THE MIRROR
OF
LITERATURE, AMUSEMENT, AND INSTRUCTION.
| Vol. XIX. No. 538.] | SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 1832. | [PRICE 2d. |
THE ARBALEST, OR CROSS-BOW.
THE ARBALEST, OR CROSS-BOW.
The Bow would appear to have been in most ancient nations the principalimplement of war; and to keep alive this "mystery of murder," archery, orthe art of shooting with a bow and arrow, seems to have been a favouritepastime in days of peace. In no country, however, has archery been moreencouraged than in this island; wherefore the English archers became thebest in Europe, and procured many signal victories. Tributary as have beenthe bow and arrow to some of the brightest scenes in our history, it isnot surprising that its exercise should have become cherished among us asan amusement. Strutt tells us that in the early ages of chivalry, theusage of the bow was considered as an essential part of the education of ayoung man who wished to make a figure in life. Hence the long-bow andcross-bow have been and are playthings in the hands of youth; and wouldthat they had only been the toys of the playground instead of leading mento slaughter each other for the costly toys of the game of life. It ischiefly to the use of the cross-bow that we propose to confine ourselvesupon the present occasion.
The arbalest, or cross-bow, was not only much shorter than the long-bow,but fastened also upon a stock, and discharged by means of a catch ortrigger, which Mr. Strutt reasonably enough thinks gave rise to the lockon the modern musket. The old logicians illustrate the distinction intheir quaintest fashion. Bayle, explaining the difference betweentestimony and argument, uses this laconic simile, "Testimony is like theshot of a long-bow, which owes its efficacy to the force of the shooter;argument is like the shot of the cross-bow, equally forcible, whetherdischarged by a dwarf or a giant."
The arbalest is said by some writers to be of Italian origin. Verstegansays it was introduced here by the Saxons, but was neglected till againbrought into use by William the Conqueror, at the battle of Hastings. Nomention is made of bowmen among the troops of Harold; but we read that theNorman army was fronted by "footmen clothed in light armour, worn over agilted cassock, and bearing either long-bows or steel cross-bows." Haroldhimself had his eye struck by an arrow, notwithstanding which he continuedto fight at the head of his army. Cross-bows were afterwards prohibited bythe second Lateran Council, anno 1139, as hateful to God, and unfit to beused among Christians; in consequence whereof they were laid aside tillthe reign of Richard the First, who again introduced them, and was himselfkilled by an arrow or quarrel, discharged from a cross-bow at the siege ofthe Castle of Chalus.1
Cross-bows shot darts called quarrels, or quarreaux, or quadrels, andin English bolts: they were headed with solid, square pyramids of iron,and som