Beggar's badge
Badges served two purposes; first they enabled civic and church authorities to control those who were allowed to ask for alms.
For example, in 1425, an act of the Scottish Parliament declared: ... Alsua it is ordanyt that na thigar be thollyt to thyg nor bege nothir in burghe nor to lande betuix xiiij and iij score [and ten] of yheris of age bot thai be seyne be the consall of the toune or of the cuntre at thai may nocht vyne thar leyffing othir vays.
And thai that sa beis fundin sall have a takin to land of the schera and in bwrowis off the aldirmen and baylyheis, and that undir the payn of birnynge on the cheyk and bannyssing of the cuntre ...(in the recorded text of the day) Or Also it is ordained that no beggar be suffered to thig or beg either in burghs or in the land between fourteen and seventy years of age, unless it is seen by the council of the town that they cannot make their living in other ways.
And they that are so found shall have a token from the sheriff in the land, and from the aldermen and bailies in the burghs, and that under pain of burning on the cheek and banishing from the country.Modern translation [thig – to beg or ask for charity] The punishments indicated here were typical of the times.
In it he writes: I have for some years past applied myself to several Lord Mayors, and to the late Archbishop of Dublin for a remedy to this evil of foreign beggars; and they all appeared ready to receive a very plain proposal, I mean, that of badging the original poor of every parish, who begged in the streets; that the said beggars should be confined to their own parishes; that, they should wear their badges well sewn upon one of their shoulders, always visible, on pain of being whipped and turned out of town; or whatever legal punishment may be thought proper and effectual.Control of the "... evil of foreign beggars ..." was uppermost in Swift’s purpose.
In England, in the reign of Edward VI, an act of Parliament required beggars to: weare openly upon him both on the breast and back of the uttermost garment some notable badge of token...The second purpose badges served was to identify and permit the free movement of beggars from place to place.
[3] In an extended preface[4] Scott provides a context for the character based on a mendicant or beggar Andrew Gemmells.
Gemmells was probably not a royal bedesman but an eccentric character who travelled the Scottish borders, especially in Gala, Tweed, Ettrick and Yarrow.
[5] It is likely that Burns and Scott were both referring to a small band of travelling mendicants who entertained people in order to be given alms.
Scott also references his time at the University of Edinburgh c. 1783/1784 when a "... venerable Bedesman ... stood by Potter Row ..." begging.
The image from The Antiquary, showing Ochiltree in the background does not clarify if he is a royal bedesmen or if he is wearing a badge.
The scallop shell badge is still used by walkers and pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago (Way of St. James).
