NAVIGATION

In the time of Elizabeth I ‘Arbalest ’ or light fighting crossbows were used in the field by men protected only by their armour, and these would shoot arrows known as bolts or quarrels. The stock of the crossbow was called the tiller or arbrier and the catch for holding the string, the nut. However, ‘Arbalete A Jalet ’ such as this example have a long light wooden stock ending in a knob or ball and were arranged to shoot stones, bullets or clay pellets instead of bolts. Intended mainly for sport they were sometimes elaborately decorated and were used to shoot game well into the 18th century.