| 释义 |
beadsman|ˈbiːdzmən|
Forms: 3–4 beodemon, 4–6 bedeman, 4–7 bed-, 6 beid-, bedys-, beids-, 6–7 bead-, 7 beades-, 9 bede-, 6– bedes-, beadsman.
[ME. beodeman, f. bead n.1 + man: with beadsman = bead's-man cf. kinsman, craftsman, townsman, etc. The archaic spellings bedesman, bedeman, are also used as historical forms.]
1. lit. A man of prayer; one who prays for the soul or spiritual welfare of another.
c1230Ancr. R. 356 Beon oðres beodemon. c1425Wyntoun Cron. ix. xxvii. 99 His Bede-men þai suld be..And pray for hym. 1538Latimer Serm. & Rem. (1845) 412 The prior of Worcester, is your orator and beadsman. c1540Thrie Priests of Peblis, Welcum my beidmen, my blesse, and al my beild. 1591Shakes. Two Gent. i. i. 18 Commend thy grieuance to my holy prayers, For I will be thy beadesman, Valentine. 1647Ward Simp. Cobler (1843) 62 As fervent a Beadsman for your welfare. 1869Freeman Norm. Conq. (1876) III. ii. 28 His friend and bedesman, Abbot Eadwine.
2. One paid or endowed to pray for others; a pensioner or almsman charged with the duty of praying for the souls of his benefactors. Hence in later times;
a. in England: An almsman, an inmate of an almshouse; (so also beadswoman: see bead n. 3);
b. in Scotland: A public almsman or licensed beggar (into which position ‘the King's Bedesmen’ finally sank.)
a1528Skelton Image Hypocr. 108 Other smale mynisters, As reders and singers, Bedemen and bellringers. 1593Peele Chron. Edw. I, 82 He shall have forty pound of yearly fee, And be my beadsman. 1593Shakes. Rich. II, iii. ii. 116 Thy very Beads-men learne to bend their Bowes. 1726Lond. Gaz. No. 6458/5 John Hailes, a Beadsman of the Cathedral Church of Ely.
a.1524S. Fish Supplic. Begg. 18 Your poore sike lame and sore bedemen. 1582N. T. (Rhem.) Acts x. 21 marg., The praise of our Almsfolkes and beadsmen may do us great good euen after our departure. 1636Dekker Wonder iv. i. Wks. 1873 IV. 267 To be a Beades-man in your Hospitall. 1862Mrs. H. Wood Channings i, The decrepit old bedesmen in their black gowns. 1864Atkinson Whitby Gloss., Beadsman..now used to denote almspeople in general, and prevalent at Guisborough, as applied to the inmates of the almshouses in that town.
b.1788Burns Wks. III. 302 Stranger, go! Heav'n be thy guide! Quoth the Beadsman of Nith-side. 1816Scott Antiq. Advt. 6 These Bedesmen are an order of paupers to whom the Kings of Scotland were in the custom of distributing a certain alms..and who were expected in return to pray for the royal welfare and that of the state. Ibid. xxxviii, It wadna be creditable for me, that am the king's bedesman, and entitled to beg by word of mouth.
†3. A messenger. Obs.
1377Langl. P. Pl. B. iii. 41, I shal assoille þe my-selue..And also be þi bedeman · and bere wel þi message.
†4. A petitioner. arch.
1600S. Nicholson Acolastus (1876) 11 Poore foolish Blinkard, Beads-man vnto Christ, For restitution of long-lacked sight. 1876Bancroft Hist. U.S. V. xli. 12 Having thus owned the continuing sovereignty of the king, before whom they presented themselves as bedemen.
†5. The term by which men used to designate or subscribe themselves in addressing their patrons and superiors, answering to our modern ‘humble servant.’ (Cf. ‘your petitioners will ever pray,’ still retained at the end of petitions to Parliament.) Obs.
1420George & Stokes in Ellis Orig. Lett. iii. 29 I. 67 We ȝowr seruitours and bede men. 1485Plumpton Corr. 49 Your bedman, Sir Tho. Betanson. 1529Wolsey in Four C. Eng. Lett. 11 Your dayly bedysman And assuryd friend, T. Carlis Ebor. 1535Boorde Let. in Introd. Knowl. (1870) 53 By þe hond of your saruantt and bedman, Andrew Boord. 1577Holinshed Chron. III. 1164/1 Your graces most bounden bedesman and seruant Edmund Boner. 1645Let. in Harrington Nugæ Ant. 73 A dailye beadesman for you, and a right obedient subject. |