E. Cobham Brewer 1810–1897. Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 1898.
Chevaux de Frise (French).
Horses of Friesland. A beam filled with spikes to keep off horses; so called from its use in the siege of Gron’ingen, Friesland, in 1594. A somewhat similar engine had been used before, but was not called by the same name. In German it is “a Spanish horseman” (ein Spanischer Reiter).
