Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 2.djvu/436

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NOTES AND QUERIES, [ii s. vm. NOV. 20, 1913.

2. Francis Culpeper of Greenway Court above mentioned had as first wife " Philippa." She is described as daughter

and heir of " of Hinkstead." Where

is this Hinkstead ? Who were Philippa's parents ? E. M. WARDE.

Fairhaven, Frinton, Essex.

HUGH PETERS.

(11 S. vi. 221, 263, 301, 463 ; vii. 4, 33, 45, 84, 123, 163.)

IN the second of MB. J. B. WILLTAMS'S interesting articles about Peters (11 S. vi. 263) there is a mistake. The passage in the ' Thurloe State Papers ' to which he refers is to be found on p. 734 of vol. iv., not p. 754, and though it appears to be dated " 5 May, 1655," the dates of events referred to in it prove that the year should be 1656.

Two of the other passages cited by MR. WILLIAMS as referring to the same incident have been discussed by the Rev. Dr. J. R. Magrath in his valuable book ' The Flem- ings at Oxford,' published by the Oxford Historical Society in 1904. Dr. Magrath's notes and transcript -complete MR. WIL- LIAMS'S article. The transcript of the letter (dated 2 May, 1656) runs :

"By letter fro Hum. Robinaon, I understand y* Hugh Peters (who, it seemes, fell lately into a Praemunire) was so scooled for it by y e Protector y* it put him into a high fever, w ch soone after turned to a downeright frenzy : ye Physitions tooke about 30 ounces of blood fro him, yet would not all do ; till ye Protector sent to see how he did, w ch hath set him pretty right againe : hee continues yet in Whitehall, but intends shortly to take ye fresh aire : and to publish something in print in ye nature of a Recantaon."

Dr. Magrath's note to this is as follows :

" George [sic, Gilbert] Mabbott, in a newsletter, dated 5 April, 1656, writes: 'Mr. Peter is now againe growne soe distracted that hee had severall persons watching with him night and day, who are sometimes necessitated to use all the strength they have to keep him in bed ; hee raves much of the devill, his lookes are very wild, and his discourse ends many times with half sentences' ('Clarke Papers,' Camden Society, iii. 66). Mr. Firth, who kindly gave me this reference, adds, ' From the use of the word "Praemunire" it seems likely that he had been taking too much upon himself in someway, perhaps in connection with the disputes about the readnris- sion of the Jews. (See 'D.N.B.,' xlv. 74.) Peters had before (1652) been reprimanded by Cromwell for interfering as to the war with the Dutch (ib., p. 73).' The celebrated independent divine put to death at the Restoration, was of Trinity College, Cambridge. His contemporaries generally called

rim ' Peters,' but he signs himself ' Peter,' as Mab- bott above spells his name."

But the (somewhat unquotable) passage in the newsletter in the 'Thurloe State Papers ' to which MR. WILLIAMS has drawn attention asserts that Peters's " prsemu- nire," or scrape, was that he had been detected in gross immorality. The writer was of Cromwell's party, and, before stating that it was reported at Amsterdam (whence tie wrote) that Peters had been caught " flagrante delicto," says : "I am glad to beare that Mr. Peters shows his head againe."

It is noteworthy that this writer was neither surprised, nor shocked, nor expressed disbelief in the accusations. The two xtracts from the Massachusetts Society Collections quoted by MR. WILLIAMS seem to prove that Peters's friends believed them.

Further information is needed, and I am glad to be able to contribute an extract from another letter of Peters himself, and dated " 22 Apr 56." It was written by Peters to Henry Cromwell (who was at that time in Ireland), and proves that the scandals were current also in Ireland and known to Henry Cromwell himself. The letter is in the Lansdowne MSS., vol. 321, f. 121 :

"My deere Lord, You may please by these to understand that I am neither civilly nor naturally dead (as my good frend with you suggests) but most dangerous it is to be so spiritually. From my owne hand you may have it that the Scandalls sent over to you about my selfe are false, and to add more will doe little more good. I am still desired by some frends to see Ireland and, if strength increase, I trust 1 shall not fayle so to doe but have bin long ill and lost very much blood, above 30 ounces. The Lord helpe," &c.

This story, at any rate, did not originate with the Royalists, but had its origin amongst Peters's own friends. If Cromwell " scooled " Peters for this scandal, Cromwell himself must have believed Peters guilty. No wonder Peters did not attempt to explain to Henry Cromwell. A. M.

STATUE IN QUEEN SQUARE, BLOOMSBURY (11 S. vii. 425 ; viii. 12). I am obliged to MR. PAGE for his reply, and ought not to have overlooked the description of this painted leaden statue in the London County Council's ' Return of Outdoor Memorials in London,' especially as I am now helping to edit their chief topographical publications. My note, however, was worth writing, because I am convinced that the statue is the original one, placed in Queen Square, April, 1775, and on this point the writer of the L.C.C.'s excellent little volume has by no means made up his mind.