Obs. Pl. bowstaves. [f. BOW sb.1 4.] A stick to be made into a bow.
[1394. in Hakluyt, Voy., I. 167. In the yeere of our Lord 1394 … werke, wax, osmunds, and bowstaues, to the value of 1060 nobles.]
1436. Pol. Poems (1859), II. 171. Osmonde, coppre, bow-staffes, stile, and wex.
1540. Act 32 Hen. VIII., xiv. For euery xxiiii. bundelles of bowstaues xxvis. viiid.
1641. Termes de la Ley, 172. Garble is to sort and chuse the good from the bad as the Garbling of Bowstaves.
1720. Stow’s Surv. (ed. Strype, 1754), II. V. xiii. 304/2. Bow Staves and arrows at low prices.
