ragman roll

noun

rag·​man roll

ˈragmən-

variants or ragman's roll

1

obsolete : a long list (as on a scroll or document) : catalog

the whole ragman roll of fasting days

—Thomas Nash

2

: a series of rolls of deeds on parchment in which the Scottish nobility and gentry subscribed allegiance to Edward I of England in 1291 and especially in 1296 during Edward's progress through Scotland and at the parliament of Berwick

—usually used in plural

Word History

Etymology

Middle English Ragmane rolle, roll used in a medieval game and containing verses describing various characters, from Anglo-French Ragemon le bon, literally, Ragemon the good (from the name of one of the characters serving as title of the verses) + Middle English rolle roll

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