{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O118436"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O118436/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2011EN1069/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2011EN1069/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2011EN1069","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2011EN1070","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2011EN1068","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2012FL6050","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2012FL6051","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2012FL6052","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2012FL6053","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O118436/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O118436","accessionNumber":"M.52-1960","objectType":"Ring","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"Serjeants at Law were the highest rank of English lawyers, from which judges were drawn. They were recognisable by their multi-coloured robes and white coif or cap, from which their common name,  Order of the Coif is taken. \n\nThe serjeants were an exclusive group who held a monopoly on the Court of Common Pleas but also worked at the King's Bench. A small group of new serjeants would be created every few years.  Each group of serjeants called was required to give gold rings, engraved with suitable loyal or legal mottoes to the sovereign, Lord Privy Seal and other dignitaries. In 1552, the diarist Henry Machyn described how ‘was made vii serjants of the coyffe, who gayf to the judges and the old serjants and men of the law, rynges of gold’. The new sergeants would also have to fund a celebratory feast. Although the rings and feast constituted a sizeable expense, the new serjeants could expect such a lucrative career after their advancement that the expense was justifiable.\n\nThe order of serjeants gradually declined in the 19th century and was eventually abolished by the Judicature Act of 1873 which allowed judges to be recruited from outside the ranks of serjeants. ","physicalDescription":"Serjeant-at-Law's gold ring inscribed on the outside '+ REX EST A[N]I[M]A LEGIS', the General call of 1531, Found at Hethersett, Norfolk, 1843","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"gold","id":"AAT11021"}],"techniques":[{"text":"engraved","id":"AAT53829"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Engraved gold","categories":[{"text":"Ceremonial objects","id":"THES48981"},{"text":"Jewellery","id":"THES48930"},{"text":"Metalwork","id":"THES48920"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"MET","id":"THES48599"},"images":["2011EN1069","2011EN1070","2011EN1068","2012FL6050","2012FL6051","2012FL6052","2012FL6053"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"006","id":"THES407868"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Ring","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"England","id":"x28826"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1531","earliest":"1526-01-01","latest":"1535-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Dame Joan Evans","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Diameter","value":"2.1","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"0.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"'+ REX EST A[N]I[M]A LEGIS'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"'The King is the soul of the law'","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Inscribed; General call of 1531"}],"objectHistory":"Provenance: Found at Hethersett in Norfolk in 1845, subsequently  in the collections of Joseph Warren of Ixworth, who exhibited it at Ironmongers’ Hall in 1861  and then of Sir John Evans. Given to the Victoria & Albert Museum by Dame Joan Evans.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Serjeant-at-Law's gold ring, inscribed around the edge with the General call of 1531, found at Hethersett, Norfolk, 1843, made in England, about 1531","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"A catalogue of the antiquities and works of art exhibited at Ironmongers Hall,  Volume 2, 1869, p.486\r\n\r\nBaker, John Hamilton 'The order of serjeants at law: a chronicle of creations, with related texts and a historical introduction', 1984, p.480\r\n\r\n\r\nEmanuel, Mark, The surviving rings of the Serjeants at Law, privately printed, London, 2008, p.19"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Oman, Charles, British Rings: 800-1914 (London, 1974), Appendix II"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[{"text":"Evans, Joan Dame","id":"C4535"}],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"Treasures of the Royal Courts: Tudors, Stuarts and the Russian Tsars label text: \r\n\r\nSerjeant-at-Law’s ring\r\nAbout 1531\r\n\r\nSerjeants-at-Law were the highest rank of Englishm barristers from whom judges were appointed. New serjeants were required to give gold rings to the\r\nmonarch and dignitaries. These were engraved with suitably loyal or legal mottoes. This one, from the time of Henry VIII, is inscribed: ‘The King is the soul\r\nof the Law’.\r\n\r\nLondon\r\nEngraved gold\r\nInscribed in Latin ‘Rex est anima legis’\r\nFound at Hethersett, Norfolk in 1843\r\nGiven by Dame Joan Evans\r\nV&A M.52-1960","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null}}],"partNumbers":["M.52-1960"],"accessionNumberNum":"52","accessionNumberPrefix":"M","accessionYear":1960,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LV0116"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-05-21","recordCreationDate":"2005-11-11","availableToBook":true}}