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
T - V
TELL MY MISTRESSE
THAT A LOVER
TRUE AS LOVE ITSELFE
DOTH LOVE HER
THAT FRIEND IS TRUE WHO TREASURES YOU
THE EYE DID FIND YE
HEART DID CHUSE
THE HAND DOTH BIND
TILL DEATH DOTH LOOSE
THE EYE FINDETH
THE HEART CHOOSETH
THE HAND BINDETH
AND DEATH LOOSETH
THE GIFT IS SMALL BUT LOVE IS ALL
THE RING SHALL TELL I LOVE THEE WELL
THE SIGHT OF THEE IS IOY TO ME
THERE IS NO JEWEL I CAN SEE
LIKE LOVE THAT'S SENT IN CONSTANCY
THERE IS NO OTHER
AND I AM HE
THAT LOVES NO OTHER
AND THOU ART SHE
THIS AND I UNTILL I DIE
THIS FOR A CERTAIN TRUTH
TRUE LOVE APPROVES
THE HEART'S NOT WHERE IT
LIVES BUT WHERE IT LOVES
THIS GIRDLE HAPLY
SHALL BE PLAC'D
TO COMPASS ROUND
YOUR NEAT SMALL WAIST
I WERE HAPPY IF IN THIS PLACE
I MIGHT THY SLENDER WAIST IMBRACE
THIS HATH NO END MY SWEETEST FRIEND
THIS HATH NO END
MY SWEETEST FRIEND
OUR LOVES BE SO
NO ENDING KNOW
THIS RING DOTH BINDE BODY AND MINDE
THIS TAKE FOR MY SAKE
THE WORLD HATH
STRIVED TO PART
YET GOD HATH JOYNED US
HAND AND HEART
THOE MANY THOUGHT
US TWO TO SEVER
YET GOD HATH JOYNED
US TWO TOGETHER
THOU WERT NOT HANDSOM WISE BUT RICH
TWAS THAT WHICH DID MY EYES BEWITCH
THOUGH THESE GLOVES
BE WHITE AND FAIR
YET THY HANDS
MORE WHITER ARE
THY CONSENT IS MY CONTENT
THY FRIEND AM I AND SO WILL DYE
THY HAPPY CHOYCE MAKES ME REJOYCE
TILL DEATH DEPART YOU HAVE MY HEART
TILL DEATH DEVIDE WHAT ERE BETIDE
TILL THAT FROM THEE
I HOPE TO GAIN
ALL SWEET IS SOWRE
ALL PLEASURE PAIN
TIS IN YOUR WILL TO SAVE OR KILL
TIS THY DESERT HATH WOONE MY HEART
TIS TRUE AS OLD HOT LOVE SOON COLD
TIS VAIN FOR TO RESIST
WOMEN DO WHAT THEY LIST
TO BODYES AND ONE HARTE
To GOD'S DECREE WEE BOTH AGREE
TO LIVE IN LOVE I LOVE TO LIVE
TO LOVE AND PEACE GOD GIVES INCREASE
To LOVE AS I DO THEE
IS TO LOVE NONE BUT ME
TO ME BY FAR MORE FAIR
IS MY FAIR ANNE
THEN SWEET CHEEKT LEDA
WITH HER SILVER SWAN
THAT I NERE SAW
BUT HAVE THE PICTURE SEEN
AND WISHT MY SELF BETWEEN
THINE ARMS SWEET NAN
TO ME TILL DEATH AS DEAR AS BREATH
TO THEE I WISH ETERNALL BLISS
TO THEE MY HEART I GIVE
WHILEST I HERE DO LIVE
TO THEE MY LOVE I'LL CONSTANT PROVE
TRUE LOVERS HARTES DEATH ONLY PARTES
TWAS GOD TO THEE DIRECTED ME
TWEEN HOPE AND SAD
DESPAIR I SAIL
THY HELP I CRAVE
MY GRIEF THE SEA
THY BREATH THE SAIL
MAY SINK- OR SAVE
TWO HEARTS ARE KNYTTE AS
HEAVEN THOUGHT FYTTE
UNITED HARTES DEATH ONLY PARTES
VENUS NAKED IN HER CHAMBER
WOUNDS MORE DEEP THAN MARS IN ARMOUR
VERTUE AND LOVE ARE FROM ABOVE
WEE JOYNE OUR LOV IN GOD ABOVE
WE STRANGELY MET AND SO DO MANY
BUT NOW AS TRUE AS EVER ANY
WHAT POSIES FOR OUR WEDDING RINGS
WHAT GLOVES WE'LL GIVE AND RIBAININGS
WHEN LOVE IS DEAD MY JOYS ARE FLED
WHEN MONEY'S LOW THIS RING MUST GO
WHEN ROCKS REMOVE I'LL CEASE TO LOVE
WHEN THIS ABOUT THINE ARM DOTH REST
REMEMBER HER THAT LOVES THEE BEST
WHEN THIS YOU SEE REMEMBER ME
WHEN YOU SEE THIS GIVE IT A KISS
WHEARE HEARTES AGREE NO STRIP CAN BE
WHERE HEARTS ARE TRUE FEW WORDS WILL DO
WHERE ONCE I CHOOSE I NE'ER REFUSE
WILST LIFE IS MYN MY HEART IS THYN
WIT WEALTH AND BEAUTY ALL DO WELL
BUT CONSTANT LOVE DOTH FAR EXCELL
WITH HEART AND HAND AT YOUR COMMAND
WITHIN THY BREAST MY HARTE DOTH REST
YOU AND I WILL LOVE AND DIE
YOU AND I WILL LOVERES DYE
YOU ARE MY FRIEND UNTO THE END
YOU ARE THAT ONE
FOR WHOM ALONE
MY HEART DOTH ONLY CARE
THEN DO BUT JOYN
YOUR HEART WITH MINE
AND WE WILL MAKE A PAIR
YOU NEVER KNEU
A HEART MORE TRUE
YOUR FRIEND AM I ASHUREDLY
YOUR SIGHT IS MY DELIGHT
YOURS LOVING FRIEND TILL DETH US END