e
with the city of Antwerp in 1540; and another with the city of Middleburg,
in Zeeland, in 1541; but latterly they seem to have confined themselves to
the town of _Campvere_, in Zeeland (island of Walcheren). In all these
contracts it was stipulated {441} that the Scottish traders should enjoy
certain privileges, which were considered of such importance that the crown
appointed a _conservator_ of them. The last of these staple contracts was
made with Campvere in the year 1747; but soon afterwards the increasing
prosperity of Scotland, and the participation of its burgesses in the
foreign trade of England, rendered such partial arrangements useless, and
the contracts and the privileges have long since been reckoned among the
things that were. The office of conservator degenerated into a sinecure. It
was held for some time by the _Rev._ John Home, author of the tragedy of
_Douglas_, who died in 1808; and afterwards by a Sir Alex. Lenier, whose
name is found in the _Edinburgh Almanack_ as "Conservator at Campvere" till
1847, when the office and the officer seem to have expired together.

J. L.

_Sir Gilbert Gerard_ (Vol. v., pp. 511. 571.).--In addition to the
information I formerly sent you in answer to MR. SPEDDING'S inquiry, I am
now enabled to state two facts, which greatly reduce the period within
which the date of Sir Gilbert Gerard's death may be fixed. Among the
records in Carlton Ride, is an enrolment of his account as _Custos Domus
Conversorum_ from January 29, 34 Eliz. (1592) to January 29, 35 Eliz.
(1593). And a search in Doctors' Commons has resulted in the discovery,
that Sir Gilbert's will was proved, not, as Dugdale states, in April, 1592,
but on April 6, 1593. He died therefore between January 29 and April 6,
1593.

Dugdale mentions that there is no epitaph on his monument.

EDWARD FOSS.

_Mistletoe_ (Vol. vii., p. 270.).--I wish to mention that the mistletoe has
been tried at the Botanic Gardens belonging to Trinity College, Dublin;
and, after flourishing for some years, it died away. Indeed, I think it has
been repeatedly tried there, but without eventual success.

Y. S. M.

Dublin.

_Wild Plants and their Names_ (Vol. vii., p. 233.).--_Cowslip_, "Palsy
Wort." Culpepper says:

"Because they strengthen the brain and nerves, and remedy palsies, the
Greeks gave them the name _paralysis_." "The flowers preserved, or
conserved, and the quantity of a nutmeg taken every morning, is a