place the last thing at night. Then they were carefully to observe who
should first enter that door on the following morning, exclusive of
the members of the household, and the sex of the child would be that
of the first comer. This rather vexed some of the servants, who wished
for a boy, as two or three women came regularly each morning to the
house, and a man was scarcely ever seen there; but to their delight
the first comer on this occasion proved to be a man, and in a few
weeks the old woman's reputation was established throughout the
neighbourhood by the birth of a boy.

M.E.F.

* * * * *




QUERIES.


POET LAUREATES.

Can any of the contributors to your most useful "NOTES AND QUERIES"
favour me with the title of any work which gives an account of the
origin, office, emoluments, and privileges of Poet Laureate. Selden,
in his _Titles of Honour (Works_, vol. iii. p. 451.), shows the Counts
Palatine had the right of conferring the dignity claimed by the
German Emperors. The first payment I am aware of is to Master Henry
de Abrinces, the _Versifier_ (I suppose Poet Laureate), who received
6d. a day,--4l. 7s., as will be seen in the _Issue Roll_ of Thomas de