espial

The flow'r grew wild and rankly as the weed, Roses with thistles struggled for espial, And vagrant plants of parasitic breed Had overgrown the Dial.

From The Poetical Works of Thomas Hood by Thomas Hood

The portcullis, drawbridge, moat, and wicket for espial, as well as an armed bully or Pandar to quell disagreeable intruders, if by chance they got admittance without responsible introduction, all point to an organized system.

From The Rogues and Vagabonds of Shakespeare's Youth Awdeley's 'Fraternitye of vacabondes' and Harman's 'Caveat' by John Awdeley

His rat-tat-tat brought to the door a thin yellow face, cautious in espial, through the narrow opening.

From Will Warburton by George Gissing

Wondering we come into this lodge of watchmen, this office of espial; let us not retreat astonished and ashamed.

From Sketches from Concord and Appledore by Frank Preston Stearns

At last, safe from every chance of espial, she sat down again in her chair before the desk, leaned her elbows on the desk, and looked desperately, miserably, into the joyous face of the picture.

From Stories That End Well An Adventure in Altruria——Through the Terrors of the Law——The Real Thing——The Old Partisan——Max—Or His Picture——The Stout Miss Hopkins' Bicycle——The Spellbinder——The Object of the Federation——The Little Lonely Girl——The Hero of Company G——A Miracle Play by Octave Thanet