Britayne

• Britaine, Britane, Britaigne, Brittaigne, Briteyne, Brytayn
• Bretain, Bretaine, Bretaigne, Bretainne, Bretaygne, Breteigne, Breteine, Breteyn
• Brutaigne, Brutaine, Bruteine
• Breotene, Bretene (Early Middle English)

From Anglo-Norman Britaine, Bretaine, Bretagne, variants of Old French Bretaigne, Bretannie via Medieval Latin Britānia, Bretannia from Latin Britannia; whence a doublet of Bretene via Old English Breoton, Breten.

Britayne

1. Britain

   Synonym: Engelond

   • 1387–1400, [Geoffrey] Chaucer, “The Ffrankeleẏns Tale”, in The Tales of Caunt́bury (Hengwrt Chaucer; Peniarth Manuscript 392D), Aberystwyth, Ceredigion: National Library of Wales, published c. 1400–1410], →OCLC, folio 155, recto:

     A yeer and moore laſted this bliſful lyf, / Til that the knyght of which I ſpeke of thus, / That of Kayrrud was cleped Arveragus, / Shoop hym to goon and dwelle a yeer or twayne / In Engelond, that cleped was ek Britayne

     A year and more lasted this blissful life, / Until the knight of whom I thus speak, / That was called Arveragus of Kayrrud, / Prepared himself to go and dwell a year or two / In England, which was also called Britain

   • 1461, John Wrexworth, Guyan King-of-Arms, Grant of Arms to William Swayne of Somerset (Add. MS. 14295, fo. 5b) :[1]

     The w^ch blason I the foresayd Gwyon Kinge of Armes witnesse: not then borne of any other ꝑson whatsoever he bee w^thin the Realme of England (otherwyse called the Ile of Great Brittaigne)

2. Brittany

   Synonym: Armorik

   • 1386, Geoffrey Chaucer, “The Franklin's Tale”, in Canterbury Tales, Oxford, published 1988, page 178:

     In Armorik, that called is Britayne, / Ther was a knyght that loved and dide his payne.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

• Gret Britaine, Grete Britayne, Grete Britaigne

• English: Britain

• Engelond
• Wales
• Scotlond
• Cornwaile

• “Britaine, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
• Bretagne on the Anglo-Norman On-Line Hub