E. Cobham Brewer 1810–1897. Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 1898.
Peascod.
Father of Peasblossom, if Bottom’s pedigree may be accepted.
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“I pray you commend me to Mistress Squash your mother, and to Master Peascod your father, good Master Peasblossom.”—Shakespeare: Midsummer Night’s Dream, iii. 1.
Winter for shoeing, peascod for wooing. The allusion in the latter clause is to the custom of placing a peascod with nine peas in it on the door-lintel, under the notion that the first man who entered through the door would be the husband of the person who did so. Another custom is alluded to by Browne—
