MEXICAN KNIGHTHOOD. 411 



pikes, and other maner of dartes to cast, wherein they were 

 very expert; but the greatest part of their coinbate was 

 performed with stones. For defensive armes they had 

 little rondaches or targets, and some kind of morions or 

 head-pieces invironed with feathers. They were clad in the 

 skinues of tigres, lions, and other sauage beasts. They 

 came presently to hands with the enemie, and were greatly 

 practised to runno and wrestle, for their chief maner of 

 combate, was not so much to kill, as to take captives, tho 

 which they vsed in their sacrifices, as hath beene said. 

 Monte^uma set knighthood in his highest splendor, ordaining 

 certaino militarie orders, as Commanders, with certaine 

 markes and ensignes. The most honourable amongest tho 

 Knightes, were those that carried the crowne of their 

 liaire, tied witli a little red ribband, having a rich plume of 

 feathers, from the which, did hang branches of feathers 

 vpon their shoulders, and roules of tho same. They carried 

 so many of these rowles, as they had done worthy dcedes in 

 warre. The King himselfe was of this order, as may bo 

 scene in Chapultepec, where Montecuma and his sonnes 

 were at tyred with those kindes of feathers, cut in the rocke, 

 tho which is worthy the sight. There was another order of 

 Knighthood, which they called the lions and tho tigres, 

 the which were commonly the most valiant and most noted 

 in warre, they went alwaies with their markes and armories. 

 There were other Knightes, as the grey Knightes, tho 

 which were not so much respected as the rest : they had 

 their hairo cut round about tho care. They went to tho 

 war with markes like to tho other Knightes, yet they were 

 not armed but to the girdle, and the most honourable were 

 armed all over. All Knightes might carry golde and silver, 

 and weare rich cotton, and use painted and gilt vessel), 

 and carry shooes after their maner: but the common peo 

 ple might vse none but earthen vessell, neyther might they 

 carry shoues, nor attyre themselves but in Nequen, the 



