PEEP, speak in a small or shrill voice PEEVISH(LY), foolish(ly), capricious(ly); childish(ly) PELICAN, a retort fitted with tube or tubes, for continuous distillation PENCIL, small tuft of hair PERDUE, soldier accustomed to hazardous service PEREMPTORY, resolute, bold; imperious; thorough, utter, absolute(ly) PERIMETER, circumference of a figure PERIOD, limit, end PERK, perk up PERPETUANA, "this seems to be that glossy kind of stuff now called everlasting, and anciently worn by serjeants and other city officers" (Gifford) PERSPICIL, optic glass PERSTRINGE, criticise, censure PERSUADE, inculcate, commend PERSWAY, mitigate PERTINACY, pertinacity PESTLING, pounding, pulverising, like a pestle PETASUS, broad-brimmed hat or winged cap worn by Mercury PETITIONARY, supplicatory PETRONEL, a kind of carbine or light gas carried by horsemen PETULANT, pert, insolent PHERE. See Fere PHLEGMA, watery distilled liquor (old chem. "water") PHRENETIC, madman PICARDIL, still upright collar fastened on to the coat (Whalley) PICT-HATCH, disreputable quarter of London PIECE, person, used for woman or girl; a gold coin worth in Jonson's time 20s. or 22s. PIECES OF EIGHT, Spanish coin: piastre equal to eight reals PIED, variegated PIE-POUDRES (Fr. pied-poudreux, dusty-foot), court held at fairs to administer justice to itinerant vendors and buyers PILCHER, term of contempt; one who wore a buff or leather jerkin, as did the serjeants of the counter; a pilferer PILED, pilled, peeled, bald PILL'D, polled, fleeced PIMLICO, "sometimes spoken of as a person -- perhaps master of a house famous for a particular ale" (Gifford) PINE, afflict, distress PINK, stab with a weapon; pierce or cut in scallops for ornament PINNACE, a go-between in infamous sense PISMIRE, ant PISTOLET, gold coin, worth about 6s. PITCH, height of a bird of prey's flight PLAGUE, punishment, torment PLAIN, lament PLAIN SONG, simple melody PLAISE, plaice PLANET, "struck with a --," planets were supposed to have powers of blasting or exercising secret influences PLAUSIBLE, pleasing PLAUSIBLY, approvingly PLOT, plan PLY, apply oneself to POESIE, posy, motto inside a ring POINT IN HIS DEVICE, exact in every particular POINTE, tabbed laces or cords for fastening the breeches to the doublet POINT-TRUSSER, one who trussed (tied) his master's points (q.v.) POISE, weigh, balance POKING-STICK, stick used for setting the plaits of ruffs POLITIC, politician POLITIC, judicious, prudent, political POLITICIAN, plotter, intriguer POLL, strip, plunder, gain by extortion POMMANDER, ball of perfume, worn or hung about the person to prevent infection, or for foppery POMMADO, vaulting on a horse without the aid of stirrups PONTIC, sour POPULAR, vulgar, of the populace POPULOUS, numerous