† ˈRagman2 Obs.
Forms: 3–5 rageman, 4 -mon, -ment; 4, 6 raggeman; 4–7 ragman, 5 -man(n)e; 5–7 Sc. ragment, (6 -men).
[Of obscure origin and history. In the absence of any plausible etym. the development of senses can only be conjectural, and is perh. not properly illustrated by the existing material.
In early examples the invariable spelling is rageman, app. implying three syllables; but the form ragman is clearly proved for the 15th c. by the rimes in the Towneley Myst.]
1. The name given to a statute of 4 Edw. I (appointing justices to hear and determine complaints of injuries done within 25 years previous), and to certain articles of inquisition associated with proceedings of Quo Warranto under this statute.
See Placita de Quo Warranto (1818) pp. xvi–xvii.
1276 in Statutes Realm I. 44 Statutum de justic'. assign'.; quod vocatur Rageman. 1280 Assize Roll (P.R.O.) No. 670 Placita de Ragemannis et de Quo Warranto coram J. de Vallibus et sociis suis, justitiariis itinerantibus in comitatu Notinghamiae. 1292 in Placita de Quo Warranto (1818) 378 Juratores de Ragemann' præsentaverunt quod [etc.]. Ibid. 382 b, De hiis quae praesentata sunt in le Rageman. |
2. A roll, list, catalogue. Also Roll of Ragman = Ragman roll.
c 1394 P. Pl. Crede 180 Þer is none heraud þat haþ half swich a rolle, Riȝt as a rageman haþ rekned hem newe. c 1450 Pol. Poems (Rolls) II. 228 Pite for to here the people..riken up the ragmanne of the hole rowte, That servyth silvyre and levyth the law oute. c 1460 Towneley Myst. xxx. 224 Here a rolle of ragman of the rownde tabille, Of breffes in my bag, man, of synnes dampnabille. |
b. Sc. A long discourse, rhapsody, rigmarole.
1506 Dunbar Tua Mariit Wemen 162, I sall a ragment reveil fra [the] rute of my hert. 1513 Douglas æneis viii. Prol. 147 He raucht me a roll: to reyd I begane The riotest ane ragment wyth mony rat rane. 1536 Lyndesay Answ. King's Flyting 1 Redoutit Roy, ȝour ragment I haue red. a 1585 Polwart Flyting w. Montgomerie 142, I laugh to see the bluiter Glor in thy ragments, rash to raill. |
3. A game of chance, app. played with a written roll having strings attached to the various items contained in it, one of which the player selected or ‘drew’ at random.
In one form the game was a mere amusement, the items in the roll being verses descriptive of personal character: see Wright Anecd. Lit. (1844) 76–82 and Hazlitt E. Pop. Poetry (1864) I. 68. But that of quot. 1377 was probably a method of gambling, forbidden under penalty of a fine. In the other quots. the word may be a proper name, as in b.
c 1290 MS. Digby 86, lf. 162 [Heading of a set of French verses.] Ragemon le bon. 1377 Durham Halmote Rolls (Surtees) 140 De Thoma Breuster et Ricardo de Holm quia ludaverunt ad ragement contra pœnam in diversis Halmotis positam 20s. condonatur usque 2s. 1390 Gower Conf. III. 355 Venus, which stant..In noncertein, but as men drawe Of Rageman upon the chance. |
b. King Ragman, feigned to be the author of the roll used in playing the game.
c 1400 MS. Fairfax 16 in Hazl. E.P.P. I. 69 This rolle which..Kynge Ragman bad me sowe in brede... Drawith a strynge [etc.]. c 1500 Lenvoy of Prynter in Dodsley O. Pl. (1827) XII. 308 Go lytyl rolle..Excuse thy prynter..Layenge the faute on kynge Ragman holly, Whiche dyde the make many yeres ago. |
4. A document (contract, agreement, indenture, etc.) with seals attached.
App. by transference from sense 3, the pendent seals being compared to the strings, etc. attached to the roll used in the game: cf. quot. a 1350 in b.
1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. Prol. 72 [The pardoner] rauhte with his ragemon ringes and broches. 1376 Rolls Parlt. II. 324/2 Une lettre..sealees des sealx des plusours Seignurs de Bretaigne, appellee Ragman. Ibid., Le dit Rageman. 1399 in Rymer Fœdera (ed. 2) VIII. 109 De Raggemannis Comburendis. Ibid., Per diversa Scripta, Cartas sive Literas Patentes, vocata Raggemans sive Blank Chartres, Sigillis eorumdem Subditorum separatim consignata. c 1425 Wyntoun Cron. vi. xvii. 1722 Thai consentyd than And mad apon this a ragman Wyth mony sellys off lordys. c 1470 Henry Wallace x. 1149 The Bruce and he completyt furth thar bandis; Syn that samyn nycht thai sellyt with thar handis. This ragment left the Bruce with Cumyn thar. |
b. spec. The document by which the Scottish nobles in 1291 acknowledged Edward I as their overlord (given up by Edward III in 1328).
a 1350 Chron. Lanercost 261 (an. 1327) A Scottis, propter multa sigilla dependentia, Ragman vocabatur. c 1420 Chron. Thomas Otterbourne (1732) I. 114 (an. 1328) Redditis regi & regno Scotiæ juribus..et litera quæ vocatur Ragman, cum sigillo de homagio facto nobili regi Edwardo Io. 1480 Caxton Chron. Eng. 216 An endenture was made of the scottes vnto kyng Edward..whiche endenture they called it rageman. 1559 Mirr. Mag., Two Rogers vi, Causde the kyng to yelde the Skot,..the charter called Ragman. |