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Ring Superstitions: Aubrey

The cup or vase represented in the engraving near the sphinx refers to the divination by the cup, one of the most ancient methods of discovering future events by crystalline reflection. The divining cup of Joseph shows that its use was familiar in Egypt at that remote period.1 Charmed rings found easy believers among the Greeks 1 'A Berril,' observes Aubrey in his 'Miscellanies,' 'is a kind of crystal that hath a weak tincture of red. In this magicians see visions. There are certain formulas of prayers to be used before they make the inspection which they term a Call. In a manuscript of Dr. Forman, of Lambeth (which Mr. Elias Ashmole had), is a discourse of this and the prayer; also there is a Call which Dr. Napier did use. James Harrington (author of "Oceana") told me that the Earl of Denbigh, then ambassador at Venice, did tell him that one did show him three several times, in a glass, things past and to come. When Sir Marmaduke Langdale was in Italy he went to one of these Magi, who did show him a glass where he saw himself kneeling before a crucifix.' A 'Berrill' belonging to Sir Edward Harley is thus described by Aubrey :--' It is a perfect sphere; the diameter of it I guess to be something more than an inch; it is set in a ring or circle of silver resembling the meridian of a globe; the stem of it is about ten inches high, all gilt. At the four quarters of it are the names of four angels, viz., Uriel, Raphael, Michael, Gabriel. On the top is a cross patée. This, it appears, was efficacious in detecting thieves; it also forewarned death.' Dr. Dee's famous crystal, now in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, will be remembered. (See discoveries in the tomb of Childeric, at Tournay, in chapter on 'Memorial and Mortuary Rings.') and the Romans, and were special articles of traffic. Such objects, made of wood, bone, or some other cheap materials, were manufactured in large numbers at Athens, and could be purchased, gifted with any charm required, for the small consideration of a single drachma. 6 In the 'Plutus' of Aristophanes, to a threat on the part of the sycophant, the just man replies that he is proof against evil influences, having a charmed ring.' Carion, the servant, observes 'that the ring would not prevail against the bite of a sycophant.' The ring was probably a medicated one, to preserve from demons and serpents.