Ruffing, a beat on the drum. Lieutenant-generals have three ruffles, major-generals two, brigadiers one, and governors one, as they pass by the regiment, guard, &c.

Rufinus was born about the middle of the fourth century at Concordia, an inconsiderable town in Italy. At first he applied himself to the belles lettres, and particularly to the study of eloquence. To accomplish himself in this elegant art, he removed to Aquileia, a town at that time so celebrated, that it was called a second Rome. Having made himself acquainted with the polite literature of the age, he withdrew into a monastery, where he devoted himself to the study of theology. While thus occupied, St Jerome happened to pass through Aquileia. Rufinus formed an intimate friendship with him; but to his inexpressible grief was soon deprived of the company of his new friend, who continued his travels through France and Germany, and then set out for the east. Rufinus, unable to bear his absence, resolved to follow him. Accordingly he embarked for Egypt; and having visited the hermits who inhabit the deserts of that country, he repaired to Alexandria to hear the renowned Didymus. Here he was gratified with a sight of St Melania, of whose virtue and charity he had heard much. The sanctity of his manners soon obtained the confidence of St Melania, which continued without interruption during their residence in the east, a period of 30 years. The Arians, who swayed the ecclesiastical sceptre in the reign of Valens, persecuted Rufinus with great cruelty. They threw him into a dungeon, loaded him with chains, and after almost starving him to death, banished him to the deserts of Palestine. From this exile he was relieved by the pecuniary aid of St Melania, who employed her wealth in ransoming those confessors who had been condemned to prison or banishment. St Jerome, supposing that Rufinus would immediately proceed to Jerusalem, wrote to one of his friends there, congratulating him on the prospect of so illustrious a visitor. To Jerusalem he went, and having built a monastery on the Mount of Olives, he there assembled a great number of hermits, whom he animated to virtue by his exhortations. He converted many to the Christian faith, and persuaded more than 400 hermits who had taken part in the schism of Antioch to return to the church. He prevailed on many Macedonians and Arians to renounce their errors.

His attachment to the opinions of Origen set him at variance with St Jerome, who, being of a temper peculiarly irritable, not only retracted all the praises which he had lavished upon him, but loaded him with severe reproaches. Their disputes, which were carried to a very indecent height, tended to injure Christianity in the eyes of the weak. Theophilus, their mutual friend settled their differences; but the reconciliation was of short continuance. Rufinus having published a translation of the principles of Origen at Rome, was summoned to appear before Pope Anastasius. But he made a specious apology for not appearing, and sent a vindication of his work, in which he attempted to prove that certain errors, of which Origen had been accused, were perfectly consistent with the opinions of the orthodox. St Jerome attacked Rufinus's translation. Rufinus composed an eloquent reply, in which he declared that he was only the translator of Origen, and did not consider himself bound to sanction all his errors. Most ecclesiastical historians say that Rufinus was excommunicated by Pope Anastasius; but for this no good evidence has been brought. In 407, he returned to Rome; but the year after, that city being threatened by Alaric, he retired to Sicily, where he died in 418.

His works are, 1. A Translation of Josephus; 2. A Translation of several works of Origen; 3. A Latin Version of Ten Discourses of Gregory Nazianzen, and Eight of Basil's; 4. Chronatius of Aquileia prevailed on him to undertake a Translation of the Ecclesiastical History of Eusebius, which engaged him almost ten years. He made many additions to the body of the work, and continued the history from the 20th year of Constantine to the death of Theodosius the Great. Many parts of this work are negligently written, many things are recorded as facts without any authority but common report, and many things of great importance are entirely omitted. 5. A Vindication of Origen. 6. Two Apologies addressed to St Jerome. 7. Commentaries on the prophets Hosea, Joel, and Amos. 8. Lives of the Hermits. 9. An Explanation of the Creed.