Petre

Petre, an English Catholic family, descended from Sir William Petre, secretary of state in the reigns of Henry VIII., Edward, Mary, and Elizabeth. The most notable member was Edward Petre the Jesuit (1631-99), who shared the captivity of his kinsman Lord Petre in the Tower in connection with Oates's 'Popish Plot,' but released by James II. sat in the Privy-council. He was abhorred as James's evil genius, and escaping at the Revolution became rector of St Omer.