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Show HOOK Vff. '---v---1 H I S T 0 R Y 0 F M E X I C 0. were made of otatli, ot folid elafiic canes, interwoven with thick cotton threads, and covered with feathers; thofe of the nobles with thin plates of gold; others were made of large tortoife-!hells, adorned with copper, filver, and gold, according to the wealth of the owner, or his rank in the army. Thefe were of a moderate fize; but others were io exceffivcly large, that they could occafionally cover the whole body; but when it was not necefiary to ufe them, they could comprefs them, and carry them under their arms like the parafols of the moderns; it is probable, they were made of the ikins of animals, or cloth waxed with ule, or elafiic gum (d). On the other hand, many of their fhield11 were very ftnall, more beautiful than thong, and adorned with fine feathers; thefe were not employed in war, but only at the enter-tainments which they made in imitation of a battle. ' Thedefeniive arms peculiar to the officers were breafi-plates of cotton, one and fometimes two fingers thick, which were arrow-proof; and on this account the Spaniards themfelves made ufe of them jn the war againll: the Mexicans. The name lci:Jcahuept'lli, which the Mexicans gave to this fort of brea.t1:-plate, was ~hanged by t he Spaniards into the word Eflaupil. Over this fort of cuirafs, which only covered part of the breaft, they put on anothet· piece of armour, which, beiides the chefi, covered the thighs, and the half of the arms, figures of which appear in the plate reprefenting the Mexican armour. The lords were accuft01ned to wear a thick upper coat of feathers, over a cuirafs made of fcveral plates of gold, or Glver gilt, which rendered them invui. ncrable, not only by arrows, but even by darts or [words, as the anonymous conqueror affirms. Bcfides the armour which they wore for the defence of their chefis, their arms, their thighs, and even their legs ; their heads were ufually cafed in the heads of tygers, or fer· pents, made of wood, or fome other fubfiance, with the mouth open, and furnifhed with large teeth that they might infpire terror, and fo animated in appearance, that the above .mentioned author fays, th~y feemed to be vomiting up the foldiers. All the officers and nobles wore a beautiful plume of feathers on their heads, in order to add to the appearance of their ftaturc. The common fo.ldiers went entirely naked, , (t!) T~ e fe large fhi elds nrc mentioned by the anonymous conqueror, Didaco Godoi, and Ber n:~! Dms, who were all pr~fcnt at the conq ucfi. except |
