The cross-bow was a destructive implement also in ancient use. Its effects were so cruel and dreadful, that, in a Lateran Council held 1139, it was forbidden, under pain of cursing, as hateful to God, and unfit to be employed among Christians: amen: alum nzortifcram ct Dro odibilem ballistarirorum et sagittariorunz advcrsus Christianos et Catholicos exereeri de erten itroldbemus.
The date of its invention is unknown, but the ancients were probably acquainted with it. Richard I. of land is supposed to have introduced it into his armies, or perhaps we should rather say revived it, as some au thors are of opinion that it was used soon after the con quest. Nevertheless he disregarded the prohibition of the clergy, and confirmations of the pope ; whence his death by an arrow from a cross-bow, during a siege, was viewed by the superstitious as a just punishment for his impiety. This weapon was retained by the English so late as the year 1627. The cross-bow was made of wood, horn, or steel, which last rendered it most power ful. Sometimes it was very short, and as is well known, was fixed across a butt or stock. The hand in bending it was .aided by a lever, or it was bent by the assist ance of a machine called a moulinet; and it was dis charged by a kind of trigger. Eminent antiquarians have maintained, that the stock was universally made of wood; however we are rather of a different opinion, from having seen, if we mistake not, ancient cross-bows, the butt of which consisted solely of iron. The cross bow differed from the common one in having two strings, which were kept a little asunder by short iron cylin ders fixed equidistant between the middle of the strings and the end or notch of the bow. To one of these strings the end of the arrow was applied ; the middle of the other was collected into a kind of loop, put over the trigger, and then let go. Both these advanced together, and the arrow was projected. The cross-bow was em ployed in discharging bullets, small stones, and other substances, as well as arrows. The latter shot from it were extremely different from each other; and here it may not be improper to say a few words respecting the more uncommon kinds used in war. Darts, called
quarrels, from the French quarreaux or carreaux, hav ing square pyramidic heads of iron, were thrown by it; and it was with one of this description that Richard I. was killed. It likewise threw the matras, a long point less arrow, but armed at the extremity with a ponder ous lump of iron, to bruise or demolish the breastplate of soldiers. The matras was used only with very large cross-bows, and such as were bent with the aid of springs. A singular species of arrow, called the fire arrow, was discharged into towns and castles, and used in sea-engagements. These, which are the origin of a modern destructive instrument recently presented as a new invention, carried fire or combustible substances on their heads, for the purpose, if they did not explode, of exciting a conflagration. Sonic arrows were headed with phials of quicklime : Thus Matthew Paris pro ceeds,—Et phialas /zlenas calce, arcubus per parva has tilia ad modum sagittarum super hostel jaculandas. Not longer ago than the earlier part of the seventeenth cen tury, an author, treating of the advantages of archery, affirms, that he knows by experience an archer may throw an ounce of fire work twelve score yards on an arrow. Poisoned arrows have been known from all an tiquity ; sometimes imbued with such deleterious juices as to occasion almost instant death. High encomiums are passed on the cross-bow by the older military au thors. One of them, in discussing its properties com pared with those of the musket, in 1589, decidedly gives it the preference ; and at the same time observes, that it will kill at 100 or 200 paces ; which, considering the strength of the weapon, we can easily credit. Arrows, we may also remark, are blown from tubes, or barrels, by several uncultivated nations. At Dumpalis, in the island of Celebes, the natives fight with poisoned barb ed arrows, discharged in this way from wooden blow guns, made of ebony, four or five feet long. They are said to be very expert in using them, and kill at the distance of twenty yards. The poison quickly operates, the body of the wounded person swells, and he soon dies in great agony.