Chapter Right of Way to Ring Posies of R by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Right of Way to Ring Posies

Right of Way (The). The legal right to make use of a certain passage whether high-road, by-road, or private road. Watercourses, ferries, rivers, etc., are included in the word “ways.” Private right of way may be claimed by immemorial usage, special permission, of necessity; but a funeral cortège or bridal party having passed over a certain field does not give to the public the right of way, as many suppose.

Rights Declaration of Rights. An instrument submitted to William and Mary, on their being called to the throne, setting forth the fundamental principles of the constitution. The chief items are these: The Crown cannot levy taxes, nor keep a standing army in times of peace; the Members of Parliament are free to utter their thoughts, and a Parliament is to be convened every year; elections are to be free, trial by jury is to be inviolate, and the right of petition is not to be interfered with.

Riglet A thin piece of wood used for stretching the canvas of pictures; and in printing to regulate the margin, etc. (French, reglet, a rule or regulator; Latin, regula, a rule.)

Rigol A circle or diadem. (Italian, rigolo, a little wheel.)

“[Sleep] That from this golden rigol hath divorced
So many English kings.”
Shakespeare: 2 Henry IV., iv. 4.

Rigolette (3 syl.). A grisette, a courtesan; so called from Rigolette, in Eugène Sue's Mysteries of Paris.

Rigoletto An opera describing the agony of a father obliged to witness the prostitution of his own child. The libretto is borrowed from the drama called Le Roi s'Amuse, by Victor Hugo; the music is by Guiseppe Verdi.

Rigwoodie Unyielding; stubborn. A rigwiddie is the chain which crosses the back of a horse to hold up the shafts of a cart (rig = back, withy = twig.)

“Withered beldams, auld and droll,
Rigwoodie hags.”
Burns: Tam O'Shanter.

Rile Don't rile the water. Do not stir up the water and make it muddy. The water is riled- muddy and unfit to drink. Common Norfolk expressions; also, a boy is riled (out of temper). I'sy, together, Joe Smith was regularly riled, is quite Norfolk. The American roil has the same meaning. A corruption of [em]broil. (French, brouiller; our broil.) The adjective rily, turbid, angry, is more common.

Rimer Chief god of Damascus; so called from the word rime, a “pomegranate,” because he held a pomegranate in his right hand. The people bore a pomegranate in their coat armour. The Romans called this god Jupiter Cassius, from Mount Cassius, near Damascus.

Rimfaxi [Frost-mane]. The horse of Night, the foam of whose bit causes dew. (Scandinavian mythology.)

Rimmon A Syrian god, whose seat was Damascus.

“Him followed Rimmon, whose delightful seat
Was fair Damascus, on the fertile bank
Of Abbana and Pharphar, lucid streams.”
Milton: Paradise Lost, bk. i. 467.

Rimthursar Brother of Y'mer. They were called the “Evil Ones.” (Scandinavian mythology.)

Rinaldo (in Jerusalem Delivered). The Achilles of the Christian army. “He despises gold and power, but craves renown” (bk. i.). He was the son of Bertoldo and Sophia, and nephew of Guelpho, but was brought up by Matilda. At the age of fifteen he ran away and joined the Crusaders, where he was enrolled in the adventurers' squadron. Having slain Gernando, he was summoned by Godfrey to public trial, but went into voluntary exile. The pedigree of Rinaldo, of the noble house of Este, is traced from Actius on the male side and Augustus on the female to Actius VI. (bk. xvii.).
   Rinaldo (in Orlando Furioso). Son of the fourth Marquis d'Este, cousin of Orlando, Lord of Mount Auban or Albano, eldest son of Amon or Aymon, nephew of Charlemagne, and Bradamant's brother. He was the rival of his cousin Orlando, but Angelica detested him. He was called “Clarmont's leader,” and brought an auxiliary force of English and Scotch to Charlemagne, which “Silence” conducted into Paris.
   Rinaldo or Renaud, one of the paladins