*'a few notches on old teees." 189 



Not far away is Runnymede — and the poet says : — 



" What scenes have past, since first this ancient yew 

 In all the strength of youthful beauty grew ! 

 Here patriot barons might have musing stood, 

 And plann'd the Charter for their country's good ; 

 And here, perhaps, from Runnymede retired. 

 The haughty John, with secret vengeance fired. 

 Might curse the day which saw his weakness yield 

 Extorted rights in yonder tented field. 

 Here, too, the tyrant Henry felt loA'"e's flame, 

 And, sighing, breathed his Anne Boleyn's name: 

 Beneath the shelter of this yew tree's shade 

 The royal lover woo'd the ill-starr'd maid." 



Another yew tree I should like to mention is at 

 Aldworth, near Reading. The trunk, in the thickest part, 

 measures 9 yards in circumference, and the out-spread of 

 the boughs used to cover nearly half an acre. One long 

 bough used to pass over the church wall into the Vicar's 

 garden, and the boys of the village used to slide along 

 it, drop off into the garden, and steal the apples. 



About midway between Matlock and Ghats worth, at 

 Darley, in Derbyshire, stands a venerable yew, stated to 

 have existed for at least 600 years, and to be the oldest and 

 finest in the coanty of Derby. It is thus noticed in Gis- 

 borne's Refiections : — 



" Nor shall thy reverend yew, the tree who holds 

 His sceptre verdant through the changeful year. 

 Unnoticed stand. He has beheld .... 

 Thousands entomb'd within his shadow ; heard. 

 For ages past, the sobs, the far-fetch'd groans 

 Of parting anguish ere the grave was closed, 

 And drank the mourners' tears ! " 



It measures round the trunk 33 ft. The tree is evidently 

 now decaying. At the early part of this century boys used 

 to get into the branches from the top of the wall, and com- 







