The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 06: Madiera, the Canaries, Ancient Asia, Africa, etc.Hakluyt, Richard
History
The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 06: Madiera, the Canaries, Ancient Asia, Africa, etc.
Hakluyt, Richard
Discoveries in geography -- English; Voyages and travels
The menne and the women moste communely are appareilled ylike. The men
weare vpon their heades shallowe copin tackes, comming but behinde with a
taile of a handefull and a haulfe long, and as muche in breadth: whiche
thei fasten vnder their chinnes, for falling or blowing of, with a couple
of strynges of ribbande lace, as we doe our nighte cappes. Their married
women wear on their heades, fine wickre Basquettes of a foote and a haulf
long: rounde, and flatte on the toppe like a barrelle. Whiche are either
garnished with chaungeable silkes, or the gaiest parte of the Pecockes
feathers, and sette with golde and stones of sondrie sortes. Asfor the
residue of their bodie, thei wear acording to their abilitie, bothe men and
women, Skarlet or Veluet, or other silkes. Thei weare coates of a straunge
facion, open on the left side, whiche thei put on acordingly, and fasten
with fowre or five Buttons. Their Somer wiedes are all communely blacke:
and those that thei weare in Winter and foule weather, white: and neuer
lower then the knee. Wearing furres (wherein thei muche delight) thei weare
not the furre inwarde, as we communely doe: but contrariwise the heare
outwarde, that thei maie enioie the pleasure of the shewe.
It is harde to discerne by the appareile the maide, fro the wife, or the
woman fro the manne: so like araied do the menne and the women go. Thei
weare brieches, the one and the other. When they shal go to the skirmishe,
or to battaille, some couer their armes (whiche at all other tymes are
naked) with plates of iron, buckeled together alonge, in many pieces, that
thei may the easelier sturre their armes. Some doe thesame with many foldes
of Leather: wherwith thei also arme their head. Thei cannot handle a
target: nor but fewe of theim a launce or a long sweard. Thei haue
curtilasses of iii. quarters longe: not double edged but backed. Thei
fighte all with a quarter blowe, and neither right downe, ne foyning. Thei
be very redy on horsebacke, and very skilful archers. He is counted moste
valeaunte, that best obserueth the commaundement and the obedience dewe to
his capitaine. Thei haue no wages for their souldie, yet are they prest and
ready in all affaires, and all commaundementes. In battayle, and otherwise
wher oughte is to be done, very politike and experte. The princes and
capitaines entre not the battle, but standyng aloofe, crye vnto their men,
and harten them on: lookinge diligently aboute on euery side what is
nedefull to be done. Sometime to make the armye sieme the greater, and the
more terrible to the ennemy: thei set vpon horsebacke their wiues and their
children, yea and men made of cloutes. It is no vilany amonge them to flye:
if any thinge maye eyther be saued or wonne by it. When thei will shoote,
thei vnarme their righte arme, and then let thei flye with suche violence,
that it pearceth all kinde of armour. Thei giue the onset flockinge in
plumpes, and likewise in plompes they flie. And in the flighte thei so
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