The Waverley novels, by Sir Walter Scott, complete in 12 vol., printed from the latest English ed., embracing the author's last corrections, prefaces & notes.

PEVERIL OF THE PEAK. 577
Des Thouars. But certainly to serve the ladies, and condescend to their
humours, even when somewhat too free, or too fantastic, is the true decorum
of gentle blood."
Depressed as his spirits were, Peveril could scarce forbear smiling when
he looked at the pigmy creature, who told these stories with infinite complacency, and appeared disposed to proclaim, as his own herald, that he had
been a very model of valour and gallantry, though love and arms seemed to
be pursuits totally irreconcilable to his shrivelled, weatherbeaten countenance, and wasted limbs. Julian was, however, so careful to avoid giving
his companion pain, that he endeavoured to humour him, by saying, that,
"unquestionably, one bred up like Sir Geoffrev Hudson, in courts and
camps, knew exactly when to suffer personal freedoms, and when to control
them."
The little Knight, with great vivacity, though with some difficulty, began
to drag his seat from the side of the fire opposite to that where Julian was
seated, and at length succeeded in bringing it near him, in token of
increasing cordiality.
"You say well, Master Peveril," said the dwarf; "and I have given
proofs both of bearing and forbearing.- Yes, sir, there was not that thing
which my most royal mistress, Henrietta 3Maria, could have required of me,
that I would not have complied with, sir; I was her sworn servant, both in
war and in festival, in battle and pageant, sir. At her Majesty's particular
request, I once condescended to become-ladies, you know, have strange
fancies-to become the tenant, for a time, of the interior of a pie."
" Of a pie?" said Julian, somewhat amazed.
" Yes, sir, of a pie. I hope you find nothing risible in my complaisance?"
replied his companion, something jealously.
"Not I, sir," said Peveril; "I have other matters than laughter in my
head at present."
" So had I," said the dwarfish champion, "when I found myself imprisoned in a huge platter, of no ordinary dimensions you may be assured, since
I could lie at length in it, and when I was entombed, as it were, in walls of
standing crust, and a huge cover of pastry, the whole constituting a sort of
sarcophagus, of size enough to have recorded the epitaph of- a general
officer or an archbishop on the lid. Sir, notwithstanding the conveniences
which. were made to give me air, it was more like being buried alive than
aught else which I could think of."*
"I conceive it, sir," said Julian,
"Moreover, sir," continued the dwarf, "there were few in the secret,
which was contrived for the Queen's divertisement; for advancing of which
e Geoffrey or Jeffrey Hudson is often mentioned in anecdotes of Charles I.'s time. Ilis first appearance at
court was his being presented, as mnenltioned in the text, inl a pie at an entertainment givenl by the Duke of
Buckinghanm to Charles I. and Henrietta AMaria. Upon the same occasion, the Duke presented the tenant of
the pastry to the Queen, who retained him as her page. When about eight years of age, ihe was but eighteen
or twenty inches high; and remained stationary at that stature till lie- was thirty years old, when he grew to
the height of three feet nine inches, and there stopped.
This singular lusus naturme was trusted in some negotiations of consequence. Hle went to France to fetch
over a midwife to his nistress, Hernrietta Maria. On his return, he was itkesi by Dnkiilrk privateers, wihen he
lost mnany valuable presents sent to the Queen from France, and about 25001. of his own. Sir William Davenant mnakes a real or supposed combat between the dwarf and a turkley-cocit, the subject of a poeis called
Jeffieidos. The scene is laid at Dunkirk, where, as the satire concludes"Jeffrey strait was thrown, when, faint and weak,'A heart brought up in war, that ne'er before
Tile cruel fowl assaults him with his beak. lThis time could bowv,' he said,' doth now implore
A lady midwife now he there by chance T'hou, that delivered hsast so many, be
Espied, that came along with him from France. So kind of nature as deliver rue.'"
We are not acquainted how far Jeffrey resented this lampoon. But we are assured he was a consequential
personage, and endured with little temper the teazing of the domlestics and courtiers, and hlad many squabbles
with the King's gigantic porter.
T'he fatal duel with Mr. Crofts actually tookl place, as mentioned in the text. It happened in France. The
poor dwarf had also the misfortune to be talken prisoner by a Turlsish pirate. He was, however, probably
soon set at liberty, for Hudison was a captain for the King during the civil war. In 1644, the dwarf attended
his royal mistress to France. The Restoration recalled himn, with other rovalists, to Ensgland. But this poor
being, who received, it would seem, hard measure both fiom r ature alnd fortune, was not doomed to close his
days int peace. Poor Jeffrey, upon some suspicions respecting tihe Popish Plot, was taken up in 1682, and confined in the Gate-house prison, Westminster, where ihe ended his life ins the sixty-third year of his age.
Jeffrey Hudson has been immortalized by the brush of Vandyke, and his clotihes are said to be preserved aa
articles of curiosity in Sir Hans Sloan's MIuseum.
VOL. VI!.-37 2 y