T. baccata 



and Fairfax quotes this name in the following 

 lines : 



" The shooter Eugh, the broad leaved Sycamore, 

 The barren Plantane and the Walnut round ; 

 The Myrtle, that her foul sin doth still deplore j 

 Alder, the owner of all waterish ground." 



Spenser, in The Fcerie Queen, Bk. /., Canto i, 

 St. 8, refers to the qualities of various trees, and 

 to the use of the Yew for the bow as follows : 



" And foorth they passe with pleasure forward led, 

 Joying to hear the birdes sweete harmony, 

 Which, therein shrouded from the tempest dread, 

 Seemed in their song to scorn the cruel sky. 

 Much can they praise the trees so straight and hy. 

 The sayling Pine ; the Cedar proud and tall ; 

 The Vine-propp Elme ; the Poplar, never dry ; 

 The builder Oake, sole king of forrests all ; 

 The Aspine good for staves ; the Cypresse funeral. 

 The Laurel, meed of mightie conquerours ; 

 The Eugk, obedient to the bender's will ; 

 The Birch for shafts ; the Sallow for the mill ; 

 The Mirrhe sweete, bleeding in the bitter wound ; 

 The warlike Beech ; the Ash for nothing ill ; 

 The fruitful Olive ; and the Platane round ; 

 The carver Holme ; the Maple, seldom inward sound." 



One of the prettiest legends attached to the 

 Yew centres round the use of the bow, and it is 

 at the same time illustrative of patriotism, courage, 

 and nerve under most trying circumstances. This 

 is the Swiss story of William Tell. The legend 

 goes, that the Swiss were oppressed by their 

 rulers, the Austrians, and on one occasion in 1307, 



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