1curr.finan.bezant, originally a gold coin from Byzantium but also used for a similar coin used in Western Europe or as a rendering for various Biblical coins:
(
s.xii
)
un besand d’or
i 271
(
1160-74;
MS: s.xiiiin
)
N’i poeit pelerin entrer En Jherusalem pur urer Ki ainz ne dunast un besant
i 278.3161
(
c.1170;
MS: s.xiiiex
)
il ne perdi del soen [le] vaillant [d’]un besant
113
(
MS: c.1275
)
si il soi absentent [...] chescun par soi est en la merci de un besant
26.4
(
MS: s.xiiiex
) talentum: (C) gallice besant
ii 145.36
(
MS: s.xiii/xiv
)
bisantius: besauns
ii 147.36
(
c.1334;
MS: s.xivm
)
manda [...] qe Symon lui mandast cent besantz d’argent
106.8
♦
fig.Bibl.talent, endowment, ability:
(
c.1275;
MS: s.xiii4/4
)
Si vus celez le besaunt Ke a pru deust estre mys avaunt, Deus vus en purra chalaunger
5709
2herald.bezant, gold roundel:
(
1300;
MS: s.xiv1
)
Aleyn de la Souche, tresor, Signefioit ke fust brisans Sa rouge baniere o besans
112.498
(
s.xivm;
MS: s.xivex
)
Quant ils sount d’or, sount besauntz; quant ils sount d’argent, platz
82
This is an AND2 Phase 1 (A-E) entry © 2000-2006 The Anglo-Norman Dictionary. On-line entry partially revised after the print version of AND2 went to press (2007-03-22) The printed edition of AND2 A-E is published by
Taylor & Francis for the
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Arts and Humanities Research Council of the United Kingdom.
besant (s.xii)