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Posy, Inscription, and Motto Rings: Love
If thee dosn't work, thee shasn't eat. (From Monmouthshire.) From the 'Card of Courtship; or, The Language of Love, fitted to the Humours of all Degrees, Sexes, and Conditions,' 1653:
Thou art my star, be not irregular.
Without thy love I backward move.
Thine eyes so bright are my chief delight.
This intimates the lover's states.
My life is done when thou art gone.
This hath no end, my sweetest friend.
Our loves be so, no ending know.
Love and joye can never cloye.
The pledge I prove of mutuall love.
I love the rod and thee and God. 1646.
All I refuse, but thee I chuse.
Gift and giver, your servants ever.
Non mœchaberis.
Tuut mon coer.
Mulier viro subjecta esto.
Sans departir à nul autre.
Tout mon cuer avez.
Lel ami avet.
Par ce present ami aumer rent. (By this gift to love me given.) Let Reason rule.
J'aime mon choix.
À vous à jamais.
Je suis content.
L'amour nous unit.
Je suis content, j'ai mon désir.
Je vous aime d'un amour extrême.
Ce que Dieu conjoint, l'homme ne le sépare point.
Desire hath no rest.
This and my heart.
Acceptance is my comfort.
God us ayde (on a curious old ring, chased with the Nortons' motto). í h c Naserus rex Judiorum me serere + .
My giving this begins thy bliss.
Remember Him who died for thee, And after that remember me.
Let me wish thee full happy be.
Tibi soli (on Beau Fielding's ring; temp. Queen Anne).
From a Commonplace Book of the seventeenth century in Sion College Library :
There is no other, and I am he, That loves no other, and thou art she.
Eye doth find, heart doth choose, Faith doth bind, death doth lose.
Let us be one Till we are none { To live in love I love to live.
Love well, and Live well. { Virtus non vultus Patior ut potiar.
Sequor ut consequar.
I seek to be Not thine, but thee.
Nowe ys thus (inscription upon a gold ring found about 1786 on the site of the battle of Towton, Yorkshire. The weight was more than an ounce; it had no stone, but a lion passant was cut upon the gold. The inscription was in old black characters. The crest is that of the Percy family, and it is supposed the ring was worn by the Earl of Northumberland on the day of the battle (March 29, 1461). The motto seems to allude to the times : The age is fierce as a lion'). 6 Je change qu'en mourant. Unalterable to my Perdita through life (inscribed on a ring presented to Mrs. Robinson, by the Prince Regent, afterwards George IV.).
If love I finde, I will bee kinde.
In thee my choyse how I reioyce.
In thee my choice I do rejoice (this posy is on a massive gold ring, which is thus described by a writer in 'Notes and Queries ' :-In the centre of the ornamentation outside is a shield, with three lions passant on it. On the right of the shield H, and on the left of it I, each letter having an old-fashioned crown over it. At the extreme ends of the ornamentation, outside the letters H and I are three fleurs-de-lys).
Take hand and heart, ile nere depart.
Live and dye in constancy.
A vertuous wife yt serveth life.
As long as life your loving wife.
I will be yours while breath indures.
Love is sure where faith is pure.
A vertuous wife doth banish strife.
As God hath made my choyse in thee, So move thy heart to comfort mee.
God yt hath kept thy heart for mee, Grant that our love may faithfull bee.
God our love continue ever, That we in heaven may live together.
The eye did find, ye heart did chuse, The hand doth bind, till death doth loose.
First feare ye Lord, then rest content, So shall we live and not repent.
Breake not thy vow to please the eye, But keepe thy love, so live and dye.
I am sent to salute you from a faithfull friend.
This and my heart.
Acceptance is my comfort.
Too light to requite.
Patience is a noble virtue.
Lost all content, if not consent.
A friend to one as like to none.
Your sight, my delight.
Virtue meeting, happy greeting.
As trust, bee just.
DD2 For a kiss, take this.
No better smart shall change my heart.
Hurt not yr heart whose joy thou art My heart and I until I dye.
Sweetheart I pray doe not say nay.
My heart you have and yours I crave.
As you now find so judge me kind.
Let this present my good intent (1758).
One word for all, I love and shall.
My constant love shall never move.
Like and take, mislike forsake.
The want of thee is griefe to mee.
Be true to me yt gives it thee.
Privata di te moriro.
Deprived of thee I die.
Till yt I have better I remayne your detter.
Mon esprit est partout.
Mon cœur est avec vous.
Lite to requite.
Faithfull ever, deceitefull never.
I present, you absent.
Despise not mee, yt ioyes in thee.
I live, I love, and live contented, And make my choice not to be repented.
Desire hath set my heart on fire.
I hope to see you yielde to mee.
Both, or neither, chuse you whether.
Heart, this, and mee, if you agree.
This accepted, my wish obtained.
This accepted, my wish affected.
Thy friend am I, and so will dye.
O yt I might have my delight.
Parting is payne when love doth remayne.
My corne is growne, love reape thy owne.
This thy desert shall crown my heart.
I fancy none but thee alone.
God sent her me my wife to be.
God's appointment is my contentment.
This is your will to save or kill.
If you but consent, you shall not repent.
If you deny, then sure I dye.
Wth teares I mourne, as one forlorne.
A friend to one, as like to none.
Your sight, my delight.
Grieve not his heart whose joy thou art.
First love Christ that died for thee.
Next to Hym love none but me.
Joye day and night bee our delight.
Divinely knitt by Grace are wee, Late two, now one; the pledge here see.
B. & A. (1657).