What does a posy ring inscription mean? A posy is a short line of verse, usually a vow of love or fidelity, engraved on a plain band. The most famous, Vous et nul autre, is French for "You and no other". Below we translate the classic posies in French, English and Latin, explain why they moved from the outside of the ring to the inside, and show how to read the old spellings on a ring you are considering.
In brief
- "Posy" comes from "poesy": a short poem engraved on a ring, given in love, betrothal or friendship.
- Medieval posies were often in French and on the outside; by the 1600s English posies were hidden inside.
- Vous et nul autre means "You and no other"; Mon cuer avez means "You have my heart".
- An original inscription wears with the band; crisp, modern lettering on a worn ring deserves a question.
What is a posy ring?
A posy ring is a band, usually of gold, engraved with a short motto. The word is a contraction of "poesy", and the verses were often only a line or two. They were exchanged between lovers, given at betrothal and marriage, and passed between friends. In England they flourished from the 15th century to the early 18th, and the tradition has never quite died.
Posies were so familiar that Shakespeare could mock them. In Hamlet, a short prologue prompts the jibe "Is this a prologue, or the posy of a ring?" In The Merchant of Venice, Gratiano's ring is inscribed "Love me, and leave me not". Printed collections such as Love's Garland (1624) offered ready-made verses to suitors short of inspiration.
Outside or inside? How posies moved
The earliest inscribed love rings of the 14th and 15th centuries usually carry their words on the outside, often in Gothic black-letter and sometimes filled with enamel. The language of courtly love was French, so even English rings speak it. Many sit alongside engraved flowers, hearts or saints, as in the rings described in our guide to medieval rings.
From the 16th century the posy moved inside, in English and in a neat italic hand. The vow became private, known only to the wearer and the giver, and the outside was left plain or lightly decorated. This is the classic English posy ring of the 17th century: a slim gold band whose message only shows when it is taken off.
Not every country followed. Our Spanish Renaissance Betrothal Ring of about 1600 is engraved on the outside, "Toma Mi Cora", an abbreviated form of Toma mi corazón, "Take my heart". Spanish rings of the period often declared their love openly. Here the words sit beside a heart and a hand holding an arrow, Cupid's weapon, with traces of the original white enamel.
Famous posy inscriptions and their meanings
Thousands of posies are recorded, and many recur, because suitors borrowed from the same books and the same goldsmiths. These are some of the most often found, with their meanings.
French posies
- Vous et nul autre: "You and no other".
- Mon cuer avez: "You have my heart".
- Autre ne vueil: "I want no other".
- Tout pour vous: "All for you".
- A vous me lie: "I bind myself to you".
These are the voice of medieval and early Tudor love, and they appear in Anglo-Norman spellings that look strange today: cuer for cœur, vueil for veux. Vous et nul autre is perhaps the purest of them, a promise of exclusive devotion that suits an engagement or wedding ring as well now as it did six centuries ago.
English posies
- I like my choice.
- In thee my choice I do rejoice.
- Not two but one till life be done.
- God above increase our love.
- Let love abide till death divide.
- Continue constant.
English posies tend to rhyme, and many are pious, placing the marriage under God's care. Others are wry or tender, and some are cryptic initials known only to the couple.
Latin posies
Latin gave weight and a scholarly air. Amor vincit omnia, "Love conquers all", is the best known: Chaucer gives it to the Prioress, engraved on her gold brooch in The Canterbury Tales. Latin also became the natural language of mourning inscriptions, as we shall see.
How to read an old posy inscription
Old lettering repays patience. Early engravers used u and v interchangeably, and i, j and y likewise, so "vnto" is "unto" and "ioy" is "joy". Words were abbreviated to fit, as "Cora" stands for corazón on our Spanish ring, and spelling was not yet standardised. Read the line aloud and the meaning usually emerges.
Look too at where the verse starts. Many posies begin or end with a small device, a cross, star or hand, marking the start of a line that otherwise runs in a continuous circle. Inside the band you may also find a maker's mark, which can help to date the ring even when there is no hallmark.
Love tokens without words
Not every love ring needed an inscription. Symbols said as much as verse: clasped hands for fidelity, hearts, true-love knots, forget-me-nots. Our guide to the symbols of antique jewellery explains this silent language. The Georgian Crowned Heart Ring, of about 1740, is a love token of this kind, a forerunner of the engagement ring.
Its triangular rose cut diamond sits in a heart-shaped silver setting, crowned by three more diamonds, in the Rococo taste. The crowned heart was a familiar image of love and lasting devotion. Georgian engagement rings of this sort are explored further in our Georgian engagement rings guide.
Our Georgian Sentimental Ring of about 1800 makes the same point in another way. It carries no name, date or dedication; instead it speaks through a portrait miniature beneath rock crystal, a band of woven hair and periwinkle-blue enamel, a colour associated with constancy. The absence of an inscription suggests a private love token rather than a mourning ring.
Words for the dead: mourning ring inscriptions
By the 17th and 18th centuries the inscribed ring had a solemn twin. Wealthy families left money in their wills for mourning rings, engraved with the name of the dead, the date of death and the age. Latin abbreviations recur: ob. for obiit, "died", and Æ or æt. for aetatis, "aged". Mottoes such as "Prepared be to follow me" turned the posy into a memento mori.
The Count of Créquy Portrait Ring is a fine example. Made in England in 1785, its back is engraved "Hugo Comes de Crequy Canaples ob. 2 Feb 1785 Æ 82": "Hugh, Count of Créquy-Canaples, died 2 February 1785, aged 82". The inscription is the only known source for his full date of death, a reminder that these few words can be historical documents.
Lockets carried such inscriptions too. Inside our Georgian 'Baron Vernon' Locket of about 1837, one side is engraved with the names and dates of George Charles, 4th Baron Vernon, and Lady Vernon; opposite, two locks of their hair lie side by side under glass. You will find more pieces like it in our pendants and lockets collection.
Mottoes, slogans and public vows
Inscriptions could be political as well as personal. In 1813 Prussia launched the campaign Gold gab ich für Eisen, "I gave gold for iron", asking citizens to give their gold to fund the war against Napoleon in exchange for cast iron jewellery. Wearing it became a public sign of loyalty, a vow made visible.
Our Berlin Iron Signet Ring of about 1820 belongs to that story. Its clover-shaped bezel holds a cross, a sacred heart and an anchor: faith, hope and charity, read as a prayer for a loved one's safe return. For the heraldic side of inscriptions, see our guide to family mottoes on signet rings.
The posy lives on
The idea of a vow in a few words never went away. In 1889 the poet Rosemonde Gérard wrote to her husband, Edmond Rostand, that she loved him "more than yesterday, and far less than tomorrow". The French jeweller Alphonse Augis turned the line into a medal in the early 20th century, and it became one of France's best-loved love tokens.
Our Vintage Augis Love Medal, made around 1970 in 18K gold, encircles the inscription "+ qu'hier – que demain" with an openwork heart, the minus sign formed by a baguette-cut red spinel. It bears the French eagle's head mark and the A.A. maker's lozenge. In spirit, it is a 20th-century posy.
Buying an antique posy ring
An original inscription should look as old as the ring. Its letters wear with the band, softening where the finger rubs, and the style of script should suit the date: black-letter for the 15th century, italic for the 17th. Crisp, sharp lettering in a worn band may be a later addition. That does not make a ring a fake, but it should be described.
Remember that resizing can cut through an inscription. A good jeweller will add or remove metal at a point the words avoid, and a sizing bar or small insert is often the kinder choice. Our guide to sizing and resizing antique rings explains the options.
If you are looking for antique jewelry with a story in words, browse our medieval and Renaissance rings, Georgian jewellery and antique engagement rings. Every listing gives the date, materials, measurements and condition, and pieces can be viewed in Shoreditch, by appointment.
Frequently asked questions
What does "Vous et nul autre" mean?
It is French for "You and no other", a promise of exclusive love. It is one of the best-known medieval posies, and still a favourite for engagement and wedding rings.
Why are posy inscriptions inside the ring?
Medieval inscriptions were often on the outside. From the 16th century, particularly in England, posies moved inside the band, making the vow private: known to the wearer and giver, and pressed against the skin.
Can a posy ring be used as a wedding ring?
Yes. Many posy rings were given at marriage, and a plain gold band with a vow inside makes a beautiful wedding ring today. Check the size first, and ask how it could be resized without cutting through the inscription.
How can I tell if an inscription is original?
Look for wear that matches the band, a script style that suits the ring's date, and spellings typical of the period. Sharp, modern-looking lettering on a well-worn ring suggests later engraving, which a reputable dealer should disclose.