His skill in the use of the long bow was the proud
distinction of the English yeoman, and it was his boast that none but an
Englishman could bend that powerful weapon. It seems that there was a
peculiar art in the English use of this bow; for our archers did not
employ all their muscular strength in drawing the string with the right
hand, but thrust the whole weight of the body into the horns of the bow
with the left. Chaucer describes his archer as carrying "a mighty bowe;"
and the "cloth-yard shaft," which was discharged from this engine, is
often mentioned by our old poets and chroniclers. The command of Richard
III. at the battle which was fatal to him, was this:
"Draw, archers, draw your arrows to the head."
The bowmen were the chief reliance of the English leaders in those
bloody battles which attended our unjust contests for the succession
to the crown of France. Some of these scenes are graphically described
by Froissart.
_Box_
Is a native of all the middle and southern parts of Europe; and it is
found in greater abundance and of a larger size in the countries on
the west of Asia, to the south of the mountains of Caucasus.
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