Bartholomew
(bɑːˈθɒləmjuː)
Also 6 Bartelmewe, -tylmew, -tilmew, 7 -tholmew, -thlomew; and, after F. Barthélemy, 7– Bartlemy (ˈbɑːt(ə)lmɪ), 7 Bartelemy, 8 Bart'lemy.
[partly ad. L. Bartholomæus, Gr. βαρθολοµαῖος; partly a. F. Barthélemy.]
a. Name of one of the twelve apostles, the festival in whose honour is held on the 24th of August (Bartholomew-day, Bartholomew-tide). b. On this day, in 1572, took place the great massacre of the Protestants in France. c. On the same day, in 1662, the penalties of the English Act of Uniformity (Bartholomew Act) came into force. d. At the same time of year, a fair was held annually from 1133 to 1855, at West Smithfield (Bartholomew Fair); whence the name was applied to articles sold at it, e.g. Bartholomew-baby or Bartholomew-puppet (a doll), Bartholomew-beef, Bartholomew (-boar)-pig, Bartholomew-ware; see also quot. 1777.
| a. 1552–3 Inv. Ch. Goods Staffordsh. 61, ij challeses were stolne owte of the churche abowt Bartelmewe tyde. c 1626 Dick of Devon iv. i. in Old Pl. (1883) II. 59 What a buzzing you make, as if you were a fly at Bartholomew-tyde at a Butcher's stall. 1678 Trial Coleman 80 Where was you the last Bartholomew day? 1854 Thackeray Newcomes I. 253 It being the Bartlemytide vacation. |
| b. 1646 Buck Rich. III, 63 A glimpse like that Bartholomew in France..All such slaughters from thence call'd Bartelemies..in a perpetuall Stigma of that Butchery. |
| c. 1711 B. Sacheverell Sachev. agst. Sachev. 15 Being silenc'd by the Bartholomew-Act, he retir'd to Stalbridge. |
| d. 1597 Shakes. 2 Hen. IV, ii. iv. 250 Thou whorson little tydie Bartholmew Bore-pigge. 1614 B. Jonson Bartholomew Fair i. vi. (N.) For the very calling it a Bartholomew pig, and to eat it so, is a spice of idolatry. c 1645 Howell Lett. (1650) I. 2 Freighted with mere Bartholomew ware, with trite and trivial phrases only. 1660 Hexham Dutch Dict., Geroockt vleesch, smoaked meate, or Bartholomew beefe. 1668 R. Lestrange Vis. Quev. (1708) 30 Rolling their Eyes (like a Bartlemy-Puppet, without so much as moving the Head). 1670 Brooks Wks. (1867) VI. 51 Men..were dressed up like fantastical antics, and women like Bartholomew-babies. 1711 Shaftesbury Charac. (1737) I. 28 A choice droll or puppet-show at Bart'lemy-fair. 1777 Howard Prisons Eng. (1780) 177 There are four floors [in the Fleet]..besides the cellar-floor, called Bartholomew-Fair. |