but at low water it is fordable, and was formerly joined to the main land by a strong quay. The walls of the castle enclose an area of about two

acres.

PEEK, in the sea-language, a word used in various senses. The anchor is said to be a-peek, when the ship being about to weigh comes over her anchor in such a manner that the cable hangs perpendicularly between the hause and the anchor. To heave a-peek is to bring the peek so that the anchor may hang a-peek. A ship is said to ride a-peek, when, lying with her main and fore yards hoisted up, one end of her yards is brought down to the shrouds, and the other raised up on end; which is chiefly done when she lies in rivers, lest other ships falling foul of the yards should break them. Riding a broad peek denotes much the same, excepting that the yards are only raised to half the height. Peek is also used for a room in the hold, extending from the bitts forwards to the stern: in this room men of war keep their powder, and merchantmen their victuals.

PEEL, n. s. & v. a. I Fr. pelure, peler; Lat. PEEL'ER. pellis. Skin or rind; to strip off the skin or rind: a peeler is one who performs this operation; and, metaphorically, a robber or plunderer.

Yet otes with her sucking a peeler is found, Both ill to the maister and worse to some ground. Tusser. The skilful shepherd peeled me certain wands, And stuck them up before the fulsome ewes.

Shakspeare. Who once just and temperate conquered well, But governed ill the nations under yoke, Peeling their provinces, exhausted all But lust and rapine. Milton's Paradise Regained. Lord-like at ease, with arbitrary power, To peel the chiefs, the people to devour; These, traitor, are thy talents. Dryden. As 'tis a peeler of land, sow it upon lands that are rank. Mortimer.

PEEL, in geography, a small island, on the west coast of the Isle of Man. It is naturally strong, but was rendered much more so by Thomas earl of Derby, who encompassed it with a wall, towers, and other fortifications; so that in these days it was impregnable.

PEELE (formerly Holm), a small town in the Isle of Man, situate on the west side of the island, twelve miles west of Douglas. It is a straggling place on the sea-shore; the harbour is neglected, the pier destroyed, and the trade of the town has recently much declined; but it has a very spacious and commodious bay. The church is dedicated to St. Peter; but here are the remains of two other churches, one dedicated to St. Patrick, and the other called St. Germain's.

The castle and the cathedral of St. Germain stand on Peele-Island, encircled by the sea. Near the ruins of St. Patrick's church, are the armoury, the episcopal palace, and the lord's mansion. The channel which divides this island from the main land, is very deep at high water, VOL. XVI.

etymology,' he says,

Dr. Johnson has curiously encumbered the etymology of this word with learning. It has no 'except that of Skinner, who derives it from Dut. ophessen, to lift up; and of Casaubon, who derives it from oɩTEUTηO, a spy: perhaps it may come from Lat. pip, pipio, to cry as young birds: when the chickens first broke the shell and cried, they were said to begin to pip or peep; and the word that expressed the act of crying was, by mistake, applied to the act of appearing that was at the same time: this is offered till something better may be found.' But Minsheu finds a Teut. pipen, to peer or look up; and old Fr. pipper, Ital. pipire, of the same signification. To look up; look slily; make a first appearance; pry: peep is, first appearance; sly or prying look: peeper, applied particularly to young chickens breaking the shell; and, by Addison, to the unfledged young ladies of his day: peep-hole and peeping-hole, a hole through which one may peep unobserved.

Them that have familiar spirits, and wizards that peep and that mutter. Isaiah viii. 19. Ecclus. xxi. 23.

A fool will peep in at the door.

She, her gay painted plumes disordered, Seeing at last herself from danger rid, Peeps forth, and soon renews her native pride. Spenser.

Who is the same which at my window peeps. Id. Your youth

And the true blood, which peeps forth fairly through it,

Do plainly give you out an unstained shepherd.

I can see his pride
Peep through each part of him.
Come, thick night!

Shakspeare.

Id.

That my keen knife see not the wound it makes;
Nor heaven peep through the blanket of the dark,
To cry hold!
Id. Macbeth.

The timorous maiden-blossoms on each bough
Peept forth from their first blushes; so that now
A thousand ruddy hopes smiled in each bud,
And flattered every greedy eye that stood. Crashaw.
The trembling leaves through which he played,
Dappling the walk with light and shade,
Like lattice-windows, give the spy
Room but to peep with half an eye.
Cleaveland.
She makes the obedient ghosts peep trembling througa
With words not hers, and more than human soun?,
the ground.

Roscommon.

Fair as the face of rature did appear, When flowers first peeped, and trees did blossoms bear,

And winter had not yet deformed the inverted year. Dryden

All doors are shut, no servant peeps abroad, While others outward went on quick dispatch. Id.

3 A

The daring flames pe pt in, and saw from far The awful beauties of the sacred quire;

but since it was prophaned by civil war, Heaven thought it fit to have it purged by fire. Id. The fox spied him through a peepunghole he had found out to see what news. L'Estrange.

A proper works with her hands, eyes, and fan; one of which is continually in motion, while she thinks she is not actually the admiration of some ogler in the congregation.

O, my muse, just distance keep;
Thou art a maid, and must not peep.
By the peepholes in his crest,

Is it not virtually confest,

Spectator.

Prior.

Id.

That there his eyes took distant aim? Printing and letters had just peped abroad in the world; and the restorers of learning wrote very Atterbury. eagerly against one another.

Those remote and vast bodies were formed not merely to be pept at though an optic glass. Bentley's Sermons.

Most souls but prep out once an age, Dull sullen prisoners in the body's cage. Pope Would not one think, the almanack-maker was crept out of his grave to take t'other peep at the stars!

In vain his little children peeping out Into the mingling storm demand their sire.

Swift.

Thomson.

Dishes 1 chuse, though little, yet genteel; Snails the first course, and peepers crown the meal.

Though but the very white end of the sprout peep out in the out-vard part of the couch, break it open, you will find the sprout of a greater largeness. Mortimer's Husbandry.

PEER, v. n. A contraction of APPEAR. To come first into sight; PrEP, which see.

Now for a clod-like hare in form they peer, Now bolt and cudgel squirrels leap do move, Now the ambitious lark with mirrour clear They catch, while he, fool! to himself makes love. Sidney. As the sun breaks through the darkest clouds, So honour peereth in the meanest habit. Shakspeare. Yet many of your horsemen peer, And gallop o'er the field. Id. Henry V. Even through the hollow eyes of death

I spy life peering.

Shakspeare.

See how his gorget peers above his gown, To tell the people in what danger he was.

Ben Jonson.

Her dress, her shape, her matchless grace, Were all observed, as well as heav'nly face; With such a peerless majesty she stands, As in that day she took the crown. Statesman and patriot ply alike the stocks; Peeress and butler share alike the box.

His friendships he to few confined; No fools of rank or mongrel breed. Who fain would pass for lords indeed; Where titles give no right or power, And peerage is a withered flower.

Id.

Id.

Pope.

Swift.

PEER was anciently applied to the vassals or tenants of the same lord, who were called peers, because they were all equal in condition, and obliged to serve and attend him in his courts, and peers in fiefs, because they all held fiefs of the same lord. The term peers is now applied to those who are impannelled in an inquest upon a person, for convicting or acquitting him of any offence laid to his charge; and the reason why the jury is so called is because, by the common law and custom of this kingdom, every person is to be tried by his peers or equals; a lord by the lords, and a commoner by commoners. See

JURY.

A peeress may be noble by descent, creation, or marriage. If a peeress by descent or creation, marries a person under the degree of nobility, she still continues noble; but, if she obtains that dignity only by marriage,she loses it on her afterwards marrying a commoner; yet by courtesy she generally retains the title of her nobility. A countess of baroness may not be arrested for debt or trespass; for though, in respect of their sex, they cannot sit in parliament, they are nevertheless peers

of

the realm, and shall be tried by their peers, &c.

PEER OF THE REALM, a noble lord who has a seat and vote in the house of lords or peers. These lords are called peers, because though there is a distinction of degrees in our nobility, yet in public actions they are equal, as in their votes in parliament, and in trying any nobleman or other person impeached by the commons, &c. See PARLIAMENT. In a judicial capacity the house of peers is the supreme court of the kingdom, having at present no original jurisdiction over causes, but only upon appeals and writs of error; to rectify any injustice or mistake of the law committed by the courts below. To this authority they succeeded of course, upon the dissolution of the Aula Regia. For as the barons of parliament were constituent members of that court, and the rest of its jurisdiction was dealt out to two other tribunals, over which the great officers who accompanied those barons were respectively delegated to preside, it followed that the right of receiving appeals, and superintending all other jurisdictions, still remained in that noble assembly, from which every other great court was derived. They are, therefore, in all cases the last resort, from whose judgment no farther appeal is permitted; but every subordinate tribunal must conform to their determination.

PEER, a town of the Netherlands, thirty miles north of Liege, and thirty north-east of Louvain. PEERGAUM, in geography, a town of Hindostan, in the province of Aurungabad, between POONAH, and Perrainda. It is situated at the confluence of the Sursutty and the Beemah, and belongs to the Mahrattas. Long. 79° 59′ E.

Lat. 18° 23' N.

PEE VISH, adj. Supposed by Junius PEE'VISHLY, adv. to be formed by corrupPEE VISHNESS, n. s. tion from perverse; Skinner rather derives it from beeish, as we say waspish; Minsheu from the Teut. vietrisch i. e. pecuinus; quòd similis sit bruto.' Petulant; fretful; querulous; waspish; the adverb and noun-substantive corresponding.

6

For what can breed more peevish incongruities,
Than man to yield to female lamentations? Sidney.
She is peevish, sullen, froward,
Proud, disobedient, stubborn, lacking duty.
Shakspeare.

If thou hast the mettle of a king,
Being wronged as we are by this peevish town,
Turn thou the mouth of thy artillery,
As we will ours against these saucy walls.

1 will not presume

Id.

Id.

To send such peevish tokens to a king. He was so peevishly opinionative and proud that he would neither ask nor hear the advice of any.

Hayward. Some miscarriages in government might escape through the peevishness of others; envying the publick should be managed without them. King Charles. Those deserve to be doubly laughed at, that are pecvish and angry for nothing to no purpose. L'Estrange.

It will be an unpardonable, as well as childish peevishness, if we undervalue the advantages of our knowledge, and neglect to improve it. Locke.

Neither will it be satire or peevish invective to affirm, that infidelity and vice are not much dimiSwift.

nished.

The pegs and nails in a great building, though they are but little valued in themselves, are absolutely necessary to keep the whole frame together. Id. Spectator. A finer petticoat can neither make you richer, more virtuous, or wise, than if it hung upon a peg. Swift.

PEGANUM, in botany, wild Syrian rue, a genus of the monogynia order, belonging to the dodecandria class of plants; and in the natural method ranking under the twenty-sixth order, multisiliquæ.

PEGASIDES, a name of the Muses, from Pegasus.

PEGASUS, among the poets, a horse imagined to have wings, and fabled to have sprung from the blood of Medusa: being that whereon Bellerophon was fabled to be mounted when he engaged the Chimara. See CHIMERA. He was also mounted by Perseus when he destroyed the seamonster that was to devour Andromeda.-Ovid. The opening of the fountain Hippocrene, on mount Helicon, is ascribed to a blow of Pegasus's hoof. He was feigned to have flown away to heaven, where he became a constellation. Hence

PEGASUS, in astronomy, the name of a constellation of the northern hemisphere, in form of a flying horse. See ASTRONOMY.

kingdom of Asia, beyond the Ganges, but now PEGU, or PEGUE, formerly a considerable a province of the Burmhan empire.

by the Chinese and Burmese they are termed Taleing; and by the Siamese, Mingmon. The province of Pegu extends along the mouths of the two great rivers, Irrawaddy and Thualayn, (or of Ava and Martaban), and occupies the sca

The original inhabitants call themselves Mon,

coast from the frontiers of Aracan to those of Siam. The town of Prome was its northern frontier.

The river Pegu, which was supposed to come from China, rises among the hills about 100 miles from the sea, which form the boundaries between the Burmhan and Pegu countries. Its communication with the sea is by the Rangoon, and in the fair season it is almost dry. The country inland from the river is clear of trees and brushwood; but on the banks of the river there are thickets which abound with the domestic fowl in a wild state, and peacocks, but is also infested with tigers. About a day's journey to the south of the town of Pegu the inhabitants are much molested by wild elephants, that occupy in great numbers a forest to the north-east. These powerful animals, allured by the early crops of rice and sugar-cane, make predatory incursions in large troops, and do a great deal of mischief, devastating much more than they devour. This province appears to be the favorite abode of the elephant, and one of his Burman majesty's titles is, lord of the white elephant, and of all the elephants in the world.'

Pegu having long been subject to the Burmhan empire of Ava, the history of its conquest and other particulars will be found under the article BURMHAN EMPIRE. When the Burmese had completed its subjugation, they subdivided it into thirty-two districts, and named it Henzawuddy, which is the Sanscrit name for the whole province. Minderajee Praw, the fifth king of the present dynasty, abrogated many severe penal laws imposed by his predecessors upon the native Peguers. Justice is now distributed with considerable impartiality, and the only distinction at present between a Burmban and a Peguer consists in the exclusion of the latter from places of public trust and power. In Pegu there are no brick buildings allowed, except such as belong to the king, or are dedicated to their divinity Gaudnia, his majesty having prohibited the use of brick and stone in private buildings.

From the plenty of teak with which the Pegu forests abound this province has long been famous for ship-building. So early as 1707 the Arabs of Muscat, a considerable maritime power, were accustomed to build ships here, some of which carried from thirty to fifty guns. For the procuring of this valuable timber a great intercourse subsists between Pegu and all the British provinces, particularly Bengal, where the vessels are almost wholly fabricated from Pegu teak, with the assistance of the country timber.

The inhabitants of Pegu appear to have attained civilisation at a more early period than the Burmese; and, though now reduced, formerly to have been a great and potent nation. In the early Portuguese histories they are denominated the Pandalus of Mon, and they are supposed to have founded the ancient Kalaminham empire. The name Kalaminham, mentioned by the Portuguese, is probably connected with the Siamese name of the nation, Mingmon. The Mon language is still used by the mhabitants of Pegue, and appears quite original. It is said by the Burmese and Siamese to have no affinity to either of their languages,

Owing to the long and sanguinary wars carried on between the Burmese and Peguers, the greater part of this province, although one of the most productive in India, remains desolate and urcultivated.

Prot, the capital of the foregoing province, is situated ninety miles by water above Rangoo, its ancient extent may be traced by the runs of the ditch and wall that surround it. From these it appears to have been a quadrangle, each side measuring one mile and a half; the breadm of the ditch was about sixty yards, and the dept ten or twelve feet. When in repair, even in tl. dry season, the ditch had seldom less than fo feet of water. The wall was composed of brick badly cemented with clay mortar, about thirtyfive feet thick, with small equidistant bastions about 300 yards asunder; but the whole in a most ruinous state. The Burmhan monarch, Alompra, when he acquired possession of the city in 1757, razed every building to the ground, an i dispersed or led into captivity all the inhabitants. The temples, or praws, which are very numerous, were the only buildings that escaped his fury, and and of these the great pyramid of Shoemade has alone been kept in repair. This temple is composed of brick and mortar, without excava tion or aperture of any sort, octagonal at the base, and spiral at the top; each side of the base measuring 162 feet. The great breadth diminishes abruptly in the shape of a speaking trumpet. The extreme height of the building, above the level of the country, is 361 feet. On the top is an iron tee or umbrella, fifty-six feet in circumference, which is gilt, and it is the intention of the king to gild the whole building. On the north side of the building are three large bells of good workmanship, suspended near the ground, to announce to the spirit of Guadma the approach of a suppliant, who places his offering, consis'ing of boiled rice, a plate of sweetmeats, or a Cocoa-nut fried in oil, on a bench near the foot of the temple. After it is offered the devoter seen. < indifferent what becomes of it, and it is often devoured in his presence by the crows or dogs, whom he never attempts to disturb during their repast. Numberless images of Guadma lie indiscriminately scattered about.

About 1790 the reigning monarch of Ava, to conciliate the natives, issued orders to rebuild Pegu, and invited the scattered families of former inhabitants to repeople their deserted city. At the same time he ordered the viceroy to quit Rangoon, and make Pegu his future residence. The present inhabitants, who have been induced to return, consist chiefly of rhahaans, or priests, the followers of the court, and a few poor Pegu families. The men of business continue to reside at Rangoon, and the whole number of inhabitants of this town do not as yet exceed 7000. A great proportion of the former inhabitants are either extinct or scattered over the provinces of Tongho, Martahan, and Talowmeon. The city, in its renovated state, is fenced round with a stockade from ten to twelve feet high. There is one man street running cast and west, crossed at right angles by two smaller streets. At each extremity of the principal street there is a gate defended by a wretched piece of ordnance, and a

few musketeers, who never post sentinels, and are generally asleep in a neighbouring shed. The streets of Pegu are spacious, and paved with brick, which the ruins of the old town plentifully supply. The houses are all made of mats, or of sheathing boards, supported on bamboos or posts, and extremely combustible. As a precaution against fire, at each door there stands a long bamboo, with an iron hook to pull down the thatch; and there is also another pole adapted to suppress flame by pressure. Almost every house has earthen pots filled with water on the roof, and a particular class of people, whose business is to prevent and extinguish fires, walk the street during the night. The only article of consequence manufactured here is silk and cotton, which the females weave for domestic use. The thread is well spun, and the texture of the web close and strong, being chequered like tartan.

PEGUNTIUM, in ancient geography, according to Ptolemy, or Peguntia, as Pliny has it, a town or citadel of Dalmatia, on the Adriatic, opposite to the island Brattia, five miles off, and forty east of Salonae. According to Fortis, a mountain, a large hollow, and submarine springs are seen here.

PEINE FORT ET DURE, Lat. pæna fortis et dura, signifies a special punishment formerly inflicted on those who, being arraigned of felony, refuse to put themselves on the ordinary trial, but stubbornly stand mute.

PEINGHEE, a town of the Burmban empire, situated on the west side of the Irrawaddy, in lat. 18° 31′ N., long 94° 50′ E. In the vicinity a great quantity of teak timber is procured, which is carried to Rangoon, and thence exported to the British territories. The forests are in sight from the river: the trees are felled in the dry season, and when the monsoon sets in carried down the Irrawaddy. Here also ships of 300 or 400 tons are frequently built.

PEIRCE (James), an eminent dissenting minister, was born at Wapping, in London, in 1664, and was educated at Utrecht and Leyden; after which he spent some time at Oxford, for the benefit of the Bodleian library. He then for two years preached the Sunday evening lecture at the meeting-house in Miles Lane, London, and afterwards settled at Cambridge. In 1713 he was removed to a congregation at Exeter, where he continued till 1718: when he was ejected for refusing to sign the Calvinistic articles of faith. Upon this a new meeting was opened at Exeter, of which Mr. Peirce continued minister till his death, in 1726. He was a man of the strictest virtue, exemplary piety, and great learning. He wrote, 1. Exercitatio philosophica de Homameria Anaxagorea. 3. Thirteen pieces on the Controversy between the Church of England and the Dissenters. 3. Ten pieces on the Controversy about the Ejectment at Exeter. 4. Six pieces on the Doctrine of the Trinity. 5. A Paraphrase and Notes on the Epistles of St. Paul to the Colossians, Philippians, and Hebrews. 6. An Essay in favor of giving the Eucharist to Children. 7. Fourteen Sermons.

PEIRESC (Nicolas Claude Fabri), an emiRent antiquarian, born in 1580, was descended

from an ancient and noble family, seated originally at Pisa in Italy. At ten years of age he was sent to Avignon, where he spent five years in the Jesuits' College, in the study of the languages. In 1595 he removed to Aix, and entered upon philosophy. In 1596 he was sent to finish his course under the Jesuits at Tournon, where he turned his attention to cosmography. Being recalled by his uncle, in 1597, he returned to Aix, and entered there upon the study of the law. In 1598 he went again to Avignon, to carry on his course of law under' one Peter David; who was also well skilled in antiquities. He returned in 1603 to Aix, at the earnest request of his uncle, who resigned to him his senatorial dignity, for which the degree of LL.D, was a necessary qualification. Peiresc, therefore, took that degree January 18th 1604. In 1618 he was nominated by Louis XIII. abbot of Sancta Maria Aquestriensis. He died the 24th of June 1637 in his fifty-seventh year. His works are, 1. Historia provincia Galliæ Narbonensis; 2. Nobilium ejusdem provinciæ familiarum Origines, et separatim Fabriciæ; 3. Commentarii rerum omnium memoriâ dignarum sua ætate gestarum; 4. Liber de ludicris naturæ operibus; 5. Mathematica et astronomica varia; 6. Observationes mathematica; 7. Epistolæ ad S. P. Urbanum VIII., cardinales Barbarinos, &c.; 7. Authores antiqui Græci et Latini de ponderibus et mensuris; 9. Eulogia et epitaphia; 10. Inscriptiones antiquæ et novæ; 11. Genealogia domus Austriacæ; 12. Catalogus librorum biblioth. reg; 13. Poemata varia; 14. Nummi Gallici, Saxonici, Britannica, &c.; 15. Linguæ Orientales, Hebræa, Samaritana, Arabica, Egyptiaca, et Indices librorum harum linguarum; 16. Observationes in varios auctores. PEKAN, in zoology. See MUSTELA.

PEKIN, or PEKING, the capital of China, where the emperor generally resides; it is situated in a very fertile plain, twenty leagues from the great wall. This name, which signifies the northern court, is given it to distinguish it from the city Nankin, or the southern court. The emperor formerly resided in the latter, but the Tartars, a restless and warlike people, obliged him to remove his court to the northern provinces, that he might more effectually repel their incursions. It is an exact square, and divided into two parts; namely, that which contains the emperor's palace, which is in the new city, or, as it is called, the Tartars' city, because it is inhabited by Tartars ever since they conquered this empire; the other, called the Old City, is inhabited by the Chinese. The circuit of both these together is fifty-two Chinese lys, each of which contains 240 geometrical paces; being, without the suburbs, full six leagues in circumference, according to the most accurate measurement made by order of the emperor The population is generally estimated at 2,000,000, but others state it at double that number. See our articles CHINA, and OBSERVATORY.

PELAGIANS, a Christian sect who appeared about the fifth, or end of the fourth century. They maintained, it is said, the following doctrines: 1. That Adam was by nature mortal, and, whether he had sinned or not, would cer