History: Of the many hundreds of recorded medieval poesy rings, this is perhaps one of the most touching, for its simplicity and directness. This modern ring design has decorative patterns and the rustic inscription of a ring made in England, probably around the time Shakespeare was writing his plays, in the 16th century. The interlacing pattern on the outside of the ring owes something to the Celtic knot work of medieval manuscripts but has also been influenced by the more formal geometry of gothic tracery and wood carving. Interlocking teardrops surround fleurs-de-lys, a royal flower, and diamond shapes. Spelling was inconsistent until relatively recent times, hence the unusual spelling of the word ‘only’. The inscription was roughly scratched into the original ring and has been here replaced with a modern elegant script.