For providing Bow-ivood i o 3 



were planted for this purpose it is strange that only 

 individual trees remain. 



While admitting that the above-named causes may 

 have had some part in the planting of yew-trees in 

 churchyards, it is pretty certain that there must have 

 been a much more cogent reason in operation to 

 account for the very widely extended practice which 

 obtained throughout the country. And this was the 

 necessity of providing a supply of bow-staves for 

 our English bowmen, whose prowess with their 

 favourite weapon had gained them so much dis- 

 tinction and done so much to advance our national 

 greatness. Accordingly we find many enactments 

 both for planting and protecting yew-trees. Thus 

 there was ordered, in the reign of Richard in., 1483, 

 a general plantation of yew-trees for the use of 

 archers. 1 And in the reign of Elizabeth it was 

 enjoined that they should be planted in churchyards 

 and cemeteries, partly to ensure their cultivation 

 and protection, and partly to secure their leaves 

 from doing injury to cattle. 



There can be no doubt that a certain amount of 

 bow-wood was obtained in this way, but the supply 

 could not have equalled the wants of the villagers ; 

 this is proved by the fact, which equally proves the 

 scarcity and inferiority of English-grown bows, that 

 whilst these sold for 35. 4d. each, 2 foreign ones 

 fetched 6s. 8d. And there was an enactment in 



1 Stow's Chronicle, - Strutt, Sylva Brit., p. 7. 



