Crossword-Solution: ARBALEST 8 letters, 8 clues 🏆 scrabble score: 10

XII Nor bulwark, stone, nor arbalest, nor bow, Nor what upon the paynim smote beside, Sufficed to arrest the sanguinary foe; Who broke and hewed, and shook that portal wide, And in his fury let such day-light through, 'Twas easy to espy -- and might be spied -- In visages o'ercast in death-like sort, That full of people was the palace court.

CIII But as steel arbalest that's loaded sore, By how much is the engine charged and strained, By lever or by crane, with so much more Fury returns, its ancient bent regained, And, in discharging its destructive store, Inflicts worse evil than itself sustained; So rose that African with ready blade, And straight with double force the stroke repaid.

Now, comrade, I take no flight shot, and I give you the vantage of watching my shaft.” As he spoke he raised his arbalest to his shoulder and was about to pull the trigger, when a large gray stork flapped heavily into view skimming over the brow of the hill, and then soaring up into the air to pass the valley.

And hark ye, by the way, unwind the arbalest before you cross; it is ever well to be on the safe side.

But no sooner did my head show above, and I draw a deep breath or twain, looking for my enemy, than an arbalest bolt cleft the water with a clipping sound, missing me but narrowly.