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Dictionary of Ancient Occupations and Trades,
Ranks, Offices, and Titles

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as of 2015-03-22
radknight
Brit Hist a riding servant whose services included riding escort to his lord. [DOME]
rag and bone man
an itinerant collector of rags, bones, and general scrap items. Traditionally, a balloon, a goldfish or a donkey stone might be given in return. [CHC]
ragman
a ragpicker, one who collects and sells rags
derog. one who sells clothes, esp. an itinerant wholesaler
rake
An immoral or dissolute person; a libertine.
ranger
a keeper of a national or royal park or forest.
mil. a member of a body of armed men, esp. a mounted soldier or a commando.
rascal
often joc : a dishonest or mischievous person, esp a child.
reaper
one who harvests or gathers a crop, esp. grain
rector (female~trix)
nav. a master of a ship
eccl. (Church of England) the cleric in charge of a parish and who owns the tithes from it, perhaps appointing a deputy or vicar to run the parish in his absence
RCC a priest appointed as managerial as well as spiritual head of a church or other institution;
the principal of certain institutions of learning
redsmith
a "red gold" craftsman. (=gold alloyed with copper)
cf smith
reed-maker
one who makes reeds (=a weaver's instrument for separating the threads of the warp and beating up the weft; a comb for pressing down the threads of the weft to produce a tight weave.)
reeve
the chief administrator of a farm, town or district; also grave, grieve
a peasant officer or servant for the lord of the manor, charged with duties which included the collection of rents.
a royal official.
a manorial official, appointed by the lord, or elected by the peasants.
refugee
a person taking refuge, esp. in a foreign country, from war or persecution or natural disaster.
in the context of the American Revolutionary War this was a polite term for a Tory or Loyalist — a colonial loyal to the English. These people suddenly found themselves surrounded by enemies — folks who had recently been their friends and neighbors — and, for safety's sake, had to find refuge with the British, typically in their stronghold at New York City, or in Canada.
relation (=kin)
relict (=widow)
Relieving Officer
after the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834 the post of Overseer of the Poor and the workhouses for each township were abolished and replaced by the Relieving Officer - who was appointed by the Board of Guardians - and the larger Union Workhouse with responsibility for a union (group) of townships [CHC]
Religious houses
(abbeys, friaries, priories)
Religious houses comprehended cathedral and collegiate churches, abbeys, priories, colleges, hospitals, preceptories and friaries. The difference between abbeys and priories lay chiefly in the magnitude of the houses, and the right of precedence of abbots. Some of these were so considerable, that the abbots and priors were called to parliament, had seats and votes in the House of lords, and possessed houses in Westminster. ... They had the power and authority of bishops within the limits of their several houses, bestowed the solemn benediction, conferred all lesser orders, wore mitres, sandals, &c., and carried croziers or pastorals in their right hands. Some of their houses were exempted from the jurisdiction of both archbishop and bishop, and subjected to the pope only.
Principal officers
magister operis
or master of the fabric, whose duty it was to preserve the buildings in good repair.
eleemosynarius
or the almoner, who managed the alms of the house, distributed money or food every day at the gate to the poor, bestowed gifts upon the founder's-day, and at obits and anniversaries; and in some cases provided for the maintenance and education of the choristers.
pitantarius
who had care of the pietancies (=allowances over and above the common provisions).
sacrista
or the sexton, who took care of the vessels, books and vestments belonging to the church, and such legacies as were given to the fabric, accounted for obligations at the great altar, provided bread and wine for the sacrament, and attended to burying of the dead.
camerarius
or the chamberlain, who had the chief care of the dormitary, and provided beds and bedding for the monks, all the conveniences of the dormitary, the whole or greater part of the clothing and linen, and, according to Fuller, had charge of the treasury, receiving and paying all the greater sums.
cellarius
or the cellarar, who procured provisions for the monks, and all strangers (for the monasteries were the only inns and hostelries in those days) resorting to the convent, viz. flesh, fish, fowls, wine, bread, corn, ale, beer, &c., besides wood for firing, and all utensiles for the kitchen. The cellarer was considered a sort of pater secundus, and was possessed of great privileges.
treasurer
who received all the common rents and revenues, and paid all ordinary expenses.
precentor
who had the care of the choir, presided over the singing-men, organists, and choristers, provided books, paid salaries, and repaired the organs.
hostilarius
or hostler [sic], who attended to strangers, and provided for their accommodation.
infirmarius
or the apothecary, who looked after the sick monks, provided medicine and other necessities for the living, and superintended the last obsequies of the dead.
[Rev. Richard Yates; History and Antiquities of the Abbey of St. Edmund's Bury; 2nd ed. London, 1843; http://books.google.com/books?id=3ebzaaaayaaj]
religious
a person of or belonging to a religious monastic order, esp. a nunfemale or monkmale.
cf friar
cf canon
cf abbot
cf prior
representative
civ a member of a governmental body, usually legislative, chosen by popular vote. (usually the lower house in a bicameral legislature)
cf senator
retainer
an employee, typically a long-term employee.
a servant or an attendant, especially one in the household of a person of high rank.
Reverend, Rev.
the title of a clergyman
rigger
a hoist tackle worker;
nav. one who rigs or arranges rigging, esp. of a ship.
ringleader
a chief instigator, esp of illegal activity.
ripper
a seller of fish
rogue
a dishonest or unprincipled person.
joc a mischievous person, esp a child.
roper
a maker of rope or nets
an owner of a ropery or ropewalk (=a long alley, pathway or building where strands of material are laid and twisted into rope.)
a cowboy or ranch-hand who uses a lasso to catch livestock
a decoy who lures customers into a gambling establishment (especially one with a fixed, or crooked game)
roundhead
hist. a Parliamentarian, from their custom of wearing their hair short.
roundsman
a police officer in charge of several others.
one who makes rounds, such as a delivery person or a patrolman.
rover
one that roves; a wanderer.
a pirate vessel; metaphorically, a crew member of same.
royalist
Eng. a Cavalier supporter of Charles I during the English Civil War, opposed the Parliamentarians
ruffler
a beggar who tells tales of heroism in the wars
rum runner
one who smuggled liquor, esp during the U.S. prohibition period, esp by sea

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