Fig. 594. Slipper in Rouen Faience.
Fig. 594. Slipper in Rouen Faience.
Fig. 594. Slipper in Rouen Faience.
Rouge Croix,Rouge Dragon. Two of the fourPursuivants(heralds of the lowest type) of Herald’s College.
Rouge Royal, Arch. A kind of red marble.
Round Towers.There are upwards of a hundred in Ireland, of which about twenty are perfect. Generally the tower is a hollow circular column from 50 to 150 feet high, capped by a short pointed roof of stone. The base, frequently of cyclopean masonry, measures from 40 to 60 feet in circumference, and the form of the whole tower is tapering towards the summit. The single entrance door is always from 8 to 15 feet above the ground; the windows, scattered, light the internal stories or rooms. Innumerable and wild conjectures of the origin and purpose of these towers have been made. The most sober appears to be that they were the earliest form of buildings of a monastic order, adapted to the exigencies of a Christian settlement in the midst of pagans and pirates. (SeePetrie,The Round Towers of Ireland.)
Fig. 595. Bezant.
Fig. 595. Bezant.
Fig. 595. Bezant.
Roundels.(1) Wooden platters decorated with painting and gilding; 16th century. (2) Small round shields borne by soldiers in the 14th and 15th centuries. (3) Arch. The bead or astragal moulding.
Roundle, Her. A circular figure in Heraldry, of which there are many kinds: as theBezant,Plate,Torteau, &c. (q.v.). In modern Heraldry a roundlegulesis calledTorteau;azure,Hurt;sable,PelletorOgress;vert,Pomme;purpure,Golpe. (See alsoFountain,Annulet.)
Roussant, Her. About to fly.
Rowan-tree, Scotch. The mountain ash.
Rowel.The wheel of a spur.
Rowel Lights, Chr. Lights in a church, let up and down by a pulley, especially a star-like light made to move at the Epiphany, when the coming of the wise men was acted as a religious play. Any small hoop or ring movable on the place that holds it is a “rowel.”
RowellorRicel, O. E. A vessel mentioned, but not described, in Church records (ofWalberswick, Suffolk), to be used twice in the year; “whereby, and the great quantity of Wax and Frankincense, a ceremonial Imitation of the Birth and Burial of ourSaviourseems to have been celebrated.” (Gardner, T.,Historical Account.)
Royal.(1)Paper: 21 inches by 19. (2)Artillery.A very small mortar. (3)Sailing.The upper sail above the top-gallant. (4) O. E. ARial(q.v.), a coin of the value of ten shillings.
Royal Blue(Fr.bleu du roi). A vitreous pigment used in porcelain painting, resulting in a rich, deep blue colour. It is prepared fromsmalt.
Rubelite.A precious stone not much used for jewellery. It is a species oftourmaline, red and pink in colour.
Rubens Brown.A rich brown pigment.
Rubiate.A name forLiquid Madder Lake(q.v.).
Rubicelle.An orange-coloured stone, a variety of thespinel ruby.
Rubrica, R. Red ochre; and thencerubric, an edict or ordinance of the Civil Law written in red ochre, while the ordinances and rules of the prætors were written in black on a white ground on theAlbum(q.v.).
Ruby, in Christian art. (SeeRed.)
RubyorRed Sapphire. Acorundum, the most valuable of all gems; when perfect and large, exceeding even the diamond in value. The colour varies from the lightest rose tint to the deepest carmine. The most valuable tint is called “pigeon’s blood,” a pure deep rich red, without any admixture of blue or yellow. Brahmin traditions speak of the abode of the gods lighted by enormous rubies; and one name of the Kings of Pegu was “Lord of Rubies.” In mediæval times the ruby was regarded as an amulet against poison, plague, sadness, evil thoughts, wicked spirits, &c. It also kept the wearer in health, and cheered his mind, and blackened when he incurred danger. (ConsultEmanuel,Diamonds and Precious Stones, &c.)
Rudder.On ancient coins, &c., with the orb and fasces, emblem of the supreme power.
Rudens, R. The smaller ropes in a ship.
Rudiarii.Veteran gladiators discharged from the service by the presentation of a wooden sword (rudis).
Rudis, R. (1) A spoon or similar instrument. (2) A wooden sword. (SeeRudiarii.) When a gladiator received his discharge, arudiswas given him, together with a freedman’s cap, by way of declaration that he had been granted his liberty, a fact expressed by the phraserude donari.
Rue, Her. Achaplet of rueis blazonedbend-wise(seePer Bend) across the shield of Saxony. (SeeCrancelin.)
Ruffles.Lace frills worn over the wrists, introducedtemp.Henry VIII.
Ruff and Honours.An ancient game of cards from which Whist is derived.
Fig. 596. Silesian Maiden with Ruff.
Fig. 596. Silesian Maiden with Ruff.
Fig. 596. Silesian Maiden with Ruff.
Ruffs.Large collars of lace or muslin. A fashion of the 16th century; it commenced at the end of the reign of Henry VIII. Cambrics and lawn for making ruffs were first imported under Elizabeth. For illustrations of various modifications of this fashion, see Figs. 267, 283, 304, 559, 561, 580, &c. (ConsultPlanché,Cycl. of Costume.)
Rugæ, Chr. The metalcancellior screens of the more sacred parts of a church. The presbytery of St. Peter’s was fenced in with silver “rugæ,” and the confessional with rugæ of gold. (SeeSmith and Cheetham.)
Rullions, Scotch. Shoes made of untanned leather.
Rum-swizzle.“The name given in Dublin to a fabric made from undyed foreign wool, which, while preserving its natural property of resisting wet, possesses the qualities of common cloth.” (Simmonds’ Commercial Dict.)
Rumex, R. A weapon of similar character to theSparum, the head of which was formed like a spear with a hook on the blade.
Runcina, R. A carpenter’s tool of the nature of a plane.
Runco, R. A hoe.
Runes, Scand. Magical inscriptions in a character believed by the northern nations to have been invented by Woden. “The Runic alphabet,” saysMr. Wheaton, “consists properly of sixteen letters, which are Phœnician in their origin.... They are only Roman, with the curves changed into straight lines for the convenience of engraving on hard substances.” (Hist. of the Northmen, p. 61.)
Ruskie, Scotch. A coarse straw hat; a basket or beehive of plaited osiers or straw.
Russells, O. E. A kind of satin.
Russet.Aredgrey colour; violet mixed with orange. Its complementary isgreengrey.
Rust(oxide) of iron. “The bestrust” is mentioned in a list of colours of the 17th century. (Brown,Ars Pictoria,Appendix, p. 5.)
Fig. 597. Rustic Work. Bossage.
Fig. 597. Rustic Work. Bossage.
Fig. 597. Rustic Work. Bossage.
Rustic Work(Fr.bossage). Ashlar masonry, the joints of which are worked with grooves or channels to render them conspicuous; sometimes the whole of the joints are worked in this way, and sometimes only the horizontal ones. (See Fig.597.)
Rustre, Her. ALozengepierced with a circular opening.
Rustred Armourseems to have grown out of thering armour. It consisted of one row of flat rings about double the usual size, laid half over the other, so that two in the outer partly covered one.