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PETER2, PETRE (saint). Peter the Apostle (died c. A.D. 64) was the son of Jonas. A fisherman with his brother Andrew when Jesus called them, Peter subsequently became chief of the disciples (Matthew 4:18-22; Mark 1:16-20). Tradition says he was the first bishop of Rome. He was executed there about A.D. 64. Two letters in the New Testament are attributed to him.

The Pardoner boasts that he has a piece of the sail from Peter's boat, Gen Prol 696-698. St. Peter's sister is invoked in the carpenter's night spell, MillT 3483-3486. Friar John tells Thomas's wife that he is diligent in preaching and in studying the works of St. Peter and St. Paul, SumT 1816-1819. Dame Prudence quotes St. Peter that Christ is an example of patience, I Peter 2:21-23, Mel 1501-1503. The pilgrims swear by St. Peter, WBP 446; FrT 1332; CYT 665, and so does the merchant's wife in ShipT 1404. The Parson gives the second cause why men should disdain sin from II Peter 2:19, ParsT 141. To explain the meaning of Jesus's name, the Parson quotes from Acts 4:12, ParsT 287 and 597. The Parson tells how Simon Magus tried to buy the gift of the Holy Spirit from Peter, Acts 8:17-24, ParsT 781-783. Women should be subject to their husbands as Peter says, I Peter 3:1, ParsT 930. On how to make a good confession, the Parson quotes I Peter 5:6, ParsT 988. St. Peter himself wept bitterly after he denied Jesus, ParsT 994. The frightened dreamer swears by St. Peter, HF II.1034-1042, and so does the learned eagle, HF III.2000.

Peter occurs four times initially, as an oath, WBP 446; FrT 1332; CYT 665; HF II.103; twice in medial positions, Gen Prol 697; ShipT 1404. In the Parson's prose tale, the name appears seven times, ParsT 141, 287, 597, 781, 930, 988, 994. Petre occurs once as an oath, HF III.2000. Petres, the ME genitive case, occurs twice medially, MillT 3486, SumT 1819.


Jacobus de Voragine, GL, trans. G. Ryan and H. Ripperger, 330-331; ibid., LA, ed.Th. Graesse, 368-379; C.H. Turner, "St. Peter in the New Testament." Theology 13 (1926): 66-78.
From CHAUCER NAME DICTIONARY
Copyright © 1988, 1996 Jacqueline de Weever
Published by Garland Publishing, Inc., New York and London.

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