Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 06.djvu/371

 Briton was then canon of St. Paul's, was one of those denounced; and at the king's instance he was arrested by the mayor of London and committed to the Tower. The dean and chapter of St. Paul's, in the absence of the bishop of London, immediately pronounced a general excommunication against all who had any share in this outrage upon a member of their body, and placed the cathedral under an interdict. The bishop of London supported the action of the chapter, and, finding the king unmoved by his remonstrances, threatened to extend the interdict to the whole of the city The legate, the archbishop of Canterbury, and several other prelates added entreaties and menaces, and the king was- obliged to yield. He at first struggled to obtain from the chapter an undertaking that the prisoner, if released, should be ready to appear when called upon to answer the charge made against him; but they refused to entertain the demand, and Ranulph was set unconditionally at liberty. Shortly afterwards the informer confessed the falsity of the accusations which he had made, and was brought to the scaffold. Although admitting Ranulph's innocence of the crime of treason, Matthew Paris intimates that he had amassed a large fortune by various acts of extortion, the canons of Missenden being particularly mentioned as having suffered from his rapacity. He died suddenly in 1246, having been seized with apoplexy while watching a game of dice.

The name of Ranulph Brito has been erroneously inserted by Dugdale and others in the list of chancellors. This mistake arose from the word consiliarius, used by Matthew Paris, having been printed in Wats's edition as cancellarius.

 BRITON or BRETON, WILLIAM (d. 1356), theologian, is described as a Franciscan by all the literary biographers (, Comm. de Script. Brit. p. 356, &c.); according, however, to H. O. Coxe (Catal. Codd. MSS. in Coll. Aulisque Oxon. i. 4), he was a Cistercian. No fact is known of his life, but Bale (Script. Brit. Cat. v. 89), who claims him, apparently by a guess, for a Welshman, places his death in 1356 at Grimsby. Briton's works, enumerated by Bale, are principally concerned with dialectics. His fame, however, rests upon his 'Vocabularium Bibliæ,' a treatise explanatory of obscure words in the Scriptures. The prologue and some other parts are in Latin verse. These, with additional specimens, have been printed by A. M. Bandini in his 'Catal. Codd. Latin. Biblioth. Medic. Laurent.' iv. 213 et seqq., Florence, 1777. Extracts are given by Ducange, 'Glossar. Med. et Infim. Latin.' praef., cap. xlix.

 BRITTAIN, THOMAS (1806–1884), naturalist, was born at Sheffield on 2 Jan. 1806. He was educated at a private school. He was engaged during the greater part of his life as a professional accountant, but became interested in natural science, and was very skilful in the preparation of diagrams and in the mounting of objects for the microscope. He settled in Manchester about 1842, and continued to live there during the remainder of his life. In some contributions to Axon's 'Field Naturalist' (Manchester, 1882, p. 148), he has told the story of his scientific studies from the time of his first microscope, which was obtained in 1834. In December 1858 he was one of the promoters of a Manchester Microscopical Society, which ultimately became a section of the Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society. When a second Manchester Microscopical Society - a more popular association - was established in 1879, he repeatedly held the office of vice-president, and was afterwards president. On his retirement, from failing health and advanced years, he was presented with an address at the Manchester Athenæum, 4 Oct. 1883. Brittain was connected with other scientific societies in Manchester and London. He was a clear and animated speaker, and for many years lectured on various subjects of natural science to a great number of the mechanics' and similar institutions. He made frequent contributions to the 'Manchester City News,' 'Unitarian Herald,' and other papers on matters of scientific interest. He was also connected with the unsuccessful attempt to establish a Manchester aquarium, and had a short experience, from 1858 to 1860, of municipal work. He died at Manchester on 23 Jan. 1884. His writings are: 1. 'Half a Dozen Songs by Brittanicus,' Manchester, 1846, privately printed. 2. 'A General Description of the Manchester Aquarium,' 1874, a pamphlet guide. 3. 'Micro-Fungi, when and where to find them,' Manchester, 1882. This, in spite of some obvious defects, has been of considerable use to local students. It is arranged in the order of the months, and first appeared in the 'Northern Microcopist.' 4. 'Whist: how to play and how to win, being the result of sixty years' play,' Manchester, 1882. Brittain did not make any claim to be a discoverer, but he was a 