Episcopal ring
(thirteenth century).
The ring of William of Wykeham, Bishop of Winchester, died 1404. A massive plain gold ring, set with a sapphire. By his will he bequeathed to his successor in the Bishopric of Winchester, his best book, De Officio Pontificali, his best missal, and his larger gold pontifical ring, set with a sapphire, and surrounded with four balass-rubies.
A gold ring found in the tomb of Bishop Gardiner, in Winchester Cathedral (died 1555). It is set with an oval plasma intaglio of the head of Minerva; on the shoulders of the hoop are two square facetted ornaments, each set with five small rubies en cabochon.
These rings belong to the Dean and Chapter of Winchester Cathedral.
Ring of Bishop Stanbery.
A massive gold ring set with a sapphire. The shoulders are ornamented with flowers, and inside is the chançon ‘en : bon : an.’ Found in the tomb of John Stanbery, Bishop of Hereford, 1452.
A gold ring set with an uncut ruby, and which has on either shoulder a Tau cross, filled in with green enamel, and a bell appended. Within is the inscription enamelled ‘Ave Maria.’ Found in the tomb of Richard Mayhew, or Mayo, Bishop of Hereford, 1504.
These rings were found in Hereford Cathedral. They are figured in the ‘Archæologia’ (vol. xxxi. p. 249).