Loves Garland/Mr. Day's Posies

by James Roberts Brown

Robert Day, Jun., Esq., F.S.A., of Cork, has very kindly sent me a list of Poesies from rings in his collection. I select the following:—

A merry heart, puts by all Smart.

As you yous me, you shall finde me.

As I proue, I wish your loue.

Condem Hm not bvt lve Hm in
For Kindnes that before Hath bin.

God for ever bless us together.

I long to be made one with thee.

I wish to thee as to myself.

If not, how then.

Ile constant prove to the my love.

Keepe vertue still within thy will.

Let vartu be Gide to the.

Love is the things I wish to winne.

Let us live in Love and sarue the Lord above.

+ Love fixt on vertue lasteth.

My Love and I till death devide E·B≡L M I.

Noe recompence but love _{E.E. (P)}

Not valeu but vertv.

Not a truer heart alive.

Never forget me.

Not a truer ♥ alive.

Not that in mee but bowes to thee.

Qui Dedit se Dedit A M.

+To Hartes in one.

The Yock of Love is swieth.

When [two hearts] unite the loue is right.

Don Damy.

A Friend to the end.

This gentleman also mentions an old house at Cork, which has the following quaint inscription on it:—

Thy sugred . name O Lord engrave
within my brest.
Sith . therein doth consist my weal
and onelie rest.

William Lewis, Esq., of the Bath Herald and Express, writes me that Posey Rings were worn by the Bath fish-women at the very early part of the last century: he adds, “A custom peculiar to this section of our local ladies.”

He had lately seen one “exactly like the ordinary wedding ring, but exceptionally heavy and massive, and the wearer, by its size, must indeed have been ‘a Bonnie Fish-wife’; it was engraved inside in the old-fashioned court hand then in vogue as follows:—

“ ‘My eyes did find, my heart made choice
Of her who makes me now rejoice.’”