What is "beadsman"

Beadsman \Beads"man\, Bedesman \Bedes"man\, n.; pl. -men. A poor man, supported in a beadhouse, and required to pray for the soul of its founder; an almsman.

Whereby ye shall bind me to be your poor beadsman for ever unto Almighty God.
--Fuller.

"one who prays for another's benefit," early 13c.; see bead (n.) + man (n.).

n. 1 (lb en historic) A petitioner; someone who seeks some type of favour from another, usually from a superior. 2 A man employed in praying; especially one who prays for another. 3 (context historical England English) A poor man, supported in a beadhouse, and required to pray for the soul of its founder; an almsman. 4 (lb en Scotland historical) A public almsman; one who received alms from the king, and was expecyed in return to pay for the royal welfare and that of the state; a licensed beggar.

1. n. a person who is paid to pray for the soul of another [syn: bedesman]

2. [also: beadsmen (pl)]

Bedesman, or beadsman (Med. Eng. bede, prayer, from O. Eng. biddan, to pray; literally "a man of prayer") was generally a pensioner or almsman whose duty it was to pray for his benefactor.

In Scotland there were public almsmen supported by the king and expected in return to pray for his welfare and that of the state. These men wore long blue gowns with a pewter badge on the right arm, and were nicknamed Blue Gowns. Their number corresponded to the king's years, an extra one being added each royal birthday. They were privileged to ask alms throughout Scotland. On the king's birthday each bedesman received a new blue gown, a loaf, a bottle of ale, and a leathern purse containing a penny for every year of the king's life. On the pewter badge which they wore were their name and the words "pass and repass," which authorized them to ask alms. The last beadsman died in Aberdeen in 1988.

In consequence of its use in this general sense of pensioner, "bedesman" was long used in English as equivalent to "servant." The word had a special sense as the name for those almsmen attached to cathedrals and other churches, whose duty it was to pray for the souls of deceased benefactors. A relic of pre-Reformation times, these old men still figure in the accounts of English cathedrals.

Beadsman (1855–1872) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a career that lasted from July 1857 to June 1858, he ran seven times and won five races. He was unbeaten as a three-year-old and recorded his most important success in the 1858 Epsom Derby. He was retired to stud at the end of the season and became a successful stallion, siring the winners of several important races.