Antique Engraved Ring

This was in the news a few years ago. A British couple in Coventry found an antique engraved ring (using a metal detector, I believe). The engraving is in French and says: " Mon Cuer Avez" - Have My Heart. As anyone who ever studied French should notice, this posie ring features a "relaxed" Medieval spelling of the word cœur. I hope that if someone decided to use this exact inscription of a modern ring they would use the proper spelling, unless the general style of the posie was meant to recreate an antique look. I think that this should be one of the rules when choosing an engraving: If there is any possibility of a mistake or misinterpretation one should always strive for the most correct way of spelling or expressing an idea.

An anecdote, somewhat related, came to mind when I read about this. A middle-aged Londoner (from the East End, I believe) was faced with a difficult decision when choosing between two ladies, Anna and Mary, both absolutely lovely and both willing to join the fellow in matrimony. Although not a religious man, this Londoner stumbled into a church and, kneeling down in the pew, asked God for advice on whether he should have Ann or Maria for his wife. When the man got up he was most pleased to see that the Almighty had put the answer right before his eyes: 'Ave Maria.',''Ave my heart!'