"A sweet apple, threescore pence.
"A sour apple, thirty pence.
"A thorn-tree, seven pence halfpenny. Every tree after that,
fourpence."
[3] Yew trees--those gloomy tenants of our churchyards--appear to
have been planted there in ancient times. In the will of Henry
VI. there is the following item:--"The space between the wall
of the church and the wall of the cloyster shall conteyne 38
feyte, which is left for to sett in certayne trees and flowers,
behovable and convenient for the custom of the said church."
Several reasons may be assigned for giving this tree a preference
to every other evergreen. It is very hardy, long-lived, and,
though in time it attains a considerable height, produces
branches in abundance, so low as to be always within reach
of the hand, and at last affords a beautiful wood for
furniture.--The date of the yews at Bedfont is 1704.
By a statute made in the 5th year of Edward IV., every Englishman, and
Irishman dwelling with Englishmen, was directed to have a bow of his
own height made of yew, wych-hazel, ash, or awburne--that is, laburnum,
which is still styled "awburne saugh," or awburne willow, in many
parts of Scotland.
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