Roman 
privileges, and gifts, as the supreme ruler, pastor, and 
teacher of the whole Catholic Church. Ecclesiastically, 
it is a hierarchy consisting of priests, bishops, and arch- 
bishops, presided over by the Pope, who is the supreme 
head of the church, and who is elected for life by the Col- 
lege of Cardinals from their own number. Every priest 
receives his consecration from a bishop or archbishop, and 
every bishop and archbishop holds his appointment from 
the Pope, by whose permission he must be consecrated. 
Celibacy is strictly enforced on the clergy. The doctrines of 
the church are contained in the decrees of the Council of 
Trent, and in a briefer form in the creed of Pius IV. (1564). 
This creed contains twelve articles, including an accep- 
tance of the traditions and constitutions of the church and 
of the Scriptures as interpreted by the church ; seven sac- 
raments, necessary for the salvation of mankind, though 
not all for every individual namely, baptism, confirma- 
tion, eucharist, penance, extreme unction, orders, and mat- 
rimony ; the doctrines concerning original sin and justifi- 
cation denned by the decrees of the Council of Trent ; 
the mass as a true propitiatory sacrifice ; the real pres- 
ence and transubstantiation ; purgatory; the invocation 
of the saints ; the veneration of images; indulgences; and 
the supremacy of the Pope. The last article, as since de- 
nned by the Vatican Council, involves the infallibility 
of the Pope. The worship of the Roman Catholic Church 
is an elaborate ritual, the central feature of it being the 
sacrifice of the mass, in which the real body and blood 
of Christ are believed to be corporeally present, each 
repetition of the mass being regarded as a real sacrifice 
for sin and as exercising a real efficacy in securing the 
salvation of those who in faith assist at and partake of it 
These doctrines and usages are, with some ditferences, 
largely also those of the Greek and some other churches. 
The most distinctive doctrines of the Roman Catholic 
Church are the papal supremacy and infallibility, the im- 
maculate conception, and the purgatorial fire. Commu- 
nion is given in one kind only. Roman Catholicism, 
the principles, doctrines, rules, etc., of the Roman Catholic 
Church collectively. Roman Catholic Relief Acts, a 
series of English statutes of 1829, 1833, 1834, 1843, 1844, and 
1846, removing the political disabilities of Roman Catholics. 
Roman cement. See cement. Roman collar (eccles.), 
a straight collar of lawn or linen, bound and stitched. 
It is worn by priests and clerics over a black collar, by 
bishops and prelates over a purple, and by cardinals over 
a scarlet one. It is modern and secular in its origin. 
Roman empire, the ancient empire of Rome, the begin- 
ning of which is generally placed at 31 B. c. Its division 
into Eastern and Western empires began in the fourth 
century. See Eastern. Empire, Holy Roman Empire, and 
Western Empire, under empire. Roman fever. See 
feveri. Roman hyacinth. See Hyocinthus. Roman 
indiction. See indiction, 3. Roman laurel, the true 
laurel, Laurus nobilis. Roman law, the civil law; the 
system of jurisprudence finally elaborated in the ancient 
Roman empire. The principles of the Roman law have 
exerted an extraordinary influence over most systems 
of jurisprudence in continental Europe, and are incor- 
porated in a remarkable degree with the law of Scotland. 
See civil law, under civil. Roman lock, mosaic, net- 
tle, nose, ocher. See the nouns. Roman order, in 
arch., same as composite order. See composite, 3. Roman 
pearl. See pearl. Roman pitch. See pitch of a roof, 
under pitchi. Roman pottery. See pottery. Roman 
pronunciation. See pronunciation. Roman punch, 
a water-ice, flavored usually with lemon, and mixed with 
rum or other spirit. Roman red ware. Same as Sa- 
mian ware (which see, under Samian). Roman school, 
in art, the style of painting which prevailed at Rome in 
the beginning of the sixteenth century, and was devel- 
oped from the art of Raphael (1483-1.120), who in his 
later manner was the founder of the school. It was in 
no way a native school, being based on the art of Flor- 
ence, and counting foreigners, for the most part, among 
its painters. Among the most prominent names of this 
school are Giulio Romano, Caravaggio, and the later 
Sassoferrato and Maratta. Roman string, a peculiarly 
fine variety of catgut string for violins and similar In- 
struments, made in Italy. Roman surface, a surface 
invented by the geometer Steiner in Rome. See Steiner's 
surface, under surface. Roman vitriol, white, etc.' 
See the nouns. Roman wormwood, one of the rag- 
weeds, Ambrosia artemiiieefolia. See ragweed. = Syn. 1. 
Roman, Latin. Jtoman naturally applies to that which is 
especially associated or connected with the city, Rome- 
Latin to that which similarly belongs to the district, 
Latium. Hence, we speak of Roman power, fortitude, 
administration ; the Roman church ; the Latin language 
Nearly all the use of Latin has grown out of its applica- 
tion to the language : as, Latin grammar; a Latin idiom ; 
the Latin Church. The words are not interchangeable. 
II. n. 1. A native or an inhabitant of Rome, 
the capital of Italy, and chief city of the ancient 
Roman empire. 
Thei assemble and somowue on alle partees, and now be 
meved the romaynes with an huge peple, and theire lorde 
and gouernoure is Pounce, Antony, tweyne of the counseil- 
Merlin (E. E. T. S.), 11. 303. 
lours of Rome. 
The last of all the Romans, fare thee well ! 
It is impossible that ever Rome 
Should breed thy fellow. Shalt., J. C., v. 3. 99. 
2. A person enjoying the freedom or citizen- 
ship of ancient Eome. [An old use.] 
Then the chief captain came, and said unto him, Tell 
me, artthou a. Roman? He said, Yea. And the chief cap- 
tain answered, With a great sum obtained I this freedom 
And Paul said, But I was free born. Acts crii. 28. 
3. A member or an adherent of the Church 
of Rome ; a Romanist. [Now mostly colloq.] 
4. [I. c.] A roman letter or type, in distinc- 
tion from an tfa<;._Epistle to the Romans, an 
epistle written by the apostle Paul to a Christian commu- 
nity at Rome consisting partly of Jews and partly of Gen- 
tile converts. It was composed before the apostle had 
visited Rome, and is generally supposed to have been writ- 
ten from Corinth about A. u. 58. Its main subject is the 
doctrine of justification by faith, with special reference to 
328 
5217 
the relative position of the Jews and Gentiles to the law of 
God (natural and revealed), the rejection of the Jews, and 
the admission of the Gentiles. Abbreviated Rom, 
romance (ro-mans'), w. and . [I. n. Early mod. 
E. also romaunce; < ME. romance, romaunce, 
romans (also romant, romaunt, q. v.), = D. G. 
Dan. Sw. roman, < OF. romans, romanz, rou- 
mans, also roman, romant, roumant, a story, 
history, romance, also the Romance language, 
= Pr. romans, a romance, the Romance or 
(vulgar) Roman language, = Sp. romance, a 
romance, tale, ballad, the common Spanish 
language, = Pg. romance, the vulgar tongue, 
= It. romanzo, a romance, fable, = Romansh 
romansch (ML. reflex Romancium, the Romance 
language; also romagium, a romance); < L. 
Romanicus, Roman (through the adverb, ML. 
Romanice, in Roman or Latin fashion; Ro- 
manice loqiii, F. purler romans, speak in Ro- 
mance, or the vulgar Latin tongue), < Roma- 
nus, Roman: see Romanic, Roman. Cf. romant. 
II. a. (and I., ., 7). In form after the noun, < 
ML. Romanians, Romanic, Romance: see above. 
Cf. Romansh.'] I. n. 1. Originally, a tale in 
verse, written in one of the Romance dialects, 
as early French or Provencal; hence, any pop- 
ular epic belonging to the literature of modern 
Europe, or any fictitious story of heroic, mar- 
velous, or supernatural incidents derived from 
history or legend, and told in prose or verse 
and at considerable length: as, the romance of 
Charlemagne ; the Arthurian romances. 
He honoured that hit hade, euer-more after, 
As hit is breued in the best boke of romaunce. 
Sir Oawayne and the Green Knight (E. E. T. S.), 1. 2521. 
Upon my bedde I sat upright, 
And bad oon reche me a book, 
A romaunce, and hit me took 
To rede and dryve the night away ; 
For me thoghte it better play 
Than playe either at chesse or tables. 
And in this boke were written fables 
That clerkes hadde, in olde tyme, 
And other poets, put in ryrne. 
Chaucer, Death of Blanche, 1. 48. 
And yf any man demaunde hou certain, 
What me shall call thys romans souerain, 
Hit name the Romans as of Partenay, 
And so som it call certes at this day. 
Rom. of Partenay (E. E. T. S.), 1. 6417. 
Upon these three columns chivalry, gallantry, and re- 
ligionrepose the fictions of the middle ages, especially 
those usually designated as romances. These, such as we 
now know them, and such as display the characteristics 
above mentioned, were originally metrical, and chiefly 
written by natives of the north of France. 
Hallam, Introd. to Lit. of Europe, I. ii. 59. 
History commenced among the modern nations of Eu- 
rope, as it had commenced among the Greeks, in romance. 
Macaulay, History. 
2. In Spain and other Romanic countries 
Romance Conti 
5. A blending of the heroic, the marvelous, 
the mysterious, and the imaginative inactions, 
manners, ideas, language, or literature; ten- 
dency of mind to dwell upon or give expres- 
sion to the heroic, the marvelous, the mysteri- 
ous, or the imaginative. 
The splendid phantoms of chivalrous romance, the tro- 
the haunted forests, the enchanted~gardens, the achieve- 
ments of enamoured knights, and the smiles of rescued 
princesses. Macaulay, Milton. 
The hardships of the journey and of the first encamp- 
ment are certainly related by their contemporary with 
some air of romance, yet they can hardly be exaggerated. 
Emerson, Hist. Discourse at Concord. 
The age of Romance has not ceased ; it never ceases ; it 
does not, if we think of it, so much as very sensibly de- 
cline. Carlyle, Diamond Necklace, 1. 
6. In music: (a) A setting of a romantic story 
or tale; a ballad. (6) Any short, simple mel- 
ody of tender character, whether vocal or in- 
strumental ; a song, or song without words. Also 
romanza. 7. [cop.] A Romance language, or 
the Romance languages. See II. 
Did not the Norman Conquest . . . bring with it a set- 
tlement of strangers, of Romance-speaking strangers, 
enough to destroy all pretence on the part of the English 
nation to pure Teutonic descent? 
E. A. Freeman, Amer. Lects., p. 155. 
=Syn. 3. Tale, etc. See novel. 
II. a. [cap.~\ Pertainingto or denoting the lan- 
lages which arose, in the south and west of 
lurope, out of the Roman or Latin language as 
spoken in the provinces at one time subject to 
Rome. The principal Romance languages are the Italian, 
French, Provencal, Spanish, Portuguese, Wallachian, and 
Rlueto-Romanic. Also Romanic. Abbreviated Rom. 
romance (ro-mans'), v.; pret. and pp. romanced, 
ppr. romancing. [= OF. romancier, roumancer 
= Pr. romansar = Sp. Pg. romancear, trans- 
late into the vulgar tongue, = It. romanzeg- 
giare, write romances; from the noun: see ro- 
mance, .] I. intrans. 1. To invent and relate 
fictitious stories; deal in extravagant, fanciful, 
or false recitals ; lie. 
I hear others romancing about Things they never heard 
nor saw ; nay, and that they do with that Assurance that, 
when they are telling the most ridiculous and impossible 
Things in Nature, they persuade themselves they are 
speaking Truth all the while. 
N. Bailey, tr. of Colloquies of Erasmus, I. 53. 
2. To be romantic ; behave romantically or 
with fanciful or extravagant enthusiasm; build 
castles in the air. 
That I am a "romancing chit of a girl" is a mere con- 
jecture on your part ; I never romanced to you. 
Charlotte Bronte, Shirley, xxiii. 
II. trans. To treat, present, or discuss in a 
romantic manner. [Recent, and a Gallicism.] 
either (a) a short epic narrative poem (historic At t '* e en ^ Mr - B - ^ oes not romance us. His last words, 
ballad), or, later, (6) a short lyric poem. &l^<S%^$iS?^* ^ 
The romance . . . is a composition in long verses of four- Harper's Mag., LXX VIII. 663. 
"ing with one rhyme, or assonance, which Y.nmQ-nmit. /,.,..,,,' ,.\ *. r/~c> 
y, but wrongly, divided into two short romancer (ro-man ser), n. [< P. romancter, a ro- 
mancer, novelist, = Sp. romancero, one who 
sings or recites romances or ballads (of. roman- 
lines, the first of which, naturally, is rhymeless. 
Encyc. Brit., XXII. 354. 
3. A tale or novel dealing not so much with 
real or familiar life as with extraordinary and 
often extravagant adventures, as Cervantes's 
"Don Quixote," with rapid and violent changes 
of scene and fortune, as Dumas's "Count of 
Monte Cristo," with mysterious and supernat- 
ural events, as R. L. Stevenson's "Strange 
Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," or with 
morbid idiosyncrasies of temperament, as God- 
cero = Pg. romanceiro, a collection of romantic 
ballads), = It. romamiere, a romancer, novelist; 
as romance + -e?-2.] 1. A writer of romance. 
In the civill warres [he was] colonel of horse. . . . Good 
sword-man; admirable extempore orator ; greatmemorie; 
great historian and romanceer. Aubrey, Lives, Sir J. Long. 
Illustrious romancer [Cervantes] ! were the "fine fren- 
zies " which possessed the brain of thy own Quixote a fit 
subject ... to be exposed to the jeers of duennas? 
Lamb, Barrenness of the Imaginative Faculty. 
2. One who romances ; one who invents ficti- 
tious or extravagant stories. 
The allusion of the daw extends to all impostors, vain 
pretenders, and romancers. Sir R. L'Estrange. 
society influenced by imaginary 
characters, as Fouqu<'s "Undine." Special forms 
of the romance, suggested by the subject and the manner 
of treatment, arc the historical, the pastoral, the philo- 
sophical, the psychological, the allegorical, etc. Seenovel, romancical (ro-man'si-kal), a. [< romance + 
-ic-al.] Relating to or dealing in romance, par- 
The narrative manner of Defoe has a naturalness about ticularly the romances of chivalry. [Rare.1 
it beyond that of any other novel or romance writer. His J L 
flctions have all the air of true stories Tne poets and romancical writers (as dear Margaret 
Lamb, Estimate of Defoe. Newcastle would call them). Lamb, Decay of Beggars. 
Others were much scandalized. It ["The Pilgrim's Pro- romancist (ro-man'sist), n. [= Sp. Pg. roman- 
gress "J was a vain story, a mere romance, about giants, and 
lions, and goblins, and warriors. Macaulay, John Bunyan. 
Sir Philip Sidney'sTheCountessof Pembroke's Arcadia, 
which appeared in 1590, after the author's death, is the 
most brilliant prose fiction in English of the century, and 
a genuine pastoral and heroic romance. 
Encyc. Brit., XX. 660. 
4. An invention; fiction; falsehood: used eu- 
phemistically. 
romancyt (ro-man'si), a. 
This knight was indeede a valiant gentleman, bat not a Romantic. [Rare.] 
cista, one who writes in the vernacular tongue, 
Pg. also a romancer; as romance + -&<.] A 
writer of romance ; a romancer. 
A story ! what story? Pere Silas is no romancist. 
Charlotte Bronte, Villette, xxxv. 
Slow, determined, sure, artistic work . . . made the suc- 
cessful careers of the earlier generation of American poets, 
romancists, and essayists. The Century, XL. 313. 
[< romance + -y 1 .] 
little given to romance when he spake of himselfe. 
Evelyn, Diary, Sept. 6, 1651. 
A Staple of Romance and Lies, 
False Tears and real Perjuries. 
An old house, situated in a romancy place. 
Life of A. Wood, p. 118. 
Romance Conti. A wine of Burgundy, grown 
Prior, An English Padlock, on the Cote d'Or, in a very small district in the 
