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One of the most devastating weapons of the Middle Ages, the crossbow probably originated in the Western Roman Empire early in the fourth century, its design perhaps suggested by the balista, an ancient form of catapult. The medieval crossbow fired a twelve-inch bolt (quarrel) capable of piercing all but the strongest armor and is widely credited with helping Richard the Lionhearted defeat the Saracens at the battle of Arfus during the Third Crusade. and nbsp; and nbsp; and nbsp;Despite the fact that crossbows were carried by thousands of soldiers in medieval warfare, this book is the only work ever devoted exclusively to this widely used weapon. In addition to detailing the history of the cr...
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'The idea of 'sentinel chickens' seemed pretty incongruous when I first heard the phrase as a young undergraduate ... The notion of the humble chicken waiting like a trained soldier, alert and focused, for some unseen and approaching enemy just didn't seem likely. Hens en garde!' And yet guard they do. Not only chickens, but puffins, eagles, canaries and toucans- birds of all kinds are recruited by humans to help us interpret changes in our increasingly challenged and unpredictable world. These wonderful creatures continually sample the atmosphere, oceans, fields and forests, signalling toxic and environmental dangers that threaten all vertebrates. Through personal stories and fascinating ex...
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"A young drama teacher in the West of Scotland suffers deep psychological problems which affect all areas of her life. She fails to find meaning in anything around her, but in her search she strips situations of their conventional values and sees them in a sharp, new light." --Publisher's description.
In the seventeenth century the English were often depicted as a nation of barbarians, fanatics, and king-killers. Two hundred years later they were more likely to be seen as the triumphant possessors of a unique political stability, vigorous industrial revolution, and a world-wide empire. These may have been British achievements; but the virtues which brought about this transformation tended to be perceived as specifically English. Ideas of what constituted Englishness changed from a stock notion of waywardness and unpredictability to one of discipline and dedication. The evolution of the so-called national character - today once more the subject of scrutiny and debate - is traced through the impressions and analyses of foreign observers, and related to English ambitions and anxieties during a period of intense change.
An annual biographical dictionary, with which is incorporated "Men and women of the time."