a person who keeps a place of prostitution, or makes a trade of debauching women, and procuring or conducting of 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 barbe anciently written bade. In which senle 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 baws; the former denominated leones and proagogi, among us panders; the latter, lene. Donatus, speaking of the habits of the ancient characters in comedy, says, Leno pulitis varii coloris utitur. 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 mangonos, by the Greeks μαγοναπτης, who sold eunuchs, slaves, &c. By a law of Constantine, baws were to be punished by pouring melted lead down their throats. See the next article.