Arbalest skilled arbalestier (arbalester) could loose two bolts per minute. The term "arbalest" is sometimes used interchangeably with "crossbow". "Arbalest" is a Medieval French word originating from the Roman name ' (from ' 'bow' + " 'missile-throwing engine'), which was then used for crossbows, although originally used for types of artillery. Modern French uses the word ", which is linguistically one step further from the stem (disappearance of the "s" phoneme in the last syllable, before "t"). The word applies to both crossbow and arbalest (the latter may be referred to as a "heavy crossbow", but an actual heavy crossbow may
Criminal possession of a weapon on the accused, requiring them to prove their lawful intent in court. Other laws require proof of specific intent to commit a criminal act by the accused, thereby placing the burden on the state to produce evidence that the weapon was possessed with some unlawful purpose (such as an attempted homicide, robbery, or assault). The circumstances under which law enforcement discover the weapon often play a strong role in this. Many laws about weapon possession contain exemptions for persons of specific occupations, or allow for permission to be obtained from the government to lawfully possess the weapon. Generally, military personnel