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 284 BRIEF BRIENZ Count Hugues du Pniset by Louis the Fat. In ancient times this district was partly covered by a vast forest, portions of which are still to be seen. It is believed by some to be the much disputed country of the Meldi, of whom Csesar makes mention. It was subjugated by the Franks, and formed part of the kingdom of Neustria. In the 9th century it was ruled by its own counts, who took their title from Meaux, but are also styled counts of Brie. Herbert of Vermandois, one of these feudal lords, hav- ing obtained the county of Troyes or Cham- pagne, in 968 united the two districts. Both passed to the crown in 1361. BBIEF (Lat. brevis, breve; Fr. bref, short). It A writ issuing out of any court in the name of the king; though more strictly the name of the original writ by which a suit was commenced, it was afterward applied to all ju- dicial writs. The reason of the name, as ex- plained by Bracton (which, however, was only in reference to the original writ), was that it briefly set forth the subject matter of the ac- tion and the claim of the plaintiff. II. In ec- clesiastical law, a pontifical letter addressed to inferior ecclesiastics or to temporal princes upon some matter of discipline or claim of the church, called an apostolical brief. This desig- nation may have been used as expressing the concise form of the brief as compared with the more ample phraseology of the pope's bull. A similar use of the term was made in respect to a letter from the king in reference to ecclesias- tical matters. 111. In modern law, a summary of a case made out for the use of counsel, con- taining an abstract of the pleadings, a state- ment of the facts that can be proved, and a list of witnesses with a spe- cification of what each can testify to. In Eng- land this is prepared by the attorney. In this country counsel often- er make up their own brief, and the word gen- erally denotes the heads of a law argument, with citations of authori- ties, which are not only used for the con- venience of counsel, but are furnished to the court. BRIEG, a town of Prussian Silesia, on the left bank of the Oder, and on the railway from Breslau to Vienna, 28 m. 8. E. of Breslau; pop. in 1871, 15,367. It contains a castle, the residence of the old counts of Brieg, several churches, a synagogue, a lunatic asylum, a gymnasium, and an arsenal. Its fortifications were destroyed by the French in 1807. Its principal trade is in cloths, tobacco, and starch, and its cattle fairs are the most important in the province. There are extensive manufacto- ries of linens, woollens, and cottons. BBIEL, Brill, or Bridle (properly BKKEDE HIL), a fortified seaport town of Holland, province of South Holland, on the left bank and near the mouth of the Maas, on the N. coast of the Voorne island, 14 m. W. of Rotterdam ; pop. about 7,000. The principal church is that of St. Catharine's, and among other public build- ings are a synagogue, a Latin school, an ancient orphan asylum, and an arsenal. There are sev- eral manufactories, and the principal trade is in cereals and madder. About 5 m. above the town is the entrance to the new Voorden canal across the Voorne island, by which large ships pass from the Maas to Hellevoetsluis. Admiral Marten van Tromp and Vice Admiral Van Al- monde were natives of Briel. The first victory of the Dutch patriots over Spain was achieved here, April 1, 1572. BRIEME, or Brienne-le-Chttcan, a town of France, in the department of Aube, 14 m. N. W. of Bar-sur-Aube ; pop. in 1866, 2,078. It takes its name from a magnificent chateau erected in the 18th century by Louis de Lom6nie, the last count of Brienne. The military college of Bri- enne, founded in 1770, was attended by Na- poleon from 1779 to 1784. It was suppressed in 1790, and the buildings no longer exist. On Jan. 29, 1814, Napoleon attempted here the manoeuvre of cutting the Silesian army in two, by marching suddenly from Chalons, and inter- Mffltary School of Brienne. posing his forces between Schwarzenberg and Blucher, so as to prevent their junction. A severe contest ensued, with advantage to the French, but without important results. By his will Napoleon left 1,000,000 francs to the town and 200,000 to the inhabitants. BRIENZ, Lake of, in the S. E. part of the can- ton of Bern, Switzerland, formed by the ex- pansion of the river Aar, and connected with