Also 6 brydwelle, 7 bridewel, (bridlewel), bridwell. [From Bride Well, i.e., (St.) Bride’s Well, a holy well in London, near which Henry VIII. had a ‘lodging,’ given by Edward VI. for a hospital, afterwards converted into a house of correction.]
1. A house of correction for prisoners; a place of forced labor; a gaol, prison. Also fig.
[1552. Contemp. Rev. (1878), 773. Our suit … is for one of your Grace’s houses called Bridewell.
1560. Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 19 b. Kynge Henry the eight … builded a goodlye lodginge purposely for him [Charles V.] vpon the Riuer of Themse, called Bridewell.]
a. 1593. H. Smith, Wks. (1867), II. 43. To bridewell with these rogues!
1618. Bolton, Florus, III. xix. 233. Breaking up the worke-jayles, or bridlewels, by right of Warre.
1632. Massinger, City Madam, IV. i. Seek them In Bridewell or the Hole.
1679–88. Secr. Serv. Moneys Chas. & Jas. (1851), 147. The rebells that were imprisoned in the castle and bridewell at Taunton.
1777. Howard, Prisons Eng. (1780), 5. There are very few bridewells in which any work is done, or can be done.
1885. M. Davitt, Leaves fr. Prison Diary, I. 23. They will mostly all have put in various terms of previous imprisonments, made up of short sentences in county bridewells.
2. attrib. (With bridewell-bird cf. gaolbird.)
1589. Pasquil’s Return, B iij b. The stocke-keeper of the Bridewel-house of Canterburie.
1589. R. Harvey, Pl. Perc., 6. Skufling in the kennel together by the eares like bride well birds.
1596. P. Colse, Penelope’s Compl. (1880), 167. Thy giggish tricke, thy queanish trade, A thousand Bridewel birds hath made.
1628. Earle, Microcosm., xxxi. 67. The Bridewell-man, and the Beadle.
1663. Killigrew, Parson’s Wed., IV. ii. This is better than … Bridewell hemp, brown bread, and whip-cord. Ibid., I. iii. Bridewell orphans.
Hence Bridewell v., to commit to a Bridewell; Bridewelling vbl. sb.
1660. S. Fisher, Rusticks Alarm, I. iii. 70. Fining, banishing, bridling, bridewelling, branding, [etc.].
1687. H. Care, Draconia (D.). Here is bridewelling, banishing, and selling of people to slavery.
