Roscius (The British), Thomas Betterton (1635-1710), and David Garrick (1716-1779).
*** The earl of Southampton says that Richard Burbage “is famous as our English Roscius” (1566-1619).
Roscius (The Irish), Spranger Barry, “The Silver Tongued” (1719-1777).
Roscius (The Young), William Henry West Betty, who, in 1803, made his début in London. He was about 12 years of age, and in fifty-six nights realized £34,000. He died, aged 84, in 1874.
Roscius of France (The), Michel Boyron or Baron (1653-1729).
Roscrana, daughter of Cormac, king of Ireland (grandfather of that Cormac murdered by Cairbar). Roscra´na is called “the blue-eyed and white-handed maid,” and was “like a spirit of heaven, half folded in the skirt of a cloud.” Subsequently she was the wife of Fingal, king of Morven, and mother of Ossian, “king of bards.”—Ossian, Temora, vi.
*** Cormac, the father of Roscrana, was great-grandfather of that Cormac who was reigning when Swaran made his invasion. The line ran thus: (1) Cormac I., (2) Cairbre, his son, (3) Artho, his son, (4) Cormac II., father-in-law of Fingal.
Rose, “the gardener’s daughter,” a story of happy first love, told in later years by an old man who had, in his younger days, trifled with the passion of love; but, like St. Augustin, was always “loving to love” (amans amāre), and was at length heart-smitten with Rose, whom he married. (See Alice.)—Tennyson, The Gardener’s Daughter.
Rose. Sir John Mandeville says that a Jewish maid of Bethlehem (whom Southey names Zillah) was beloved by one Ham´uel, a brutish sot. Zillah rejected his suit, and Hamuel, in revenge, accused the maiden of offences for which she was condemned to be burned alive. When brought to the stake, the flames burnt Hamuel to a cinder, but did no harm to Zillah. There she stood, in a garden of roses, for the brands which had been kindled became red roses, and those which had not caught fire became white ones. These are the first roses that ever bloomed on earth since the loss of paradise.
As the fyre began to brenne about hire, she made her preyeres to oure Lord ... and anon was the fayer quenched and oute, and brondes that weren brennynge becomen white roseres ... and theise werein the first roseres that ever ony man saughe.—Sir John Maundeville, Voiage and Traivaile.