Names are represented on rings by the same means. The Prince of Wales, on his marriage to the Princess Alexandra, gave her as a keeper one with the stones set with his familiar name, Bertie-beryl, emerald, ruby, turquoise, jacinth, emerald.

These name-rings are common in France; thus, Adèle is spelt with an amethyst, a diamond, an emerald, a lapis lazuli, and another emerald.

Among the motto or 'reason' rings, as they were termed, is an example, described in the Archæologia' (vol. xxxi), a weighty ring of fine gold, found in 1823 at Thetford, in Suffolk. The device which appears upon this ring is an eagle displayed; on the inner side is engraved a bird, with the wings closed, apparently a falcon, with a crown upon its head.

The following posy or motto, commencing on the outer side, is continued on the interior of the ring: 'Deus me ouroye de vous seuir a gree-com moun couer desire' (God work for me to make suit acceptably to you, as my heart desires). The devices appear to be heraldic, and the motto that of a lover, or a suitor to one in power. The eagle is the bearing of several ancient Suffolk families; it was also a badge of the House of Lancaster, and Thetford was one portion of the Duchy of Lancaster.

These mottos were occasionally engraved in relief. In the Londesborough Collection is one of gold, found in the Thames. The inscription upon it is 'Sans vilinie' (without baseness).

'A very early ring,' remarks Mr. Fairholt, with an unusually pretty posy, is in the collection of J. Evans, Esq., F.S.A. It is gold, set with a small sapphire, and is inscribed "IE, SVI, ICI, EN LI'V D'AMI" (I am here in place of

a friend). It was probably made at the beginning of the fourteenth century. Beside it is placed two other specimens of inscribed rings. The first is chased with the Nortons' motto, 'God us ayde;' the second is inscribed withinside with the sentence, 'Mulier, viro subjecta esto.' Both are works of the fifteenth century.

Mr. Fairholt describes two gold wedding-rings of the sixteenth century, which were then generally inscribed with a posy of one or two lines of rhyme. One is formed like a badge of the Order of the Garter, with the buckle in front and the motto of the Order outside the hoop; withinside are the words, 'I'll win and wear you.' The other is the ordinary form of wedding-ring, inscribed, 'Let likinge laste.' They were generally inscribed withinside the hoop. win & wear

KINGE LAST

Posy rings.

Thus Lyly, in his 'Euphues' (1597), addressing the ladies, hopes they will favour his work-writing their judgments as you do the posies in your rings, which are always next to the finger, not to be seen of him that holdeth you by the hand, and yet known by you that wear them on your hands.'

The Rev. C. W. King remarks that 'antique intagli set

EE

in mediæval seals have, in general, a Latin motto added around the setting. For this the Lombard letter is almost invariably employed, seldom the black letter, whence it may "be inferred, which, indeed, was likely on other grounds, that such seals, for the most part, came from Italy, where the Lombard alphabet was the sole one in use until superseded by the revived Roman capitals about the year 1450. Of such mottos a few examples will serve to give an idea, premising that the stock was not very extensive, judging from the frequent repetitions of the same legends, on seals of widely different devices. Thus a very spirited intaglio of a lion passant, found in Kent, proclaims—“ SUM LEO QUOVIS EO NON NISI VERA VEHO;" another gives the admonition to secresy-"TECTA LEGE, LECTA TEGE ; a third in the same strain-" CLAUSA SECRETA TEGO ;" another lion warns us with " IRA REGIA," the wrath of a king is as the roaring of a lion-an apt device for a courtier. Less frequently seen are legends in old French, and these are more quaint in their style; for instance, around a female bust"PRIVÉ SUY E PEU CONNU :" whilst a gryllus of a head, covered with a fantastic helmet made up of masks, gives the advice, in allusion to the enigmatical type-"CREEZ CE KF VUUS LIRREZ," for " Croyez ce que vous lirez."

CHAPTER IX.

CUSTOMS AND INCIDENTS IN CONNECTION WITH RINGS.

ONE of the most singular usages in former times in which a ring was employed was the annual celebration at Venice of the wedding of the Doge with the Adriatic. This custom is said to date from the era of Pope Alexander III., and the Doge of Venice, Zidni, in the twelfth century. This prince having on behalf of the pontiff attacked the hostile fleet of Frederic Barbarossa, and obtained a complete victory, with the capture of the emperor's son, Otho, the Pope in grateful acknowledgment gave him a ring, ordaining that henceforth and for ever, annually, the governing Doge should, with a ring, espouse the sea. The pontiff promised that the bride should be obedient and subject to his sway, for ever, as a wife is subjected to her husband.

It is recorded that in this year (1177) this pompous ceremony was performed for the first time. The Doge died in the following year. On Ascension Day the Venetians, headed by their Doge, celebrated the triumphant event. Galleys, sailing-vessels, and gondolas accompanied the chief of the State, who occupied a prominent position on the 'Bucentoro,' which held, as its name implies, two hundred persons. This vessel was decorated with columns, statues, etc., and the top was covered with crimson velvet. There

were twenty-one oars on each side. Musical performers attended in another barge. The vessel left the Piazza of St. Mark under a salute of guns, and proceeded slowly to the Isle of Lido. Here the Doge, taking the ring from his finger, gave it to his betrothed wife, the Adriatic, by dropping it into her bosom, repeating these words: ‘We espouse thee, oh sea! in token of our just and perpetual dominion.' 1

The reader will remember the well-known lines of Byron, written at Venice :

The spouseless Adriatic mourns her lord;

And, annual marriage now no more renew'd,

The Bucentaur lies rotting, unrestored,

Neglected garment of her widowhood.

It is probable that Shakspeare alluded to this custom when he says in 'Othello: '—

I would not my unhoused free condition
Put into circumscription, and confine
For the sea's worth.

Byron, in the 'Two Foscari,' again alludes to the 'marriage' ring of the Doge. When the Council of Ten demanded of the Doge Foscari

The resignation of the ducal ring,

Which he had worn so long and venerably,

he laid aside the ducal bonnet and robes, surrendered his ring of office, and exclaimed:

There's the ducal ring,

And there's the ducal diadem. And so

The Adriatic's free to wed another.

So, Rogers:

He was deposed,

He who had reigned so long and gloriously;

1 Appendix.