BEADLES
Noun
beadles
plural of beadle
Source: Wiktionary
BEADLE
Bea"dle, n. Etym: [OE. bedel, bidel, budel, OF. bedel, F. bedeau, fr.
OHG. butil, putil, G. bĂĽttel, fr. OHG. biotan, G. bieten, to bid,
confused with AS. bydel, the same word as OHG. butil. See. Bid, v.]
1. A messenger or crier of a court; a servitor; one who cites or bids
persons to appear and answer; -- called also an apparitor or
summoner.
2. An officer in a university, who precedes public processions of
officers and students. [Eng.]
Note: In this sense the archaic spellings bedel (Oxford) and bedell
(Cambridge) are preserved.
3. An inferior parish officer in England having a variety of duties,
as the preservation of order in church service, the chastisement of
petty offenders, etc.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition