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.
.
Royal
Commentgrtes.
.BooK
·VI..
fuíl:ain fuch hardíhips as thefe, they reje~ed, as not worthy to
be
admicced into
the number of Novitiates. The Faíl: bemg performed, and that they were re–
ftre{hed and fl:rengchene~ again with _tl:eir ufüal no~fiíllme!1t; then erial was ma~e
of tbeir natural nimbletteís, and aéhv1cy of Body m runmng, from che Mountam
called
Huanacauri,
which was eíl:eemed facred by the~, to the Caíl:l,e ofthe
Cicy,
being abouc a League and a half; ac che end of which race a fignal was fet up,
where he chat firíl: arrived, wás eleéted Capcain ove~ all che ~eíl:. Nor did all_the
others lofe cheir Honour hereby, for the fecond, third, unto the tenth, ·acqu1red
repucation; bue tho[e who fainted in che corirfe, and were not able to hold out,
were noced for íluggards and Cowards, and pitifull perfons; and therefor~ their ,
Parents and Relations, would intercept chem in che way as they ran, encouraging
them
to
íl:rain and forcé themfelves all they ?fere able, telling chem, that they had
beccer dye, ·and break cheir hearts
in
che Race, than come 'off with lnfamy and
Biíhonour.
'
Another day thefe ·Novitiates were
to
be divided into two equal pares; one
half was to garrifon and.tnaintain the Fortrefs, aod the other half was to affimlt and
fiorm ir:; and having chus fought and comended a whole day, then che day fol–
lowing chey changed cheir fiations, and thofe who had before defended rhe For–
trefs, were now to aífault it ; fo chac rrials were made in every refpeél: of cheir
Screngch and Agilicy ofBody, and of cheir ,Are :md Conduél: in War.
In
chefe
Skirmifhes chough chey fought wich blurited Arms, yet fo much was the heac
wich which boch
[~es
contended for their Reputation, chac many were wqunded;
and ofcentimes fo,me killed in earneft. _ ,
·
C 'HA P.
XXV,
That
thefe Novitiates were to
k110-a¡
how to
make their own
Ar111s
and Shoes.
H.
Aving performed thefe E?{e;cifes, they were
in
che next place to wreílle one
with che other, being macched according to cheir age, and proportion of
Body; chen chey were to leap, and chrow the Stone, che Launce, and Dart, and
other Weapons, ·wJiich were thrown by hand;
then chey fhoc ar Butts wich
Bow and Arrows, to cry their dexcericy in Archery; chen they tried who could
throw farcheíl: againíl: the Walls of che Fortreís, for proof of che füengch and ex–
~rcife of their Armes; in like manner they chrew ac marks with their Slings, and
managed all forts ofArms which they ufed in War; then they tried cheir vigilance
and wacchfulnefs, how well they were able to endure t!'le want ofSleep, fettlng rhem
on che Ce'ntinel for ten or cwelve nighcs togecher; and in cafe any one was found
, íleeping on che Guard, he was feverely reproached, as unworchy e.o take any De–
gree of military Order. They tried alfo how hardy they were in their Flefh, anp
how able ro endure and foffer Wounds, which chey made with the fharp points
of Rods in their Arms and Legs, and ocher parts, which acC01
1
diQg
to
che ~abic
and Fafhion of
Peru,
were commonly naked; chey obfetved when thofe Wounds
were made, wich whac courag~ they received chem, whecher they changed cheir
countenance, or fhrunk up their Legs or Arms; for unleís they feemed iníeníible
of che fmarr, they were rejeél:ed as nice, and efferninate, and their Flefh noc har–
dy, nor enquring the Blows and wounds of an Enemy.
Somec_imes chey placed chem ¡n a narrow Trench, where a Fencing-mafler wich
a club w1elded w1ch boch hands, ora Q!arcer-ftaff, which che
Indiam
calf
M acaná
tame
to
chem, or with a halfPike, which chey call
Ch11q11i,
which chey brandifhed
and fl?ur~fhed before cb~ir Eyes and Faces, nyiking offers at tbeirú,egs and Heads,
11.t
which 1f they unluck1ly feemed to wink, or fhrink away, as if' chey feared ch~
blow,