Very short love poems engraved on vintage wedding rings - tokens of devotion and promise

These very short love poems and rhymed inscriptions can be found engraved on antique posy rings (also 'posie' or 'posey rings'). They repesent deep intimate feelings of people who have long since perished. Such rings were given on various occasions, but as one can clearly see, mostly as tokens of engagement or as wedding rings. Not many of them can be considered true gems of English literature, but the power of these short love poems (if any) is in their romantic sincerity and old time charm. Their brevity is naturally dictated by the limitations of space - only one or two phrases used to fit on a ring (today's engraving machines can do much better than that!). Modern day Valentines are obviously influenced by this genre, but some of these rhymed lines have apparently gone unnoticed for centuries. This collection is fairly unique, although not complete.

A - F | G - L | M - S | T - V

G - L

GOD HATH ME SENT MY
HART'S CONTENT

GOD OUR LOVE CONTINUE EVER
THAT WE IN HEAVEN MAY LIVE TOGETHER

GOD SAW THEE MOST FIT FOR ME

GOD SEND HER ME MY WIFE TO BE

GOD Yt HATH KEPT THY
HEART FOR MEE
GRANT THAT OUR LOVE MAY
FAITHFULL BEE

GOD'S DIRECTIONS JOYNED OUR AFFECTIONS

GOD'S GIFT THOU ART MY
DEAREST HEART

GOD'S INTENT NONE CAN PREVENT

GOD'S WILL IS DONE AND I HAVE MINE
MY HEART'S AT REST IN HAVING THINE

GREAT DUNDEE FOR GOD AND ME

GREAT IS THE GRIEF THAT ISUSTAIN
WHICH HERE IS FIGURED BY A FLAME
THAT DOTH TORMENT ME IN EACH PART
BUT CHIEFLY SEIZETH ON MY HEART
YET RATHER THAN MY HEART SHALL TURN
FROM MY FAITH IN LOVE I'LE BURN

GREAT JOYE IN THEE CONTINUALLY

GRIEVE NOT HIS HEART WHOSE JOY THOU ART

HAD I NOT SPOKE MY HEART HAD BROKE
THE UTMOST SCOPE OF LOVE IS HOPE

HAND HEART AND ALL IHAVE IS THINE

HAND HEART AND ALL THOU HAST BE MINE

HAPPY IN THEE HAS GOD MADE ME

HEARTS CONTENT CAN NERE REPENT

HEARTS TRULY TIED NONE CAN DIVIDE

I AM A PORE MAIDEN
AND FAINE WOULD MARRY
AND THE LACKE OF GOODS IS
THE CAUSE THAT I TARRY

I AM YOUR FRIEND UNTO THE END

I AM YOUR LOTT REFUSE ME NOT

I AM YURES WHIL LYFE ENDURES

I BID ADIEU TO ALL BUT YOU

I CANNOT SHOW THE LOVE OWE

I DID COMMIT NO ACT OF FOLLY
WHEN I MARRIED MY SWEET MOLLY

I DO OWE BOTH LOVE AND DUTY
TO YOUR VERTUE AND YOUR BEAUTY

I DO NOT REPENT THAT I
GAVE MY CONSENT

I DO REJOYCE IN THEE MY CHOYCE

I FANCY NONE BUT THEE ALONE

I GIVE IT THEE MY LOVE TO BE

I GIVE IT THEE TO THINK ON ME

I HAVE OBTAINED WHOME GOD ORDAINED

I JOY IN THEE JOY THOU IN ME

I JOY TO FIND A CONSTANT MIND

I LIKE I LOVE AS TURTLE DOVE

I LIKE I LOVE I LIVE CONTENT

I MADE MY CHOICE NOT TO REPENT

I LIKE MY CHOICE AND DO REJOYCE

I LIVE AND DY IN LOYALTYE

I LIVE IF AYE IF NO I DIE

I SEEK TO BE NOT THINE BUT THEE

I SHALL IN THEE MOST HAPPY BE

I THAT CUPID CALLED AM
AND SHALL NEVER BE A MAN
BUT AM STILL THE BLINDED BOY
THAT BREEDS LOVERS MUCH ANOY

HAVING GOTTEN ON A DAY
FROM MY MOTHER LEAVE TO PLAY
AND OBTAINED USE OF SIGHT
I IN WANTONNESE DID WRITE
THESE SAME POSIES WHICH I SEND
AND TO LOVERS DO COMMEND
WHICH IF THE Y BE WRIT WITHIN
THE LITTLE CIRCLE OF A RING
OR BE SENT UNTO YOUR LOVES
WITH FINE HANDKERCHERS AND GLOVES
I DO KNOW THAT LIKE MY DART
THEY HAVE POWER TO WOUND THE HEART
FOR INSTEAD OF FLOWERS AND ROSES
HERE ARE WORDS BOUND UP IN POSIES

I WILL BE TRUE ALWAYS TO YOU

I WILL REMAIN ALWAYS THE SAME

WILL YOU TREWELIE SERVE

I WISH THAT WE TWO WERE A PAIR
AS THESE HAPPY GLOVES HERE ARE

I WISH TO THEE ALL JOIE MAY BEE

IF ALL MANKIND
WOULD LIVE IN LOVE
THIS WORLD WOULD MUCH
RESEMBLE THAT ABOVE

IF I SURVIVE I WILL HAVE FIVE

IF I THINK MY WIFE IS FAIR
WHAT NEED OTHER PEOPLE CARE

IF IN THY LOVE THOU CONSTANT BEE
MY HEART SHALL NEVER PART FROM THEE

IF YOU DENY I WISH TO DIE

IF YOU DENY THEN SURE I DYE

IF YOU LOVE ME AS I LOVE YOU
NOTHING CAN CUT OUR LOVE IN TWO

IN CONSTANCIE I LIVE AND DYE

IN GOD AND THEE ALL COMFORT BE

IN LOVE AT NIGHT IS MY DELIGHT

IN LOVE'S DELIGHT SPEND DAY AND NIGHT

IN THEE A FLAME IN ME THE SAME

IN THEE MY CHOYCE I DOE REJOYCE

IN THY BREAST MY HEART DOTH REST

IN THY SIGHT IS MY DELIGHT

IN TRUST BE JUSTE

IN UNITIE LET'S LIVE AND DY

IN WEAL AND WOE MY LOVE I'LE SHOW

INNUMERABLE ARE THE STARS I SEE
BUT IN MY HEART NO STAR LIKE THEE

IT IS A PITTY YOU SHOULD WEAR A MASK
THIS IS THE REASON IF YOU DO ASK
BECAUSE IT HIDES YOUR FACE SO FAIR
WHERE ROSES MIXT WITH LILLIES ARE
IT CLOUTS YOUR BEAUTY SO THAT WE
YOUR CHERRY LIPS CAN SELDOM SEE
AND FROM YOUR FACE KEEPS OFF OUR EYES
WHICH IS INDEED LOVES PARADICE

JOY AND CARE LET US TAKE SHARE

JOY DOTH ABOUND WHERE LOVE IS FOUND

JOY IN NONE BUT YOU ALONE

JOYE DAY AND NIGHT BEE OUR DELIGHT

KEEPE FAYTH TILL DETH

KINDLY TAKE THIS GIFT OF MINE
FOR GIFT AND GIVER BOTH ARE THINE

KNOTTS OF LOVE ARE KNITT ABOVE

LET FRIEND NOR FOE THIS SECRET KNOW

LET LYKINGE LASTE

LET LOVE ABIDE TILL DEATH DIVIDE

LET LOVE DIVINE OUR HEARTS ENTWINE

LET MEE IN THEE MOST HAPPY BEE

LET ME SERVE TILL I DESERVE

LET ME WITH THEE FUL HAPPY BE

LET OUR CONTEST BEE WHO LOVES BEST

LET US CONTEST WHICH SHALL LOVE BEST

LET US LOVE LIKE TURTLE DOVE

LET US SHARE IN JOY AND CARE

LIKE PHILIS THERE IS NONE
SHE TRUELY LOVES HER CHORIDON

LIVE AS I OR ELSE I DYE

LOVE AND JOYE CAN NEVER CLOYE

LOVE AND PRAY NIGHT AND DAYE

LOVE AND RESPECT I DOE EXPECT

LOVE AND WINE IN THIS DEGREE
THE ELDER BETTER STILL THEY BE
SO OUR LONG SUIT THEN SHALL BE TRUE
CHANG NOT THY OLD LOVE FOR A NEW

LOVE AS I OR ELCE I DIE

LOVE EVER OR LOVE NEVER

LOVE HIM IN HEART WHOSE JOY THOU ART

LOVE I HAVE YET LOVE I CRAVE

LOVE I LIKE THEE SWEET REQUITE ME

LOVE INTIRE IS MY DESIRE

LOVE IS A CHAIN
WHOSE LINKES OF GOLD
TWO HEARTS WITHIN
ONE BOSOM HOLD

LOVE IS SURE WHERE FAITH IS PURE

LOVE ME TRUE AS I DO YOU

LVEE NEVER DYES WHERE VERTUE LYES

LOVES DELIGHT IS TO UNITE
I NOW DO SUE FOR LOVE TO YOU

LUST LOVES TO RANGE LOVE KNOWS NO CHANGE