" "... which they are enabled to do by the Money taken up here on Respondentia bonds...."—In Wheeler, ii. 427.
1776.—"I have desired my Calcutta Attorney to insure some Money lent on Respondentia on Ships in India.... I have also subscribed £500 towards a China Voyage."—MS. Letter of James Rennell, Feb. 20.
1794.—"I assure you, Sir, Europe articles, especially good wine, are not to be had for love, money, or respondentia."—The Indian Observer, by Hugh Boyd, &c., p. 206.
[1840.—"A Grecian ghat has been built at the north end of the old Respondentia walk...."—Davidson, Diary of Travels, ii. 209.]
RESSAIDAR, s. P.—H. Rasāīdār. A native subaltern of irregular cavalry, under the [Ressaldar] (q.v.). It is not clear what sense rasāī has in the formation of this title (which appears to be of modern devising). The meaning of that word is 'quickness of apprehension; fitness, perfection.'
RESSALA, s. Hind. from Ar. risāla. A troop in one of our regiments of native (so-called) Irregular Cavalry. The word was in India applied more loosely to a native corps of horse, apart from English regimental technicalities. The Arabic word properly means the charge or commission of a rasūl, i.e. of a civil officer employed to make arrests (Dozy), [and in the passage from the Āīn, quoted under [RESSALDAR], the original text has Risalah]. The transition of meaning, as with many other words of Arabic origin, is very obscure.
1758.—"Presently after Shokum Sing and Harroon Cawn (formerly of Roy Dullub's Rissalla) came in and discovered to him the whole affair."—Letter of W. Hastings, in Gleig, i. 70.
[1781.—"The enemy's troops before the place are five Rosollars of infantry...."—Sir Eyre Coote, letter of July 6, in Progs. of Council, September 7, Forrest, Letters, vol. iii.]
RESSALDAR, Ar.—P.—H. Risāladār (Ressala). Originally in Upper India the commander of a corps of Hindustani horse, though the second quotation shows it, in the south, applied to officers of infantry. Now applied to the native officer who commands a ressala in one of our regiments of "Irregular Horse." This title is applied honorifically to overseers of post-horses or stables. (See Panjab Notes & Queries, ii. 84.)
[c. 1590.—"Besides, there are several copyists who write a good hand and a lucid style. They receive the yáddásht (memorandum) when completed, keep it with themselves, and make a proper abridgement of it. After signing it, they return this instead of the yaddásht, when the abridgement is signed and sealed by the Wāqi'ahnawīs, and the Risalahdar (in orig. risālah)...."—Āīn, i. 259.]