yew. 285 



c. 14., enacts, that bow staves shall be brought 

 into the realm from the Hanse towns and the 

 eastward. 



The comparative value of a yew with other 

 trees, in former times, may be seen from the 

 following table, taken from the ancient laws 

 of Wales. 



A consecrated yew, its value is a pound. 



An oak, its value is six score pence. 



A mistletoe branch, its value is three score 



pence. 

 Thirty pence is the value of every principal 



branch in the oak. 

 Three score pence is the value of every sweet 



apple-tree. 

 Thirty pence is the value of a sour apple-tree. 

 Fifteen pence is the value of a wood yew-tree. 

 Seven pence half-penny is the value of a 



thorn-tree. 

 Four pence is the value of every tree after 



that. 



The great value set upon a consecrated yew, 

 in the above table, in comparison with a com- 

 mon tree of the same kind, induces me, says 

 Mr. Martyn, among other reasons to think, 

 that the yew was commonly planted in 

 churchyards, rather from motives of super- 

 stition, than on account of its utility in mak- 



