Yard

virga, a long measure, used in England and Spain; chiefly to measure cloth, stuffs, . The English yard contains three feet. was first settled by Henry I. from the length of his own arm. See MEASURE. The English yard is just seven-ninths of the Paris ell; so that nine yards make seven ells. To reduce ells, therefore, into yards, say, if seven ells give nine yards, how many yards will the given number of ells give? Yards are converted into ells Flemish, by adding a third part; into ells English, by subtracting a fifth part; or multiplying by eight, aud casting off the right-hand figure. — Ells English are converted into yards, by adding a fourth. To turn ells Flemish into yards, subtract one quarter. The Spanish vara, or yard, chiefly used at Seville, is, in some places, called barra. contains seventeen twenty-fourths of the Paris ell; so that seventeen ells make twenty-four Spanish yards.