Character Sketches of Romance, Fiction and the Drama Part 123

_Margaret, d.u.c.h.ess of Rothsay._--Sir W. Scott, _Fair Maid of Perth_ (time, Henry IV.).

=Rou= (_Le Roman de_), a metrical and mythical history, in Norman-French, of the dukes of Normandy, from Rollo downwards, by Robert Wace (author of _Le Brut_).

? Rou', that is, _Roul_, the same as Rollo.

=Roubigne= (_Julie de_), the heroine and t.i.tle of a novel by Henry Mackenzie (1783).

=Rougedragon= (_Lady Rachel_), the former guardian of Lilias Redgauntlet.--Sir W. Scott, _Redgauntlet_ (time, George III.).

=Rouncewell= (_Mrs._), housekeeper at Chesney Wold to Lord and Lady Dedlock, to whom she is most faithfully attached.--C. d.i.c.kens, _Bleak House_ (1823).

=Round Table= (_The_), a table made at Carduel, by Merlin, for Uther, the pendragon. Uther gave it to King Leodegraunce, of Camelyard, and when Arthur married Guinever (the daughter of Leodegraunce), he received the table with a hundred knights as a wedding present (pt. i. 45). The table would seat 150 knights (pt. iii. 36), and each seat was appropriated. One of them was called the "Siege Perilous," because it was fatal for any one to sit therein, except the knight who was destined to achieve the Holy Graal (pt. iii. 32). King Arthur inst.i.tuted an order of knighthood called "the knights of the Round Table," the chief of whom were Sir Launcelot, Sir Tristram, and Sir Lamerock, or Lamorake. The "Siege Perilous" was reserved for Sir Galahad, the son of Sir Launcelot by Elaine.--Sir T. Malory, _History of Prince Arthur_ (1470).

? There is a table shown at Winchester, as "Arthur's Round Table," but it corresponds in no respect with the Round Table described in the _History of Prince Arthur_. Round Tables are not unusual, as Dr. Percy has shown, with other kings in the times of chivalry. Thus, the king of Ireland, father of Christabelle, had his "knights of the Round Table."--See "Sir Cauline," in Percy's _Reliques_.

In the eighth year of Edward I., Roger de Mortimer established at Kenilworth, a Round Table for "the encouragement of military pastimes."

Some seventy years later, Edward III. had his Round Table at Windsor; it was 200 feet in diameter.

=Rousseau= (_Jean Jacques_) used to say that all fables which ascribe speech and reason to dumb animals ought to be withheld from children, as being only vehicles of deception.

I shall not ask Jean Jacques Rousseau If birds confabulate or no; 'Tis clear that they were always able To hold discourse--at least in fable.

Cowper, _Pairing-Time Antic.i.p.ated_ (1782).

=Roustam= or =Rostam=, the Persian Hercules. He was the son of Zal, and a descendant of Djams.h.i.+d At one time Roustam killed 1000 Tartars at a blow; he slew dragons, overcame devils, captured cities, and performed other marvellous exploits. This mighty man of strength fell into disgrace for refusing to receive the doctrines of Zoroaster, and died by the hand of one of his brothers named Scheghad (sixth century B.C.).

=Routledge= (_Harold_). First love of _Lilian Westbrook_, in _The Banker's Daughter_. They have a lover's quarrel and separate. Lilian, to save her father from poverty, marries another man. Meeting Harold in after years, her love revives. When he challenges a Frenchman who has spoken lightly of her, she follows him to the field in time to receive his last breath and sob in his ear--"I have loved you--you only--from the first."--Bronson Howard, _The Banker's Daughter_, (1878).

=Rover=, a dissolute young spark, who set off vice "as naughty but yet nice."--Mrs. Behn, _The Rover_ (1680).

William Mountford [1660-1692] had so much in him of the agreeable, that when he played "The Rover," it was remarked by many, and particularly by Queen Mary, that it was dangerous to see him act--he made vice so alluring.--C. Dibdin, _History of the Stage_.

=Rovewell= (_Captain_), in love with Arethusa, daughter of Argus. The lady's father wanted her to marry Squire Cuckoo, who had a large estate; but Arethusa contrived to have her own way and marry Captain Rovewell, who turned out to be the son of Ned Worthy, who gave the bridegroom 30,000.--Carey, _Contrivances_ (1715).

=Rowe= (_Nicholas_), poet-laureate (1673, 1714-1718). The monument in Westminster Abbey to this poet was by Rysbrack.

=Rowena= (_The lady_), of Hargettstanstede, a ward of Cedric the Saxon, of Rotherwood. She marries Ivanhoe.--Sir W. Scott, _Ivanhoe_ (time, Richard I.).

=Rowland= (_Childe_), youngest brother of Helen. Under the guidance of Merlin, he undertook to bring back his sister from elf land, whither the fairies had carried her, and he succeeded in his perilous exploit.--_An Ancient Scotch Ballad._

=Rowland for an Oliver= (_A_), a t.i.t for tat; getting as good as you gave.

Rowland (or Roland) and Oliver were two of Charlemagne's paladins, so much alike in prowess and exploits that they might be described as "fortemque Gyan, fortemque Cloanthum" (_aeneid_, i. 222).

Och! Mrs. Mustard-pot, have you found a Rowland for your Oliver at last?--T. Knight, _The Honest Thieves_.

=Rowley=, one of the retainers of Julia Avenel (2 _syl._).--Sir W. Scott, _The Monastery_ (time, Elizabeth).

_Rowley_ (_Master_), formerly steward of Mr. Surface, Sr., the friend of Charles Surface, and the _fidus Achates_ of Sir Oliver Surface, the rich uncle.--Sheridan, _School for Scandal_ (1777).

_Rowley_ (_Thomas_), the hypothetical priest of Bristol, said by Chatterton to have lived in the reigns of Henry VI. and Edward IV., and to have written certain poems, of which Chatterton himself was the author.

=Rowley Overdees=, a highwayman.--Sir W. Scott, _Guy Mannering_ (time, George II.).

=Roxa'na=, daughter of Oxyartes of Bactria, and wife or concubine of Alexander the Great. Proud, imperious, and relentless, she loved Alexander with a madness of love; and being jealous of Statira, daughter of King Darius, and wife of Alexander, she stabbed her and slew her.--N.

Lee, _Alexander the Great_ (1678).

So now am I as great as the famed Alexander; but my dear Statira and Roxana, don't exert yourselves so much about me.--Mrs.

Centlivre, _The Wonder_, iii. 1 (1714).

=Roxa'na and Stati'ra.= Dr. Doran says that Peg Woffington (as "Roxana"), jealous of Mrs. Bellamy (as "Statira") because she was better dressed, pulled her to the floor when she left the stage, and pummeled her with the handle of her dagger, screaming as she did so:

Nor he, nor heaven, shall s.h.i.+eld thee from my justice.

Die, sorceress, die! and all my wrongs die with thee?

_Table Traits._

Campbell tells a very similar story of Mrs. Barry ("Roxana") and Miss Boutwell ("Statira"). The stage-manager had given to Miss Boutwell a lace veil, and Mrs. Barry, out of jealousy, actually stabbed her rival in acting, and the dagger went a quarter of an inch through the stays into the flesh.

=Royal Mottoes= or LEGENDS.

_Dieu et mon droit_, Richard I.

_Honi soit qui mal y pense_, Edward III.

_Semper eadem_, Elizabeth and Anne.

_Je maintiendrai_, William III.

=Royal Style of Address.=