7*J 



PETEB THE CRUEL. 



_j ' consists of thirteen books. In the fint eight books PeUu 

 _ the principle* of the science of chrouology, ancient and 

 i; in book* nine to twelve he examines the application of 

 chronology to history, the Tariuu* eras, Ac.; and in the hut or 

 thirteenth book he give* chronological tables of the principal events 

 from th creation to the reign of Justinian. After the publication of 

 the work. Philip IV. invited I'etau to Madrid to fill the chair of hutory; 

 but he declined the offer, an well aa an invitation to go to Rome by 

 Pope Urban VIII., preferring the tranquillity of his cell in the Jesuits' 

 College of Clermont, at Paris, where he died in 1052. Just before his 

 death he published ' Rationarium Temporum,' 2 Tola, 8vo, 1 652, which 

 is a kind of abridgement of hia great work, and forma a useful manual 

 of unirersal chronology. It has gone through many editions, and 

 ha* been translated into French, 'Abrege' Chronologique de 1'llistoire 

 Universelle, sacroe et profane,' 5 vols. 12mo, Paris, 1715. Perizonius 

 pabliahed an edition of the ' Rationarium Temporum,' with a con- 

 tinuation down to 1715. At the end of the work are lists of tbe 

 Roman consuls, the popes, the emperors of the Eastern and Western 

 empires, of the various dynasties of modern Europe, as well as of the 

 councils, and of the various heresies and schisms. Petau wrote also 

 De Theologicis Dogmatibus,' 3 vols. foL, Antwerp, 1700. He edited 

 the Breviarium of Nicephorus, in Greek and Latin, with notes, Paris, 

 1643; the works of Synesins, bishop of Ptolemais, in Cyrenaica; and 

 those of St Epiphanius, with a Latin translation, 2 vols. fol, Paris, 

 1622. He also wrote a dissertation upon Puotiuus, ' De Photiuo 

 Heretioo.' 



PETAVIUS. [PETAU, DIONYBIOS.] 



PETER, SAINT, one of the twelve Apostles, was born at Bethsaida, 

 on the western side of the lake of Gennesareth. His name at fint wai 

 Simon, which was changed by our Lord into Cephas, a Syriac word 

 signify ing a stone or rock; in Greek, ' petra,' whence Peter. In conjunc- 

 tion with Andrew his brother, he followed the occupation of a fisher- 

 man. Both were hearers of John the Baptist, by whom they were 

 taught that Jesus Christ was the Messiah. While plying their business 

 on the sea of Galilee, the Saviour called them to be his disciples : 

 ' Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men : " immediately they 

 quitted their boats and nets, and became his intimate friends and con- 

 stant associates. Peter was one of the three, James and John being 

 i lie others, who were favoured by our Lord with peculiar marks of his 

 confidence. 



Peter was a man of an open and generous nature, strong in his 

 Attachments, ardent, and precipitate. He was prompt on every occasion 

 to exhibit his zeal iu behalf of bis Master, of which we have a 

 memorable instance in his conduct towards the high-priest's servant, 

 bose ear he cut off when the Jewish officers wen about to apprehend 

 <mr Lord. Yet, notwithstanding tbe ardour of his character and his 

 solemn declaration to the contrary, he denied Christ when he was in 

 circumstances of danger. After the denial, " Jesus turned and looked 

 upon Peter." That look entered his heart; and, stung with deep com- 

 punction, he went out and wept bitterly. 



Ou the day of Pentecost which succeeded the ascension of our Lord, 

 the Holy Ghost descended upon the Apostles, and produced the most 

 astonishing and extraordinary results. Tbe gift of tongues came upon 

 them ; and they were enabled to address the inhabitants of different 

 nations, each in his own language. On this occasion the character of 

 St Peter sustained a singular change ; and he preached with so much 

 effect, that three thousand were converted to the Christian faith. He 

 now took a prominent position among the Apostles. When a miracle 

 is performed, it is Peter who avails himself of the opportunity, and 

 preaches to the people. When brought before the council for declar- 

 ing tbe resurrection of their Master, it is Peter who speaks in reply 

 to tbe charges against them. In tbe case of Ananias and Sapphire, it 

 is Peter who detects and punishes tbe fraud. 



Being at Joppa in tbe course of his apostolic labours, he converted 

 Cornelius, a Roman centurion, the first Gentile who was admitted into 

 tbe Church without circumcision. This event was considered satis- 

 factory evidence that the benefits of the Gospel were intended, not for 

 the Jews only, but for mankind universally. Shortly after, the zeal 

 and success with which he propagated the new religion induced Herod 

 Agrippa to cast him into prison, from which he was miraculu-ly 

 delivered by an angel. The hut important transaction in which we 

 find him engaged was in the apostolic council held at Jerusalem, A.D. 

 4V, when it was decided that Christianity required of its converts 

 neither circumcision nor the observance of any other rite of the 

 Jewish institute. It is supposed that he afterwards preached to the 

 Hebrew ChrutUns dispersed through Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, 

 Asia Minor, and llithyuia; and that he visited Rome in 63, where he 

 soon after suffered martyrdom. 



St. Peter wan the author of two EpUtles, both of which make part 

 of our canonical Scripture*. The first, whose genuineness and authen- 

 ticity have never been questioned, is addressed "to the strangers 

 cattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia," 

 There is much difference of opinion among the learned with respect 

 to the persons here denominated 'stranger*.' Some suppose they 

 were Jewish Christians ; others, that they were in the first inntancc 

 proselytes to Judaism, and then convert* to Christianity ; other* again, 

 that thy were Christians in general. There are two considerations 

 which induce us to hold that tbe first is the more probable opinion. 



The word 'strangers' (naptriSwux) properly signifies persons from 

 another country; and therefore it is very suitably applied to those 

 Jewish believers who, in consequence of persecution in Judaaa, were 

 obliged to take refuge in distant provinces : and again, since" the 

 ministry of tbe circumcision was committed to St Peter, it is more 

 likely that he should address himself to his own converts than to 

 Gentiles. * 



Another controversy has been agitated with respect to the place 

 where the Epistle wa written. In the concluding verses, it is implied 

 that the Apostle was then at Babylon ; but whether the word i* used 

 in a real sense to designate the city of that name, or mystically to 

 signify Jerusalem or Rome, is the matter in debate. In all probability 

 the term is employed for Rome ; for the Jews were fond of using figu- 

 rative appellation, especially in their national distresses. Edom was 

 frequently a name for their heathen oppressors ; and as Babylon was 

 the cause of their fint dispersion and captivity, it is not unlikely 

 that Koine, the instrument of their second, and which so closely 

 resembled Babylon hi her " abominations, idolatries, and persecutions 

 of the saints," should be denominated by the same title. Aa St. Peter 

 arrived at Rome, in 63, and suffered martyrdom about 65, the Epistle 

 may be dated in 64. It was written iu a period of general calamity 

 to the Church ; and the design of the Apostle is to console and 

 strengthen his converts in their trials, and teach them how to bear 

 persecution. He exhorts them to honour and obey the civil authori- 

 ties; and, above all things, to lead a holy and blameless life, that they 

 might stop the mouths of their enemies and calumniators, and by 

 their example gain over others to the side of Christianity. 



The best critics speak highly of the excellence of this Epistle. The 

 writer displays a profound knowledge of the Gospel, and a deep con- 

 viction of the truth and certainty of its doctrines. Careless about the 

 disposition of his words and the rounding of his periods, his heart is 

 absorbed and his thoughts swell with tbe importance and grandeur of 

 his subject. His style is vehement and fervid, and he speaks with the 

 authority of the first man in the Apostolic college. 



The second Epistle was written soon after the first Its object is 

 to confirm the instructions which he had formerly delivered, to 

 establish his converts in the religion that they had embraced, to 

 caution them against false teachers, to warn them against profane 

 scoffer*, and to prepare them for the future judgment of the world. 



i'KTKH OF BLOIS, better known by the Latinised name 1'etrus 

 Bleseusis (Bloia being bin birth-place), a writer of the 12th century, 

 who spent much of his life in England, being invited thither by King 

 Henry II., who gave him the archdeaconry of Bath. There is a large 

 volume of the writings of this Peter, consisting very much of letters, 

 from which a far better account of his life might be collected than 

 any which has yet been prepared. He was in great favour with 

 Richard, who succeeded JJecket in the archbishopric of Canterbury, 

 and was his chancellor. He had also in England the archdeaconry of 

 London, having resigned his archdeaconry of Bath. Peter wa* a 

 scholar of John of Salisbury ; and before he came to England he had 

 studied at Paris and Bologna, and had been secretary to William 11., 

 king of Sicily. He dieil in England in 1200. The edition of his works 

 by Pierre de Goussainville, folio, 1667, is accounted the best His 

 works belong to the series known as the Fathers of the Church. 



Peter visited Bologna for the purpose of acquiring a knowledge of 

 Roman law, and his letters contain numerous indications of his 

 acquaintance with this subject. A work of his on canon law and 

 process was discovered a few years back ; an account of it is given in 

 the ' Zeitechrift fur Gesohichtliche Rechtswissenschaft,' vol. vii., p. 207. 



(Savigny, Geichitlile da ItSmitchm Rccldi im M iltdalter.) 



PETER THE CRUEL, DON PEDRO I, sou of Alonzo XL, after 

 his father's death succeeded to the united crown of Castile and Leon, 

 in 1350, being then only sixteen years of age. His first step was to 

 put to death Leonora de Guzman, the mistress of his father, who had 

 several children by her. His next proceeding was to command the 

 city of Burgos to pay a certain tax without the sanction of the Cortes, 

 but the people resisted and killed the collector. Upon this Pedro 

 went to Burgos, accompanied by Don Juan de Albuquerque, bis unprin- 

 cipled councillor, and having summoned Uarcilasso de hi Vega, the 

 adelautado of Castile, into his presence, ordered him to be instantly 

 put to death by his ballasteros, or men-at-arms. In 1 352, he assembled 

 the Cortes at Valladolid, and endeavoured, but without success, to 

 obtain the abolition of the Behetrias, which was the name given to 

 the political condition of certain towns that had placed themselves 

 under the protection of some powerful noble, and were in great 

 measure independent of the crown. He next proceeded to Ciudad 

 Ro.irii;o, where he had a conference with his maternal uncle, Alouao 

 or Alfonso IV., king of Portugal, who gave him the best advice as to 

 tbe necessity of moderation, and above all ai to adopting conciliatory 

 measures towards his half-brothers, the sons of Donna Leonora, who 

 possessed great influence in the country. Pedro listened to the 

 advice, and he even invited the eldest of his natural brothers, Don 

 Enri'iu-, called Enrique of Transtamare, to his court, whore another 

 brother, Don Tello, alrouly was. But his brothers did not trust him, 

 and they soon left Pedro, rebelled, were defeated, and emigrated into 

 Aragon. In 1353, by the advice of his ministers, Pedro solicited and 

 obtained the hand of Blanche of Bourbon, a princess of the royal house 

 of France. Pedro, who bad a mistress, Maria de Padilla, behaved with 



