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BooK
VI.
Royal Commentari~s.
blow, they were rejeéted, and not fuffered
to
pafs _the Muíl:er, faying, thac fuch
as were fearfull ofreceiving blows, .which were practifed in Exercife onely, wirh–
out
delign of hure, would be much more tirnorous when they appeared before che
face of an Enemy, from whom chey could expetl: nothing bue Dea1h, or Wounds
withouc. favour br merey; fo chac none were approved, bue fuch as were unfha–
ken, and were,Bullies as immovable as che Rock
it
felf.
,
Moreover and belides al! .chis, they were to have learned che Trade of rnaking
wich cheir own hands
aJJ
forcs of offenlive Arms, which were ufed in che War,
ac leaíl:, fucb as were rnoíl: common, and whjch were made wichout che help of
a forge, or are of a Smith ; fuch as Bows and Arrows, and Launces, which were
íharpened and pointed without lron; and Slings which were made of Hemp or
Flax; of all which Arms they were to make ufe, as occalion required: As to
~feníive Arms chey made ufe•of none, unlefs chey were fhields, or Targecs,
which chey called
Hualcanca.
Thefe Targets chey were obliged
to
make wich
their own hands, at leaíl: ro know how ro make them ; as alfo cheir 'Shoes, which
they call
Vfura,
which is aSole of Leacher.tied about the Fooc wich packthread,
fuch as fome wear in
Spain,
and are like che Sandals of che Francifcan Friars.
Thé íl:rings which they ufed for chefe Shoes were made of Wool cwiíl:ed wicl1
a Spindle, which chey held in one Hand, and che Thread in the bther, che ~ring
was made as thick as che middle finger, and broad, chat it might not hure or gaul
the Foot, half a yard whereof for each Foot was fufficient, which rnay ferve
to
confute che Words ofa
Spanijh
Hiíl:orian, who, writing of che
lndians,
fays chac
they wove they knew not how, nor for whom; but we may pardon chis falfe Re–
lacion,
fo
much to che Difreputation of':he
Jndians,
which alfo is not altogerher
wichout fome reflexion on che
Spaniards
chemfelves; for fuch Men as chefe being,
Strangers, and not verfed in ch~ Guíl:oms of chat Councrey , cake up ac hazard
any Reporc which Men out oflgnorance or Incerefl: deliver to chem. Onely chis
Opinion I would have che World
to
enterrain of chefe
lndians,
that of ali che
Gentiles in che World, chere never was any-Na.cion more manly, and which va–
lued themfelves more ot1 che account of Hardinefs and Bravery, in deteílation of
all forts of effeminacy, .than did che
lnw
;
for they being generally puffed up,–
and exalced wich che lofty thoughcs of Alliance
to
che Sun, were Heroick to an
high Degree , and afpiring to greacer maccers than thofe which fall wichin che
fphere and compafs of their managemenc.
_
·
·
This rnanner offpinning Wool chey called
M illuy,
which fignifies as m11ch as
to fpin Wool for rnaking firings
to
tie Shoes, or Ropes for carriages or Burthens
5
the which work -ovas che proper buíinefs .of Men, che Wornen had anocher forc of
Spinning, \.vhich chey called
Buhca,
which fignifies as rnuch as to fpin wich a Di–
fiaff, and is thac Word which is onely applied
to
the Work of Wo111en; which
different Expreffions and Proprieties of Speech I have denoted, for fatisfaétion of
fuch as are curio(Ís in this Language, for wanc of which knowledge in the propriety
ofWords belonging
to
that Speech, rrTany
Spaniards
who have writ Hiíl:ories of
Pem,
and diíperfed chem in
Spain,
have been guilcy of groís rniíl:akes,· having
charged che-
Inca.
with many Cuíl:oms and Práétices never known , or in ufe
amongíl: chem. Bue
"i:o
return again to our purpofe: We fay, that the Novi–
tiates were obliged to learn che Trade ofrnaking their own Arms and Shoes,
fo
as
to
be
able
to
provide themfelves wich fuch neceífaries at any time, when che ur–
gency ofWar, or any ocher emergent accidené coníl:rained chern co have recourfe
to
cheir own Are and Indufüy.
·
·
G
g
2
CH
A P.
•