Edward III., became very common during the fifteenth and six¬ 
teenth centuries, both on seals and signet rings; they are com¬ 
posed of a private cypher combined with the initials of the owner’s 
name. They were more generally used in the great sea-ports on 
the eastern coast of England than in the south, and belonged chiefly 
to woolfactors or merchants of the staple. 
242*. Fac-simile of a fine Etruscan ring, set with a scarabseus; the 
gem is antique, but the gold setting is an exact copy by 
Signor Castellani, of Rome. Also a Roman lady’s ring, set 
with an antique intaglio. Deposited by Mr. Nightingale. 
243. Gold ring, with a representation of the Holy Trinity, also a 
legend. This ring was originally enamelled ; date 1450—60. 
244. Silver gilt ring, on it are engraved the figures of two saints; 
formerly enamelled: date fifteenth century. 
245. A lady’s ring, ornamented with a cross and having small 
projecting knobs on the hoop. This is possibly a decade ring, 
used for counting paters and aves. 
246. Bronze ring of the sixteenth century, inscribed “ anna 
mariam et maria peperit christum.” 
247. A silver ring, set with a crapaudine or toadstone. 
For many ages this stone was supposed to possess talismanic 
qualities; rings set with it constantly occur in old inventories. 
According to popular belief, it was supposed to be engendered in 
the head of a toad, a fallacy long since exploded. Shakspeare 
alludes to it in “ As You Like It— 
“ Sweet are the uses of adversity ; 
Which, like the toad, ugly and venomous, 
Wears yet a precious jewel in his head.” 
Nichols, in his “Lapidary,” says, “ Some say this stone is found in 
the head of an old toade; others say that the old toade must be 
laid on the cloth that is red, and it will belch it up, or otherwise 
not: you may give a like credit to both these reports, for as like 
truth is to be found in them as may possibly be. Witness 
Anselmus Boetius, in Lib. 2, in the chapter on this stone, who 
sayth that to try this experiment in his youth he took an old toade 
and laid it upon a red cloth, and watched it a whole night to see it 
belch up his stone; but after his long and tedious watchful ex¬ 
pectation he found the old toade in the same posture, to gratify 
the great pangs of his whole night’s restlessness.” 
248. Gold ring set with a turquoise. 
This stone was formerly much valued for its supposed • magic 
properties, one of which was, that it faded or brightened its hue as 
the health of its wearer increased or grew less. It will be remem¬ 
bered that Shylock prized his “ turkoyse beyond a wildernesse of 
monkeys.” 
249. An Irish ring of the sixteenth century. 
