FINGER RING

A gold finger ring identified by Peter Spencer as a serjeant-at-law's ring dating from AD 1654. The ring has a wide flat hoop with strengthening ridges round the top and bottom and is inscribed on the outer face: "LEGE VIGENTE PROTEGIMVR". This inscription relates to the law, and means "we are protected by a vigorous law". The lettering is in Roman capitals, and many of the uprights have double lines. Inside the hoop is a stamped mark in the form of an ornate "F" in a shield shaped cartouche, with biconcave sides and a rounded base. The ring is 17.7mm external diameter, 16.8mm internal diameter, 5mm wide and weighs 1.62g.

Peter Spencer identified this ring in January 2003 (See his column in The Searcher for that month) and consulted Baker (1984) The Order of Sergeants at Law which lists all the mottoes known to be found on these rings at the time of writing. The motto on such rings is changed every time new serjeants are created. According to Baker, this motto can be dated to February 1654 when five new serjeants were created: Twisden, Maynard, Newdegate, Wyndham and Steele. All went on to become judges.

Serjeant-at-Law rings are not common finds.

SF-C84D04 (2003 T376) is an example dated to the 16th century with the legend: REX LEGE REGIT. The Treasure report notes that "These rings were presented by serjeants to various officials, clerics and friends on the occasion of their call to office. Each new serjeant chose a motto which was engraved on the exterior of the ring. The practice is recorded from the 15th to the 19th century" (Judy Rudoe). The date of the use of this motto is not recorded.

ESS-AD1C00 (2006 T444) is a very worn gold ring which may be a Serjeant's ring. It is attributed to the 16th or 17th century.

NMS-36DAE7 (2006 T41) is another example on the PAS database. Its motto 'LEX VITA REGVM' was used on rings of the general call of April 1567 when seven people became Serjeants-at-Law. However, the curatorial report notes that "the list of mottos and the years in which they were used is incomplete and it is possible that this motto was used more than once (G. Holborn, pers. comm. and Prof. Sir J. H. Baker, 1984)." (Erica Darch).

NMS1467 is a mourning ring dating from AD 1703 which belonged to a Serjeant-at-Law: John Keene esq of Middlesex who died in AD 1703 (the ring was thus too young to constitute Treasure when it was found in 2002).

Finally, LON-32F5F9 is another example (2017 T250). The motto is VIVANT REX ET LEX which is known on at least 5 other rings from the 16th century (Baker,1984 p484). Two are in the British Museum collection Mus.nos.1697 & 1677, one at the Victoria and Albert Museum, M51-1960, one at the Merseyside County Museum, Liverpool and one more unearthed at Stoke-by-Nayland, Suffolk and purchased by F.R. Copper and Son, Colchester (Baker, 1984, p484, cited in the database record).

The British Museum has a collection of nineteen rings of this type of different dates including several very close to this one including AF 1747 and 1961,1202.148.

References

For 1961, 1202.108 According to Timothy Kent, 'West Country silver spoons and their makers 1550-1750', London, 1992. pagers 88-89 (mark M.47) this maker's mark is that of Gabriel Felling goldsmith and spoonmaker first recorded in 1676 in the employ of a London goldsmith John Cassan. By 1678 he was at Bruton, East Somerset. He made church plate and hollow-ware as well as spoons, He was buried at Bruton on 25th October 1714. Also for this ring, see English Posies and Posy Rings, Joan Evans, London 1931, p.92.

For AF 1747: Mark Emanuel, 'The Surviving Rings of the Serjeants at Law', London 2008 (privately printed) no. 10. He identifies the call date as November 1577 and the maker as Richard Pindar. Also for this ring, T.Cooper, Elizabeth I and her people, National Portrait Gallery 2013, cat.57h.