"Francigenis nostris illis ignota diebus
Res erat omnino quid balistarius arcus
Quid balista foret, nec habebat in agmine toto
Rex, quemquam sciret armis qui talibus uti."

And again, writing of the death of Richard I., he makes Atropos speak thus[224]:—

"Hac volo, non alia Richardum morte perire.
Ut qui Francigenis balistæ primitus usum
Tradidit, ipse sui rem primitus experiatur,
Quamque alios docuit, in se vim sentiat artis."

Guiart has this similar passage:—

"Ainsi fina par le quarrel[225],
Qu' Anglois tindrent à deshonneste,
Li roís Richart, qui d'arbaleste
Aporta premier l'us en France.
De son art ot mal chevance."—Chron. Métr., l. 2644.

The form of the arbalest of this time may be seen in our woodcut, No. [50]. It was bent by placing the foot in the loop or "stirrup" at the extremity, and then drawing the cord upwards with the hands. At a later period, the bow was made much stronger, and of steel, then requiring mechanical contrivances to bend it. The arrow of the cross-bow was shorter and stouter than that of the long-bow. As may be seen in our woodcut, No. [50], it was feathered; a particular which is noticed in the Roman de Garin:—

"Volent piles plusque pluie par prés,
Et les saiettes et carriax empennés."

This name of Carriaux (quadrelli or quarrels) was given to these missiles from the four-sided (or pyramidal) form of the head. Thus Guillaume le Breton, speaking of the death of Richard the First:—

"——Quadratæ cuspidis una
Pendet arundo."