Middle English Dictionary Entry
brand-reth n.
Entry Info
| Forms | brand-reth n. Also brand-rith, -rath, -ret & -let, -led, brend-let, brenled. |
| Etymology | ON: cp. OI brand-reið) & OE brandrād, -red(a, -rida. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A grate, gridiron, or trivet for supporting cooking utensils above a fire; (b) a gridiron for torture.
Associated quotations
a
- (1360) Invent.Monk-Wear.in Sur.Soc.29152 : In coquina..ij brandreths.
- (1400) Will York in Sur.Soc.4514 : j brandereth cum vj barrez ferri.
- (c1422) Invent.Norwich in Nrf.Archaeol.12202 : ij pothokys, ij brendled, j fleshhok.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)47 : Brandelede [Win: braynloyde]: Tripes.
- c1440 Thrn.Med.Bk.(Thrn)7/29 : Tak grene ȝerdis of esche & lay þam ouer a brandrethe & make a fire vnder þam.
- (1459-60) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.9989 : It. j magnum Brandreth cum ij costeris, et j parvum Brandreth.
- (1465) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.99244 : Item j brandreth cum iiijor costis ferreis. Item j brandreth rotundum.
- (1465) Paston4.202 : ij rakks of yron, ij brendeletts.
- ?a1500 Lndsb.Nominale (Lndsb)769/26 : Hic tripes: a brenlede.
b
- c1450 St.Eras.(Add 36983)p.203 : Þe xliii [passion] was brennyng on a brandlete bounden þerto.
2.
A wooden framework.
Associated quotations
- (1421) Indent.Catterick in Archaeol.J.757 : Ye branderathes of ye pilers and of ye landstathes..with..othire tre werke that is nedfull to ya saide brigg.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)17b : Brandrethe [vr. brandryth] to sette byggyng on: loramentum.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- (1421-2) in Salzman Building in Engl.498 : Nich' And his falaws..schall fynd, mak, or gare make apon yair own cost al manere of Tymbirwerke quilke..is nesessar'..to ye saide brigg', yt is to say ye branderethes of ye pilers and of ye landstathes..Ye forsaide Nich'..schall make ridde ye groundes in ye watir ware ye brigg' schall be..And make ye brandereth of ye ta landestathe be laide befor ye fest of ye Inuencion of ye holy Crosse..And ye tothir brandereth..to be laid by ye fest of ye Natiuite of seint John Baptist..And..schall..kepe ye wat' wer' And defend itte fro ye saides Th' John and Rob't to ye tyme ye branderath be laid and yair werke of masoncraft be passed ye danger And ye noiesance of ye same said water.
Note: New forms: Also..branderath; pl. branderethes.
Note: Quot. belongs to sense 2.
Note: The "brand-reths" (made of wood) here refer to cofferdams, enclosures constructed to permit construction work below the waterline on Catterick Bridge (at either end of the bridge and around its piers).
Note: (Note that the first quot. in sense 2. found in The Archaeological Journal p. 57, is from this same text, a contemporary copy on parchment of the contract for building Catterick Bridge.)
- (1446) Invent.Lytham in Chet.n.s.6080 : Domus brac'..j brandereth, j pare tangez, ij wyndoshetes, j Skele, j Shole.
Note: Additional quot. for sense 1.(a).
Note: The list of variant spellings in the form section is incomplete and needs revision to accord with standards of later volumes of the MED. Provisional revised form section (including Supplement forms): Also brandrethe, bandrith, brandereth, branderath, brandlete, brandelede, brendled, brendlet, brenlede, brainloide; pl. brandreths, etc. & branderethes, branderathes.--notes per MLL