A glossary of Tudor and Stuart words, especially from the dramatists

by Walter W. Skeat

perpetuana, a very durable woollen stuff, sometimes called everlasting. B. Jonson, Cynthia’s Revels, iii. 2 (Hedon); Marston, What you Will, ii. 1. 8. From L, perpetuus, perpetual.

perron, peron, a large block of stone, used as a platform, or a funeral monument, or other purpose. Morte Arthur, leaf 207, back, 28; bk. x, c. 2. F. ‘Perron, an open lodge, passage, or walk of stone raised; some quantity of staires, directly before the foredoore of a great house; also, a square base of stone or metal, some five or six foot high, whereon in old time Knights errant placed some discourse, challenge, or proofe of an adventure,’ Cotgrave. Anglo-F. perrun, a block of stone (Ch. Rol. 12).

perry; see [pirrie].

persant, piercing. Spenser, F. Q. iii. 9. 20. F. perçant, pres. pt. of percer, to pierce.

perséver, to persevere, continue in. Hamlet, i. 2. 92; King Lear, iii. 5. 23.

perspective, an optical instrument for looking through or viewing objects with; a telescope; ‘The heavens . . . whereof perspectives begin to tell tales’, Sir T. Browne, Hydriotaphia; ‘Whose eyes shall easily . . . behold without a perspective the extreamest distances’, id., Rel. Med., Pt. 1, § 49; Webster, Duchess Malfi, iv. 2 (1 Madman); id. (Bosola), near end; a microscope, ‘A tiny mite which we can scarcely see Without a perspective’, Oldham, 8th Sat. of Boileau, 7 (ed. Bell, p. 203); a picture contrived to produce a fantastic effect; e.g. appearing confused or distorted except from one particular point of view, or presenting different aspects from different points. Rich. II, ii. 2. 18.

perspicil, a telescope, optic glass. B. Jonson, Staple of News, i. 1 (P. jun.); New Inn, ii. 2 (Frank); Beaumont and Fl., Faithful Friends, v. 2. 2. See Nares. L. (16th cent.) perspicilia, spectacles (Ducange).

perstand, to understand. Gascoigne, Works, i. 78; Peele, Sir Clyomon, ed. Dyce, p. 492, col. 1, p. 499. A blend of two words—perceive and understand.

perstringe, to censure. B. Jonson, Magn. Lady, end of ii. 1 (Damplay). L. perstringere.

persue, the trail of blood left by a wounded animal, the ‘parsee’. Spenser, F. Q. iii. 5. 28. Cp. ‘Now he has drawn pursuit [old ed. pursue, i.e. the trail] on me, He hunts me like the devil’; Fletcher, Bonduca, v. 2 (Petillius). See [parsee].