Finger-Ring Lore

Everything a Victorian antiquary could gather about rings: betrothal and mourning, poison rings and papal rings, the superstitions attached to every stone, and the rings dug from the presumed site of Troy.

Token Rings

10 pages in this part of Finger-Ring Lore.

Token Rings

RINGS as 'tokens' date from very early times. We are told that Clovis, King of the Franks, in the latter part of the fifth century, wishing…

Token Rings: Oswald

Hardyng, in his 'Chronicles,' relates a pretty story of Oswald, King of Northumberland (seventh century), and Kineburg, his consort. A…

Token Rings: France

This story reminds us of the lines in 'Marmion,' by Sir Walter Scott :- The fair Queen of France Sent him a turquoise ring and glove, And…

Token Rings: Ye'se

The Prince is poisoned, and his lady-love arrives just after the funeral, and is told :- 'Ye'se get nane o' his gowd, ye'se get nane o' his…

Token Rings: Elizabeth

One of the most interesting episodes of ring-tokens is that which Queen Elizabeth is said to have given to the Earl of Essex in token of…

Token Rings: Devereux

Perhaps the strongest claim to the possession of the real ring of Essex is that which was exhibited at the Society of Antiquaries, March…

Token Rings: Nicholas

In the metrical chronicle of the 'Life of Sir Nicholas Throgmorton' we find that when Elizabeth heard rumours of the death of her sister…

Token Rings: John

The sapphire in this ring is in the possession of the Countess of Cork, and was exhibited at the Loan Exhibition of Jewellery at South…

Token Rings: Charles

It was in the reign of Charles the First that a fearful incident occurred in Scotland (1630) at the Castle of Frendraught a fire breaking…

Token Rings: Hernando

At the nearest town he lighted down before a goldsmith's gate : He hath bought three rings of plain red gold, like those by Clara worn, O…

Rights & ReuseThe complete text of Finger-Ring Lore (1877) is in the public domain in the United States — like all works published before 1928 — and is free to read, download, quote, teach from, and reuse. This digital edition (its transcription, restored images, and site design) is © 2026 PhotoOpAI, and any editorial commentary we add is clearly marked as ours; the underlying public-domain text carries no such restriction.