Le cour du roi Pétaud, où chacun est maitre.—French Proverb.
Petella, the waiting-woman of Rosalura and Lillia-Bianca, the two daughters of Nantolet.—Beaumont and Fletcher, The Wild-goose Chase (1652).
Peter, the stupid son of Solomon, butler of the Count Wintersen. He grotesquely parrots in an abridged form whatever his father says. Thus: Sol. “we are acquainted with the reverence due to exalted personages.” Pet. “Yes, we are acquainted with exalted personages.” Again: Sol. “Extremely sorry it is not in my power to entertain your lordship.” Pet. “Extremely sorry.” Sol. “Your lordship’s most obedient, humble, and devoted servant.” Pet. “Devoted servant.”—Benjamin Thompson, The Stranger (1797).
Peter, the pseudonym of John Gibson Lockhart, in a work entitled Peter’s Letters to his Kinsfolk (1819).
Peter (Lord), the pope of Rome.—Dean Swift, Tale of a Tub (1704).
Peter Botte, a steep, almost perpendicular “mountain” in the Mauritius, more than 2800 feet in height. It is so called from Peter Botte, a Dutch sailor, who scaled it and fixed a flag on its summit, but lost his life in coming down.
Peter Parley, the nom de plume of Samuel G. Goodrich, an American, whose books for children had an enormous circulation in the middle of the nineteenth century (1793-1860).
The name was pirated by numerous persons. Darton and Co., Simkins, Bogue, Tegg, Hodson, Clements, etc., brought out books under the name, but not written by S. G. Goodrich.
Peter Peebles, a litigious, hard-hearted drunkard, noted for his lawsuit.—Sir W. Scott, Redgauntlet (time, George III.).
Peter Pindar, the pseudonym of Dr. John Wolcot, of Dodbrooke, Devonshire (1738-1819).