Travels of Captaine John Smith Volume II - Pages 211-249



                              A SEA GRAMMAR

                      With the Plaine Exposition of
                           Smiths Accidence for
                              young Sea-men,
                                enlarged.


              Divided into fifteene Chapters: what they are
                 you may partly conceive by the Contents.

                 Written by Captaine John Smith, sometimes
                    Governour of Virginia, and Admirall
                             of New-England.


                                 London,
                      Printed by John Haviland, 1627.



Page 211 

To all the Right Honourable, and most generous Lords in England, 
especially those of his Majesties Privy Councell, and Councell of Warre.

Great Lords,

JUlius Cæsar wrote his owne Commentaries, holding it no lesse honour to 
write, than fight; much hath bin writ concerning the art of war by land, 
yet nothing concerning the same at Sea. Many others might better than my 
selfe have done this, but since I found none endevourd it, I have 
adventured, encouraged by the good entertainment of my late printed 
Accidence. This I suppose will be much bettered by men in these things 
better experienced, others ignorance may fault it: I have beene a 
miserable Practitioner in this Schoole of Warre by Sea and Land more than 
thirty yeeres, however chance or occasion have kept me from your Lordships 
knowledge or imployment. Yet I humbly entreat your Lordships to accept and 
patronize this little Pamphlet, as the best testimony I can present your 
Honours, of my true duty to my King and Country. Thus humbly craving your 
Honours pardons, and favourable construction of my good intent, I remaine

Your Honours in all duty
to be commanded,
John Smith.

Page 213 

To The Reader and all worthy Adventurers by Sea, and well-wishers to 
Navigation.

Honest Readers,

IF my desire to doe good hath transported mee beyond my selfe, I intreat 
you excuse me, and take for requitall this rude bundle of many ages 
observations; although they be not so punctually compiled as I could wish, 
and it may bee you expect; At this present I cannot much amend them; if 
any will bestow that paines, I shall thinke him my friend, and honour his 
endevours. In the interim accept them as they are, and ponder errours in 
the balance of goodwill,
Your friend,
John Smith.

Page 214 [blank]

Page 215

PANEGYRICK VERSES.

To his well deserving friend Captaine John Smith.

REader within this little worke thou hast
The view of things present, to come, and past,
Of consequence and benefit to such
As know but little, thinking they know much;
And in thy quiet chamber safely read,
Th' experience of the living and the dead,
Who with great paine and perill oft have tride
When they on angry Neptunes backe did ride.
He having with his Trident strucke the maine,
To hoise them up and throw them downe againe
Deare friend I'le cease and leave it to thy Booke.
To praise thy labour. Reader over-looke.

Edw. Ingham.

To the much deserving Captaine, John Smith.

I Hate to flatter thee, but in my heart
I honour thy faire worth and high desert;
And thus much I must say, thy merits claime
Much praise & honor, both from Truth & Fame.
What Judge so e're thy Actions over-looke,
Thou need'st not feare a triall by thy Booke.

Geor. Bucke.

Page 216 

To his worthily-deserving friend Captaine John Smith.

THe Lighter Hippias of Troy disclos'd,
Germans in India Cannowes now in trade,
The Barge by grave Amocles was compos'd,
The Argozees first the Illyrians made,
The Galley Jason built that Græcian sparke,
The Cyprians first did crosse the Seas with Barke.

The Keele by the Phænicians first was nam'd,
The Tyrrhens first made anchors, Plateans oares;
The Rhodians for the Brigandine are fam'd,
Cyrenians found the Craer, and Creet adores
Dæedal for Masts, and Saile-yards; Typhis wife
(With triple honour) did the sterne devise.

The Tackle famous Anacharsis wrought,
Noble Pyseus did the Stem first frame,
To light the Copians first the Rudder brought,
Young Icarus for Sailes acquir'd great fame,
Thou, with the best of these mai'st glory share,
Thou hast devis'd, compil'd a worke so rare.

For what long travels observations true
On Seas, (where waves doe seeme to wash the skies)
Have made thee know, thou (willing) do'st unscrew
To those that want like knowledge; each man cries
Live worthy Smith; England for this endevour
Will (if not stupid) give thee thanks for ever.

Nicolas Burley.

In laudem Nobilissimi viri Johannis Smith.

MOney, the worlds soule, that both formes and fames her,
Is her bad Genius to, it damnes, and shames her.
If merit and desert were truly weighed
In Justice Scales, not all by money swey'd;



                              A Sea Grammar,
                                   WITH
                          THE PLAINE EXPOSITION
                      of SMITHS Accidence for young
                            Sea-men, enlarged.

            Diuided into fifteene Chapters: what they are you
                  may partly conceiue by the Contents.

                Written by Captaine JOHN SMITH, sometimes
                  Gouernour of VIRGINIA, and Admirall of
                               NEW-ENGLAND.


                                 LONDON,
                        Printed by JOHN HAVILAND,
                                  1627




Page 217 

Smith should not want reward, with many moe,
Whom sad oblivion now doth over-flow.
For now no good things gotten without money,
Except tis got, as Beares from thornes licke honey,
With danger to themselves. For poore mens words
Are wind, and aire: Great mens are pickes and swords.
Greatnesse more safe may act lust, theft, or treason,
Than poore John Smith or I may steale two peason,
Or drinke a harmelesse cup, to chase away
Sad cares and griefes that haunt us every day.
Who saw thy Virgin limbd by thee so truly,
Would sweare thou hadst beene one that sawest her newly,
One of her latest lovers. But to tell
The truth, I thinke they know her not so well.
And this Sea Grammar learn'd long since by thee,
Thou now hast form'd so artificiallie,
That many a beardlesse boy, and Artlesse foole,
Preferr'd before thee, may come to thy schoole.

John Hagthorpe.

To his Friend Captaine Smith, on his Grammar.

MUch traveld Captaine, I have heard thy worth
By Indians, in America set forth;
Mee silence best seemes to keepe, and then
Thy better praise be sung by better men,
Who feele thy vertues worthinesse: Who can
Derive thy words, is more Grammarian,
Than Camden, Clenard, Ramus, Lilly were;
Here's language would have non-plust Scaliger.
These and thy travels may in time be seene
By those which stand at Helme, and prime ones beene.

Edw. Jorden.

Page 218 

In Authorem.

Technologicall, a Greeke word compounded of two Greeke words, signifies 
words of Art.

EAch Science termes of Art hath wherewithall
To expresse themselves, calld Technologicall.
Logicke doth teach what Prædicables bee,
Genus and Species,(*) with the other three.
Philosophie, purblind in the first Creation,
Talks of first Matters forme, and void Privation.
Geographie teaches how for to define
Tropicks, Meridians, and the Equators line.
So words of Art belong to Navigation
And ships, which here from thee receive translation;
That now th' untraveld land-man may with ease
Here know the language both of ships and Seas.
I have no Art of words due praise to impart
To thee that thus expound'st the words of Art.

W. S.

(* Differentia.)

In Authorem.

THou which in Sea-learning would'st Clerk commence,
First learne to reade, and after reade to learne,
For words to sound, and not to know their sense,
Is for to saile a ship without a Sterne.
By this Sea Grammar thou mayst distinguish
And understand the Latine by the English.

Here mayst thou learne the names of all ships geere,
And with their names, their natures, and their use;
To hoise the Sailes, and at the Helme to steere;
To know each Shroud, each Rope, each Knot, each Noose,
And by their names to call them every one,
'Tis such a Booke as may be call'd Such none.

And yet a Smith thereof the Authour is,
And from his Forge alone we have the same,
Who, for his skill in such a worke as this,
Doth farre excell all others of his name:
He's neither Lock-Smith, Gold-Smith, nor Black-Smith,
But (to give him his right name) he's Jack Smith.

S. S.



Page 219

The Contents.

Chap. I.
Of Dockes and their definitions, and what belongs to them. ... 222
 
Chap. II.
How to build a Ship, with the definition of all the principall names of 
every part of her, and her principall timbers, also how they are fixed one 
to another, and the reasons of their use. ... 223
 
Chap. III.
How to proportion the Masts and Yards for a Ship, by her Beame and Keele. 
... 237
 
Chap. IIII.
The names of all the Masts, Tops, and Yards belonging to a Ship. ... 240
 
Chap. V.
How all the Tackling and Rigging of a Ship is made fast one to another, 
with the names and reasons of their use. ... 241
 
Chap. VI.
What doth belong to the Boats and Skiffe, with the definition of all those 
thirteen Ropes which are only properly called Ropes belonging to a Ship or 
a Boat, and their use. ... 250
 
Chap. VII.
The Names of all sorts of Anchors, Cables and Sailes, and how they beare 
their proportions, with their use. Also how the Ordnance should be placed, 
and the goods stowed in a Ship. ... 253

Page 220 

Chap. VIII.
The charge and duty of the Captaine of a Ship, and every office and 
officer in a man of warre. ... 258
 
Chap. IX.
Proper Sea termes for dividing the Company at Sea, and stearing, sayling, 
and moring a Ship in faire weather or in a storme. ... 262
 
Chap. X.
Proper Sea tearmes for the Winds, Ebbes, Flouds, and Eddies, with their 
definitions, and an estimate of the depth of the Sea, by the height of the 
Hils and largenesse of the Earth. ... 271
 
Chap. XI.
Proper Sea tearmes belonging to the good or bad condition of Ships, how to 
find them and amend them. ... 277
 
Chap. XII.
Considerations for a Sea Captaine in the choise of his Ship, and in 
placing his Ordnance. In giving Chase, Boording, and entring a man of 
warre like himself, or a defending Merchant man. ... 280
 
Chap. XIII.
How to manage a fight at Sea, with the proper tearmes in a fight largely 
expressed, and the ordering a Navy at Sea. ... 284
 
Chap. XIV.
The names of all sorts of great Ordnance, and their appurtenances, with 
their proper tearmes and expositions, also divers observations concerning 
their shooting, with a Table of proportion for their weight of metall, 
weight of powder, weight of shot, and there best at randome and point 
blanke inlarged. ... 289

Page 221 

Chap. XV.
How they divide their shares in a man of Warre; what Bookes and 
Instruments are fit for a Sea man, with divers advertisements for young 
Gentlemen that intend to follow the Sea, and the use of the petty Tally.   
... 296

THe Expositions of all the most difficult words seldome used but amongst 
sea men: where you finde the word in the Margent in that breake against 
it: you shall find the exposition so plainly and briefly, that any willing 
capacity may easily understand them.



Page 223 

Chap. I.
Of Dockes, and their definitions.

A dry Docke. A wet Docke. A Cradle.

A Docke is a great pit or pond, or creeke by a harbour side, made 
convenient to worke in, with two great floud-gates built so strong and 
close, that the Docke may be dry till the ship be built or repaired, and 
then being opened, let in the water to float and lanch her, and this is 
called a dry Docke. A wet Docke is any place, where you may hale in a ship 
into the oze out of the tides way, where shee may docke her selfe. A 
cradel is a frame of timber, made along a ship, or the side of a gally by 
her billidge, for the more case and safty in lanching, much used in 
Turkie, Spaine, and Italy. And the stockes are certaine framed posts, much 
of the same nature upon the shore to build a Pinnace, a Catch, a Frigot, 
or Boat, &c. To those Dockes for building belongs their wood-yards, with 
saw-pits, and all sorts of timber, but the masts and yards are chained 
together in some great water to keepe them from rotting, and in season; 
Also a crab is necessary, which is an engine of wood of three clawes, 
placed on the ground in the nature of a Capsterne, for the lanching of 
ships, or heaving them into the Docke.



Page 224

Chap. II.
How to build a ship with the definitions of all the principall names of 
every part of her principall timbers, also how they are fixed one to 
another, and the reasons of their use.

The Keele. The Stem. The Sterne.

THe first and lowest timber in a ship is the keele, to which is fastened 
all the rest; this is a great tree or more, hewen to the proportion of her 
burden, laid by a right line in the bottome of the docke, or stockes. At 
the one end is skarfed into it, the Stem, which is a great timber wrought 
compassing, and all the butt-ends of the planks forwards are fixed to it. 
The Sterne post is another great timber, which is let into the keele at 
the other end somewhat sloping, & from it doth rise the two fashion 
peeces, like a paire of great hornes, to those are fastened all the 
plankes that reach to the after end of the ship, but before you use any 
plankes, they lay the Rungs, called floore timbers, or ground timbers, 
thwart the keele; thorow those you cut your Limberholes to bring the water 
to the well for the pumpe, the use of them is when the ship is built to 
draw in them a long haire rope, by pulling it from sterne to stem, to 
scowre them, and keepe them cleane from choaking.

The fashion peeces. The Rungs. The Limberholes. The Floore. Rungheads.

Those ground timbers doe give the floore of the ship, being straight, 
saving at the ends they begin to compasse, and there they are called the 
Rungheads, and doth direct the Sweepe or Mould of the Foot-hookes and 
Navell timbers, for there doth begin the compasse and bearing of the ship, 
those are skarfed into the ground timbers, which is one peece of wood let 
into another, or so much

Page 225 

wood cut away from the one as from the other, for when any of those 
timbers are not long enough of themselves, they are skarfed in this 
manner, to make two or three as one: those next the keele are called the 
ground Foot-hookes, the other the upper Foot-hookes; but first lay your 
keeleson over your floore timbers, which is another long tree like the 
keele, and this lying within as the other without, must be fast bound 
together with strong iron bolts thorow the timbers and all, and on those 
are all the upper workes raised, when the Foot-hookes are skarfed, as is 
said, and well bolted, when they are planked up to the Orlop they make the 
ships Howle, and those timbers in generall are called the ships ribs, 
because they represent the carkasse of any thing hath ribs. The sleepers 
run before and after on each side the keeleson, on the floore well bolted 
to the Foot-hookes, which being thus bound doe strengthen each other. The 
Spurkits are the spaces betwixt the timbers alongst the ship side in all 
parts, but them in Howle below the Sleepers, are broad boords, which they 
take up to cleare the Spurkits, if any thing get betwixt the timbers.

Howle. Ribs. Sleepers. Spurkits. The Garbord. Garbord strake. Rising 
timbers. The Run.

The Garbord is the first planke next the keele on the outside, the Garbord 
strake is the first seame next the keele, your rising timbers are the 
hookes, or ground timbers and foot-hookes placed on the keele, and as they 
rise by little and little, so doth the run of the ship from the floore, 
which is that part of the ship under water which comes narrower by degrees 
from the floore timbers along to the sterne post, called the ships way 
aftward, for according to her run she will steare well or ill, by reason 
of the quicknesse or slownesse of the water comming to the rudder: now all 
those plankes under water, as they rise and are joyned one end to another, 
the fore end is called the Butt-end in all ships, but in great ships they 
are commonly most carefully bolted, for if one of those ends should 
spring, or give way it would be a great troublesome danger to stop such a 
leake, the other parts of those plankes are made fast with good Treenailes

Page 226 

and Trunnions of well seasoned timber, thorow the timbers or ribs, but 
those plankes that are fastened into the ships stem are called whoodings.

Trunnions. Whoodings. The Tucke. Transome. Buttocks. Rake. The Hull.

The gathering of those workes upon the ships quarter under water is called 
the Tucke, if it lie too low it makes her have a fat quarter, and hinders 
the quicke passage of the water to the rudder; if too high she must be 
laid out in that part, else she will want bearing for her after workes. 
The Transome is a timber lies thwart the sterne, betwixt the two fashion 
peeces, and doth lay out the breadth of the ship at the buttockes, which 
is her breadth from the Tucke upwards, and according there to her breadth 
or narrownesse, we say she hath a narrow or broad buttocke, the fashion 
peeces, before spoke of, are the two outmost timbers, on either side the 
sterne, excepting the counters. The ships Rake is so much of her hull as 
hangs over both ends of the keele, so much as is forward is said, she 
rakes so much forward, and so in like manner aftward: by the hull is 
meant, the full bulke or body of a ship without masts or any rigging from 
the stem to the sterne: The Rake forward is neere halfe the length of the 
keele, and for the Rake aftward about the forepart of her Rake forward, 
but the fore Rake is that which gives the ship good way, and makes her 
keep a good wind, but if she have not a full Bow, it will make her pitch 
her head much into the Sea; if but a small Rake forward, the sea will meet 
her so fast upon the Bowes, she will make small way, and if her sterne be 
upright as it were, she is called Bluffe, or Bluffe-headed. A ships 
Billage is the breadth of the floore when she doth lie aground, & Billage 
water is that which cannot come to the pumpe, we say also she is bilged, 
when she strikes on a rocke, an anchors flooke or any thing that breakes 
her plankes or timbers, to spring a leake.

Bluffe. Bluffeheaded. Billage. Plankes.

When you have berthed or brought her up to the planks, which are those 
thicke timbers which goeth fore and aft on each side, whereon doth lie the 
beames of the first Orlop, which is the first floore to support the plankes

Page 227 

doth cover the Howle, those are great crosse timbers, that keepes the ship 
sides asunder, the maine beame is ever next the maine mast, where is the 
ships greatest breadth, the rest from this is called the first, second, 
third, fourth, &c. forward or aftward beames. Great ships have a tier of 
beames under the Orlop whereon lies no decke, and great posts and binders 
called Riders from them to the keele in howle only to strengthen all. But 
the beames of the Orlop is to be bound at each end with sufficient Knees, 
which is a crooked peece of wood bowed like a knee, that bindes the beames 
and foot-hookes, being bolted together, some stand right up and downe, 
some a long the ship, and are used about all the deckes, some sawed or 
hewed to that proportion, but them which grow naturally to that fashion 
are the best.

Knees. Ports. Beds. Ringbolts. Set bolts.

Lay the Orlop with good planke according to her proportion, so levell as 
may be is the best in a man of Warre, because all the Ports may be of such 
equall height, so that every peece may serve any Port, without making any 
beds or platformes to raise them, but first bring up your worke as before 
to the second decke or Orlop, and by the way you may cut your number of 
port holes according to the greatnesse of your ship; by them fasten your 
Ringbolts for the tackles of your Ordnances, you use Ringbolts also for 
bringing the plankes and wailes to the ship side, and Set bolts for 
forcing the workes and plankes together, Clinch bolts are clinched with a 
riveting hammer for drawing out. But Rag bolts are so jaggered that they 
cannot be drawne out. Fore locke bolts hath an eye at the end, whereinto a 
fore locke of iron is driven to keepe it from starting backe. Fend bolts 
are beat into the outside of a ship with the long head to save her sides 
from galling against other ships. Drive bolts is a long piece of iron to 
drive out a treenaile, or any such thing, besides divers others so usefull 
that without them and long iron spikes and nailes, nothing can be well 
done; yet I have knowne a ship built, hath sailed to and againe over the 
maine Ocean, which had not so

Page 228 

much as a naile of iron in her but onely one bolt in her keele.

Clamps. Decks. A halfe Decke. A quarter Decke. A Flush Decke.

Now your risings are above the first Orlop as the Clamps are under it, 
which is long thicke plankes like them, fore and aft on both sides, under 
the ends of the Beames and timbers of the second Decke or Orlop, or the 
third Decke or Orlop, or the third Decke which is never called by the name 
of Orlop, and yet they are all but Decks; also the halfe Decke and quarter 
Decke, whereon the beames, and timbers beare are called risings. A Flush 
Decke is when from stem to sterne, it lies upon a right line fore and aft 
which is the best for a man of Warre, both for the men to helpe and 
succour one another, as for the using of their armes, or remounting any 
dismounted peece, because all the Ports on that Decke are on equall 
height, which cannot be without beds and much trouble, where the Decke 
doth camber or lie compassing. To sinke a Decke is to lay it lower, to 
raise a Decke to put it higher, but have a care you so cut your Port 
holes, one peece lie not right over another for the better bringing them 
to your marke.

A cambered Decke. To sinke a Deck. To raise a Deck. Bend, or waile. Chaine 
waile.

The halfe Decke is from the maine mast to the steareage, & the quarter 
Decke from that to the Masters Cabin called the round house, which is the 
utmost of all; but you must understand all those workes are brought up 
together, as neere equally as may bee from bend to bend, or waile to 
waile, which are the outmost timbers on the ship sides, and are the chiefe 
strength of her sides, to which the foot-hookes, beames, & knees, are 
bolted, and are called the first, second, and third Bend; but the chaine 
waile is a broad timber set out amongst them, a little above where the 
chaines and shrouds are fastened together to spread the shrouds the wider 
the better to succour the masts. Thus the sides and Deckes are wrought 
till you come at the Gunwaile, which is the upmost waile goeth about the 
upmost strake or seame of the upmost Decke about the ships waste, and the 
ships quarter is from the maine mast aftward.

Page 229 

Culvertailed Carlings. Carling knees. Commings.

Culvertailed is letting one timber into another in such sort that they 
cannot slip out, as the Carling ends are fixed in the beames, and Carlings 
are certaine timbers lieth along the ship from beame to beame, on those 
the ledges doe rest whereunto the plankes of the Deckes are fastened. The 
Carling knees are also timbers comes thwart the ship from the sides of the 
Hatches way, betwixt the two masts, and beares up the Decke on both sides, 
and on their ends lieth the commings of the hatches, which are those 
timbers and plankes which beares them up higher than the Deckes, to keepe 
the water from running downe at the hatches; also they fit Loopholes in 
them for the close fights, and they are likewise a great ease for men to 
stand upright if the Deckes be low. The Hatches way is when they are open 
where the goods are lowered that way right downe into the howle, and the 
hatches are like trap doores in the middest of the Deckes, before the 
maine mast, by certaine rings, to take up or lay downe at your pleasure.

Loopholes. Hatches way. A Scuttle. Ramshead.

A scuttle-hatch is a little hatch doth cover a little square hole we call 
the Scuttle, where but one man alone can goe downe into the ship, there 
are in divers places of the ship whereby men passe from Decke to Decke, 
and there is also small Scuttles grated, to give light to them betwixt 
Deckes, and for the smoke of Ordnances to passe away by. The Ramshead is a 
great blocke wherein is three shivers into which are passed the halyards, 
and at the end of it in a hole is reved the ties, and this is onely 
belonging to the fore and maine halyards; to this belong the fore Knight, 
and the maine Knight, upon the second Decke fast bolted to the Beames. 
They are two short thicke peeces of wood, commonly carved with the head of 
a man upon them, in those are foure shivers apeece, three for the halyards 
and one for the top rope to run in, and Knevels are small pieces of wood 
nailed to the inside of the ship, to belay the sheats and tackes unto.

The fore Knight. The main Knight. Knevels. Capstaine.

The Capstaine is a great peece of wood stands upright upon the Decke, 
abaft the maine mast, the foot standing

Page 230 

in a step upon the lower decke, and is in the nature of a windis, to 
winde, or weigh up the anchors, sailes, top masts, ordnances, or any 
thing; it is framed in divers squares, with holes thorow them, thorow 
which you put your Capstaine barres, for as many men as can stand at them 
to thrust it about, and is called manning the Capstaine. The maine body of 
it is called the Spindle. The Whelps are short peeces of wood made fast to 
it, to keepe the Cable from comming too high in the turning about; The 
Paul is a short piece of iron made fast to the Decke, resting upon the 
whelps to keepe the Capstaine from recoiling which is dangerous, but in 
great ships they have two, the other standing in the same manner betwixt 
the fore mast and the maine, to heave upon the Jeare rope, and is called 
the Jeare Capstaine, to straine any rope, or hold off by, when we way 
Anchor, to heave a head, or upon the violl, which is when an Anchor is in 
stiffe ground wee cannot weigh it, or the Sea goeth so high the maine 
Capstaine cannot purchase in the Cable, then we take a Hawser opening one 
end, and so puts into it Nippers some seven or eight fadome distant from 
each other wherewith wee binde the Hawser to the Cable, and so brings it 
to the Jeare Capstaine to heave upon it, and this will purchase more than 
the maine Capstaine can. The violl is fastened together at both ends with 
an eye or two, with a wall knot and seased together. A windas is a square 
peece of timber, like a Role before the fore Castle in small ships, and 
forced about with hand-spikes for the same use as is the Capstaine.

The violl. A windas. The Pumpe. The Brake. The Can. The Daile.

What are the parts of a pumpe you may see in every place, the handle we 
call the brake, the pumpes can, is a great can we power water into pumps 
to make it pumpe. The daile is a trough wherein the water doth runne over 
the Deckes; But in great ships they use chained pumps which will goe with 
more ease, and deliver more water. The Dutch men use a Burre pumpe by the 
ship side, wherein is onely a long staffe with a Burre at the end, like a 
Gunners spunge, to pumpe up the Billage water

Page 231 

that by reason of the bredth of the ships floore cannot come to the well: 
In pumping they use to take spels, that is, fresh men to releeve them, and 
count how many strokes they pumpe each watch, whereby they know if the 
ship be stanch, or tight, or how her leakes increase. The Pumpe sucks, is 
when the water being out, it drawes up nothing but froth and winde. They 
have also a little Pumpe made of a Cane, a little peece of hollow wood or 
Latten like an Elder gun, to pumpe the Beere or Water out of the Caske, 
for at Sea wee use no Taps, and then stave the Caske to make more roome, 
and packeth the Pipe-staves or boords up as dose as may be in other Caske 
till they use them.

A beere Pumpe. The Skuppers. Skupper-leathers. Skupper-nailes.

The Skuppers are little holes close to all the Decks thorow the Ships 
sides, whereat the water doth runne out when you pumpe or wash the Decks; 
the Skupper-leathers are nailed over those holes upon the lower Decke to 
keepe out the Sea from comming in, yet give they way for it to runne out: 
Skupper nailes are little short ones with broad heads, made purposely to 
naile the Skupperleathers, and the cotes of Masts and Pumps. The Waist is 
that part of the Ship betwixt the maine Mast and the fore-castle, and the 
Waist boords are set up in the Ships waist, betwixt the Gun-waile and the 
waist trees, but they are most used in Boats, set up alongst their sides 
to keepe the Sea from breaking in.

The Waist. Waist boords. Waist trees. The entering Ladder. Gallery Ladder.

There are usually three Ladders in a Ship; the entering Ladder is in the 
Waist, made formally of wood, and another out of the Gallery made of Ropes 
to goe into the boat by in foule weather, and the third at the Beak-head, 
made fast over the Boulspret to get upon it, onely used in great Ships.

Boultspret Ladder. The Fore-castle. Bow.

It were not amisse now to remember the Fore-castle, being as usefull a 
place as the rest, this is the forepart of the Ship above the Decks over 
the Bow; there is a broad Bow & a narrow Bow, so called according to the 
broadnes or the thinnesse: the Bow is the broadest part of the Ship 
before, compassing the Stem to the Loufe, which

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reacheth so farre as the Bulk-head of the Fore-castle extendeth. Against 
the Bow is the first breach of the Sea, if the Bow be too broad, she will 
seldome carry a Bone in her mouth or cut a feather, that is, to make a 
fome before her: where a well bowed Ship so swiftly presseth the water, as 
that it foameth, and in the darke night sparkleth like fire. If the Bow 
bee too narrow, as before is said, she pitcheth her head into the Sea, so 
that the meane is the best if her after way be answerable. The Hauses are 
those great round holes before, under the Beak-head, where commonly is 
used the Cables when you come to an Anchor, the bold or high Hause is the 
best, for when they lie low in any great sea, they will take in very much 
water, the which to keepe out, they build a circle of planke either abaft 
or before the maine Mast called the Manger: and a Hause plug at Sea, now 
the Fore-castle doth cover all those being built up like a halfe decke, to 
which is fixed the Beake-head, and the Prow is the Decke abaft the Fore-
castle, whereon lyeth the Prow peeces.

Manger. Prow. The Beak-head.

The Beak-head is without the ship before the fore Castle, supported by the 
maine knee, fastened into the stem, all painted and carved as the sterne, 
and of great use, as well for the grace and countenance of the ship, as a 
place for men to case themselves in. To it is fastened the coller of the 
maine stay, and the fore tacks there brought aboord; also the standing for 
rigging and trimming the spretesaile geare, under the midest of it is the 
Combe, which is a little peece of wood with two holes in it to bring the 
fore tacks aboord. The Bits are two great peeces of timber, and the 
Crospeece goeth thorow them, they are ordinarily placed abaft the Manger 
in the ships loofe, to belay the Cable thereto when you ride at Anchor: 
Their lower parts are fastened to the Riders, but the middle part in great 
ships are bolted to two great beames crosse to the Bowes, and yet in extra-
ordinary stormes we are glad to make fast the Cable to the maine Mast for 
strengthning of the Bits and safety

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of the Bowes, which have in great stormes beene torne from the ships. The 
David is a short peece of timber, at the end whereof in a notch they hang 
a blocke in a strap called the Fish-block, by which they hale up the flook 
of the Anchor to the Ships bow, it is put out betwixt the Cat and the 
Loufe, and to be removed when you please. The Cat is also a short peece of 
timber aloft right over the Hawse; in the end it hath two shivers in a 
blocke, wherein is reeved a Rope, to which is fastned a great hooke of 
Iron, to trice up the Anchor from the Hawse to the top of the fore-castle.

Cat. A Bulkes head. Cubbridge head.

A Bulks head is like a seeling or a wall of boords thwart the Ship, as the 
Gunroome, the great Cabin, the bread roome, the quarter Decke, or any 
other such division: but them which doth make close the fore-castle, and 
the halfe Decke, the Mariners call the Cubbridge heads, wherein are placed 
murtherers, and abaft Falcons, Falconets, or Rabinits to cleare the Decks 
fore and aft so well as upon the ships sides, to defend the ship and 
offend an enemy. Sockets are the holes wherein the pintels of the 
murderers or fowlers goe into. The hollow arching betwixt the lower part 
of the Gallery and the Transome, is called the lower Counter; the upper 
Counter is from the Gallery to the arch of the round house, and the 
Brackets are little carved knees to support the Galleries.

Sockets. Low Counter. Upper Counter. Brackets. The Stearage. Great Cabin. 
Bittacle. The Compasse.

The Stearage roome, is before the great Cabin, where he that steareth the 
Ship doth alwaies stand, before him is a square box nailed together with 
woodden pinnes, called a Bittacle, because iron nailes would attract the 
Compasse; this is built so close, that the Lampe or Candle only sheweth 
light to the stearage, and in it alwaies stands the Compasse, which every 
one knowes is a round box, and in the midst of the bottome a sharpe pin 
called a Center whereon the Fly doth play, which is a round peece of pace-
boord, with a small wyer under it touched with the Load-stone, in the 
midst of it is a little brasse Cap that doth keepe it levell upon the 
Center. On the

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upper part is painted 32. points of the Compasse covered with glasse to 
keepe it from dust, breaking, or the wind; this Box doth hang in two or 
three brasse circles, so fixed they give such way to the moving of the 
Ship that still the Box will stand steady: there is also a darke Compasse, 
and a Compasse for the variation, yet they are but as the other, onely the 
darke Compasse hath the points blacke and white, and the other onely 
touched for the true North and South. Upon the Bittacle is also the 
Travas, which is a little round boord full of holes upon lines like the 
Compasse, upon which by the removing of a little sticke they keepe an 
account, how many glasses (which are but halle houres) they steare upon 
every point. The Whipstaffe is that peece of wood like a strong staffe the 
Stearsman or Helmesman hath alwaies in his hand, going thorow the Rowle, 
and then made fast to the Tiller with a Ring.

The Travas. The Whip-staffe. The Rowle. The Tiller. Rudder. Pintels. 
Gudgions or Rudder-Irons.

The Tiller is a strong peece of wood made fast to the Rudder, which is a 
great timber somewhat like a Planke, made according to the burthen of the 
ship, and hung at the sterne upon hookes and hinges, they call Pintels and 
Gudgions, or Rudder-irons. The Tiller playeth in the Gunroome over the 
Ordnances by the Whip-staffe; whereby the Rudder is so turned to and fro 
as the Helmesman pleaseth, and the Cat holes are over the Ports, right 
with the Capstaine as they can, to heave the Ship a sterne by a Cable or a 
Hauser called a sterne-fast. On each side the Stearage roome are divers 
Cabins, as also in the great Cabin, the quarter Decke, and the round 
house, with many convenient seates or Lockers to put any thing in, as in 
little Cupberts.

The Gun-roome. Cat holes. Lockers. The bread-roome. Cooke-roome.

The Bread-roome is commonly under the Gun-roome, well dried or plated. The 
Cook-roome where they dresse their victuall may bee placed in divers 
places of the Ship, as sometimes in the Hould, but that oft spoileth the 
victuall by reason of the heat, but commonly in Merchantmen it is in the 
Fore-castle, especially being contrived in Fornaces; besides in a chase 
their Sterne is that part of the ship they most use in fight, but in a man 
of warre

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they fight most with their Prow, and it is very troublesome to the use of 
his Ordnance, and very dangerous lying over the Powder-roome, some doe 
place it over the Hatches way, but that as the Stewards roome are ever to 
be contrived according to the Ships imploiment, &c. Calking is beating 
Okum into every seame or betwixt planke and planke, and Okum is old Ropes 
torne in peeces like Towze Match, or Hurds of Flax, which being close beat 
into every seame with a calking Iron and a Mallet, which is a hammer of 
wood and an iron chissell, being well payed over with hot pitch, doth make 
her more tight than it is possible by joyning Planke to Planke. Graving is 
onely under water, a white mixture of Tallow, Sope and Brimstone; or Train-
oile, Rosin, and Brimstone boiled together, is the best to preserve her 
calking and make her glib or slippery to passe the water; and when it is 
decayed by weeds, or Barnacles, which is a kinde of fish like a long red 
worme, will eat thorow all the Plankes if she be not sheathed, which is as 
casing the Hull under water with Tar, and Haire, close covered over with 
thin boords fast nailed to the Hull, which though the Worme pierce, shee 
cannot endure the Tar. Breaming her, is but washing or burning of all the 
filth with reeds or broome, either in a dry dock or upon her Careene; 
which is, to make her so light as you may bring her to lye on the one side 
so much as may be in the calmest water you can, but take heed you overset 
her not; and this is the best way to Breame Ships of great burthen, or 
those have but 4. sharpe Flores for feare of brusing or oversetting. 
Parsling is most used upon the Decks and halfe Decks; which is, to take a 
list of Canvas so long as the seame is you would parsell, being first well 
calked, then powre hot pitch upon it, and it will keepe out the water from 
passing the seames. There remaines nothing now as I can remember to the 
building the Hull of a Ship, nor the definition of her most proper 
tearmes, but onely seeling the Cabins and such other parts as you please, 
and to bind an end with

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all things fitting for the Sea, as you may reade in the Covenants betwixt 
the Carpenter and the Owner, which are thus.

Notes for a Covenant betweene the Carpenter and the Owner.

If you would have a Ship built of 400. Tuns, she requires a planke of 4. 
inches: if 300. Tuns, 3. inches: small Ships 2. inches, but none lesse. 
For clamps, middle bands and sleepers, they be all of six inch planke for 
binding within. The rest for the sparring up of the workes of square three 
inch planke. Lay the beames of the Orlope, if she be 400. Tuns at ten foot 
deepe in howle, and all the beames to be bound with two knees at each end, 
and a standard knee at every beames end upon the Orlope, all the Orlope to 
be laid with square three inch planke, and all the plankes to be 
treenailed to the beames.

Six foot would be betweene the beames of the Deck and Orlope, and ten 
ports on each side upon the lower Orlope, all the binding betweene them 
should bee with three inch or two inch planke, and the upper Decke should 
bee laid with so many beames as are fitting with knees to bind them; 
laying that Decke with spruce Deale of thirty foot long, the sap cut off, 
and two inches thicke, for it is better than any other.

Then for the Captaines Cabben or great Cabben, the Stearage, the halfe 
Decke, the Round house, the Forecastle, and to binde an end with the 
Capsterne and all things fitting for the Sea, the Smiths worke, the 
carving, joyning, and painting excepted, are the principall things I 
remember to be observed, for a Charter-party betwixt the Merchant, the 
Master, and the Owner, you have Presidents of all sorts in most Scriveners 
shops.



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Chap. III.
How to proportion the Masts and Yards for a Ship, by her Beame and Keele.

A Ship over-masted. Taunt-masted. Under-masted.

WHen a ship is built, she should be masted, wherein is a great deale of 
experience to be used so well as art; for if you overmast her, either in 
length or bignesse, she will lie too much downe by a wind, and labour too 
much a hull, and that is called a Taunt-mast, but if either too small or 
too short, she is under masted or low masted, and cannot beare so great a 
saile as should give her her true way. For a man of warre, a well ordered 
Taunt-mast is best, but for a long voyage, a short Mast will beare more 
Canvasse, and is lesse subject to beare by the boord: Their Rules are 
divers, because no Artist can build a Ship so truly to proportion, neither 
set her Masts, but by the triall of her condition, they may bee impayred 
or amended: suppose a Ship of 300. Tunnes be 29 foot at the Beame, if her 
maine Mast be 24. inches diameter, the length of it must be 24. yards, for 
every inch in thicknesse is allowed a yard in length, and the fore Mast 
22. inches in thicknesse, must bee 22. yards in length; your Bowle spret 
both in length and thicknesse must bee equall to the fore Mast, the Misen 
17. yards in length, and 17. inches diameter.

An example. The rule most used.

But the Rule most used is to take the 4--5th parts of the bredth of the 
Ship, and multiply that by three, will give you so many foot as your maine 
Mast should bee in length, the bignesse or thicknesse will beare it also, 
allowing an inch for a yard; but if it be a made Mast, that is greater 
than one Tree, it must be more: for

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example, suppose the Ships bredth 30. foot, foure fifts of 30. foot are 
24. foot, so you finde the maine Mast must be 24. yards long, for every 
yard is 3. foot and 24. inches thorow, allowing an inch to every yard. The 
fore Mast is to be in length 4--5ths of the maine Mast, which will be 20. 
yards wanting one 4--5ths part of a yard, and 20. inches thorow. The 
Boulspret must ever bee equall with the fore Mast. The misen Mast halfe 
the length of the maine Mast, which will be 12. yards long, and 12. inches 
diameter. Now as you take the proportion of the Masts from the Beame or 
bredth of the Ship, so doe you the length of the yards from the Keele.

The Steps. Partners. Cotes. Tarpawling. Cheeks. The Hounds.

These Masts have each their steps in the Ship, and their partners at every 
Decke where thorow they passe to the Keele, being strong timbers bolted to 
the Beams in circling the Masts, to keep them steady in their steps fast 
wedged for rowling; yet some ships will not saile so wel as when it doth 
play a little, but that is very dangerous in foule weather. Their Cotes 
are peeces of tarred Canvas, or a Tarpawling put about them and the Rudder 
to keepe the water out. At the top of the fore Mast and maine Mast are 
spliced cheeks, or thicke clamps of wood, thorow which are in each two 
holes called the Hounds, wherein the Tyes doe runne to hoise the yards, 
but the top Mast hath but one hole or hound, and one tye. Every Mast also 
hath a Cap if a top; which is a peece of square timber with a round hole 
in it to receive the top Masts or Flag-staffe, to keepe them steady and 
strong, lest they be borne by the boord in a stiffe gale. The Crosse-trees 
are also at the head of the Masts, one let into another crosse, and 
strongly bolted with the Tressell trees, to keepe up the top Masts which 
are fastened in them, and those are at the tops of each Mast; all the 
Masts stand upright but the Boulspret which lyeth along over the Beak-
head, and that timber it resteth on is called the Pillow.

The Cap. Crosse-trees. Tressel-trees. Pillow. An example of the Yards by 
the Keele.

Now for the yards, suppose the ship be 76. foot at the Keele, her maine 
yard must be 21. yards in length, and

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in thicknesse but 17. inches. The fore Yard 19. yards long, and 15. inches 
diameter or thick. The spret-saile Yard 16. yards long, and but nine 
inches thicke, and your Misen-yard so long as the Mast, the top yards 
beares halfe proportion to the maine, and fore yard, and the top gallants, 
the halfe to them, but this rule is not absolute; for if your Masts be 
taunt, your yards must be the shorter; if a low Mast, the longer, but this 
is supposed the best. To have the maine Yard 5-6ths parts of her Keele in 
length: the top Yard 3--7ths of the maine Yard, and the maine Yard for 
bignesse 3--4ths parts of an inch, for a yard in length. The length of the 
fore Yard 4--5ths of the maine Yard; the Crossejacke Yard and Spretsaile 
Yard to be of a length; but you must allow the Misen Yard and Spretsaile 
Yard 1/2 inch of thicknesse to a yard in length. But to give a true 
Arithmeticall and Geometricall proportion for the building of all sorts of 
Ships, were they all built after one mould, as also of their Masts, Yards, 
Cables, Cordage, and Sailes, were all the stuffe of like goodnesse, a 
methodicall rule as you see might bee projected: but their lengths, 
bredths, depths, rakes and burthens are so variable and different, that 
nothing but experience can possibly teach it.



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Chap. IIII.
The names of all the Masts, Tops, and Yards belonging to a Ship.

THe Boul-spret, the Spretsaile yard, the Spretsaile top-mast; the 
Spretsaile top saile yard; the fore Mast, the fore yard, the fore top 
mast, the fore top-saile yard, the fore top gallant Mast, the fore top 
gallant saile yard, Cotes, Wouldings, Gromits, and Staples for all yards. 
The maine Mast, the maine Yard, the maine Top. The maine top Mast, the 
maine top-saile Yard. The top gallant Mast, the maine top gallant saile 
Yard. The Trucke is a square peece wood at the top wherein you put the 
Flag-staffe. The Misen, the Misen Yard, the Misen top mast, the Misen top 
saile yard. The Crosse Jacke. In great ships they have two Misens, the 
latter is called the Bonaventure Misen. A Jury Mast, that is, when a Mast 
is borne by the boord, with Yards, Roofes, Trees, or what they can, 
spliced or fished together they make a Jury-mast, woulding or binding them 
with ropes fast triced together with hand-spikes, as they use to would or 
binde any Mast or Yard.



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Chap. V.
How all the Tackling and Rigging of a Ship is made fast one to another, 
with their names, and the reasons of their use.

Riggage or Cordage. A Mast well rigged. A Yard well rigged.

THe rigging a Ship, is all the Ropes or Cordage belonging to the Masts and 
Yards; and it is proper to say, The Mast is well rigged, or the Yard is 
well rigged, that is, when all the Ropes are well sised to a true 
proportion of her burthen. We say also, when they are too many or too 
great, shee is over-rigged, and doth much wrong a Ship in her sailing; for 
a small waight aloft, is much more in that nature than a much greater 
below, and the more upright any Ship goeth, the better she saileth.

Over rigged. All Masts have staies except one. A Coller. A Lannier. Dead 
mens eyes.

All the Masts, Top-masts, and Flag-staves have staies, excepting the Spret 
saile-top Mast, the maine Masts stay is made fast by a Lannier to a 
Coller, which is a great Rope that comes about the head and Boulspret, the 
other end to the head of the maine Mast. The maine top-Masts stay is 
fastened to the head of the fore Mast by a strop and a dead mans eye. The 
maine top-gallant Masts stay in like manner to the head of the fore top-
Mast. The fore Masts and stayes belonging to them in like manner are 
fastened to the Boulspret, and Spretsaile top-Mast, and those staies doe 
helpe to stay the Boulspret. The Misen staies doe come to the maine Mast, 
and the Misen top Mast staies to the shrouds with Crowes-feet: the use of 
those staies are to keepe the Masts from falling afterwards, or too much 
forwards. Those Lanniers are many small Ropes reeved into the dead mens 
eyes of all shrouds, either to slaken them or set them taught;

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also all the staies have their blocks, and dead mens eyes have Lanniers. 
Dead mens eyes are blocks, some small, some great, with many holes but no 
shivers, the Crowes-feet reeved thorow them are a many of small lines, 
sometimes 6. 8. or 10. but of small use more than for fashion to make the 
Ship shew full of small Ropes. Blocks or Pullies are thick peeces of wood 
having shivers in them, which is a little Wheele fixed in the middest with 
a Cocke or Pin, some are Brasse, but the most of Wood, whereon all the 
running Ropes doe runne, some are little, some great, with 3. 4. or 5. 
shivers in them, and are called by the names of the Ropes whereto they 
serve. There are also double blocks, that where there is use of much 
strength will purchase with much ease, but not so fast as the other, and 
when wee hale any Tackle or Haleyard to which two blocks doe belong, when 
they meet, we call that blocke and blocke.

Double blocks. Block and block. All Masts have Shrouds, &c.

The Shrouds are great Ropes which goe up either sides of all Masts. The 
Misen maine Mast and fore Mast shrouds have at their lower ends dead mens 
eyes seased into them, and are set up taught by Lanniers to the chaines; 
at the other end, over the heads of those Masts are pendants, for Tackels 
and Swifters under them. The top-Masts shrouds in like manner are fastened 
with Lanniers and dead mens eyes to the Puttocks or plats of iron 
belonging to them, aloft over the head of the Mast as the other: and the 
Chaines are strong plates of iron fast bolted into the Ships side by the 
Chaine-waile. When the Shrouds are too stiffe, we say, case them, when too 
slacke, we say, set Taught the Shrouds, but the Boulspret hath no Shrouds, 
and all those small ropes doe crosse the Shrouds like steps are called 
Ratlings. The Puttocks goe from the Shrouds of the fore Mast, maine Mast 
or Misen, to goe off from the Shrouds into the Top, Cap, or Bowle, which 
is a round thing at the head of either Mast for men to stand in, for when 
the Shrouds come neere the top of the Mast, they fall in so much, that 
without the Puttocks you could not get into the Top, and in a manner

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they are a kinde of a Shroud. A Pendant is a short rope made fast at one 
end to the head of the Mast or the Yards arme, having at the other end a 
blocke with a shiver to reeve some running rope in, as the Pendants of the 
backe staies and Tackles hang a little downe on the inside of the Shrouds: 
all Yards-armes have them but the Misen, into which the Braces are reeved, 
and also there are Pendants or Streamers hang from the yards armes, made 
of Taffaty, or coloured flanell cloth to beautifie the Ship onely: Parrels 
are little round Balls called Trucks, and little peeces of wood called 
ribs, and ropes which doe incircle the Masts, and so made fast to the 
Yards, that the Yards may slip up and downe easily upon the Masts, and 
with the helpe of the Brest-rope doth keepe the Yard close to the Mast. 
The standing ropes are the shrouds and staies, because they are not 
removed, except it be to be eased or set taughter.

Parrels. Ribs. Brest-ropes. Standing ropes. The Tackles are of divers 
sorts, &c.

The Tackles or ropes runne in three parts, having a Pendant with a blocke 
at the one end, and a blocke with a hooke at the other, to heave any thing 
in or out of the ship; they are of divers sorts, as the Botes tackles made 
fast the one to the fore shrouds, the other to the maine, to hoise the 
Bose in or out: also the tackles that keepe firme the Masts from straying. 
The Gunners tackles for haling in or out the Ordnances: but the winding 
tackle is the greatest, which is a great double blocke with three shivers 
to the end of a small Cable about the head of the Mast, and serveth as a 
Pendant. To which is made fast a Guy, which is a rope brought to it from 
the fore mast, to keepe the weight upon it steady, or from swinging to and 
againe: Into the blocke is reeved a hawser, which is also reeved thorow 
another double blocke, having a strop at the end of it; which put thorow 
the eye of the slings is locked into it with a fid, and so hoise the goods 
in or out by the helpe of the Snap-blocke.

A Guy. Cat harpings.

Cat harpings are small ropes runne in little blockes from one side of the 
ship to the other, neere the upper decke to keepe the shrouds tight for 
the more safety of

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the mast from rowling. The Halyards belong to all masts, for by them wee 
hoise the yards to their height, and the Ties are the ropes by which the 
yards doe hang, and doe carry up the yards when wee straine the Halyards; 
the maine yard and fore yard ties are first reeved thorow the Rams head, 
then thorow the Hounds, with a turne in the eye of the slings which are 
made fast to the yard; the missen yard and top yard have but single Ties, 
that is, one doth but run in one part, but the Spretsaile yard hath none, 
for it is made fast with a paire of slings to the boltspret. A Horse is a 
rope made fast to the fore mast shrouds, and the Spretsaile sheats, to 
keepe those sheats cleare of the anchor flookes.

A Horse. To Sling. Slings.

To sling is to make fast any caske, yard, ordnances, or the like in a 
paire of Slings, and Slings are made of a rope spliced at either end into 
it selfe with one eye at either end, so long as to bee sufficient to 
receive the caske, the middle part of the rope also they seaze together, 
and so maketh another eye to hitch the hooke of the tackle, another sort 
are made much longer for the hoising of ordnances, another is a chaine of 
iron to Sling or binde the yards fast aloft to the crosse trees in a 
fight, lest the ties should bee cut, and so the mast must fall. The 
Canhookes are two hookes fastened to the end of a rope with a noose, like 
this the Brewers use to sling or carry their barrels on, and those serve 
also to take in or out hogsheads, or any other commodities. A Parbunkel is 
two ropes that have at each end a noose or lumpe that being crossed, you 
may set any vessell that hath but one head upon them, bringing but the 
loopes over the upper end of the caske, fix but the tackle to them, and 
then the vessell will stand strait in the middest to heave out, or take in 
without spilling.

Canhookes. A Parbunkell. Puddings.

Puddings are ropes nailed round to the yards armes close to the end, a 
pretty distance one from another, to save the Robbins from galling upon 
the yards, or to serve the anchors ring to save the clinch of the cable 
from galling. And the Robbins are little lines reeved into the

Page 245 

eylet holes of the saile under the head ropes, to make fast the saile to 
the yard, for in stead of tying, sea men alwayes say, make fast. Head 
lines, are the ropes that make all the sailes fast to the yard.

Head lines. Furling lines. A smiting line. Brales.

Furling lines are small lines made fast to the top saile, top gallant 
saile, and the missen yards armes. The missen hath but one called the 
smiting line, the other on each side one, and by these we farthell or 
binde up the sailes. The Brales are small ropes reeved thorow Blockes 
seased on each side the ties, and come down before the saile, and at the 
very skirt are fastened to the Creengles, with them we furle or farthell 
our sailes acrosse, and they belong onely to the two courses and the 
missen: to hale up the Brales, or brale up the saile, is all one; 
Creengles are little ropes spliced into the Bolt-ropes of all sailes 
belonging to the maine and fore mast, to which the bolings bridles are 
made fast, and to hold by when we shake off a Bonnet.

Creengles. Bolt ropes. Bunt lines. Clew Garnet.

Boltropes is that rope is sowed about every saile, soft and gently 
twisted, for the better sowing and handling the sailes. Bunt lines is but 
a small rope made fast to the middest of the Boltrope to a creengle reeved 
thorow a small blocke which is seased to the yard, to trice or draw up the 
Bunt of the saile, when you farthell or make it up. The Clew garnet is a 
rope made fast to the clew of the saile, and from thence runnes in a 
blocke seased to the middle of the yard, which in furling doth hale up the 
clew of the saile close to the middle of the yard, and the clew line is 
the same to the top sailes top gallant and spret sailes, as the Clew 
garnet is to the maine and fore-sailes. The Clew of a saile is the lowest 
corner next the Sheat and Tackes, and stretcheth somewhat goaring or 
sloping from the square of the saile, and according to the Goaring she is 
said to spread a great or a little clew. Tackes are great ropes which 
having a wall-knot at one end seased into the clew of the saile, and so 
reeved first thorow the chestres, and then commeth in at a hole in the 
ships sides, this doth carry forward the clew of the saile

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to make it stand close by a wind. The Sheats are bent to the clews of all 
sailes, in the low sailes they hale aft the clew of the sailes, but in top 
sailes they serve to hale them home, that is, to bring the clew close to 
the yards arme. The Braces belong to all yards but the missen, every yard 
hath two reeved at their ends thorow two pendants, and those are to square 
the yards, or travasse them as you please. The Boling is made fast to the 
leech of the saile about the middest to make it stand the sharper or 
closer by a wind, it is fastened by two, three, or foure ropes like a 
crows foot to as many parts of the saile which is called the Boling 
bridles, onely the missen Boling is fastened to the lower end of the yard, 
this rope belongs to all sailes except the Spret-saile, and Spret-saile 
Top-saile, which not having any place to hale it forward by, they cannot 
use those sailes by a wind: sharp the maine Boling is to hall it taught: 
hale up the Boling is to pull it harder forward on: checke or case the 
Boling is to let it be more slacke.

Boling bridles. Sharp the Boling. Checke the Boling. Lee fanngs. Reeving. 
Leech lines. Leech of a saile.

Lee fanngs is a rope reeved into the creengles of the courses, when wee 
would hale in the bottome of the saile, to lash on a bonnet or take in the 
saile; and Reeving is but drawing a rope thorow a blocke or oylet to runne 
up and down. Leech lines are small ropes made fast to the Leech of the top-
sailes, for they belong to no other; and are reeved into a blocke at the 
yard close by the top-saile ties, to hale in the Leech of the saile when 
you take them in. The Leech of a saile is the outward side of a skirt of a 
saile, from the earing to the clew; and the Earing is that part of the 
bunt rope which at all the foure corners of the saile is left open as it 
were a ring. The two upmost parts are put over the ends of the yards 
armes, and so made fast to the yards, and the lowermost are seased or Bent 
to the sheats, and tackes into the clew. The Lifts are two ropes which 
belong to all yards armes, to top the yards; that is, to make them hang 
higher or lower at your pleasure. But the top-saile Lifts doe serve for 
sheats to the top gallant yards, the haling them is called

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the Topping the Lifts, as top a starboard, or top a port.

Topping the Lifts. Legs. Martnet. Latchets.

Legs are small ropes put thorow the bolt ropes of the maine and fore 
saile, neere to a foot in length, spliced each end into the other in the 
leech of the saile, having a little eye whereunto the martnets are 
fastened by two hitches, and the end seased into the standing parts of the 
martnets, which are also small lines like crow feet reeved thorow a blocke 
at the top mast head, and so comes downe by the mast to the decke; but the 
top-saile martnets are made fast to the head of the top gallant mast, and 
commeth but to the top, where it is haled and called the top martnets, 
they serve to bring that part of the leech next the yards arme up close to 
the yard. Latchets are small lines sowed in the Bonnets and Drablers like 
loops to lash or make fast the Bonnet to the course, or the course to the 
Drabler, which we call lashing the Bonnet to the course, or the Drabler to 
the Bonnet. The Loofe hooke is a tackle with two hookes, one to hitch into 
a cringle of the maine, or fore saile, in the bolt rope in the leech of 
the saile by the clew, and the other to strap spliced to the chestres to 
bouse or pull downe the saile to succour the tackes in a stiffe gale of 
wind, or take off or put on a Bonnet or a Drabler, which are two short 
sailes to take off or put to the fore course or the maine, which is the 
fore saile, or maine saile.

Lashing. The Loofe hook. Bouse. A Bonnet. A Drabler. A Course. A Knave 
line.

The Knave-line is a rope hath one end fastened to the crosse trees, and so 
comes downe by the ties to the Rams head, to which is seased a small peece 
of wood some two foot long with a hole in the end, whereunto the line is 
reeved, and brought to the ships side, and haled taught to the Railes to 
keepe the ties and Halyards from turning about one another when they are 
new. Knettels are two rope yarnes twisted together, and a knot at each 
end, whereunto to sease a blocke, a rope, or the like. Rope yarnes are the 
yarnes of any rope untwisted, they serve to sarve small ropes, or make 
Sinnet, Mats, Plats, or Caburnes, and make up the at the sailes yards 
armes.

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Sinnet. Mats or Panch. Caburne. Seasing.

Sinnet is a string made of rope yarne commonly of two, foure, six, eight 
or nine strings platted in three parts, which being beat flat they use it 
to sarve ropes or Mats. That which we call a Panch, are broad clouts, 
woven of Thrums and Sinnet together, to save things from galling about the 
maine and fore yards at the ties, and also from the masts, and upon the 
Boltspret, Loufe, Beakehead or Gunwaile to save the clewes of the sailes 
from galling or fretting. Caburne is a small line made of spun yarne to 
make a bend of two Cables, or to sease the Tackels, or the like. Seasing 
is to binde fast any ropes together, with some small rope yarne. Marline 
is any line, to a blocke, or any tackell, Pendant, Garnet, or the like. 
There is also a rope by which the Boat doth ride by the ships side, which 
we cal a Seasen. To sarve any rope with plats or Sinnet, is but to lay 
Sinnet, Spun yarne, Rope yarne, or a peece of Canvas upon the rope, and 
then rowle it fast to keepe the rope from galling about the shrowds at the 
head of the masts, the Cable in the Hawse, the flooke of the Anchor, the 
Boat rope or any thing. Spun yarne is nothing but rope yarne made small at 
the ends, and so spun one to another so long as you will with a winch. 
Also Caskets are but small ropes of Sinnet made fast to the gromits or 
rings upon the yards, the longest are in the midst of the yards betwixt 
the ties, and are called the brest Caskets, hanging on each side the yard 
in small lengths, only to binde up the saile when it is furled.

Seasen. Sarve or Sirvis. Spunyarne. Caskets. Marling. Marling spike. 
Splicing. A round Splice. A cut Splice.

Marling is a small line of untwisted hemp, very pliant and well tarred, to 
sease the ends of Ropes from raveling out, or the sides of the blockes at 
their arses, or if the saile rent out of the Boltrope, they will make it 
fast with marlin till they have leisure to mend it. The marling spike, is 
but a small peece of iron to splice ropes together, or open the bolt rope 
when you sew the saile. Splicing is so to let one ropes end into another 
they shall be as firme as if they were but one rope, and this is called a 
round Splice; but the cut Splice is to let one into another with as much

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distance as you will, and yet bee strong, and undoe when you will. Now to 
make an end of this discourse with a knot, you are to know, Sea-men use 
three, the first is called the Wall knot, which is a round knob, so made 
with the strouds or layes of a rope, it cannot slip; the Sheates, Takes, 
and Stoppers use this knot. The Boling knot is also so firmely made and 
fastened by the bridles into the creengles of the sailes, they will 
breake, or the saile split before it will slip. The last is the 
Shepshanke, which is a knot they cast upon a Runner or Tackle when it is 
too long to take in the goods, and by this knot they can shorten a rope 
without cutting it, as much as they list, and presently undoe it againe, 
and yet never the worse.