For long measurements chains came into use, and shortly after 1600 Edward Gunter introduced, for surveying purposes, measurement by a chain of 4 rods, i.e. a ‘brede’ or ‘acre-brede,’ the breadth of an acre of 40 × 4 rods, divided into 100 links.
So the multiples of the yard are now:
| 5 | -1/2 | yards | = 1 rod | ||||||
| 22 | „ | or | 4 | rods, | or | 100 | links | = 1 chain | |
| 220 | „ | „ | 40 | „ | „ | 10 | chains | = 1 furlong (rood) | |
| 1760 | „ | „ | 320 | „ | „ | 80 | „ or 8 furlongs | = 1 mile |
The Scots mile and the Irish mile were equally 8 furlongs of 40 rods, but Scots and Irish rods (see [Chap. XIV]).
| Scots | mile | 320 | rods of | 6 ells (6·1766 yards) | = 1976 | yards |
| Irish | „ | „ | „ | 7 yards | = 2240 | „ |
The term Yard has been used for certain large land-measures. These, with the evolution of the Rod, will be given in the next chapter.
The League
It has been seen that the Persian Parasang was three meridian miles, or 3000 Olympic fathoms. France retains this as the lieue marine of 20 to the degree, and Southern France long retained a league of 3 miles each of 1000 toises or cannes. But in Roman times the Leuca or Leuga of Gaul was 1-1/2 Roman miles. It passed to medieval England at about the same length, being defined as duodecim quaranteinis, 12 furlongs or roods of 40 rods.
[12]. The usual dimensions of bricks are a span by a half-span, by a nail.