The yard by which cloth was measured: chiefly in Cloth-yard shaft, applied in ballads to an arrow of the long bow.
This is now the statute yard of 36 inches; according to Act 3 & 4 Edward VI. c. 2 § 8 ‘cloth was to bee meten and measured by the yard, adding to every yard one inch of the rule.’
c. 1465. Chevy Chase, 93 (MS. 16th c.). An arow, that a cloth yarde was lang, to the harde stele halyde he.
[1605. Shaks., Lear, IV. vi. 88. That fellow handles his bow like a Crow-keeper: draw mee a Cloathiers yard.]
a. 1631. Drayton, Robin Hood. They not an arrow drew but was a cloth-yard long.
1805. Scott, Last Minstrel, IV. xv. A cloth-yard shaft Whistled from startled Tinlinn’s yew.
1857. Hughes, Tom Brown, i. (1871), 1. With the yew bow and cloth-yard shaft at Cressy and Agincourt.
