288
NOTES AND QUERIES. [9* s. xn. OCT. 10,
the time of Charles II., at the foot of which
this name is given as the printer.
C. H. W.
EPITAPH AT DONCASTER. "There is the following odd inscription on the tomb of a person here, who gave Resington-Wooe to the public, viz. :
Howe, Howe, who is heare ? I Robin of Doncastere, And Margaret my Feare. That I spent, that I had ; That I gave, that I have ; That I left, that I lost.
A.D. 1579.
Quoth Robertas Byrks, who in this world did reign threescore years and seven, and yet lived not one."' England's Gazetteer,' by Stephen Whatley 1751, s.v. ' Doncaster.'
The epitaph, beginning "How, how," not " Howe, Howe," is given in ' Antiente Epi- taphes,' by Thomas F. Ravenshaw, London, 1878, p. 30. It appears under the title 'Robert Byrkes.' The spelling of some of the words is not the same as in the 'Gazetteer,' e.g., "I Robin of Doncaster & Margarete my fere," which makes one line. The date is given in Roman numerals, u An'o D'ni MCCCCCLXXIX." The epitaph is printed in black letter. After it appears, "Formerly in Old Doncaster Church." Mr. Ravenshaw does not say whence he got it. What does the epitaph mean, and what is the interpre- tation of the riddle at the end 1 Where and what is or was Resington-Wood 1
ROBERT PIERPOINT.
[The last three lines imply that what he gave to the poor is recorded to his credit in heaven See 8 th S. i., ii., v.]
WOLFRAM VON ESCHENBACH. Where can I find the best account of the noted minne- singer Wolfram von Eschenbach ? His works I am acquainted with, but wish to learn something of the man himself.
H. C. L. MORRIS. Bognor.
[Lives appear in the two great French 'Bio-
S-aphiea Generates. ' That in the work by Dr oeler is fairly comprehensive.]
" PALO DE COBRA." Several lists of mer- chandise which the Dutch imported to Japan during the eighteenth century give what the natives called after them "habute kobura, and highly esteemed as antidote to snake poison. Now this name is applied to some native species of the knot-grass (Polv- gonum), as well as a bignoniaceous tree (Latalpa kaempferi), perhaps from the simi- larity of their medicinal virtue, suppositional or real. The original " habute kobura " is doubtless the palo de cobra described by Lmscot (' Histoire de la Navigation,' Amster-
dam, 1638, p. 125) as efficacious as an alexi-
pharmic, and instinctively resorted to by the
snake- eating mongoose. Can any one kindly
give me the scientific name of the plant, and
tell me whether it is still valued as such in
any part of the world ?
KUMAGUSU MlNAKATA. Mount Nachi, Kii, Japan.
MERCER FAMILY. Can any reader kindly supply the surname of Joneta, the wife of Sir Andrew Mercer, of Meikleour? In 1396 there is a process by Alexander Moravia, of Culbin, and his cousin William Reid, against Michael, the son and heir of Sir Andrew Mercer, for unjustly holding the third part of Badfothal, which belonged to Marjory their aunt. From this it would seem that Joneta and Marjory may have been sisters, and any information as to surname and family would oblige. D. M. R.
"SILVER TASTER," " POIDER," &c. What were the following, and their use 1 They occur in the inventory of household goods in 1609 of Elisabeth Aiscoughe (or Askew), of Faver- sham :
1. "A silver taster with a cover."
2. " One poider." This is also among the silver.
3. "A wyned bedstedle." Does this mean with wings or curtains 1
ARTHUR HUSSEY. Tankerton-on-Sea, Kent.
LASHAM FAMILY. Edward L, 1272. In the Hundred Rolls, Babberg (Babbergh Hundred, county Suffolk), one Richard de Lasham is mentioned.
Edward II., 1320. Feet of Fines, Suffolk, Stuston, John de Lasham and Maria his wife.
Edward II., 1323. Inquisition, 1323. Wil- iam de Lasham, manor of Plessis, Hadleigh, Suffolk ; his heir, aged thirty, was named John.
Does the above name of Lasham refer to he Hampshire village which is near Alton, or was there ever a place in Suffolk called Lasham 1 The manor of Lasham, Hampshire, appears to have been held by families who ilso held Denham Manor, Suffolk, near Eye, vhich is not far from Stuston. Any infor- mation as to the Lasham family supposed to mve been originally settled at the Anglo- Saxon village of Lasham, Hampshire, will be welcome. FRANK LASHAM.
61, High Street, Guildford.
FOLK-LORE OF CHILDBIRTH. The story, isually foisted on inquisitive youngsters in jermany, that newborn children are brought n some mysterious way by the stork is well
