Sir Jeffrey Hudson

“Now behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not because of the crowd, for he was of short stature.” [Luke 19:2,3]

Sir Jeffrey Hudson was born of common parents north of London in 1619. On his 7th birthday, Jeffrey was presented to the Duchess of Buckingham who, because of his small handicap, invited him to join her household in London. What was this little handicap? Jeffrey Hudson was extremely small! How small? Well… a few months after he came to live with the duke and duchess, the couple invited the king of England, Charles, and his young French wife, Henrietta, to their home. The climax of the lavish banquet was when a pie was placed in front of the queen, and Jeffrey popped up from the crust, standing 18 inches tall and dressed in a miniature suit of armor. The queen was so delighted, the duke and duchess offered Hudson to her as a gift.

In the palace, Jeffrey became her companion and confidante. He was famous as the “queen’s dwarf” and “Lord Minimus.” Educated by the best tutors in England, Jeffrey’s intellect grew, but not his stature. He learned to charm and entertain with his wit and courtly behavior. Because of Jeffrey’s amazing and well proportioned smallness he was considered one of the “wonders of the age” and a “rarity of nature.” He looked as though a perfectly proportioned 20-year-old man had been shrunk down to 18 inches in height.

In spite of his diminutive size he experienced an unusually exciting life. He fought with the Royalists in the English civil war as a captain, serving with enough valor to earn him the nickname of “Strenuous Jeffrey.” After one too many insults because of his size, he shot and killed a full-grown man while dueling from horseback. For this he was banished to Paris. He was twice captured by pirates and spent 25 years as a slave in North Africa before being ransomed by England. Sir Jeffrey was briefly restored to the royal court. He died at the age of 63. From the lowest social strata he rose to the courts of kings and queens. Yet this little big man died alone.

Jesus once asked the question, “Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?” (Matthew 6:27). Of course, worry will not help us grow one inch. But Zacchaeus grew by climbing down from a tree and confessing his sin. In the eyes of Jesus, Zacchaeus stood tall.