Middle English Dictionary Entry
Britaine n.
Entry Info
| Forms | Britaine n. Also Britane, Bretai(g)ne, -ei(g)ne, Brutai(g)ne, -eine, (early) Breotene. |
| Etymology | OF Bretaigne. ME Brutaine has the vowel of Bruttish (OE Bryttisc), Britaine that of ME Brittish or ML Brit(t)ānia. OE Breoton survives in the first quot. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
The island on which England, Cornwall, Wales, and Scotland are (or were) situated, or those parts of the island held by Celts after the Anglo-Saxon conquest; also, specif., Wales, Cornwall; ~ the Grete (More), Grete (Muche) ~.
Associated quotations
- c1225 Sanctus beda (Wor F.174)1 : Sanctus beda was iboren her on breotene mid us.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)1954 : Þis lond was ihaten Albion Þa Brutus cum her on..Þis lond he clepede Brutaine.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)1831 : Þe verste martir þat to engelond com..Constance was is name; he conquerde of spaine Þe truage & of france & suþþe here of brutaine.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)4990 : Alle þe dukes of brutayne & þe englisse kinges echone Ycome were to þis parlement.
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)5125 : Þe brutons..lore þo boþe al clene name & eke lond; Vor þat was bruteyne ycluped er, me clupeþ nou engelond.
- (?a1390) Daniel *Herbal (Add 27329)f.195rb : Gagates is geet ston .. & it is ligthest of alle stones; in grete Britayne groweth þe finest.
- c1390(?c1350) Jos.Arim.(Vrn)232 : Galaad..þat goodnesse schal reise, Þe Auenturus of Brutayne to haunsen and to holden.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Fkl.(Manly-Rickert)F.810 : Engelond, that cleped was eek Britayne.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.282 : Þe ildes aboute alle salle loute vnto þat lond Of whilk Edward is justise hard..þre regions in his bandons salle be laid, Scotland & Wales..cald Bretayn, first Albion.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)25 : Of alle þat here bult of Bretaygne kynges, Ay watz Arthur þe hendest.
- c1400 Brut-1333 (Rwl B.171)46/31 : Constantyn..was Crouned kyng..of mych Bretaigne.
- c1400 Brut-1333 (Rwl B.171)78/23 : Kyng Arthure hade at þat table Britons, Fraunchemen..and of his lande of Britaigne [vr. Britaine], and of þe grete Cornwaile, of Walys, & of Irland, & of Scotland.
- c1425(?a1400) Arthur (Lngl 55)252 : Y am kyng Arthour of Bretayne.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)3519 : How faris it in Bretaynne with all my bolde berynns?
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)1938 : Brutus regned ffoure & twenty ȝer In al Bretaigne fer & ner. Al was Brutaigne, by elde tales, Engelond, Scotlond, & Walys.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)6447 : Bretaygne þe grete was þe [Conan] het..brouk hit wel.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)44.196 : In this lond that is called breteyngne, Arthowr A Kyng schal ben Certeygne.
- a1450(c1410) Lovel.Grail (Corp-C 80)45.115 : Kyng Crwdelx, Of North gales kyng, Me hath thus put to Crwcyfyeng..Into Grete breteygne thou schalt go, there to Avengen me..On kyng Crwdelx.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)184/8 : Kynge Gurgonynce..kynge of Britane the more..whyche now Is callid England.
2.
Brittany; ~ the Lesse, Litel ~, Armorik ~.
Associated quotations
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)25434 : Of Normandie, of Angou, of Brutaine, of Peitou.
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.409 : He knew..euery cryke in Britaigne and in Spayne.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Fkl.(Manly-Rickert)F.729 : In Armorik, that called is Britayne, Ther was a knyght.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Fkl.(Manly-Rickert)F.1061 : The hyeste rok in Armoryk Britayne.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)36 : Burgoyne and Brabane and Bretayn the lesse.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)6467 : Hit schal hote þe Lesse Bretayne, And y comaunde..þat noman calle hit Armoriche.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)6877 : He wolde wende to þe Lasse Bretayne, Þer Conan vmwhile was cheftayne.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)343/12 : In Ingelonde, Walys, Scotlonde, Irelonde, and Cornuayle..and in Bretayne and many contrayes.
- c1450(?a1400) Chestre Launfal (Clg A.2)114 : vii knyȝtes..of Lytyll Bretayne.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1291 Her lis arfaxat (Lamb 499)412 : Her lis arfaxat, fader brandan ant kolmkilne ant cowhel þer halewe and dame coroune, moder þeyre halewe þat komen in to bretene sautes [read: santes] to seke.
Note: New form: Also..(early) Bretene.
Note: Quot. belongs to sense 1.
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: Also Britane, Britaigne, Bretain(e, Bretainne, Bretaigne, Bretei(n)gne, Brutai(g)ne, Bruteine & (early) Bretene, Breotene.--notes per MLL