

Inscription	Date	Makers' Mark	PAS ID	Found (County)
(?ent) cuer douz cest pout nous	15th C	None	LIN-DDFDB9	Lincolnshire
A […] cervyr	15th C	None	SWYOR-34A5B0	North Yorkshire
A freinds gift	17th-18th C	None	WILT-3D742A	Wiltshire
A frend at need, doth gould exceed	17th-18th C	None	OXON-B0DA90	Oxfordshire
A frend till death	17th C	None	SOM-0FC73F	Somerset
A frend to indvr	17th C	None	DOR-76E494	Dorset
A frendes geft	16th C	None	LANCUM-71744B	Lancashire
A frendes gift	16th-17th C	None	LIN-E4CB32	Nottinghamshire
A frendes gyft		None	LEIC-6E8502	Leicestershire
A frendes gyft	16th-17th C	None	LANCUM-961357	Lancashire
A frends gefte	16th-17th C	None	CORN-6F8729	Cornwall
A frends gift	17th-18th C	R	GLO-82D866	Gloucestershire
A frends gift	17th C	None	PAS-3B5388	Somerset
A frends gift	16th-17th C	None	IOW-5EFAB8	Isle of Wight
A frends gift	18th C	DI	IOW-36E4D5	Isle of Wight
A frends gift	16th-17th C	None	SUR-23A9B2	Wiltshire
A frends gift	15th-17th C	None	WMID-AF96D7	Warwickshire
A frends gyft	16th-17th C	None	WMID-5327BA	Derbyshire
A frenes' gift	17th-18th C	WG	SUR-495C47	East Sussex
A friendly pleadge	17th-18th C	None	WMID-C2A201	Staffordshire
A frindes gifte	17th C	None	GLO-EF2971	Somerset
A frindes token	17th-18th C	None	DUR-814994	North Yorkshire
A frindes token	17th-18th C	None	SWYOR-331F03	North Yorkshire
A frinds gift	17th-18th C	None	GLO-3FD673	Somerset
A kiss for peping	18th C	GN	WMID-7CE2C5	Shropshire
A knote knite in love	17th-18th C	None	NARC-34F49A	Leicestershire
A ma vie	14th-15th C	None	CAM-2AC08E	Cambridgeshire
A ma vie	15th C	None	LEIC-66CD92	Leicestershire
A ma vie	15th C	None	LANCUM-082840	Lancashire
A ma vie	15th-16th C	None	NMS-CDAFBE	Norfolk
A ma vye	14th-15th C	None	NARC-183002	Northamptonshire
A ma vye	14th-15th C	None	KENT-1E6755	Kent
A mery hart is lyfe	16th-17th C	None	DUR-0883E3	County Durham
A mind content cannot repent	18th C	None	LANCUM-E16C56	Lancashire
A mon amye	14th-15th C	None	SUSS-8BD3F7	East Sussex
A smale remembrance	17th C	None	NMS-457D96	Norfolk
A small rememberanc	17th C	None	WMID-B32B46	Warwickshire
A small rememberance	18th C	RW	KENT-6150D2	Kent
A te soele	16th-17th C	None	SOM-4584B7	Somerset
A token of good will	17th-18th C	GI or GH or CH	SUR-057600	Hampshire
A token of love	18th C	CC	SUR-18FC30	Hampshire
A token of my love	17th-18th C	None	WILT-B0AA79	Hampshire
A token of my love	18th C	IG	SUSS-91D803	West Sussex
A token of my love	18th C	None	SUSS-5D2E3D	West Sussex
A token of the absent	17th C	C	NMS-A54722	Norfolk
A token of tre love	18th C	IM	DOR-272676	Not known
A true freinds gift	17th-18th C	None	PAS-B63FB4	Lincolnshire
A true freinds' gift	18th C	TS	WILT-EC0634	Wiltshire
A true freind’s gift	17th-18th C	WM	WAW-11AADA	Worcestershire
A true frends gift	18th C	None	WMID-BE0364	Warwickshire
A true frends token	17th C	None	DUR-2DCF41	North Yorkshire
A true friends gift	18th C	WF	ESS-E9708D	Essex
A true friends gift	17th C	None	WILT-50725C	Hampshire
A true friends gift	17th-18th C	None	WILT-513E35	Wiltshire
A true friends gift		TM	KENT-F5CCDC	Kent
A true friends gift	17th-18th C	CR	NARC-F05087	Bedfordshire
A true frind's gift	17th-18th C	K	SUR-CF4FC7	Hampshire
A vertuous wife preserueth	17th-18th C	B	CAM-BE8B3C	Cambridgeshire
A vertuous wife preserueth life	17th-18th C	None	DENO-C22907	Nottinghamshire
A vertuous wife preserveth life	17th-18th C	H	NMS-2FF8A2	Norfolk
A vertuous' wife preserueth life	17th-18th C	B?	LON-3294BE	Buckinghamshire
A vertuus wife preserueth life	17th-18th C	None	SWYOR-D36764	Derbyshire
A's true to thee as death to mee	17th-18th C	WI	SUSS-489383	Kent
Absence is no let to love	17th-18th C	None	DOR-763C3C	Dorset
Accept it if it will fitt	17th-18th C	None	SOM-C16CB1	Somerset
Accept my good will	17th-18th C	None	ESS-E506D6	Essex
Accept my good will	17th-18th C	None	GLO-7F9E13	Gloucestershire
Accept my good will	17th-18th C	None	NMS-AE57CB	Norfolk
Accept my goodwill	17th-18th C	None	LEIC-63096A	Leicestershire
Acsept my love	18th C	None	DOR-BA5EE8	Dorset
Advised choyce admits no chainge	17th-18th C	None	PAS-B6A247	Staffordshire
After consent ever content	17th C	None	NMGW-354744	Conwy
Aimis, Aimee or Amer	15th C	None	LVPL-101	Derbyshire
All I refuse and thee I chuse	17th-18th C	TT	SWYOR-18003F	North Yorkshire
All T ioe in T God:	15th C	None	DEV-F63675	Devon
All for love	16th-17th C	None	WAW-4CC20E	Worcestershire
All for love	16th-17th C	None	LANCUM-6359F8	Lancashire
Alwayes one	16th-17th C	None	SWYOR-6A6A21	East Riding of Yorkshire
Amer et celer	15th-16th C	None	DENO-5082A6	Nottinghamshire
Amer et servir	15th C	None	SUSS-9BD050	East Sussex
Amie en w st ma vie bel egie v	13th C	None	YORYM-0A0FD2	East Riding of Yorkshire
Amor vincit omnia	16th-17th C	None	YORYM-B0EB9B	North Yorkshire
Amour vaint tout fors ceur de villain / Amour en voie soullas e yoie	15th C	None	PAS-A36D2D	Staffordshire
Animae vita mort	17th-18th c	None	BH-FDED37	Bedfordshire
Anmie amour am nom y adore	17th-18th C	None	CORN-508BAB	Cornwall
As God decreed foe wee agreed	17th-18th C	WC	GLO-171AFA	Gloucestershire
As God decreed so we agreed		None	SF-B18C24	Suffolk
As God decreed so wee agreed	16th-18th C	None	BUC-6C4D37	Buckinghamshire
As God decreed so woe agreed	17th-18th C	None	GLO-368E0B	Somerset
As God decreed soe wee a greed	17th-18th C	II	LIN-C8E742	Lincolnshire
As God hath apointed so am I contented	17th-18th C	None	GLO-76F96C	Dorset
As God hath apoynted be contente	17th-18th C	None	DOR-31404C	Hampshire
As God hath decreed soe wee agreede	17th-18th C	MS	IOW-6C0F12	Isle of Wight
As God wil so it shal be	16th-17th C	None	GLO-B2BDDA	South Gloucestershire
As I deserve so I desier	16th-17th C	None	LEIC-71FAE8	Leicestershire
As I expect soe let me find / A faithfull friend and a constant mind	17th-18th C	BA	ESS-3299E6	Essex
As I love the so God love me	17th-18th C	None	YORYM-ADBEDA	North Yorkshire
As I love thee God prosper me	17th-18th C	EL or GL	SUR-41E30E	Gloucestershire
As I say so will I doe	18th C	None	DENO-655D65	Derbyshire
As a flower soe is man	17th-18th C	Indistinct	YORYM-1CCEC8	North Yorkshire
As faithfull as friendly	17th C	Illegible	KENT-E52DE7	Kent
As faythfvl as frendly	18th C	None	YORYM-2A5351	North Yorkshire
As true to the as death to me	17th-18th C	None	SF-698D33	Suffolk
As yov wil	17th C	None	NLM-D7157A	Lincolnshire
At the graue biginneth true rest to the godli	17th-18th C	None	SWYOR-057BC8	West Yorkshire
At your servic	17th-18th C	Illegible	GLO-0F65F4	Gloucestershire
At your service	17th C	None	NCL-231226	Northumberland
Atru Freinds gift	17th C	None	WMID-B20CC7	Shropshire
Aves mon coer	15th C	None	DOR-0AE172	Hampshire
Avese mon covr	16th-17th C	None	WILT-765627	Wiltshire
Be constant	16th-17th C	None	LANCUM-ECBF55	Cumbria
Be constant	16th-17th C	None	IOW-E7CB83	Isle of Wight
Be constant and kind	17th-18th C	None	SWYOR-9DB476	Lincolnshire
Be constant ever		None	GLO-7FF074	Gloucestershire
Be constant to the end	17th-18th C	TH	GLO-138292	Wiltshire
Be constant to the end		None	NMGW-1167BA	Powys
Be constant you for I am true	18th C	IG	SUSS-D78307	Berkshire
Be faitfvl and loving	16th-17th C	None	KENT-12A8B4	Kent
Be faithful	17th-18th C	None	BUC-068008	Buckinghamshire
Be faithfvll	16th-17th C	None	SOM-C232B3	Devon
Be favthfvle	16th-17th C	None	LEIC-8149A4	Lincolnshire
Be faythfvl to thy frend	16th-17th C	None	NMS-A203FE	Norfolk
Be faythfvll	17th C	None	WMID-9A7914	Warwickshire
Be not ideil	16th-17th C	None	LON-FE313A	Oxfordshire
Be trew in harte	17th-18th C	None	LIN-651D49	Nottinghamshire
Be true in hart	16th-17th C	None	NARC-8827B7	Northamptonshire
Be true in hart	16th-17th C	None	LON-B17EF1	Oxfordshire
Be true in hart	17th-18th C	H	BM-174F06	Gloucestershire
Be trv in hart	16th-17th C	None	YORYM-438136	North Yorkshire
Be trv in harte	17th-18th C	None	GLO-44FA36	Gloucestershire
Be trv til deathe and so/ shal I	16th-18th C	None	YORYM-7CD0D7	East Riding of Yorkshire
Be trve in hart	16th-17th C	None	YORYM-407F5C	North Yorkshire
Be trve in hart	16th-17th C	None	SF-60FD53	Suffolk
Be trve m hart till death depart	17th-18th C	None	SUR-ED431D	Hampshire
Be trve to thy frynde	17th C	None	HAMP-513887	Hampshire
Be wylling and lovinge	16th-17th C	None	YORYM-EAE3C2	North Yorkshire
Before lyfe comes death	16th-17th C	None	IOW-461BE6	Isle of Wight
Bien celer cet alouer	14th-15th C	None	YORYM-4F2206	East Riding of Yorkshire
C'est en amour	15th C	None	SOMDOR-2B0C28	Dorset
C.R. Where this I give I wish to live	17th-18th C	DA	ESS-316A6E	Oxfordshire
Cans de partir iames	14th-17th C	None	BUC-50E13C	Buckinghamshire
Cave cvi credas	16th C	None	NMS-CFF3F5	Norfolk
Cest mon decir / ec po yr	15th C	None	LANCUM-469077	Lancashire
Cest mon desir	15th C	None	SUR-49938E	Oxfordshire
Christ and thee are all to mee		ID	CORN-661BAD	Cornwall
Conceaue consent confeirme content	17th C	None	DOR-FE5245	Dorset
Constancie is a noble vertue	17th C	R	GLO-324BBE	Gloucestershire
Constancie is a noble vertue	17th C	None	DUR-A5ECF6	East Riding of Yorkshire
Constancy weth affection	17th-18th C	R	IOW-807F5B	Isle of Wight
Constant am I until I die	18th C	GH	OXON-2D0EA4	Buckinghamshire
Constant am I untill I die	18th C	JC	CORN-F7AEA0	Cornwall
Constant will I until I die	16th-17th C	None	LANCUM-396AD0	North Yorkshire
Constantly in affection	17th-18th C	None	LVPL-8713A7	Cumbria
Content hath noe want	18th C	TH	SOM-D31C40	Somerset
Content is a [tr]easure		A (or R) D	ESS-991A8B	Essex
Content is a continail tresure	17th-18th C	None	GLO-A6EA36	Somerset
Content is a treasure	18th C	PE	DEV-785123	Devon
Content is a treasure	18th C	TB	SUR-4F7D97	Hampshire
Content is a treasure	18th C	RN	ESS-BC20F6	Essex
Content is all I crave	18th C	AS?	LIN-A1099F	Lincolnshire
Content is treasur	17th-18th C	HB	BERK-4C489C	Oxfordshire
Content to consent	17th-18th C	None	SUSS-900787	Hampshire
Contents a treasure	18th C	WW or WV	SUR-5946F6	Northamptonshire
Continew constant	17th C	None	SUR-1B3954	East Sussex
Continew constant	17th-18th C	None	NMS-FFED42	Norfolk
Continew faithfvll		None	NMGW-10CCA3	Denbighshire
Continue constant	17th-18th C	None	LIN-993D98	Lincolnshire
Continue constant	17th C	None	SOM-39F176	Somerset
Continue faythfull		None	DEV-B65A8B	Not known
Continv constant	16th-17th C	None	DOR-506515	Dorset
Continv constant	16th-17th C	None	NMS-2DDFC8	Norfolk
Cueve	14th-15th C	None	DUR-C2B99A	North Yorkshire
Cver de vray amy / doit amore mercy	15th C	None	DOR-C010D8	Dorset
D V (heart symbol) ROILE	16th-17th C	None	OXON-442AA4	Oxfordshire
De boen coer	15th C	None	GLO-671C78	Gloucestershire
De bon	15th C	None	SWYOR-112707	South Yorkshire
De bon coer	15th C	None	DEV-C41A0F	Devon
De bon cuer	15th C	None	WREX-38D607	Wrexham
De bon cuer	15th C	None	WMID-7B04B7	Staffordshire
De bon cuer	15th C	None	YORYM-D33826	North Yorkshire
De bon cuer	14th-15th C	None	NARC-394C24	Northamptonshire
De le bien(?)	15th C	None	ESS-A3CCF3	Essex
De li pensez par kI meavez	14th-15th C	None	DUR-4301BA	North Yorkshire
De tout mon cuer	15th C	None	YORYM-655EFF	East Riding of Yorkshire
De tout mon cuer	15th C	None	DENO-FB27A1	Nottinghamshire
Deade if diuided	18th C	None	NARC-7B4A32	Staffordshire
Delvi pensez par kisvi si	15th C	None	HAMP-14F3E5	Hampshire
Deniall is death	17th C	None	LIN-76B104	Lincolnshire
Deny not he that loveth thee	18th-19th C	IM	WILT-981B2F	Wiltshire
Derect our wayes Lord all our days	18th C	e	HAMP-AC8381	Hampshire
Deserve no blame	16th-17th C	None	YORYM-A62700	North Yorkshire
Desire hath no reste	16th-17th C	None	YORYM-9AA838	North Yorkshire
Direct our ways' Lord all our days'	17th C	CL	GLO-0A2A00	Gloucestershire
Don Dami	16th-17th C	None	LVPL-00A457	Cheshire
Don d'amy	16th C	None	LVPL-8772D7	Oxfordshire
Dve dona a qui lvpleat	16th-17th C	None	LANCUM-158E32	North Yorkshire
En bon desir	15th C	None	DENO-0B1431	Derbyshire
En bon hure	15th-16th C	None	LIN-3553F7	Lincolnshire
En leale decir	14th-15th C	None	WAW-B109C9	West Midlands
En vous ma fie	15th C	None	LIN-1DAADC	Nottinghamshire