Forms: 1–3 betleem, 3 beþþleæm, 3–6 beth(e)leem, 4 bedleem, 4–8 bethlem, 6– -lehem, 3–7 bedlem, 5 bedelem, 6 bedleme, 6–7 -lame, 6– bedlam. [ME. Bedlem = Bethlem, Bethlehem; applied to the Hospital of St. Mary of Bethlehem, in London, founded as a priory in 1247, with the special duty of receiving and entertaining the bishop of St. Mary of Bethlehem, and the canons, etc., of this, the mother church, as often as they might come to England. In 1330 it is mentioned as ‘an hospital,’ and in 1402 as a hospital for lunatics (Timbs); in 1346 it was received under the protection of the city of London, and on the Dissolution of the Monasteries, it was granted to the mayor and citizens, and in 1547 incorporated as a royal foundation for the reception of lunatics. Thence the modern sense, of which instances appear early in 16th c.]
† 1. The town of Bethlehem in Judea. Obs.
971. Blickl. Hom., 93. Þa he on Betleem wæs acenned.
c. 1200. Trin. Coll. Hom., 31. And tealde þe herdes þe wakeden ouer here oref biside þe burch belleem [? betleem].
c. 1200. Ormin, 3360. He borenn iss I Daviþþ kingess chesstre, þat iss ȝehatenn Beþþleæm.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 11234. Þat blisful birþ in bethleem [Gött. betheleem, Laud a. 1400 bedlem].
1382. Wyclif, Luke ii. A cite of Dauith that is cleped Bedleem.
c. 1440. Lay-Folks Mass-Bk., C. 109. Ihesu, þat was in bedlem borne.
1616. Pasquil & Kath., V. 206. M. Mamon is in a Citie of Iurie, called Bethlem, alias, plaine Bedlame.
2. The Hospital of St. Mary of Bethlehem, used as an asylum for the reception and cure of mentally deranged persons; originally situated in Bishopsgate, in 1676 rebuilt near London Wall, and in 1815 transferred to Lambeth. Jack or Tom o’ Bedlam: a madman.
1528. Tindale, Obed. Chr. Man (1848), 184. For they … do things which they of Bedlam may see that they are but madness.
1562. J. Heywood, Prov. & Epigr. (1867), 107. Lyke Iacke of Bedlem in and out whipping.
1589. Pappe w. Hatchet (1844), 34. Could sute them in no place but in Bedlam and Bridewell.
1593. Shaks., 2 Hen. VI., V. i. 131. To Bedlem with him! Is the man growne mad? Ibid. (1605), Lear, I. ii. 148. With a sighe like Tom o’ Bedlam.
1678. Evelyn, Mem. (1857), II. 126. I went to see new Bedlam Hospital … most sweetly placed in Moorfields, since the dreadful fire.
1866. G. Macdonald, Ann. Q. Neighb., xi. (1878), 223. There was I … in as strait a jacket as ever poor wretch in Bedlam.
3. By extension: A lunatic asylum, a madhouse.
1663. Aron-bimnucha, 32. The Bedlam … the skrews … are the best instances of our kindness.
1699. Pomfret, Love triumph. Reason, 170. ’Twas both an hospital and bedlam too.
1702. C. Mather, Magn. Christi, VII. iv. (1852), 525. A Bethlehem seems to have been fitter for them than a gallows.
a. 1743. Ld. Hervey, Beauties Eng. (1804), I. 106. Those virgins act a wiser part Who hospitals and bedlams would explore.
b. abstr. Madness, lunacy. Also interjectionally.
1598. Marston, Pygmal., III. 149. Bedlame, Frenzie, Madnes, Lunacie, I challenge all your moody Empery.
a. 1645. Habington, Fine Y. Folly, v. Bedlam! this is pretty sport.
4. fig. A scene of mad confusion or uproar.
a. 1667. Cowley, Cromwell, Wks. 1710, II. 627. Thou dost … A Babel, and a Bedlam grow.
1713. Guardian, No. 132 (1756), II. 194. Our house is a sort of Bedlam, and nothing in order.
1850. Carlyle, Latter-d. Pamph., viii. (1872), 276. That all this was a Donnybrook Bedlam.
† 5. An inmate of Bethlehem Hospital, London, or of a lunatic asylum, or one fit for such a place, a madman; spec. one of the discharged, but often only half-cured, patients of the former, who were licensed to beg, wearing as a badge a tin plate on their left hand or arm; called also bedlam-beggars, bedlamers, bedlamites. Obs.
1522. Skelton, Why not to Courte, Wks. II. 653. Such a madde bedleme For to rewle this reame.
1541. Barnes, Wks. (1573), 294/2. A scorge to tame those bedlames with.
1545. Coverdale, Abridgm. Erasm. Enchir., iii. Wks. 1844, I. 500. The world judgeth us to be fools … and to be mad bedlames.
1594. T. B., La Primaud. Fr. Acad., II. 169. The veriest bedlems that can be.
1611. Cotgr., s.v. Affamé, A hungry Boore is halfe a bedlam.
1626. L. Owen, Spec. Jesuit. (1629), 37. The Duke imagining him to bee a foole, or a bedlem … let him goe.
1678. Bunyan, Pilgr., I. 123. Some [said] they were Bedlams.
1701. Swift, Mrs. Harris’ Petit., Wks. 1755, III. II. 61. She roar’d like a Bedlam.
6. attrib., at length adj. Of, belonging to, or fit for Bedlam or a mad-house; mad, foolish.
a. 1535. More, Wks. (1557), 16. The rauing of bethlem people.
1575. Turberv., Falconrie, 254. Falcons … when they bee impatient and bedlam in the mewe.
1599. Shaks., Hen. V., V. i. 20. Ha, art thou bedlam?
1642. Milton, Apol. Smect., Wks. (1851), 275. But this which followes is plaine bedlam stuffe.
1788. Cowper, Table-t., 609. Anacreon, Horace, play’d … This Bedlam part.
7. Comb.: sbs., as Bedlam beggar (cf. BEDLAM 5), -house, -man; adjs., as bedlam-mad, -ripe, -witted.
1525. Tindale, N. T., Prol. Who ys … so bedlem madde to affyrm that good is the naturall cause of yuell?
1533. More, Answ. Poyson. Bk., Wks. (1557), 1036/2. More bedelem rype then thys booke is.
1556. J. Heywood, Spider & F., lxxxiv. 28. Beetill blind, and bedlem mad.
1572. R. H., trans. Lavaterus’ Ghostes (1596), 13. Bedleme houses where madde and frantike men are kept.
1605. Shaks., Lear, II. iii. 14. The country giues me proofe, and president Of Bedlam beggers.
1646. G. Daniel, Poems, Wks. 1878, I. 60. All Bedlam-witted, walke in Bedlem wise.
1658. Ussher, Ann., vi. (1688), 106. Like a bedlam-man.
1837. Carlyle, Fr. Rev., III. VI. vii. 346. Hardly audible amid the Bedlam-storm.
