about the middle of which he will pass through an area of about an acre
and a half, the property of Sir Nigel Gresley, Bart. now used as a wood
yard; but formerly given by Queen Elizabeth to the freemen of Leicester,
for the practice of public sports, and especially archery; whence, from
the butts, or shooting marks erected in it, it is called _Butt-close_.
There is good reason to believe that plots of ground were once destined
to the like purposes in almost every village, and butts erected for the
practice of that art, to which several of the most important victories of
the English were certainly owing. The use of the _arbalest_, or
cross-bow, was certainly very antient in Europe, and was the weapon that
proved fatal to Harold at the battle of Hastings: but the long bow was
not familiar to the English, or, perhaps, not known in Europe, till the
return of Edward the First from the Holy Land, where he became sensible
of its superior advantages from his conflicts with the Saracens.
From this period till the time of Charles the First, frequent orders were
issued by the kings, and acts of parliament were passed, enforcing and
regulating the exercise of the long bow. Persons of all ages, from seven
years old and upwards, were obliged by penalties to appear at stated
times, each with his bow of a length equal to his own height, and, at
least, a brace of arrows, to try his skill and strength before the butts
near their respective places of residence; and by a statute of Henry the
Eighth, no one under twenty-four was allowed to shoot at any mark, at a
less distance than eleven score, or 220 yards, a distance of greater
length than our _Butt-close_ is at present; yet it is certain that the
adjoining orchard once formed part of it, and other encroachments may
have been made on it, probably at the north end.
The great execution that may be done by the bow, from the rapidity of its
discharges, and the confusion a flight of arrows is likely to occasion,
especially among cavalry, has inclined some to contend that it is a
weapon in excellence superior to the musket. But the difficulty of
procuring, in any great quantity, the proper wood for the formation of
bows, the expense of arrows, and, above all, the long practice and
training, even from infancy, necessary to form an archer capable of
drawing _an arrow a cloth-yard long_, {23} will ever secure the
preference to the latter weapon, which, though as commonly used, perhaps
less certain of hitting the mark, is however capable of doing much
execution at double the distance to which the bow will carry {24}.
Crossing the Butt-close, to the alley on the right, we pass the
_Presbyterian_, or GREAT MEETING HOUSE, built, as appears by a date on
the walls, 1708; the congregation of which was first established in 1680.
The seats are calculated to accommodate eight hundred persons. An organ
was erected here in 1800, a valuable advantage to the choir, who form a
musical society, cultivated with great care, and justly celebrated for
its excellence.
In an opposite lane, now called Causeway-lane, but formerly St. John's,
leading to the Town Goal, the scite of St. John's Chapel, is a small
place of worship appropriated to the service of the _Romish Church_. It
is secluded from observation, being situated behind the house of the
officiating priest, and is a neat miniature representation of the
peculiar decorations with which the members of that religion adorn the
places where they offer up their public devotions.
Opposite the Great Meeting is a Meeting House newly erected by a society
of_ Independents_, which will seat six hundred persons; and in the
adjoining lane, which has undergone a nominal degeneracy from _St.
Peter's_ to _Woman's Lane_, is another, erected 1803, by a society
calling themselves _Episcopalian Baptists_. Between these two latter
buildings, is an area used as a _Bowling Green_, and _Tea Garden_, with
many small structures erected for the general purposes of amusement; it
is known by the name of the _New Vauxhall_. Among this various
assemblage of edifices stands one, which from its size will attract the
attention of visitors; it is a spacious House for the reception of
Lunatics, under the direction of Dr. Arnold. From hence we pass an
irregular street, now called the