134 Yew- Trees of Great Britain and Ireland 



of archers were formed, who soon became so expert 

 that the nobility became fearful of their power, and 

 they were disbanded. About 1444, besides the 

 gens d'armes, the French army had twice the 

 number of archers, and these played the same part 

 as the mounted infantry of the present time, 1 each 

 two having two horses, one for service, the other 

 for baggage ; " mais les deux archers n'avoient 

 d'appointement, qu'autant qu'un homme d'armes." 

 The most capable and active young men of the 

 villages were trained to the use of the bow and 

 arbaliste, and, because of certain privileges (ex- 

 empt de la taille\ were named * Francs Archers.' 

 The bodies of horse and foot archers were main- 

 tained for a long period, the royal regiments under 

 Louis xni. (1514) being the last body of archers 

 in France. 



In obedience to a decree of the Lateran Council 

 in 1139, which was afterwards confirmed by Pope 

 Innocent in. the use of the cross-bow was laid 

 aside. 2 It was re-introduced by Richard i., who 

 was slain by a bolt or quarrel from one of these 

 weapons, and this was considered to be a judg- 

 ment on him for disobeying the injunction. Guil- 

 lame le Breton, 3 relating the death of this king, 

 puts into the mouth of Atropos, one of the Parcae, 

 the following lines : 



1 Fauchet, (Euvres, p. 527. 



- Grose, p. 304. 3 Ibid. 



