Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XIV.djvu/353

 RING 337 Romans, like the Egyptians and Greeks, cov- ered their fingers with rings, wearing one on each joint, not excepting even the thumb. Ac- cording to Martial, Charinus wore 60 rings, or six on each finger. Fops had rings to suit the seasons, light ones for summer and heavi- er ones for winter. The Romans introduced from Egypt the custom of engraving animals on their signets; afterward the portraits of heroes and of princes took their place ; and later, indelicate symbols were frequently dis- played. Rings were often of immense value ; that of the empress Faustina is said to have cost $200,000, and that of Domitia $300,000. Plain rings were worn originally by the Ro- mans on either hand, but when gems were added they were worn on the left hand. The Jews wore the signet ring always on the right hand, on the middle or the little finger ; but with the Egyptians the fourth finger of the left hand was the ring finger. The early Chris- tians adopted the use of rings. At first they wore simple circles of ivory, bronze, iron, or some other cheap material, and great numbers of these have been found in the Roman ceme- teries ; but soon this custom degenerated into such an abuse that the fathers of the church, particularly Tertullian, Cyprian, and Jerome, were obliged to inveigh with severity against the prodigality of rings of gold and precious stones. Many of the Christians adorned their rings with symbols connected with their faith, FIG. 1. FIG. 2. such as the cross, the monogram of Christ (fig. 1), the fish (1^0{f ; see CEOSS), the dove, anchor, ship (fig. 2), palm branch, &c. ; some with the portrait and name of Christ, or the images of the apostles or saints ; and others with simple religious phrases, among the most common of which was VIVAS IN DEO or FIG. 8. SPES IN DEO. Rings to be used as seal rings alone were fitted with a plate of metal, which usually bore the owner's name together with some sacred symbol. This often took the FIG. 4 form of the bottom of a sandal or of the hu- man foot (fig. 3), an outgrowth probably of the ancient tradition which made this image the symbol of possession. Among the rings found in the catacombs are some with a key, and some with both a key and a seal (fig. 4), the latter for both lock- ing and sealing a casket. A ring was worn by the early Christian bishops, and the custom still pre- vails in the Roman church. At the consecration of a bishop, this ring, called the episcopal or pastoral ring, is blessed and put upon the fourth finger of his right hand, as a sign of his alliance 'with the church. Pope Gregory IV., who was elected in 827, in his work De Cultu Pontifi- cum, says the ring is not put on the left hand, because it would seem to give credence to the pagan notion that a vein ran directly from the fourth finger of the left hand to the heart; but on the more worthy right hand, which gives the holy benedictions. The episcopal ring is always of gold set with an un engraved precious stone, usually an amethyst, but some- times a sapphire, ruby, emerald, or crystal. In 1875, in the course of excavations in the chapter house of Durham cathedral, England, sapphire rings were found in the coffins of the bishops Ralph Flambard, who occupied the see from 1099 to 1128, Geoffrey Rufus, who died in 1140, and William de Sancta Barbara, who died in 1152. The ring of a cardinal is set with a sapphire. The seal ring of the pope is of steel, and is in the keeping of the cardinal chamberlain or chancellor ; since the 15th cen- tury it has been used for sealing the apostolic briefs. On the death of a pope his ring is broken, and a new one is made for his suc- cessor. In England it is customary for ser- geants at law on being sworn in to present gold rings to the law officers, certain other officials, and those who come to the inaugura- tion feast. In 1737 1,409 rings, of the value of 773, were given away on the occasion of the admission of 14 sergeants. Rings were also formerly given away at weddings. Ed- ward Kelly, the famous alchemist of Queen Elizbeth's days, is said to have given away at the marriage of one of his maid servants gold wire rings to the value of 4,000. It was with a golden ring that the doge of Venice wedded the Adriatic on Ascension day, cast- ing it into the waters with these words : "We espouse thee, sea, as a token of our perpetual dominion over thee." The wedding ring is supposed to be of Roman origin, and to have sprung from the ancient custom of using rings in making agreements, grants, &c. It was usually given at the betrothal as a pledge of the engagement, and its primitive form was