438
NOTES AND QUERIES. [12 s. i. MAY 27, me.
Sm ROBERT HANSEL, KT. (12 ^S. i. 308,
398). There is a short memoir of Sir
Robert Mansel, by G. T. Clark, under the
title ' Some Account of Sir Robert Mansel,
Ivt., and of Admiral Sir Thomas Button,
Kt.,' Dowlais, 1883. It is stated that
Mansel was born about 1573 and died in
1653, leaving no issue; his place of burial
is not stated, but mention is made of a
portrait at Penrice in Gower. There is
some doubt about his wives : the author
mentions Jane, daughter of Sir Nicholas
Bacon ; Miss Roper ; Ann, daughter of Sir
John Ralph ; and Elizabeth, daughter of
Sir Nicholas Bacon. He states that the
will of Sir N. Bacon of Stiffkey, June 4, 1614,
refers to "my brother Mansell," and that
'* the lady who was Sir Robert's wife in
1620, and who fought his trade battles (in
connexion with the glass monopoly) so gal-
lantly, was Elizabeth, Lady Mansel."
I may add that the last volume of the Calendar of the Hatfield MSS. (Hist. MSS. Commission) contains a number of Mansel' s letters on naval affairs. RHYS JENKINS.
FOLK-LORE AT SEA : THE RABBIT IN BRITAIN (12 S. i. 66, 154, 235, 317, 394). May I thank the many contributors who have so kindly helped me by replies as to hares and rabbits and the ill-luck they bring (I specially owe thanks to ST. S WITHIN) ? and may I note that I have another example of their being regarded in folk-lore as things to be avoided, and equally dreaded ? In County Leitrim it is believed that " an * expecting woman ' who meets either a hare or rabbit can only avoid the worst possible luck by tearing off a bit of her chemise and throwing it away."
This form of averting evil is well known in Mourne, where I have known it to be practised over an " over- looked " child who is still alive. Y. T.
ACCIDENTAL LIKENESSES (12 S. i. 348). A large number of illustrations depicting freak photographs will be found in the volumes of The Strand Magazine under ' Curiosities.' The following may serve as examples :
' Photo of a Plank of Poplar cut in the Mountains of Western Virginia,' shows a human face in the markings of the wood. Vol. xiii., 1897, p. 478.
' The Maids of Bute,' a photograph of rocks on the northern side of the island of Bute which appear to represent two women sitting on the hillside. Vol. xvi., 1898,p 600.
' Not Clouds, but a Cauliflower Head ' ; this has the appearance of the " head " of
ordinary brewer's wort in an active state of
fermentation. Vol. xxviii., 1904, p. 116.
' Not a Terrible Monster,' but an Angora cat eating a piece of meat on the kitchen, floor. Vol. xxviii. 1904, p. 240.
ARCHIBALD SPARKE.
Plate IX. of R. H. Lock's ' Rubber and Rubber Planting,' Cambridge, 1913, is a picture of the canker of hevea bark. How- ever, the outstretched root, together with the fungus, forms a most gruesome image of a dying negro, his head swathed in white rags, supporting himself at the foot of the tree. H. V. HOPWOOD.
An engraving in my possession, published by H. Humphreys, Castle Square, Carnarvon,, is thus inscribed :
"Singular Rock, by the road side, ten miles from Carnarvon, and three from Beddgelert. It i called Pitt's Head, because it bears a sportive resemblance to the head of that celebrated statesman."
JOHN T. PAGE.
' KING EDWARD III. * : HERALDIC AL- LUSION (12 S. i. 366). MR. RODWAY'S suggestion as to the " milk-white messengers of time " is interesting, but hardly satis- factory. The preceding expression " Sound those silver wings of thine " seems to refer- to the old man's silvered cheeks. If so,. " those milk-white messengers of time " must be a further reference to his grey hairs.. In my note on the passage I have illustrated it by Lodge, ' Wounds of Civil War,' p. 4 (Hunterian ed.) :
Vpon whose reuerend head
The milke- white pledge of wisedome sweetly spreds^ G. C. MOORE SMITH.
THOMAS FULLER : " MAN is IMMORTAL. TILL HIS WORK is DONE " (12 S. i. 388). The quotation given by MR. R. A. POTTS is from Fuller's ' Church History of Britain,' book ii.. century viii. 18, ' Bede's Last Blaze, and the Going-out of the Candle of his Life, A.D. 734.' As MR. POTTS' s quotation is not quite exact,. I quote it from James Nichols's edition of
- The Church History of Britain,' third
edition, London, 1842 y vol. i. p. 151 :
" Thus, God's children are immortal while their Father hath any thing for them to do on earth ;: and death, that beast, cannot 4 overcome and kill them, till first they have finished their testimony,' Rev. xi. 7; which done, like silkworms, they willingly die when their web is ended, and are comfortably entombed in their own endeavours." JOHN R. MAGRATH.
Queen's College, Oxford.
[PROF. BENSLY and MR W. H. PEET thanked for replies.]
