Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 10.djvu/257

 ii s. x. SEPT. 26, 1914.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

251

HUGH PETERS: 'TALES AND JESTS.' (11 S. x. 105, 193.)

THK only editions of the ' Tales and Jests ' that 1 know are the first edition, of which there are copies at the British and South Kensington Museums ; the edition entitled ' Mr. Peters, his Figaryes,' at the Bodleian ; and Caulfield's reprint. Simon Dover, the publisher of the first, died in Newgate in April, 1664.

It is perfectly clear that Peters was fre- ruently out of his mind, and that I believe to be the only ground for attributing humour to him. I doubt whether any one would nowadays consider any of the real tales to be humoroiis. I have noted the following as being more or less genuine.

1. .No. 31. ' How Mr. Peters extolled the Army under Oliver.' This is taken from Mercurius Praymaticus for 19-26 Dec., 1648.

I set out the original passage at US. vii. 85.

2. No. 32. ' How Mr. Peters visited the Earl of Pembrook.' This is taken from the same passage in Pragmaticus.

3. No. 47. ' How Mr. Peters was Served by the Butcher's Wife.' This is an erroneous Tendering of the tale of the ' Seaman's Wife ' <Peters's wife's maid Hannah) told in The Man in the Moon for 23-30 Aug., 1649. For this see my article at 11 S. vi. 221. The totally distinct story of the ' Butcher's Wife'" I dealt with at 11 S. vi. 301, and gave u list of references to it.

4. No. 55. The story of the three " L's " was taken from the evidence given against Peters at his trial in 1660.

5. No. 57. ' How Mr. Peters compared His Late Majesty to Barabbas.' This also is taken from the evidence at the trial of Peters.

I have reserved one "jest" for the last, as it is important historically, and is not in the least humorous or accurate.

6. No. 15 runs as follows :

" How Mr. Peters wrote a letter from Tredagh in Ireland. Mr. Peters being in Ireland at the taking of Tredagh sends up a letter to the parlia- ment, whose substance was no more than, Peters.' "
 * The truth is Tredagh is taken. Yours, Hugh

At US. vi. 221 I proved that Peters actually was colonel of a regiment at the massacre of Tredagh, or Drogheda. His letter announcing the fall of Drogheda (on

II and 12 Sept., 1649) was the first authori-

tative news to arrive in London of the tragedy that had taken place, Cromwell having suppressed the posts in order to hide the facts as much as possible. Peters's letter was addressed to Henry Walker, the writer of ' Perfect Occurrences of every Dayes Journall,' and Walker took it to the Rump directly it arrived, on 28 Sept., 1649. He was given permission to print it, and I strongly suspect that a good deal in the letter was suppressed. The title-page of the pamphlet Walker issued on the following day, 29 Sept. (Thomason's date), runs as follows :

" A Letter from Ireland. Read in the House of Commons on Friday Septemb. 28 1649. From Mr. Hugh Peters, Minister of God's Word and Chaplain to the Lord Lieutenant Cromwell. Of the taking of Tredagh in Ireland, 3552 of the enemy slain. Amongst which is Sir Arthur Aston, the Governor, Coll. Castles, Cap. Simmons and others slain. And the losse on both sides. Also the taking of Trim and Dundalk. And the Lord Lieutenants marching against Kilkenny.

" A Letter from Ireland. Imprimatur. Hen. Scobell. Cleric. Parliamenti.

" London. Printed for Robert Ibbitson, in Smithfield, near the Queen's Head Tavern. 1649."

Walker's untrue assertion on the title- page, to the effect that Peters was Crom- well's chaplain, should be noticed. John Owen was Cromwell's chaplain, and the falsehood was elicited by the attacks on Peters in The Man in the Moon, apropos of the ' Seaman's Wife,' and the assertions made on all sides that Peters was command- ing a regiment. The full contents of the pamphlet are as follows :

" A letter from Ireland. Read in the House of Commons on Friday Septemb. 28 1649. From Mr. Hugh Peters, Minister of God's Word and Chaplaine to the Lord Lieutenant Cromwell [sic, again]. Of the taking of Tredagh in Ire- land. Also the taking of Trimme and Dundalke.

" SIR.

[The rest is in black-letter.}

" The truth is Tredagh is taken. Three thou- sand five hundred fifty and two of the enemies slaine and sixty foure'of ours. Collonell Castles and Captaine Simmons of note. Ashton, the Governor, killed, none spared. Wee have also Trimme and Dundalke and are marching to Kilkenny.

" I came now from giving thanks in the great church ; we have all our Army well landed. I am, yours, Hugh Peters. Dublin. Septemb. 15 1649.

" A Letter from Ireland. Imprimatur. Hen. Scobell Cleric. Parliamenti. Septemb. 28. 1649."

It will be noted, first, that (from its date of 15 Sept. ) the letter had been held up ; secondly, that Peters states that 3,552 of the Rovalists were slain. The exact