Fig. 47.—Crossbows and Quarrels.
The projectiles are usually called quarrels, and are in great variety of form, but shorter and thicker than arrows for the longbow; several specimens were found at Tannenberg, dismantled in 1399, and the complement for a crossbowman was fifty. Quarrels for the arbelest were called “muschettæ,” hence the word musket; but there is some doubt whether it was not the missiles of the “scorpion” that were termed thus.
A picture in the National Gallery shows how the common stirrup crossbow was bent ad unum pedem: the bowman places his foot in the stirrup, a cord is then fixed to the butt of the stock, the other end being attached to the waistbelt; the cord runs on a pulley, and the bow is bent by raising the body. The crossbowman wore a “brigandine” or stuff tunic, lined with strips of steel, besides his “half plates.” Illustrations of most of the varieties of the crossbow are given in [Fig. 47].
THE GOATSFOOT CROSSBOW.
This bow is bent by a lever of two branches, called the goatsfoot, one of which is provided with forks, which grasp the string, while the other pulls it back. It was used by horsemen.
THE LATCH CROSSBOW (ARBELETE À CRIC).
This kind, which is very heavy, was used specially in the defence of fortified places. It probably got its name from the trigger, which is formed like a latch, and is manipulated by a cog-wheel, and a notched bar called a cric. This bar has hooks at the top which grasp the string, and a handle turned by the hand of the archer winds up the “moulinet” or winch, drawing the string which bends the bow, and the tackle is slipped on to the stock from the bottom, which passes through a thick hemp or iron loop. This variety was much used by the Germans, and is probably the “latch,” although it is far from certain that the term did not apply to the “cranequin.” There are also barrel crossbows, and some with a pistol in combination.
THE WINDLASS CROSSBOW (ARBALETE À CRANEQUIN).
This bow is furnished with double cordage and a set of pulleys near the bottom of the stock, and another set placed just below the bowstring; strong cords run along the pulleys, and these are drawn taut by a small detachable windlass, which is adjustable to the bottom end of the stock, while hooks connected with the top pulleys grasp the bowstring. As soon as the bow has been bent by the action of the windlass, the tackle is removed. The top end of the stock is furnished with an iron stirrup, through which the archer thrusts his foot in order to obtain the necessary purchase for bending the bow. This type of bow was used at Agincourt, and it was greatly depended on in the defence of beleaguered places. It was also called “Arbalete à tour,” because the part to be fixed to the stock was often embattled like a tower, and the windlass was named “la clef” or “cranequin.” This bow has a much longer catch than the “goatsfoot.”