A few minutes ago I learned of a marvellous project to create the Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources (DMNES). This is under development, although a lot now exists, but a blog is available, and is itself a rather wonderful thing:
The dictionary aims to contain all given (fore, Christian) names recorded in European sources written between 600 and 1600, minus the names of historical/non-contemporary people, and names occurring only in fictional literature or poetry.
I came across the blog while attempting to translate BHL 6177, the Miracles of St Nicholas at Angers. This contains the following paragraph:
4. Contigit igitur in una sollemnitatum, quam supra diximus, ad excubias sancti viri nonnullos decubare infirmos et debiles, inter quos puer unus erat, Brientius nomine, qui ab ipsa fere materna alvo contractus, a renibus videlicet infra membrorum omnium officio destitutus, a quodam Britanniae pago, qui Sanctus Briuntius dicitur, ortus, ad Andegavensem usque devectus fuerat urbem.
It happened, therefore, during one of the solemnities which we have mentioned above, that, at the vigils of the holy man some sick and feeble men were lying down, among whom was a boy, named Brientius, who was almost crippled in the womb by the mother herself, that is to say, deprived of the service of all his limbs by his kidneys, and, born in certain district in Britannia named Sanctus Briuntius, he had been carried as far as the city of Angers
Not being familiar with the period, I am relying heavily on Google to understand the names!
But who or what is “Brientius”? It’s a name from Britannia, which is Britain, of course, although it’s strange that they do not say “England” (would it be “Anglia”?). The lad comes from somewhere called “Sanctus Briuntius,” wherever that might be. It all sounds a bit Welsh, or Cornish.
But a google search revealed this article from the DMNES on the blog. The name turned out to be Breton! The vernacular form is “Brient”, and this is turned into a French form “Briant,” which I seem to remember from King Arthur literature when I was little, from the 12th century onwards.
A look at the Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources at Logeion reveals that indeed “Britannia” can mean Brittany! Even better, the comments on the article were wonderfully learned and beautifully referenced. This was incredibly useful, for I who knew none of them. From this I learn that “Brient” is Old Breton, and might mean “free man.”
I’m still at a loss for the village or district, “Sanctus Briuntius”, but I’m far further forward than I was.
Truly we live in days of miracles and wonders.
