The ring of Innocent
Preserved but no longer current.
On May 29th, 1205, Innocent III sent John, King of England, four gold rings set with precious stones, and ex- plained that the rotundity signifies eternity — remember we are passing through time into eternity; the number signifies the four virtues which make up constancy of mind — viz.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “The ring of Innocent” mean?
On May 29th, 1205, Innocent III sent John, King of England, four gold rings set with precious stones, and ex- plained that the rotundity signifies eternity — remember we are passing through time into eternity; the number signifies the four virtues which make up constancy of mind — viz.
Is “The ring of Innocent” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.