The Hiſtory of the Life and Death of Hugh Peters that Arch-traytor, from his Cradell to the Gallowes.
WITH A Map of his prophane Jeſts, cruell Actions, and wicked Counſels.
Publiſhed as a Warning piece to all Traytors.
[At the time of our late Sacred Kings tryall, this was the villains Text to animate their Roman preſident & the Jeſhiſh Court for the ſpeedy horrid Murder.]
Behold his Reward
⟨Jan: 3d.⟩ LONDON, Printed for Fr. Coles, at the Lambe in the Old-Baily, 1661. ⟨Jan. 3. 1660⟩
H Ʋgh Peters was borne in Cornwall, in a little Village named Sudbury, not farre from Launſon; his Fathers name was Edward Peeters, by trade a Dyer of Stuffes, but counted a man of good repute and civell behaviour, and gave his Son Hugh what Education hee could, as did belong to a Father; hee was as the ancientry of the Countrey doth report, bred up ſix yeares in the free Schoole of Launſon, after which being fourd very prone and pregnant to Learning.
HEe was from thence transferr'd to Oxford, and there inveſted in Brazen-Nos'd Colledge, during2 which time he was alwaies given to Scoffs, Ieſts and jeering; yet he took Learning in abundance, for all that hee was not much reſpected; for the Schollers deſpis'd him, the Proctors did not care for him, none very well loved him, hee carried the faireſt Tongue of moſt men, but the diſſemblingeſt heart of all men; hee would promiſe as faire as any one ſhould, and performe as little as any one alive; he was a man never given to the vice of Swearing, yet hee would Lie moſt intollerable, he was never of no Magnanimous Spirit, he would fight with no one in open armes, but they muſt beware of him of a private miſchiefe; As to inſtance, hee once ſeduced a company of Schollers to goe foure miles out of the Towne to a Parke of the Kings intending to ſteale ſome Deere, and there he began firſt to be a Thiefe and a Traytor againſt his King and Soveraigne, but marke the ſtory and you ſhall heare what a notorious piece of Villanie this young Iudas did invent being but tender like a Cockatrice Egge, even to betray the innocent Beaſts of the Parke; It chanc't the Moone did ſhine when hee and his gang were with drawne over into the Parke, and the Keepers walking the Round and ranging about, perceived them armed with Gunnes and Croſ-bowes, and they with Foreſt Bills encountred with them and defeated them, purſuing them quite to the Townes end, but then fearing ſome other aſſiſtance retired backe to the Parke againe till next morning, and then came to Oxford and enquired after theſe Deere killers; faith3 thoſe of his Company were faine to abſent the Colledge, quit the Towne and be gone; So there hee wrought their Ruine and deſtruction in the firſt place; for in regard they durſt not make appearance in the Colledge; ſome took to the High way by wch means they were Hang'd; but accoding to the old Proverb, The verieſt Thiefe ſcapes best. For the crafty Fox and Ring-leader himſelfe, was neither diſcovered, taxed, nor ſuſpected, yet obſerve the malice and treachery of this Iudas, a weeke after following hee goes and buyes a pecke of Apples, and cuts off the top next the ſtalke of every one, picks out the Core, put in Ratſbane and ſtopt them up againe with the ſame pieces; obſerving that Deere doth love Apples exceſſively, he caries one evening to the ſame Parke, and throws them about for the Innocent beaſts, wherby ſeverall of them were poyſoned to death. Thus did hee vent his Mallicious poyſon againſt man and Beaſt; You'l ſay 'twas enough to deſerve hanging but his time was not come.
But a Thiefe and a Traytor he was from the beginning: But to proceed hee had not beene paſſing the ſpace of three yeares in this Colledge; Tell this unparalleld fact was Committed; for by his craft and cloſe concealing mind, hee kept it private and unknowne two yeares longer; which time being expired, it thus came out. He and ſome others being in a Taverne: The Wind wrought ſtrong began a diſcourſe in this manner. Said one, as I was once comming over a Parke being rutting time I was like to be4 ſpoyl'd with a Bucke; But I thinke I met with him: For I broke his Heape-bone with a Piſtall bullet. Why introth ſaid Peeters, and I receiv'd and abuſe once by two Keepers, but I thinke his Sweet meat had but Sowre ſawce: For in eating the Fruit which I preſented there fell more in one Night, then in the Garden of Eden in a whole Yeare.
Why ſaid the other, Adam was not there, ſaid Peeters againe, that doth not argue the Serpent was not there.
Whereupon Notice being taken by one who was not his Cordiall friend: So that the Colledge came to heare of it.
HOw Peeters was call'd before the Bench, taxt upon't, but ſtoutly deny'd it; Inſomuch that one of the Proctors told him he was a Brazen-fac'-Fellow: He anſwered then he learn'd it in Brazen noſed Colledge, upon which he was preſently expel'd, Oxford then being too hot for him, hee haſted away to Woodſtock, at which place there lay a Biſhop; to whom he made his Addreſſe for an Ordination to Preach, but went away without his Errand.
Thus having not obtain'd his Requeſt, rather then ſtand Idly Hee made bold of himſelfe; And thereupon5 inſinuated with one Perſon then another Perſon, one Sermon here and another there: Telling the Ignorant people, Doomes day was come, and the Dayes they lived in were the Later dayes.
Hovering up and downe the Countrey am•ngſt the Lay Committee: So that hee was taken for a little ſmall Prophet: But all this while Oxford remain'd his Antagoneſt and durſt not come there, which caus'd Him to his Power, to ſpit his Venome at that Town as formerly he did to the D•ere: For at Enſtone in Oxfordſhire he preacht the Unniverſitie a prophane place, and ought to be refin'd and purged.
But that would not prevaile, hee was faine to quit the Towne and repaire to London, where at Biſhopſgate Church, hee preacht downe the Biſhops, raiſed Sectory, which too many were to prone for to follow.
But preſently then hee met with able Devines, which ſcorned to diſpute with ſuch a Quickſilver'd braine Fellow; Yet to pleaſe the People, and the ignorant multitude were faine to argue, croſſe him, and thwart him, to beate downe Riſing ſedition.
WEll then this contentious Hypocrite Seduc't a young Gentlemans daughter to Marry with6 him: And not long he lived with her, but the Spirit of Cavalation ſtruck in betwixt them.
Then did he act Richard the 3.d, Tis true hee did not breake her Necke, but he ſent her to Virginiae to be made a Slave on.
And went himſelfe to New-England, wherein hee continued three yeares, till the very Natives were faine to give him Money to be rid of him.
Then to England hee came againe, as the Proverb is, An Ill hearbe growes any where.
And juſt as the Warr's was broke out in Flames: this Atheiſt came again to lay more Fuell to the fire.
Preſently ſtrucke into the Army, got preferment Chaplin to the Lord Brookes his Regiment: At which time Newes was Novelties, and none could declare more in a private Alehouſe then Hee could in a publique Pulpit: The ignotant did praiſe him, the learned deſpiſe him: So that hee was like the Fox, when once hee was well knowne Hee was faine to quit his Burough.
Even ſo hee qickly departed from Brookes, and fell into Fairfax Army, and there hee preacht, the Souldiers into ſo much obedience, that they were ready to ſtone him away: Then he bethought himſelfe whoſe Pallat he could pleaſe beſt, that if any Devill was on Earth he would find him.
For Townes nor Cities would not entertaine him, he knew the Sea (or A•my) muſt ſo ſtricke into Oliver Cromwell, then Lieutenants Generall, where now wee will hunt him, like a Fox by the Smell.
NOw Reader obſerve, that no ſooner had his Maſter and hee diſputed, but they were Haile-Fellow well met: trim tram, like Maſter like Man.
Now Oliver was ſubtile, and of the ſame kind Peters was, for in a Moneths time, hee found out what Peeters was, and Peeters what he was, ſo they became unto one another, as plyable as a clacke to a Mill-Wheele.
And Oliver made him not only his Chaplin but his privy Counſellour Varſooth.
Tooke him over to Ireland with him: For Oliver knew he was a Servant fit for his turne, and Peeters knew, hee was a Maſter for his: So a little before Tredath fight, Peters preacht to Oliver in the Camp, and quoted his Text in the 45. Pſalm, and part of the ſixt verſe, Thy arrowes are very ſharpe and the People ſhall be ſubdued unto thee: For truly ſaid hee Ichu deſtroyed the houſe of Ahab King of Iſraell even to that, which piſt againſt the Wall, for it was the work of the Lord, and thou which art going to doe this mighty worke, behave thy ſelfe like Maccabees, who ſlew of the Philiſtins in one day threeſcore and ten thouſand.
8Therefore ſmite them to the Earth and leave not one alive.
The Tyrant did as the Traytour had ſaid, and turn'd the City into ſtreames of blood: So this was his ſeventh horrid Act of Villany: From thence to England came againe: Becauſe many men to looſe their Eſtates, and this Hypocriticall Peeters was the firſt that transformed the Word from Malignant to Delinquent.
So after a great deale of Miſchiefe, the Parliament were willing to bee ridde of them ſent them to Scotland; In which Travell two Soldiers being ſhort of money knockt a Gooſe in the Head, beſides having done ſome ſmall affront to Peeters before; Saying, hee was their holy divine Prophet: Which in troth they wronged him; He caus'd them to be hang'd for't, But Dunbar in Scotland, Edenborough, Fife and Sterling: For all his good deeds there, wee'l give him in to the Bargaine.
And diſcourſe of their horrid and deteſtable Plots in Counſell at the Caſtle of Windſor, laſtly at Ware.
In which wee will ſhew the very eſſence of his Roguery, Villany, Ieſts and Miſchiefe.
IN Windſor, hee and his Maſter ſate three Nights together up, to contrive for and how to uſurpe the9 Government: The King being then at Holmby, by Peeters advice they pitcht upon a perfidious il-borne brat, one Ioyce to ſecure the King. Who did accordingly, after which they with-drew to Ware, where at diſtance from the Army in a Field by their ſelves Concluded, the King to bee Murdered, the Parliament interupted, and Oliver to raigne Potentate, as hee confeſt when hee lay ſicke at Plimouth.
Which was all accordingly done, but when the Houſe was interrupted, ſo many as were Secluded were put in Hell at Weſtminſter, in which place Peters ſtood with his Pen and Inke ro take a liſt how many they were; after preached a Sermon at St. Albones ſtouping in the Pulpit like an Actor in a play, which a great one in m•ſchiefe, ſaid he had been in Hell, and there had ſeene a great many Parliament men; ſtill blinding the people, only to advance his Maſters intereſt.
Which being done, and all things accompliſhed, hee was inveſted in his throne of wickedneſſe, yet he would flout his Maſter, jeere his Competitors, object to all.
For in the Pulpit at White-Hall ſome perſons being in the Chappell he did not affect, Heaſon was under the Gallery, Peters ſaid there ſate a blind Cobler had more grace in his face then any of them all.
At another time his Maſter askt him, what Colledge he received his Education in, he ſaid in Brazen-Nos'd Colledge.
His Maſter ſuppos'd he had jeer'd him of his Noſe, ſaid he was a Brazen nos'd fellow to anſwer him ſo;
10At another time in St. Iames his Parke being his Maſter in a Coach and hee on Horſe-back, it chanc't to raine, whereby his Maſter ſent him his owne Coat to preſerve him from the ſhower; Peters ſent him word again, he would not be in his Coat for 500. l.
See how the Traytor himſelfe did hint at the unworthineſs of his Maſters cauſe.
Another time his Maſters Son Richard himſelfe and another Gentleman to the number of three, were at the Devill Taverne at Temple bar, fifteen Shillings being to pay, faith Richard would pay but his club, what but your club ſaid Peters. — Come hang it I'le pay my 3. Crownes, thats more ſpent in an houre then your Father could get eaſily in ſeaven yeares; but ſuddenly after Noll poſted away, Richard defeated, and Peters faine to ſhift for himſelfe.
NOw this miſerable Catiffe was in a worſe condition then ever was Caine for ſleying his Brother Abell, then was he faine to ſhuffle and cut, and try his wits to the purpoſe, for hee knew the Game ſtood upon his Life, but perceiving the game to be dangerous, reſolved the beſt way to play leaſt in ſight which hee did for a certaine while, but being cloſely purſued11 and chaſed, he was conſtrained to take hold in South-warke, his dables being diſcovered, a Meſſenger was ſent to apprehend him; but hee like a Fox did ſoone quit his Borough, and ſo miſt for that time; but not long after he was taken and ſecured, though ſtrongly denyed he was not Peters; queſtionleſs a Fox if that he could ſpeake, to quit himſelfe from Death would ſweare hee was a Lambe; But Peters guilt and erroneous actions could not appeare in the coat of Innocency, ſo forthwith was brought to the Tower, and a while after to Newgate and at the Old Baily tooke faire tryall before the Iudges, who gave him Sentence to be drawne from thence on a Sledge to Charing-Croſſe to be Hang'd, drawne and Quartered, which was done: and now his quarters hangs on the Gates, and his Head on London-Bridge, where wee will leave them to the Readers judgment, whether hee was more honoured in a Tyrants counſell, or on the Gibbet at Charing-croſſe.
So farewell to an unparalled Traytor never to be forgotten in the rolls of Infamie.
(EEBO-TCP ; phase 2, no. A86399)
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