New Picture of Brussels

General Books publication date: 2009 Original publication date: 1820 Notes: This is a black and white OCR reprint of the original. It has no illustrations and there may be typos or missing text. When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million books for free. Excerpt: N EVV PICTURE OF BRUSSELS. ORIGIN And HISTORY Of BRUSSELS. V ARTOUS opinions have existed respecting the etymology of the word Brussels. Some have written it Brosella, Brusola, Brocella, Brussella, Brussel, and Brussels; and they suppose that the city derives these names from the brousailtes (brambles) which grew on the place where it was built. Others suppose that it should be written Brughsella, or Brugsel, deriving its name from a bridge built over the Senne, near which some of its first houses were erected, at a place called Borghval; Brughe in Flemish signifying Bridge. Other writers, both ancient and modern, have called it Bruc- sella, Bruccella, Bruxella, Bruxellae, Brux- ellesj and, according to this orthography, it n is conjectured that its name signifies either the Bridge of the Hermitage, or a collection of cells or huts near the bridge. Others write it Brudisenna, Brugsenne, that is, Bridge of the Senne. There are some who suppose that its ancient name was Broecksel or By-Ruissel, on account of the marshes, ponds, and rivulets, in its environs. Others say that Brussel comes from Broeyssel, which signifies a Nest, as there are a great number of swans and other aquatic birds in the neighbouring marshes. Whatever may have been the original derivation of its name, it appears certain that the isle of St. Gery was the cradle of Brussels, that the branches of the river which formed this island were crossed by bridges, and that the place was defended by a fortress. About the year 7 12 Saint Gudule, a virgin, patroness of Brussels, is said to have died there. She was daughter of Count Witger and...