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
M - S
MANY ARE THE STARRS I SEE
YET IN MY EYE NO STARR LIKE THEE
MEND YOUR WAYS LOVE ALL YOUR DAYES
MEMENTO MEI
WHEN THIS YOU SEE
REMEMBER ME
MINE EYE DID SEE
MY HEART DID CHOOSE
TRUE LOVE DOTH BIND
TILL DEATH DOTH LOOSE
MOST IN MYND AND YU MYN HEART
LOTHEST FROM YOU FOR TO DEPARTT
MY DEAREST BETTY IS GOOD AND PRETTY
MY FAITH I BIND WHERE LOVE I FIND
MY FAITH IS GIVEN
THIS PLEDGE DOTH SHOW
A WORK FROM HEAVEN
PERFORMED BELOW
MY FOND DELIGHT BY DAY AND NIGHT
MY GIVING THIS
BEGINS MY BLISS
MY HAPPY CHOYCE MAKES MEE REJOYCE
MY HARTAND I UNTILL I DY
MY HEART I BIND WHERE FAITH I FIND
MY HEART LIVES WHERE IT LOVES
MY HEART MY DEAR
TO THEE I GIVE
FOR THEE TO KEEP
WHILST BOTH WE LIVE
MY HEART YOU HAVE AND YOURS I CRAVE
MY LOVE FOR THEE SHALL ENDLESS BE
MY LUVE IS FIXT
I CANNOT RANGE
I LIKE MY CHOICE
TO WELL TO CHANGE
MY LOVE IS TRUE MY DEAR TO YOU
MY LOVE IS TRUE TO NONE BUT YOU
MY LOVE NO LESS THEN I PROFESS
MY LOVE THESE BR/ACELETS TAKE
AND THINK OF THEM NO HARM
BUT SINCE THEY BR/ACELETS BE
LET THEM IMBR/ACE THY ARM.
MY LOVE TO THEE LIKE THIS SHALL BE
MY LOUE TO THEE SHALL ENDLESS BE
MY LOVE TO THEE SHALL EVER BE
MY PROMISE PAST SHALL ALWAYS LAST
NERE JOY THE HEART THAT SEEKS TO PART
NO BITTER SMART CAN CHANGE MY HEART
NO CROSSE SO STRANGE MY LOVE TO CHANGE
NO GIFT CAN SHOW THE LOVE I OW
NO HAP SO HARD AS LOVE DEBARD
NOE HEART MORE TRUE THAN MINE TO YOU
NO LOVE MORE TRUE THAN MINE TO YOU
NOE STAR TO ME SOE BR/IGHT AS THEE
NO TURTLE DOVE HATH PURER LOVE
NOT LUST BUT LOVE AS TIME SHALL PROVE
NOT THINE NOR MINE BUT OURS
NOT TWO BUT ONE TILL LIFE BE DONE
OF ALL BAD THINGS
A HEART WITH WINGS
IS STILL THE WORST
AND HE THAT MEETS
WITH ONE SO FLEET
OF ALL'S ACCURST
OF ALL THE REST I LOVE THEE BEST
OF RAPTUROUS JOYE I AM THE TOYE
OF SUCH A TREASURE THEN ART THOU POSSEST
FOR THOU HAST SUCH A HEART IN SUCH A BR/EST
ON THY RETURN FROM SEE
UNITED WEE WILL BEE
ONE LOVE ONE TROTH
BETWEEN US BOTH
ONE WAS THE BOW ONE WAS THE DART
THAT WOUNDED US BOTH TO THE HEART
THEN SINCE WE BOTH DO FEEL ONE PAIN
LET ONE LOVE CURE US BOTH AGAIN
ONE WORD FOR ALL I LOVE AND SHALL
PARTING IS PAYNE WHEN
LOVE DOTH REMAYNE
PRAY TAKE ME KINDLY MISTRESS KISSE ME TOO
MY MASTER SWEARES HELE DO AS MUCH FOR YOU
PREPARED BE TO FOLLOW ME
RATHER DYE THAN FAITH DENY
RECEIVE THIS SACRIFICE IN PART
FROM THE ALTAR - OF MY HEART
REMEMBER HIM WHO DIED FOR THEE
AND AFTER THAT REMEMBER ME
REMEMBER MEE WHEN THIS YOU SEE
REMEMBER THIS AND GIVE A KISSE
RINGS AND TRUE FRIENDS
ARE WITHOUT ENDS
ROSEMARY ROSE I SEND TO THEE
IN HOPE THAT THOU WILT MARRY ME
NOTHING CAN BE SWEET ROSE
MORE SWEETER UNTO HARRY
THEN MARRY ROSE
SWEETER THAN THIS ROSEMARY
RYCHES BE UNSTABLE
BEUTY WYLL DEKAY
BUT FAITHFULL LOVE
WYLL EVER LASTE
TYL DETH DRIVE ITT AWAY
SHE THAT OF ALL DOTH
LOVE THE DEAREST
DOTH SEND THEE THIS
WHICH AS THOU WEAREST
AND OFT DO'S LOOK
ON THINK ON ME
AS I BY THINE
DO THINK ON THEE
SINCE GOD HATH WROUGHT
THIS CHOICE IN THEE
SO FRAME THYSELF
TO COMFORT ME
SINCE THY HOT LOVE
SO QUICKLY'S DONE
DO THOU BUT GOE
FLE STRIVE TO RUN
SUCH LIKING IN MY CHOICE I HAVE
NOTHING SHALL PART US BUT THE GRAVE
SUE IS BONNY BLYTHE AND BR/OWN
THIS RING HATH MADE HER NOW MY OWN
SWEETHEART I PRAY DOE NOT SAY NAY