_Did Orientals ever wear Spurs?_--In the second volume, p. 38., of
Prescott's _Ferdinand and Isabella_, are given some lines from Hyta,
_Guerras de Granada_, &c., descriptive of the departure of Abdallah
Chico on his fatal expedition against Lucena. These, enumerating all the
braveries of the cortège, amongst others, mention
"Cuánto de Espuela de Oro,
Cuánta Estribera de Plata."
Now, unless this be an oversight of Hyta, his spurs of gold and stirrups
of silver require some explanation, since the specification of both does
not leave us the alternative of supposing that the former merely meant
the sharp corners of the shovel-stirrup, which we all know serve the
Oriental horseman of the present day as spurs.
Was Hyta a Spaniard or a Moor?