Jewelry

Elegant wedding ring with “joynd in one by christ alone

Gold band with D-section and engraved on the interior is in italic script the motto: ‘Joynd in one by Christ alone’. The ring shows signs of wear through age and is in good wearable condition.

Provenance:

In 2021 the ring was found near Burwash Common, East Sussex (Portable Antiquities Scheme reference SUSS-FDE662). 

Literature:

Posy rings, their name deriving from the term poésie or poetry, are rings with mottoes either in prose or verse. Like here, the message was often concealed inside the hoop and its content only known to the giver and recipient. They find mention in plays by William Shakespeare, such as Hamlet and the Merchant of Venice, however, throughout the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries posy rings enjoyed great popularity, especially as betrothal or wedding rings, like here, with the inscription evoking God’s blessing ‘Joynd in one by Christ alone’ alluding to the union of the couple joined by Christ. Through the centuries though posy rings were also exchanged between lovers, friends and family members.

Joan Evans records two variations of this inscription and three variants with God instead of Christ (Evans 1931, p. 64). A ring with the same motto dated about 1724 can be found in the British Museum, London (Dalton 1912, no. 1224 and other variations with ‘….. God alone’ nos. 1225, 1226) and Museum of London (inv. no. 62.4/104).

For a history of posy rings with extensive examples ranging from the medieval period to eighteenth century, see: Scarisbrick 2021 and for further information on posies: Evans, 1931; Anon., 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; Oman 1974, pp. 39 ff.

R-1064