Chapter Rainy-Day Smith to Randolph of R by Brewer's Readers Handbook

In regard to the pronunciation of this name, which in 1878 was the subject of a long controversy in Notes and Queries, Butler says—

A squire he had whose name was Ralph.
That in th’ adventure went his half;…
And when we can, with metre safe,
We’ll call him Ralpho, or plain Ra’ph.
   —Bk. i.456.

Ralph (Rough), the helper of Lance Outram park-keeper at sir Geoffrey Peveril’s of the Peak.—Sir W. Scott: Peveril of the Peak (time, Charles II.).

Ralph (Fames), an American who came to London and published a poem entitled Night (1725).

Silence, ye wolves! while Ralph to Cynthia howls,
Making night hideous; answer him, ye owls.
   —Pope: The Dunciad, iii. 165 (1728).

Ralph [De Lascours], captain of the Urania, husband of Louise de Lascours. Ralph is the father of Diana and Martha alias Orgarita. (See under Martha, p. 680.)—Stirling: Orphan of the Frozen Sea (1856).

Ralph Roister Doister, by Nicholas Udall, the first English comedy, about 1534. It contains nine male and four female characters. Ralph is a vain, thoughtless, blustering fellow, who is in pursuit of a rich widow named Custance, but he is baffled in his intention.

Ram Alley, in Fleet Street, London. Now called Hare Place. It was part of the Sanctuary.

Ramble (Sir Robert), a man of gallantry, who treats his wife with such supreme indifference that she returns to her guardian, lord Norland, and resumes her maiden name of Maria Wooburn. Subsequently, however, she returns to her husband.

Mrs. Ramble, wife of sir Robert, and ward of lord Norland.—Mrs. Inchbald: Every One has His Fault (1794).

Rambler (The), a periodical published twice a week by Dr. Johnson (1750-52).

Ramiel , one of the “atheist crew” o’erthrown by Abdiel. (The word means, according to Hume, “one who exalts himself against God.”)—Milton: Paradise Lost, vi. 371 (1665).

Raminagobris. Lafontaine, in his fables, gives this name to a cat. Rabelais, in his Pantagruel, iii. 21, satirizes under the same name Guillaume Crétin, a poet.

Ramirez, a Spanish monk, and father confessor to don Juan duke of Braganza. He promised Velasquez, that when he absolved the duke at bed-time, he would give him a poisoned wafer prepared by the Carmelite Castruccio. This he was about to do, when he was interrupted, and the breaking out of the rebellion saved the duke from any similar attempt.—Fephson: Braganza (1775).

Ramiro (King) married Aldonza, who, being faithless, eloped with Alboazar the Moorish king of Gaya. Ramiro came disguised as a traveller to Alboazar’s castle, and asked a damsel for a draught of water, and when he lifted the pitcher to his mouth, he dropped in it his betrothal ring, which Aldonza saw and recognized. She told the damsel to bring the stranger to her apartment. Scarce had he arrived there when the Moorish king entered, and Ramiro hid himself in an alcove. “What would you do to Ramiro,” asked Aldonza, “if he were in your power?” “I would hew him limb from limb,” said the Moor. “Then lo! Alboazar, he is now skulking in that alcove.” Ramiro was now dragged forth, and the Moor said, “How would you act if our lots were reversed?” Ramiro replied, “I would feast you well, and send for my chief princes and counsellors, and set you before them, and bid you blow your horn till you died.” “Then be it so,” said the Moor. But when Ramiro blew his horn, his “merry men” rushed into the castle, and the Moorish king, with Aldonza and all their children, princes, and counsellors, were put to the sword.—Southey: Ramiro (a ballad from the Portuguese, 1804).