P.
PACKING-UP—Commoner Peal, (v. inf.)
PART—Fifth Book was divided into Senior, Middle, and Junior “Part.”
PARTY ROLL—Commoner Peal, (v. inf.)
PATER—Father.
PAX—Be quiet; Leave off. Also, a particular friend.
PEAL—Epigrammatic praises or critiques in Latin, Greek, or English, on the Præfects, chaunted by Cloisters, just before school, at the commencement of Cloister Time. Also, on the three last Sundays of each Half, immediately after dinner, Commoners chaunted one of the following “Peals,” Packing up, “Party Rolls,” and “Money and Direction Rolls.” They also had other Peals which they emitted prior to the ceremony of “Sticking up,” (v. inf.,) which were, “Locks and Keys,” “Boots and Leathers,” and “Gomer Hats.” The different bells that were chimed for Chapel were designated “First Peal,” “Second Peal,” &c.
ΠEMΠE Mῶρον Προτερον (“Send the Fool farther”)—An imaginary book, in search of which a new boy was bandied about from one to another.
PERCHER—A mark (⸺|—) put after a boy’s name on a “Roll,” which showed that he had been absent from Chapel or Hills without leave; or that he had not done his Verse or Prose Task, or Vulgus. It was also often put by a Master in the margin of Gags, or a Verse or Prose Task, to indicate gross errors.
PITCH UP—To make a crowd; also to associate with any one in particular. As a substantive, it means a crowd, a number of things, and a companion.
PLEDGE YOU—An expression used when a boy wished to secure the next turn at anything which was in the use, enjoyment, or occupation of another, such as the next drink from a bob of beer, the next read of a newspaper, or the next occupation of a seat.
PLANT—To kick a football against a person.
PLANTER—A blow from a football.
PONTO—A ball made of hot bread kneaded hard.
POSERS—Two Fellows of New College who assisted at the examination at Election.
POT—A canal lock; the one just under Hills was generally meant when the word was used.
PRÆFECTS—The eighteen senior boys in College, and the twelve senior in Commoners. The ten senior of those in College were said to be in “Full Power,” and took the office of Bible Clerk in rotation; they all had the power of fagging the Juniors, but those not in full power were supposed not to have the right of fagging on the School side of Seventh Chamber Passage; practically, however, they always did. One of the Senior Præfects was called Præfect of Hall, and was responsible in a great measure for the conduct of the boys out of school. His duties and privileges were numerous. There was also a “Præfect of Tub,” who was supposed to see that the dinner was properly distributed; a Præfect of School, who had the care of that building; and two Præfects of Chapel, who, during alternate weeks, called names in Chapel. There were fees attached to all these offices; and all the Præfects had a certain number of boys allotted to them as Pupils, each of whom paid one guinea each Half.
PROSE—To lecture. As a substantive, a lecture.
PROSE TASK—A piece of Latin prose composition, which all the boys had to do once a week.
PRUFF—Hard, sturdy, insensible to pain, obstinate; a corruption of “Proof.”
PULPITEERS—In Cloister time, Sixth Book and Senior Part went up to Books together, and were so called.