states
that the bride's ring should be of silver to show that she is the less
honorable vessel, while the bridegroom's ring is of gold to signify
the superiority of the man. The brides, however, have shown a
disposition to resent this inequality, and, in modern times at least,
they are given gold rings also. The old Russian custom is for the
husband to wear his ring on his forefinger.20
In
the Greek and Russian churches, the rings—of gold for the man, of
silver for the woman—are bestowed at the betrothal ceremony, when also
a contract between the parties is made. The later nuptial
ceremony is generally designated as " the crowning," a crown being
placed on the heads of bride and bridegroom by the officiating priest.
The
question was often raised whether the mere fact of giving or accepting
a ring constituted a definite promise of marriage. The best authorities
decided the question in the negative. In reference to this matter Peter
Müller writes : " If when a ring is given there is no promise of
marriage, the ring shall not be regarded as a betrothal ring, but as a
simple gift. Whence it may be inferred that a contract of marriage
cannot be proved by a ring alone, since mere donations, bestowed
through liberality, do not produce any obligation." 21
The
connection between the wedding ring and the bestowal of earnest-money
is clearly indicated in the marriage service as given in the
Prayer-Book of Edward VI. Here, after the words " with this ring I
thee wed," there is added: " This gold and silver I give thee " ; and
at these words the bridegroom usually placed in the bride's hands a
purse containing a sum of money. There can, indeed, be little doubt
that the espousal ring
20 Communicated by Mrs. Isabel F. Hapgood.
21 Petri Mülleri, " De annulo pronubo," Jense, 1734, p. 22.
