brandellet

brandellet

Middle English

Etymology

Perhaps a diminutive of brand (“sword”).

Noun

brandellet

1. a word of uncertain meaning, denoting some part of a knight's equipment, perhaps a small sword
   • (Can we date this quote?), Richard Coer de Lyon, (2015 Peter Larkin / ISD LLC edition: →ISBN), page 30:

     Kynge Rycharde of hym was ware, And a spere to hym he bare, And encountred hym in the felde; He bare awaye halfe his shelde, His pusen therwith gan gone, And also his brandellet bone, His vyser and his gorgere.

Further reading

• 1842, S. R. Meyrick, A Critical Inquiry Into Antient Armour, page 30:

  The word pusen, which, according to Mr. Weber, is the same as pesens, mentioned in another place, signifies a collar formed after the fashion of Pisa [a pisane]; brandellet perhaps signifies the sword. A blow of the lance might, after  […]

• 2013, James R. Planche, An Illustrated Dictionary of Historic Costume, Courier Corporation, →ISBN, page 409:

  If “brandellet” is the diminutive of “brand,” and signifies a small sword (the estoc, generally carried by the knight on the right side of his saddle), the royal lance, in displacing that also by the same blow, must have been wielded in  […]

  (please add an English translation of this quote)