86 WARLIKE USE OF THE YEW. 



know^ that English archers^ or bowmen^ were 

 particularly skilful and celebrated. By a law^ 

 made in the reign of Edward IV. every Eng- 

 lishman was directed to have a bow^ of his own 

 height, made^ if possible, of yew^ or of wych- 

 hazel — a sort of elm, — of ash, or awburne, 

 which we now call laburnum. The English- 

 man then prided himself more in the use of 

 the bow than in any thing else ; and he would 

 bend one of a size and strength that others 

 could not manage at all. The arrow called 

 the cloth-yard was the weapon, discharged 

 from the yew bow, that gained so many of 

 those battles, which Englishmen have to talk 

 of. At Crecy, Azincourt, and Poitiers, the 

 bows and cross-bows of our ancient country- 

 men did wonders. I remember that Frois- 

 sart, the very entertaining historian of those 

 times, speaking of the battle of Crecy, says. 



