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
Medieval fortification century, the word had developed further in common use, into "pomery". Also by that time, the medieval walls were no longer secure against a serious threat from an army, as they were not designed to be strong enough to resist cannon fire. They were sometimes rebuilt, as at Berwick on Tweed, or retained for use against thieves and other threats of a lower order. Very elaborate and complex schemes for town defences were developed in the Netherlands and France, but these belong mainly to the post-medieval periods. By 1600, the medieval wall is likely to have been seen more as