CATHERINE PEGGE.
Mr. Cunningham was mistaken in supposing that I had overlooked Catherine Pegge, for I was well aware that she could not have been Pepys's "pretty Lady." She must, in fact, have attained her fortieth year, and there is no record of her being on the stage; whereas Margaret Hughes had, when Pepys saluted her, recently joined the Theatre Royal, and she is expressly styled "Peg Hughes" by Tom Browne, in one of his "Letters from the Dead to the Living." Having disposed of this question, I am tempted to add that Morant does not confirm the statement that Catherine Pegge married Sir Edward Green, for he says that
"Sir Edward Greene, created a Baronet, 26 July, 1660, was seated at Little Sampford in Essex; he had 3 wives, the first was Jeronyma, daughter and coheir of William Everard, of Linsted, Esq., and by her he had 6 daughters; by Mary, daughter of —— Tasborough, he had a son; and by the third lady ——, daughter of —— Simonds, he had a daughter. He was the last of the Greenes that enjoyed this estate, having lost it by gaming."—Morant's Essex, vol. ii. p. 525.
This account of the Greene family is stated in a note to have been taken from a fine pedigree on vellum, penes T. Wotton, Gent.
If Catherine Pegge was one the three ladies mentioned above, she must have changed her name previously to her marriage, in hopes of concealing her former history; but the circumstance of the baronetcy being conferred upon Sir Edward is very suspicious. Probably some of your correspondents can settle the question.
BRAYBROOKE.
Audley End, Jan. 19. 1850.