Máel Bethad of Liberton

Máel Bethad of Liberton was a powerful landowner in Lothian in the reign of King David I of Scotland. Although he was a Gael, his estate may have been predominantly Middle English-speaking, as it bears the name "Liberton", which, unless it is an improbable Anglo-Romance compound meaning "book settlement" or "free settlement", is a corruption of early Middle English hlith bere tun, "barley hill settlement".[1] Liberton is about two and a half miles (4.0 km) south of Edinburgh's Old Town, and is now a suburb. Liberton parish consisted of 6,600 acres (27 km2) of land, and it is likely that Máel Bethad owned the upper part of the parish.[2] Máel Bethad's name occurs as a witness on many of King David's charters, where it is rendered in a number of corrupt forms, e.g. "Malbead de Libertona",[3] "Malbet de Libertune",[4] "Malbeth de Libertona",[5] "Makbet de Libertona",[6] "Malbet de Libertone",[7] and perhaps "Macbetber"[8] Two of these names represent a confusion with the name Mac Bethad ("son of Life"), whereas the name is certainly Máel Bethad ("tonsured devotee of Life"); "Life" here is an abstract Gaelic religious concept meaning "eternal life" or "christian immortality".

See also

Notes
  1. Alternatively, it may be leper settlement, leper tun, but this is unlikely. see David Ross, Scottish Place-Names, (Edinburgh, 2001), s.v. "Liberton", p. 141.
  2. Sir Archibald Lawrie, Early Scottish Charters Prior to A.D. 1153, (Glasgow, 1905), p. 384.
  3. Lawrie, op. cit., charter no. LXXII, p. 59, as a witness in a grant to the Church of St. Cuthbert in Edinburgh (c. 1127).
  4. Lawrie, op. cit., charter no. CXXXIV, p. 101, as a name in a charter of David I granting "Clerchetune" to the Church of St. Mary in Haddington (c. 1141).
  5. Lawrie, op. cit., charter no. CXXXV, p. 103, as a name in a charter of David's son Earl Henry granting "Clerchetune" to the Church of St. Mary in Haddington (c. 1141).
  6. Lawrie, op. cit., charter no. CXLVIII, p. 114, as a name in a charter of King David granting "Ruchale" to Newbattle Abbey (c. 1142).
  7. Lawrie, op. cit., charter no. CLX, p. 123, as a witness to a charter of King David granting 52 acres (210,000 m2) of Dalkeith land to Holyrood Abbey (c. 1144).
  8. Lawrie, op. cit., charter no. CLII, p. 116, as a name in a charter confirming the rights of Holyrood Abbey.

References
  • Lawrie, Sir Archibald, Early Scottish Charters Prior to A.D. 1153, (Glasgow, 1905)
  • Ross, David, Scottish Place-Names, (Edinburgh, 2001)
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