espial

"But here, my lord," answered one of the youths, "is a knave who comes on treacherous espial!"

From The Abbot by Scott, Walter, Sir

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

From Will Warburton by Gissing, George

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 Thanet, Octave

How could he keep an espial on the house?

From Will Warburton by Gissing, George

The system of espial, too, was carried out with increased severity.

From The Life of Marie Antoinette, Queen of France by Yonge, Charles Duke