1 2 2 Veiv- Trees of Great Britain and Ireland 



of yew, and makes it compulsory that the bow- 

 staves shall be brought with every butt of malmsey. 

 In the 38th Henry viii. the price of a yew bow 

 for any persons between the ages of seven and 

 fourteen years was not to exceed i2d. Bishop 

 Latimer, in his sermon before Edward vi., tells 

 how he learnt to bend his bow : 'In my tyme, my 

 poore father, was as diligent to teach me to shote, 

 as to learne any other thynge, and so I thynke 

 other menne dyd theyr children. He taught me 

 how to drawe, how to laye my bodye in my bowe, 

 and not to drawe with strength of armes as other 

 nacions do, but with strength of the bodye. I had 

 my bowes boughte me accordyng to my age and 

 strength as I encreased in them, so my bowes were 

 made bigger, and bigger, for men shal neuer shot 

 well, except they be broughte up in it. It is a 

 goodly art, a holsome kynde of exercise, and much 

 commended in phisike.'^ Elizabeth put in execu- 

 tion the Act of Edward iv. 



The words of the preamble venting the great 

 benefits to this country arising from archery are 

 remarkable : ' Item que come en le temps dels 

 nobles progenitours del roy, et aussi en le temps 

 del victorieux seigneur le roy q'ore est, ses subgetz 

 deurs chescun part cestuy royaume ount occupez 

 et usez sagitture ove leurs arkes.' The French, 



^ Latimer's Seven Sermons, preached before Edward VI., April 12, 

 A.D. 1549. 



