Chapter Romano to Rory o' the Hill of R by Brewer's Readers Handbook

amongst them, “For,” said they, “he will certainly be consecrated, and his relics will bring a fortune to us.” So they agreed to strangle him; but their intention being told to the hermit, he secretly made his escape.—St. Foix: Essais Historiques sur Paris, v. 163.

(Southey has a ballad on the subject.)

Romulus (The Second and Third), Camillus and Marius. Also called “The Second and Third Founders of Rome.”

Romulus and Remus, the twin sons of Silvia a vestal virgin and the god Mars. The infants were exposed in a crad le, and the floods carried the cradle to the foot of the Palatine. Here a wolf suckled them, till one Faustulus, the king’s shepherd, took them to his wife, who brought them up. When grown to manhood, they slew Amulius, who had caused them to be exposed.

The Greek legend of Tyro is in many respects similar. This Tyro had an amour with Poseidon (as Silvia had with Mars), and t wo sons were born in both cases. Tyro’s mother-in-law confined her in a dungeon, and exposed the two infants (Pelias and Neleus) in a boat on the river Enipeus. Here they were discovered and brought up by a herdsman (Romulus and Remus were brought up by a shepherd), and when grown to manhood, they put to death their mother-in-law, who had caused them to be exposed (as Romulus and Remus put to death their great-uncle Amulius).

Ron, the ebony spear of prince Arthur.

The temper of his sword, the tried Excalibor,
The bigness and the length of Rone his noble spear,
With Pridwin his great shield.
   —Drayton: Polyolbion, iv. (1612).

Ronald (Lord), in love with lady Clare, to whom he gave a lily-white doe. The day before the wedding, nurse Alice told lady Clare she was not “lady Clare” at all, but her own child. On hearing this, she dressed herself as a peasant girl, and went to lord Ronald to release him from his engagement. Lord Ronald replied, “If you are not the heiress born, we will be married tomorrow, and you shall still be lady Clare.”—Tennyson: Lady Clare.

Roncesvallês , a defile in the Pyrenees, famous for the disaster which befell Roland and his army.

Oh for a blast of that dread horn
On Fontarabian echoes borne…
When Roland brave and Oliver…
On Roncesvallês died.
   —Scott: Marmion.

(Sometimes the word has only 3 syl, as Ron-ce-valles or Ron-ce-val.)

Ed Olever des Vassals
Ki morurent en Ronchevals.

Lorris: Roman de la Rou, ii. i. 13. 131 thirteenth century).

And the dead who, deathless all,
Fell at famous Roncëval.

Rondibilis, the physician consulted by Panurge on the knotty question, “whether he ought to marry, or let it alone.”—Rabelais: Pantagruel (1545).

N.B.—This question, which Panurge was perpetually asking every one, of course refers to the celibacy of the clergy.

Rondo (The Father of the), Jean Baptiste Davaux.

Rooden Lane. All on one side, like Rooden Lane. The village of Rooden or Roden, in Lancashire, is built all on one side of the road, the other side being the high wall of Heaton Park, the residence of the earl of Wilton. (See Takeley Street.)