Beadsman facts for kids
A bedesman (or beadsman) was a special kind of person in olden times. Their main job was to pray for someone who had helped them. Think of them as a "man of prayer." They were often people who received help, like a pension or charity, from a wealthy person or the church.
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What Did a Bedesman Do?
Praying for Others
In the Middle Ages, bedesmen and bedeswomen had an important role. They were connected to kings, queens, and churches in places like Scotland and England. Their main task was to pray for the souls of people listed on a special list called a "bede-roll."
The Bede-Roll and Beads
The bede-roll was like a list of names. People would pay money, give gifts, or make donations to have their names (or the names of their loved ones) added to this list. This was so the bedesmen would pray for them after they had passed away. If someone was part of a guild (like a medieval club for workers), a priest would add their name to the list for prayers.
Around the 12th and 13th centuries, people started using small, round objects made of bone, wood, or amber. These were threaded onto a string. They used these objects to count how many times they said prayers like the "Our Father" or "Hail Mary." These counting objects became known as "bedes," and later, we started calling them "beads."
Bedehouses: Homes for Bedesmen
Sometimes, bedesmen lived together in a special building called a Bedehouse. These buildings were a type of almshouse, which is a house built for poor people to live in. Many of these old Bedehouses still exist today. They are often protected as "listed buildings" because they are important historical structures.
Royal Bedesmen in Scotland
The "Blue Gowns"
In Scotland, the king supported some public bedesmen. These men were expected to pray for the king's well-being and for the country. They wore long blue robes and had a special pewter badge on their right arm. Because of their blue robes, they were often called "Blue Gowns."
Their Special Privileges
The number of Blue Gowns matched the king's age. Every year on the king's birthday, an extra bedesman would be added. These bedesmen had a special privilege: they could ask for charity anywhere in Scotland.
On the king's birthday, each bedesman received a new blue gown. They also got a loaf of bread, a bottle of ale, and a leather purse. Inside the purse was a penny for every year of the king's life. Their pewter badge had their name and the words "pass and repass." This phrase gave them permission to ask for alms.
The End of the Blue Gowns
No new Blue Gown bedesmen were chosen after 1833. The last time a payment was recorded for these arrangements was in 1863.
Bedesmen in England
Praying for Benefactors
In England, the word "bedesman" was also used to mean a "servant" or someone who received a pension. However, it also had a special meaning. It referred to almsmen who were connected to large churches and cathedrals. Their job was to pray for the souls of people who had given money or gifts to the church.
This practice came from a time before the Reformation (a big change in the church). Even today, you might find mentions of these old men in the records of English cathedrals.
Modern Bedesmen in Boston
At St Botolph's Church in Boston, Lincolnshire, there are still four Choral Bedesmen. Their role is to sing during the daily church services. They used to receive a small payment for this until the early 2000s. Since 2015, women have also been able to be Choral Bedesmen. As of 2023, the group includes a singer for each part of the choir.
Bedesmen in Other Places
In Spain, around the 14th century, there was a similar custom. Blind people were hired to sing prayers for customers. Some customers hired them regularly, while others only sometimes.
Bedesmen continued to exist in Scotland until the late 1990s. The last known bedesman in Aberdeen, Scotland, passed away in 1988.
See also
- Bede
- Bede (disambiguation)
- Bede House, Old Aberdeen
- Hospitals in medieval Scotland
- Lyddington Bede House
