a person who keeps a place of prostitution, or makes a trade of debauching women, and procuring or conducting criminal intrigues. Some think the word is derived from the old French baude, bold or impudent; though Verstegan has a conjecture which would carry it higher, viz. from bathe anciently written bade. In which sense bawd originally imported no more than bath-holder, as if bagnios had anciently been the chief scenes of such prostitution.
The Romans had their male as well as female bawds; the former denominated lenones and proagogi, among us panders; the latter, lenae. Donatus speaking of the habits of the ancient characters in comedy, says, Levo pallis variis coloris uittur. But the ancient lenones, it is to be observed, furnished boys as well as girls for venereal service. Another sort of these merchants or dealers in human flesh, were called mangones, by the Greeks ανδρασκοντες, who sold eunuchs, slaves, &c. By a law of Constantine, bawds were to be punished by pouring melted lead down their throats. See the next article.
Bawdy-House, a house of ill fame, to which lewd persons of both sexes resort, and there have criminal conversation.
The keeping a bawdy-house is a common nuisance, not only on account that it endangers the public peace by drawing together debauched and idle persons, and promoting quarrels, but likewise for its tendency to corrupt the manners of the people. And therefore persons convicted of keeping bawdy-houses, are punishable by fine and imprisonment; also liable to stand in the pillory, and to such other punishment as the court at their discretion shall inflict. Persons resorting to a bawdy-house are likewise punishable, and they may be bound to their good behaviour.—It was always held infamous to keep a bawdy-house; yet some of our historians mention bawdy-houses publicly allowed here in former times till the reign of Henry VIII. and assign the number to be thus allowed on the bank-side in Southwark. See Stews and Brothel.
Bawdy-houses are licensed in Holland, and pay a considerable tax to the state.