Middle English Dictionary Entry
bē̆saunt n.
Entry Info
| Forms | bē̆saunt n. Also besant, besa(u)nd, beisaunt, bessant. Pl. besauntes, etc., besaunce, besauns, besaun(t)z, besans, bessauns, bezauns, bysaundes. |
| Etymology | OF & L |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A gold coin of Byzantium; any of several similar coins minted in Western Europe; also, a silver coin used in Western Europe; (b) ~ weight, the weight of a gold bezant.
Associated quotations
a
- [ (c1165) in Madox Form.Angl.(1702)296 : Unum bisantum de lucro..i bisantum auri. ]
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)8467 : Viftene þousend besans he sende hom.
- c1330(?c1300) Guy(1) (Auch)4856 : An hundred besaunce y ȝif þer-to.
- c1330 7 Sages(1) (Auch)107/2217 : He scholde..brenge a besaund [vrr. besant, besaunte, beysant] to offring.
- c1390 NHom.Narrat.(Vrn)37.304/366 : Heo deled an hundred Besauns.
- c1390 Ilke a wys (Vrn)13 : Ȝif þou bragge for þi Bezauns briht.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)6944 : Thou hast besauntes of golde redy.
- c1400(?a1300) KAlex.(LdMisc 622)3103,3111 : Ȝiueþ ȝee besauntz [LinI: besauns]..Neiþer besaunt ne fierþe peny.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)5592 : Though he..have of gold many besaunt.
- c1440 PLAlex.(Thrn)14/10 : The grete lordes..tuke fourty thowsandez of besandez.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)15 : It hath me Cost..More thanne xv thowsend besaunz.
- a1450-1509 Rich.(Brunner)6589 : Þe spye he gaff an hundrid besauntes [vrr. besaunt, besant, bysaundes].
- c1453(c1437) Brut-1436 (Hrl 53)558/25 : Þe cros..was riolly arrayet..and þer-in Angeles..gyvyng besandes of gold to þe Kyng.
- c1470(?1458) Wey Money (Bod 565)3 : There they haue besavntys clepyd pepper; a pepper ys worth xxxij torneys.
- c1460 Oseney Reg.119/9 : They ofte..to offer oone Besaunte of goolde.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)175/4 : A ryche cerclet of golde, worth a thousand besanntis.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)2.B.2366 : Seynt John..commaunded..To yeve the pouere man freely vj besauntis.
- a1500(?c1400) Song Roland (Lnsd 388)411 : He that saithe I..tok of þe hethyn..broche or bessant, eny harm to done.
- a1500(a1450) *St.Robt.Knares.(Eg 3143)1122 : Outt thei boght thann wyth besand.
b
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)1106 : The barres were of gold ful fyn..In everich was a besaunt wight.
2.
A bezant used as an ornament, an ornament resembling a bezant.
Associated quotations
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)6.401 : In anoþer place he dede besauntes, broches, and rynges.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)9108 : Þe garettes..wroght war..With fyne gold wyre alle obout frett, And bryght besandes burnyst omang sett.
- c1440(a1400) Awntyrs Arth.(Thrn)367 : Hir belle was of plonkete..Botonede with besantes [IrBl: Beten with besandus].
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)3256 : With rebanes of golde, Bruchez and besauntez and oþer bryghte stonys.
- c1440 Degrev.(Thrn)1499 : Hir bed was of asure..With gold of Sypirs was dight, Brad besantes [Cmb: besauntus] full bryghte.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)592 : Þi bak schal be betyn with besawntis bryth.
- c1450(?a1400) Parl.3 Ages (Add 31042)123 : Embroddirde alle with besanttes and beralles full riche.
- a1500(?a1400) Morte Arth.(2) (Hrl 2252)3179 : He satte Rychely crownyd With many a besaunte, broche, And be.
3.
As a rendering for various Biblical coins: (a) a piece of silver, argenteus; (b) a drachma; (c) a mina; (d) a talent [usually with reference to Mat.25]; (e) a mental or spiritual gift, a capacity, a talent.
Associated quotations
a
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)4194 : Þar was ioseph in seruage sald For tuenti besands [vrr. besaundes, besauntis; L argenteis, cp. Gen.37.28].
b
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)8102 : He ȝaff hise cnihhtess þa Fifftiȝ beȝȝsannz to mede.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Luke 15.8 : What womman hauynge ten dragmes ether besauntis.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)33 : Besaunte:..dragma.
- 1483 Cath.Angl.(Monson 168)29 : A Besande:..dragma.
c
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))1 Esd.2.69 : Thei ȝeuen..of siluer, besauntus [L argenti minas] fiue thousent.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Ezek.45.12 : Fyue and twenti syclis maken a besaunt [L mnam].
- c1390 PPl.A(1) (Vrn)7.228 : He binom him his npnam [glossed: besaunt].
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)42a/a : Mna: a besaunt.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)33 : Besaunte: mna.
- 1483 Cath.Angl.(Monson 168)29 : A Besande:..mna.
d
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)17/5 : Ðas fif wittes, hie tacniþ ða fif gildenene besantes ðe ðe hlauerd betahte his þralle.
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)620 : He..bydalf his besaunt vnder eorþe.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Mat.25.20 : Lord, thou bitokist me fyue talentis or besauntis.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.1930 : As we rede that he spedde, The which his lordes besant hedde And therupon gat non encres.
- a1400 Pep.Gosp.(Pep 2498)71/4 : Afterwardes tolde Jesus a tale of ten besauntz.
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)1.252 : Oon he ȝaf fyve besauntis, and..to another von.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)33 : Besaunte: Talentum.
- a1450 Desert Relig.(Add 37049)497 : Þir ar þe fyue nobill besaundes, þat our lord be-taght to his seruaundes.
- 1483 Cath.Angl.(Monson 168)29 : A Besande: talentum.
- a1500 Hal.Gloss.(Eg 829)7 : Talentum: a besaunte.
e
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)23885 : A besaunt [Göt: besant] es me taght to sete.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)370 : Þei schulde not execute into goostly wynnyng þe hool summe of þe besauntis whiche þou hast to hem bitaken.
- c1450(?c1425) St.Mary Oign.(Dc 114)148/21 : She multipliynge euery daye wiþ a besy labour þe besaunte þat was taken to hir.
- c1450 Jacob's W.(Sal 103)114/7 : Þe besaunt of grace is takyn fro hym þat hydeth it in slowthe.
4.
As personal name.
Associated quotations
- (1168) in Pipe R.Soc.125 : Lefwinus Besant.
- (1346) Feudal Aids 328 : Peter Besaunt.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- c1450(?a1370) Winner & W.(Add 31042:Gollancz)61 : A caban was rerede, Alle raylede with rede the rofe and the sydes, With Ynglysse besantes full brighte, betyn of golde.
Note: New comb.