R A B 



of count Erlal'rid, he font a colony of monks from Fulda» 

 to occupy a inorialk'ry lately founded by him at Hirfchau ; 

 and at the fame time, in order that he might be enabled to 

 purfuc his fhidies with lefs interruption, he devolved upon 

 another perfon the care of governing the abbey. In the 

 following year the monks expelled him from his port, com- 

 plaining, tiiat in confequence of his devoting himfelf to his 

 (Indies, the necefTary aflairs of the monallery were negleiited, 

 and its eftates fulfVred to be much dilapidated. He now re- 

 tired either to St. Peter's Mount, or, as others report, to 

 an humble apartment in the outer court of the abbey, where 

 he fpent his time in devotion, the (ludy of facred literature, 

 and the compofition of his various writings, deaf to the 

 repeated entreaties of the monks who exhorted him to re- 

 lume his authority. In 847 he was elefted to the arch- 

 bidiopric of Mentz, and in the following year he fummoned 

 a council, in which he procured the condemnation of Godef- 

 chale, for maintaining the doftrine of St. Augulline relpeft- 

 ing predelUnation and grace. Rabanus died in 856, at the 

 age of 71. He is dcfcribed by Diipin as " having excelled 

 all his contemporaries in the learning of thofe times, in ex- 

 plaining the principles of the liberal arts and fcienccs, and 

 the rules of grammar and rhetoric ; in a readinefs in colleft- 

 ing from the fathers of the church common places upon the 

 facred fcripturcs ; in allegorizing the hiif orical parts of the 

 bible ; in an expofuion ot the niyiHcal reafons of the cere- 

 monies ; in a facility at turning profe into verfe, and in the 

 manner of reducing all common places in precepts and 



R A B 



peans. Ncverthelefs, Rabat is the mod proper place for 

 trade of any upon this coalt, both for its vicinity to Europe, 

 and the quantity of wool, leather, and wax, which it is 

 capable of furnifhing. From its central fituation in the 

 empire, it is alfo better adapted for the conveying the com- 

 modities imported to every part of the country ; but a 

 defpotic government acknowledges no principle but the coi*- 

 veniencc of the moment ; it commands, judges, and exe- 

 cutes, without confidernig either caufe or confequence. 

 At Rabat, near the mouth of the river, are the ruins of a 

 cattle, built in the twelfth century by Jacob Almanfor, but 

 entirely dellroyed by the late emperor. The vralls, which 

 ilill remain, are near two miles round, and fortified by fquare 

 towers. Tliey enclofe the cadle, the town of Rabat, and 

 a large fpace of ground where J. Almanfor built beautifnl 

 palaces, and laid out delightful gardens, watered by plentiful 

 Ilreams, which he brought from the neighbouring fpring. 

 Theic walls, as well as the palace and the town, were buih 

 by Spanilh Haves, whom he took prifoncrs in his lirll cam- 

 paign. Within the fame inclofurc he alfo built a very large 

 moique, of vvliich the ruins ilill remain. The roof was 

 fupported by 360 columns of rough marble. Near it was 

 a handfome iijuare tower, ttrongly built with cut Hone, near 

 200 feet high, and called the tower of Hafian. From this 

 tower may be had an extenfive view over the fea, and diips 

 may be dilcovered at a prodigious dillance. This monument 

 is in almoll perfeft prefervation. Tliere are fome docks for 

 building (hips both at Sallee and Rabat ; but the difiicuky 



flruftions." And Modicim fays " he is defervodly placed of navigating the channel, and the probability that the fand 

 at the. head of the Latin writers of this age ; the force of will continue to accumulate, give ground for apprehending 



his genius, the extent of his knowledge, and the multitude 

 of produ<flions that flowed from his pen, entitle him to this 

 diftinguifhed rank, and render improper all comparifon be- 

 tween him and his contemporaries." He was denominated 

 the great hght of Germany and France, becaufe from his 

 fund of knowledge thofe nations derived principally their 

 religious inltruttions. His writings were every where in 

 the hands of the learned, and were held in fo much venera- 

 tion, that during four centuries, the moft eminent Latin 

 divines appealed to them as authority in religious matters. 

 His writings confiif of Commentaries on the Scriptures ; 

 Homilies on the Epillles and Gofpels; Scripture Allegories, 

 and a great many theological and literary pieces. Of which 

 the moil confiderable number were coUetled and publiihed 

 at Cologne in 1627, in fix vols, folio. Some other pieces 

 of this author, not to be found in that colleftion, may be 

 found in Baluze's " Mifcellanea," among Father Sirmond's 

 publications, and in the eighth vol. of the CoUett. Concil. 

 Mo(heim. Dupin. 



RABASTENS, in Geography, a town of France, in the 

 department ot the Upper Pyrenees, and chief place of a 

 canton, in the diilrift of Tarbes ; 10 miles N.N.E. of 

 Tarbes. The place contains 750, and the canton 7422 in- 

 habitants, on a territory of 150 kiliometres, in 2j com- 

 munes. 



Rabastens, or Ralajleins, a town of France, in the de- 

 partment of the Tarn, and chief place of a canton, in the 

 dillrift of Gaillac ; 21 miles S.S.W. of Alby. The place 

 contains 6076, and the canton 8 1 24 inhabitants, on a terri- 

 tory of 1525 kiliometres, in five communes. The principal 

 article of its trade is wine. 



RABAT, a town of Africa, in the empire of Morocco, 

 fituated on the S. fide of the river Sallee. Rabat had 

 formerly, at intervals, a number of European factories ; but 

 the difficulty of navigating the river, the obf-lacles arifing 

 from the arbitrary power of the fovereign, and the difpofi- 

 tion and prejudices of the Moors, have difguftcd tlve Euro- 



that very loon, only vefTels with oars will be able to enter 

 the river. Chenier's Morocco, vol. i. 



Rabat AJfarmacan, a town of Perfia, in Farfiilan ; 120 

 miles E. of Schiras. 



Rabat Arvah, a town of Perfia, in the province of 

 Kernian ; 40 miles E. of Kelvah. 



Rabat el Cadi, a town of Perfia, in the province of 

 Kerman ; 40 miles E. of Mailih. 



Rabat Maabad, a town of Perfia, in the province of 

 Kerman ; 60 miles N. of Kabis. 



Rabat al Najfi, a town of Perfia, in the province of 

 Kerman ; 60 miles N.E. of Maftih. 



Rabat Shiharijlan, a town of Perfia, in the province of 

 Cliorafan ; 260 miles N.E. of Ifpahan. 



R A BATE, in Falconry. A hawk is fometimes faid to 

 rabate, when, by the motion of the hand of the bearer, the 

 lure, call, &c. (he leaves purfuing her prey, or quarry, and 

 recovers the filt. 



Rabate, in Commerce.- See Rebate. 

 RABBA, in Ancient Geography, a town of Judea, which 

 belonged to the tribe ot Gad ; fituated upon the torrent of 

 Jaba ; it was befieged by Joab, after, he had defeated the 

 Ammonites. Here was feen the head of Og, king of Balhan, 

 who alone remained of the race of giants. — Alfo, a town 

 of Paleftnie, in the tribe of Jndah. See Raiiabah. 



RABBATH-AMMON, or Philadelphia, a town 

 of Afia, fituated in the mountains of the fouthern part of 

 Paleftme ; S.E. of Tiberias, and S. of Boftra. 



RABBATH-MOAB, orAncopoLis, a town of Afia, 

 fituated at fome diftance to the eaft of the lake into which 

 the river Jordan diicharges itlclf. 



R ABBEN, in Geography, a fmall ifland in the gulf of 

 Bothnia. N. lat. 63° 14'. E. long. 22° 14'. 



RABBET, in Carpentry, is a deep groove or channel, 

 cut in a piece of timber longitudinally, to receive the edge 

 of a plank, or the ends of a number of planke, which are 

 to be fecurely fallened in it. The depth of this chaujiel 



