Travels of Captaine John Smith Volume II - Pages 277-End



Page 277 

Chap. XI.
Proper Sea tearmes belonging to the good or bad condition of Ships, how to 
finde them and amend them.

A wholsome ship. An unwholsome Ship. Howsing a Ship. Flaring.

A Ship that will try hull, and ride well at Anchor, we call a wholsome 
Ship. A long Ship that drawes much water will doe all this, but if she 
draw much water and be short, she may hull well, but neither try nor ride 
well; if she draw little water and be long, she may try and ride well, but 
never hull well, which is called an unwholsome ship. The howsing in of a 
Ship is when shee is past the bredth of her bearing she is brought in 
narrow to her upper workes: it is certaine this makes her wholsome in the 
Sea without rowling, because the weight of her Ordnance doth counterpoise 
her bredth under water, but it is not so good in a man of warre, because 
it taketh away a great deale of her roome, nor will her tacks ever so well 
come aboord as if she were laid out aloft and not flaring, which is when 
she is a little howsing in, neere the water, and then the upper worke doth 
hang over againe, and is laid out broder aloft, this makes a Ship more 
roomy aloft for men to use their armes in, but Sir Walter Rawleighs 
proportion, which is to be proportionally wrought to her other worke is 
the best, because the counterpoise on each side doth make her swimme 
perpendicular or straight, and consequently steady, which is the best.

If a ship be narrow, and her bearing either not laid out enough or too 
low, then you must make her broader and her bearing the higher by ripping 
off the plankes two or

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three strakes under water and as much above, and put other Timbers upon 
the first, and then put on the plankes upon those Timbers, this will make 
her beare a better saile, but it is a hindrance to her sailing, this is to 
be done when a Ship is cranke-sided and will beare no saile, and is called 
Furring. Note also, that when a Ship hath a deepe Keele it doth keepe her 
from rowling. If she be floty and her keele shallow, put on another keele 
under the first to make it deeper, for it will make her hold more in the 
water, this wee call a false Keele. Likewise if her stem be too flat to 
make her cut water the better, and not gripe, which is when shee will not 
keepe a winde well; fix another stem before it, and that is called a false 
stem, which will make her rid more way and beare a better saile. Also the 
Run of a ship is as much to be regarded, for if it be too short and too 
full below, the water comes but slowly to the Rudder because the force of 
it is broken by her bredth, and then to put a false stem post to lengthen 
her is the next remedy, but to lengthen her is better; for when a Ship 
comes off handsomly by degrees, and her Tuck doth not lye too low, which 
will hinder the water from comming swiftly to the Rudder, makes her she 
cannot steare well, and they are called as they are, a good runne or a 
bad. When a Ship hath lost a peece of her Keele, and that we cannot come 
well to mend it, you must patch a new peece unto it, and bind it with a 
stirrop, which is an iron comes round about it and the Keele up to the 
other side of the Ship, whereto it is strongly nailed with Spikes. Her 
Rake also may be a defect, which is so much of the Hull, as by a 
perpendicular line the end of the Keele is from the setting on of the 
stem, so much as is without that forward on, and in like manner the 
setting in of her stem Post. Your French men gives great Rakes forwards 
on, which makes her give good way and keepe a good wind, but if she have 
not a full bow she will pitch her head extremely in the Sea. If shee have 
but a small Rake, she is so bluffe that the Seas meets her so suddenly 
upon the Bowes shee cannot cut the water much, but the

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longer a ship is, the fuller should be her Bow, but the meane is the best. 
The looming of a ship is her prospective, that is, as she doth shew great 
or little: Her water draught is so many foot as she goes in the water, but 
the Ships that drawes most water are commonly the most wholsome, but the 
least draught goes best but rolls most, and we say a Ship doth heeld on 
Starboord or Larboord, that is, to that side shee doth leane most.

Overset. Overthrow. Walt. Wall reared.

To overset or overthrow a ship, is by bearing too much saile you bring her 
Keele upwards, or on shore overthrow her by grounding her, so that she 
falls upon one side; and we say a Ship is walt when shee is not stiffe, 
and hath not Ballast enough in her to keepe her stiffe. And wall reared 
when she is right built up, after shee comes to her bearing it makes her 
ill shapen and unseemely, but it gives her within much roome, and she is 
very wholsome, if her bearing be well laid out. The Masting of a Ship is 
much to be considered, and will much cause her to saile well or ill, as I 
have related in the masting a Ship. Iron sicke, is when the Bolts, Spikes, 
or Nailes are so eaten with rust they stand hollow in the plankes, and so 
makes her leake, the which to prevent, they use to put lead over all the 
bolt heads under water. Lastly, the trimming of a ship doth much amend or 
impaire her sailing, and so alter her condition. To finde her trim, that 
is, how she will saile best; is by trying her sailing with another Ship so 
many glasses, trimmed a head and so many a sterne, and so many upon an 
even Keele; also the easing of her Masts and Shrouds, for some ships will 
saile much better when they are slacke than when they are taught.



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Chap. XII.
Considerations for a Sea Captaine in the choise of his Ship, and in 
placing his Ordnance. In giving Chase, Boording, and entering a man of 
warre like himselfe, or a defending Merchant man.

How to chuse a Ship fit to make a man of warre.

IN Land service we call a man of warre a Souldier either on foot or horse, 
and at Sea a Ship, which if she be not as well built, conditioned, and 
provided, as neere fitting such an imploiment as may be, she may prove 
(either) as a horseman that knoweth not how to hold his raines, keepe his 
seat in his saddle and stirrops, carry his body, nor how to helpe his 
horse with leg and spur in a curvet, gallop, or stop; or as an excellent 
horseman that knoweth all this, mounted upon a Jade that will doe nothing, 
which were he mounted according to his experience, hee would doe more with 
that one, than halfe a dozen of the other though as well provided as 
himselfe. But I confesse, every horseman cannot mount himself alike, 
neither every Seaman ship himselfe as he would, I meane not for outward 
ornament, which the better they are, the lesse to be disliked; for there 
cannot be a braver sight than a ship in her bravery, but of a competent 
sufficiency as the businesse requireth. But were I to chuse a ship for my 
self, I would have her saile well, yet strongly built, her decks flush and 
flat, and so roomy that men might passe with ease; her Bow and chase so 
Gaily-like contrived, should beare as many Ordnances as with conveniency 
she could, for that alwaies commeth most to fight, and so stiffe, she 
should beare a stiffe saile and beare out her lower

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tier in any reasonable weather, neither should her Gunroome be unprovided: 
not manned like a Merchantman, which if they be double manned, that is, to 
have twise so many men as would saile her, they think it is too many in 
regard of the charge, yet to speake true, there is few Merchant Ships in 
the world doth any way exceed ours. And those men they entertaine in good 
voiages have such good pay, and such acquaintance one with another in 
shipping themselves, that thirty or forty of them would trouble a man of 
warre with three or foure times their number manned with prest men, being 
halfe of them scarce hale Boulings. Yea, and many times a Pirat who are 
commonly the best manned, but they fight only for wealth, not for honour 
nor revenge, except they bee extremely constrained. But such a Ship as I 
have spoken of well manned with rather too many than too few, with all 
sufficient Officers; Shot, Powder, Victuall, and all their appurtenances, 
in my opinion might well passe muster for a man of warre.

His reward that first discries a Ship, or enters a prize.

Now being at Sea, the tops are seldome without one or other to looke out 
for purchase, because hee that first discries a saile, if she prove prize, 
is to have a good sute of Aparell, or so much money as is set downe by 
order for his reward, as also he that doth first enter a Ship there is a 
certaine reward allowed him; when wee see a Ship alter her course, and 
useth all the meanes she can to fetch you up, you are the chase, and hee 
the chaser. In giving chase or chasing, or to escape being chased, there 
is required an infinite judgement and experience, for there is no rule for 
it; but the shortest way to fetch up your chase is the best. If you bee 
too lee-ward, get all your Tacks aboord, and shape your course as he doth 
to meet him at the neerest angle you can, then he must either alter his 
course and Tacke as you Tacke as neere the wind as he can lye to keepe his 
owne till night, and then strike a Hull that you may not descry him by his 
sailes, or doe his best to lose you in the darke; for looke how much he 
falls to lee-ward, hee falls so much in your way. If he beHow to give 
chase, and escape the chaser.

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right ahead of you, that is called a sterne chase, if you weather him, for 
every man in chasing doth seeke to get the weather, because you cannot 
boord him except you weather him, he will laske, or goe large, if you 
gather on him that way, hee will trie you before the wind, then if your 
ordnance cannot reach him, if he can out-strip you he is gone: But suppose 
you are to wind-ward, if hee clap close by a wind, and there goes a head 
sea, and yours a lee-ward ship, if you doe the like your ship will so bear 
against the Sea, she will make no way; therefore you must goe a little 
more large though you chase under his lee till you can run ahead.

Boord & boord.

Boord and Boord is when two ships lie together side by side, but hee that 
knoweth how to defend himselfe, and worke well, will so cun his ship, as 
force you to enter upon his quarter, which is the highest part of the 
ship, and but the mizen shrouds to enter by; from whence he may do you 
much hurt with little danger, except you fire him, which a Pirat will 
never doe, neither sinke you if he can chuse, except you be able to force 
him to defend himselfe. But in a Sea fight wee call Boording, in Boording 
where wee can, the greatest advantage for your Ordnance is to boord him 
thwart the hawse, because you may use all the ordnance you have on one 
side, and she onely them in her prow; but the best and safest boording for 
entring is on the bow, but you must be carefull to cleare the decks with 
burning granados, fire-pots, poutches of powder, to which give fire by a 
Gunpowder match, to prevent traines to the powder chest, which are long 
boards joyned like a triangle with divers broad ledges on either side, 
wherein lieth as many peeble stones or beatch as can there lie, those 
being fired will make all cleare before them. Besides in an extremity a 
man would rather blow up the quarter decke, halfe decke, fore castle, or 
any thing, than bee taken by him he knowes a mortall enemy, and commonly 
there is more men lost in entering, if the chase stand to her defence, in 
an instant, than in a long fight boord and boord, if she be provided of 
her close fights:

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I confesse, the charging upon trenches, and the entrances of a breach in a 
rampire are attempts as desperate as a man would thinke could be 
performed, but he that hath tried himselfe as oft in the entring a 
resisting ship as I have done both them & the other, he would surely 
confesse there is no such dangerous service ashore, as a resolved resolute 
fight at sea. A ships close fights, are smal ledges of wood laid crosse 
one another like the grates of iron in a prisons window, betwixt the maine 
mast, and the fore mast, & are called gratings, or nettings as is said, 
which are made of small ropes, much in like manner covered with a saile, 
the which to undoe is to heave a kedger, or fix a grapling into them, tied 
in a rope, but a chaine of iron is better, and shearing off will teare it 
in peeces if the rope and anchor hold, some have used sheare hookes, which 
are hookes like sickels fixed in the ends of the yards armes, that if a 
ship under saile come to boord her, those sheares will cut her shrouds, 
and spoile her tackling, but they are so subject to breake their owne 
yards, and cut all the ropes comes from the top-sailes, they are out of 
request. To conclude, if a ship bee open, presently to boord her is the 
best way to take her. But if you see your chase strip himselfe into 
fighting sailes, that is to put out his colours in the poope, his flag in 
the maine top, his streamers or pendants at the ends of his yards armes, 
furle his spret-saile, pike his mizen, and sling his maine yard, provide 
your selfe to fight. Now because I would not bee tedious in describing a 
fight at Sea, I have troubled you with this short preamble that you may 
the plainlier understand it.



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Chap. XIII.
How to manage a fight at Sea, with the proper tearmes in a fight largely 
expressed, and the ordering of a Navy at Sea.

Many bookes of the Art of War for the land, none for the sea.

FOr this master peece of this worke, I confesse I might doe better to 
leave it to every particular mans conceit as it is, or those of longer 
practice or more experience; yet because I have seene many bookes of the 
Art of Warre by land, and never any for the Sea, seeing all men so silent 
in this most difficult service, and there are so many young Captaines, and 
others that desire to be Captains, who know very little, or nothing at all 
to any purpose, for their better understanding I have proceeded thus 
farre; now for this that followes, what I have seene, done, and conceived 
by my small experience, I referre me to their friendly constructions, and 
well advised considerations.

A saile, how beares she or stands shee, to wind-ward or lee-ward, set him 
by the Compasse; he stands right ahead, or on the weather-Bow, or lee-Bow, 
let flie your colours if you have a consort, else not. Out with all your 
sailes, a steady man to the helme, sit close to keepe her steady, give him 
chase or fetch him up; hee holds his owne, no, we gather on him. Captaine, 
out goes his flag and pendants, also his waste clothes and top armings, 
which is a long red cloth about three quarters of a yard broad, edged on 
each side with Calico or white linnen cloth, that goeth round about the 
ship on the out sides of all her upper workes fore and aft, and before the 
cubbridge heads, also about the fore and maine tops, as well for the

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countenance and grace of the ship, as to cover the men for being seene, 
hee furles and slings his maine yard, in goes his spret-saile. Thus they 
use to strip themselves into their short sailes, or fighting sailes, which 
is onely the fore saile, the maine and fore top sailes, because the rest 
should not be fired nor spoiled; besides they would be troublesome to 
handle, hinder our sights and the using our armes; he makes ready his 
close fights fore and aft.

How to begin a fight.

Master how stands the chase? Right on head I say; Well we shall reatch him 
by and by; What's all ready, Yea, yea, every man to his charge, dowse your 
top-saile to salute him for the Sea, hale him with a noise of trumpets; 
Whence is your ship? Of Spaine; Whence is yours? Of England; Are you a 
Merchant, or a man of War? We are of the Sea; He waves us to lee-ward with 
his drawne sword, cals amaine for the King of Spaine, and springs his 
loufe, give him a chase peece with your broad side, and run a good berth 
ahead of him; Done, done, We have the wind of him, and he tackes about, 
tacke you about also and keepe your loufe, be yare at the helme, edge in 
with him, give him a volley of small shot, also your prow and broad side 
as before, and keepe your loufe; Hee payes us shot for shot; Well, wee 
shall require him; What are you ready againe, Yea, yea. Try him once more 
as before, Done, done; Keepe your loufe and loge your ordnance againe; Is 
all ready? Yea, yea; edge in with him againe, begin with your bow peeces, 
proceed with your broad side, & let her fall off with the wind, to give 
her also your full chase, your weather broad side, and bring her round 
that the sterne may also discharge, and your tackes close aboord againe; 
Done, done, the wind veeres, the Sea goes too high to boord her, and wee 
are shot thorow and thorow, and betweene wind and water. Try the pump, 
beare up the helme, Master let us breathe and refresh a little, and sling 
a man over boord to stop the leakes; that is, to trusse him up about the 
middle in a peece of canvas, and a rope to keepe him from sinking, and his 
armes at liberty, with a

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malet in the one hand, & a plug lapped in Okum, and well tarred in a 
tarpawling clout in the other, which he will quickly beat into the hole or 
holes the bullets made; What cheere mates, is all well? All well, all 
well, all well; Then make ready to beare up with him againe, and withall 
your great and small shot charge him, and in the smoke boord him thwart 
the hawse, on the bow, mid ships, or rather then faile, on his quarter, or 
make fast your graplings if you can to his close fights and sheare off. 
Captaine we are fowle on each other, and the ship is on fire, cut any 
thing to get cleare, and smother the fire with wet cloathes. In such a 
case they will presently be such friends, as to help one the other all 
they can to get cleare, lest they both should burne together and sinke; 
and if they be generous, the fire quenched, drinke kindely one to another; 
heave their cans over boord, and then begin againe as before.

A consultation & direction in a sea fight, & how they bury their dead.
Well Master, the day is spent, the night drawes on, let us consult. 
Chirurgion looke to the wounded, and winde up the shine, with each a 
weight or bullet at their heads and feet to make them sinke, and give them 
three gunnes for their funerals, Swabber make cleane the ship, Purser 
record their Names, Watch be vigilant to keepe your berth to wind-ward 
that we lose him not in the night, Gunners spunge your Ordnance, Souldiers 
scowre your peeces, Carpenters about your leakes, Boatswaine and the rest 
repaire the sailes and shrouds, and Cooke see you observe your directions 
against the morning watch, Boy, Holla Master Holla, is the kettle boiled, 
yea, yea, Boatswaine call up the men to prayer and breake fast.

A preparation for a fresh charge.

Boy fetch my cellar of bottels, a health to you all fore and aft, courage 
my hearts for a fresh charge, Gunners beat open the ports, and out with 
your lower tire, and bring me from the weather side to the lee, so many 
peeces as we have ports to beare upon him, Master lay him aboord loufe for 
loufe, mid ships men see the tops and yards well manned, with stones, fire 
pots, and brasse bailes, to throw amongst them before we enter, or if we 
be put off, charge

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them with all your great and small shot, in the smoke let us enter them in 
the shrouds, and every squadron at his best advantage, so sound Drums and 
Trumpets, and Saint George for England.

How a prise doth yeeld, and how to entertaine him Sea-man like.

They hang out a flag of truce, hale him a maine, a base, or take in his 
flag, strike their sailes and come aboord with their Captaine, Purser and 
Gunner, with their commission, cocket, or bils of loading. Out goes the 
boat, they are lanched from the ship side, entertaine them with a generall 
cry, God save the Captaine and all the company with the Trumpets sounding, 
examine them in particular, and then conclude your conditions, with 
feasting, freedome, or punishment, as you finde occasion; but alwayes have 
as much care to their wounded as your owne, and if there be either young 
women or aged men, use them nobly, which is ever the nature of a generous 
disposition. To conclude, if you surprize him, or enter perforce, you may 
stow the men, rifle, pillage, or sacke, and cry a prise.

How to call a Counsellor War, and order a Navy at Sea.

To call a Councell of Warre in a Fleet; There is your Councell of Warre to 
manage all businesses of import, and the common Councell for matters of 
small moment, when they would have a meeting, where the Admirall doth 
appoint it; if in the Admirall, they hang out a flag in the maine shrouds; 
if in the Vice Admirall, in the fore shrouds; if in the Reare Admirall, in 
the mizen; If there bee many squadrons, the Admirall of each squadron upon 
sundry occasions doth carry in their maine tops, flags of sundry colours, 
or else they are distinguished by severall pendants from the yards armes; 
every night or morning they are to come under the Lee of the Admirall to 
salute him and know his pleasure, but no Admirall of any squadron is to 
beare his flag in the maine top, in the presence of the Admirall generall, 
except the Admirall come aboord of him to Councell, to dinner, or 
collation, and so any ship else where he so resideth during that time, is 
to weare his flag in the maine top. They use to martiall or order those 
squadrons in rankes like Manaples, which is foure square, if the wind and 
Sea permits, a good

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berth or distance from each other, that they becalme not one another, nor 
come not fowle of each other; the Generall commonly in the middest, his 
Vice Admirall in the front, and his Reare Admirall in the Reare; or 
otherwise like a halfe Moone, which is two squadrons like two triangles 
for the two hornes, and so the rest of the squadrons behinde each other a 
good distance, and the Generall in the middest of the halfe circle, from 
whence he seeth all his fleet, and sendeth his directions, as he findes 
occasion to whom he pleaseth.

Stratagems for Sea-men.

Now betweene two Navies they use often, especially in a harbour or road 
where they are at anchor, to fill old Barkes with pitch, tar, traine oile, 
lincet oile, brimstone, rosen, reeds, with dry wood, and such combustible 
things, sometimes they linke three or foure together in the night, and 
puts them adrift as they finde occasion. To passe a fort some will make 
both ship and sailes all black, but if the fort keepe but a fire on the 
other side, and all the peeces point blanke with the fire, if they 
discharge what is betwixt them and the fire, the shot will hit if the rule 
bee truly observed; for when a ship is betwixt the fire and you, shee doth 
keepe you from seeing it till shee bee past it. To conclude, there is as 
many stratagems, advantages, and inventions to be used as you finde 
occasions, and therefore experience must be the best Tutor.



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Chap. XIV.
The names of all sorts of great Ordnance, and their appurteances, 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.

The Names of great Ordnance. Carriages. Trunnions. Capsquares. Wheeles.

A Canon royal, or double Canon, a Canon, a Canon Serpentine, a bastard 
Canon, a demy Canon, a Canon Petro, a Culvering, a Basilisco, a demy 
culvering, a bastard Culvering, a Sacar, a Minion, a Falcon, a Falconet, a 
Serpentine, a Rabbinet. To all those doe belong carriages whereon peeces 
doe lie supported by an axeltree betwixt two wheeles, whereon doth lie the 
peece upon her trunnions, which are two knobs cast with the peece on each 
of her sides, which doth lie in two halfe holes upon the two cheekes of 
the carriages, to raise her up or downe as you will, over them are the 
capsquares, which are two broad peeces of iron doth cover them, made fast 
by a pin with a fore locke to keepe the peece from falling out. That the 
peece and carriages is drawne along upon wheeles every one doth know, if 
she bee for land service, they have wheeles made with spokes like coach 
wheeles, and according to their proportion strongly shod with iron, and 
the pins at the ends of the Axeltree is called Linch pins.

Trucks. To mount a Peece. To dismount a Peece. Beds.

If for Sea she have Trucks, which are round intier peeces of wood like 
wheeles. To mount a peece is to lay her upon her carriages; to dismount 
her to take her downe. Her Bed is a planke doth lie next the peece, or the 
peece

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upon it upon the carriage, and betwixt the Peece and it they put their 
quoines, which are great wedges of wood with a little handle at the end to 
put them forward or backward for levelling the Peece as you please. To 
travas a Peece is to turne her which way you will upon her Platforme. To 
dispert a Peece is to finde a difference betwixt the thicknesse of the 
metall at her mouth and britch or carnouse, which is the greatest circle 
about her britch, and her mussell Ring is the greatest circle about her 
mouth thereby to make a just shot, there are divers waies to dispert her, 
but the most easiest is as good as the best: and that is but by putting a 
little sticke or a straw that is strait into the toutch hole to the lower 
part of the Sillinder or Concave, which is the bore of the Peece and cut 
it off close by the metall, and then apply it in the same manner to the 
mouth, and it will exactly shew you the difference, which being set upon 
the mussell of the Peece with a little Clay, Pitch, or Wax, it will bee as 
the pin of any Peece is to the sight, levell to the carnouse or britch of 
the Peece, otherwaies you may give her allowance according to your 
judgement.

Sillender. Concave. Bore. How to dispert a Peece. Taper boared. Honycombe. 
How to finde it.

Taper boared, is when a Peece is wider at the mouth then towards the 
britch, which is dangerous (if the Bullet goe not home) to burst her. 
Honicombed, is when shee is ill cast or overmuch worne shee will bee 
rugged within, which is dangerous for a crosse barre shot to catch hold 
by, or any ragge of her wadding being a fire and sticking there may fire 
the next charge you put in her; and you may finde if she be Taper boared, 
either with a crooked wyer at the end of a long staffe, by scratching up 
and downe to see where you can catch any hold, or a light candle at the 
end of a staffe thrust up and down to see if you can see any fault. 
Britchings are the ropes by which you lash your Ordnance fast to the Ships 
side in foule weather. Chambers is a charge made of brasse or iron which 
we use to put in at the britch of a sling or Murtherer, containing just so 
much powder as will drive away the case of stones or shot, or any thing in 
her. In

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a great Peece we call that her Chamber so far as the powder doth reach 
when she is laded.

Cartrages. Cases. A Budgbarell. A Ladle. A Spunge.

A Cartrage is a bagge of Canvasse made upon a frame or a round peece of 
wood somewhat lesse than the bore of the Peece, they make them also of 
paper, they have also Cartrages or rather cases for Cartrages made of 
Lattin to keepe the Cartrages in, which is to have no more powder in them 
than just the charge of your Peece, and they are closely covered in those 
cases of Latten, to keepe them dry, and from any mischances by fire, and 
are farre more ready and safer than your Ladles or Budgbarrels. A 
Budgbarrell is a little Barrell made of Latten, filled with powder to 
carry from place to place for feare of fire; in the cover it hath a long 
necke to fill the Ladles withall without opening. A Ladle is a long staffe 
with a peece of thin Copper at the end like halfe a Cartrage, in bredth 
and length so much as will hold no more powder than the due charge for the 
Peece it belongs to. A Spunge is such another staffe, with a peece of a 
Lambe skin at the end about it to thrust up and downe the Peece, to take 
off the dust, moisture, or sparkes of fire if any remaine in her. And a 
Rammer is a bob of wood at the other end to ramme home the Powder and the 
Waddings. Waddings is Okum, old clouts, or straw, put after the powder and 
the Bullet. A Case is made of two peeces of hollow wood joyned together 
like two halfe Cartrages fit to put into the bore of a Peece, & a case 
shot is any kinde of small Bullets, Nailes, old iron, or the like to put 
into the case to shoot out of the Ordnances or Murderers, these will doe 
much mischiefe when wee lie boord and boord: but for Spunges and Rammers 
they use now a stiffe Rope a little more than the length of the Peece, 
which you may turne and wind within boord as you will, with much more case 
and safety than the other.

A Rammer. Waddings. Wood cases. Case shot. Round shot. Crosse bar shot.

Round Shot is a round Bullet for any Peece: Crosbarshot is also a round 
shot, but it hath a long spike of Iron cast with it as if it did goe 
thorow the middest of it, the

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ends whereof are commonly armed for feare of bursting the Peece, which is 
to binde a little Okum in a little Canvasse at the end of each Pike. 
Trundle shot is onely a bolt of iron sixteene or eighteene inches in 
length; at both ends sharpe pointed, and about a handfull from each end a 
round broad bowle of lead according to the bore of the Peece cast upon it. 
Langrell shot runnes loose with a shackell, to be shortened when you put 
it into the Peece, and when it flies out it doth spred it selfe, it hath 
at the end of either barre a halfe Bullet either of lead or iron. Chaine 
shot is two bullets with a chaine betwixt them, and some are contrived 
round as in a ball, yet will spred in flying their full length in bredth; 
all these are used when you are neere a ship to shoot downe Masts, Yards, 
Shrouds, teare the sailes, spoile the men, or any thing that is above the 
decks. Fireworkes are divers, and of many compositions, as Arrowes trimmed 
with wild fire to sticke in the sailes or ships side shot burning. Pikes 
of wild fire to strike burning into a ship side to fire her. There is also 
divers sorts of Granados, some to breake and fly in abundance of peeces 
every way, as will your brasse balls & earthen pots which when they are 
covered with quartered bullets stucke in pitch, and the pots filled with 
good powder, in a crowd of people will make an incredible slaughter; some 
will burne under water, and never extinguish till the stuffe bee consumed; 
some onely will burne and fume out a most stinking poison smoke; some, 
being but onely an Oile, being nointed on any thing made of dry wood, will 
take fire by the heat of the Sunne when the Sunne shines hot. There is 
also a Powder, which being laid in like manner upon any thing subject to 
burne, will take fire if either any raine or water light upon it; but 
those inventions are bad on shore, but much worse at Sea, and are naught 
because so dangerous, and not easie to bee quenched, and their practise 
worse, because they may doe as much mischiefe to a friend as to an enemy, 
therefore I will leave them as they are.

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Powder. Serpentine powder. Grosse corned Powder. Fine corned Powder.

There are also divers sorts of Powder, the Serpentine is like dust and 
weake, and will not keepe at Sea but be moist. The common sort is great 
corned powder but grosse, and onely used in great Ordnance. Your fine 
corned Powder for hand Guns is in goodnesse as your Salt Peter is oft 
refined, and from ten pence a pound to eighteene pence a pound.

A Tomkin. A Fid. Shackels.

A Tomkin is a round peece of wood put into the Peeces mouth and covered 
with Tallow, and a fid a little Okum made like a naile put in at the 
toutch hole, and covered with a thin lead bound above it to keepe the 
Powder dry in the Peece. Shackels are a kinde of Rings but not round, made 
like them at the hatches cornes (by which we take them up and lay them 
downe) but bigger, fixed to the middest of the ports within boord, through 
which wee put a billet to keepe fast the port for flying open in foule 
weather, which may easily indanger, if not sinke the Ship. To cloy or 
poison a Peece, is to drive a naile into her toutch hole, then you cannot 
give fire. And to uncloy her, is to put as much oile as you can about the 
naile to make it glib, and by a traine give fire to her by her mouth, and 
so blow it out.

To cloy a Peece or poyson her. To uncloy. Compasse Callipers. Horne. 
Priming Iron. Lint stocke.

Compasse Callipers belongs to the Gunner, and is like two halfe Circles 
that hath a handle and joint like a paire of Compasses, but they are blunt 
at the points to open as you please for to dispert a Peece. A Horne is his 
touch box, his Primer is a small long peece of iron, sharpe at the small 
end to pierce the Cartrage thorow the toutch hole. His Lint stock is a 
handsome carved stick, more than halfe a yard long, with a Cocke at the 
one end to hold fast his Match, and a sharpe pike in the other to sticke 
it fast upon the Deck or platforme upright. The Gunners quadrant is to 
levell a Peece or mount her to any randon. A darke Lanthorne is as well to 
be used by any body as he. For Morters, or such chambers as are only used 
for triumphs, there is no use for them in this service; but for Curriours 
Hargabusacrocks, Muskets, Bastard-muskets, Colivers, Crabuts, Carbins,

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long Pistols or short Pistols, there belongs to them Bandiliers, bullet 
Bags, Wormes, Scowrers, melting Ladles, Lead, Molds of al sorts to cast 
their shot. Quarter Bullets is but any bullet quartered in foure or eight 
parts, and all those are as usefull a ship-boord as on shore. For the 
soule, trunke, bore, fortification, the diversity of their metals, and 
divers other curious Theormes or tearmes used about great Ordnance, there 
are so many uncertainties as well in her mounting, levelling upon her 
platforme, as also the accidents that may happen in the powder, the 
ground, the aire, and differences in proportion, I will not undertake to 
prescribe any certaine artificiall rule. These proportions following are 
neere the matter, but for your better satisfaction reade Master Digs 
Pantrimetria, Master Smith, or Master Burnes art of Gunnery, or Master 
Robert Nortons Exposition upon Master Digs Stratiaticos, any of those will 
shew the Theoricke at large. But to bee a good Gunner you must learne it 
by practise.

Note that seldome in Ships they use any Ordnance greater than Demy Canons, 
nor have they any certainty either at point blanke or any random.

Note your Serpentine powder in old time was in meale, but now corned and 
made stronger, and called Canon corne powder.

But that for small Ordnance is called corne Powder fine, and ought to have 
in strength a quarter more, because those small Peeces are better 
fortified than the greater.

Now if you have but one sort of Powder for all, abate 1/4 part, and cut 
off 1/4 of the bredth and length of your Ladle.

But Cartrages are now found the best and most readiest.

Provided alwaies, that all Shot must be a quarter lesse than the height of 
the Peece.

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[image caption: A Table of proportion for the weight and shooting of great 
Ordnance.]



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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 Sea men, 
and the use of the petty Tally.

Shares.

THe ship hath one third part, the victuallar the other third, the other 
third part is for the Company, and this is subdivided thus in shares.

In English ships they seldome use any Marshall, whose shares amongst the 
French is equall with the Boatswaines,

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all the rest of the Younkers, or fore-mast-men according to their deserts, 
some 3. some 2. and 1/2. some 1. and 1/2. and the boyes 1. which is a 
single share, or 1. and 1/2. or as they doe deserve.

Now the Master, or his right hand Mate, the Gunner, Boatswaine, and foure 
quarter Masters doe make the shares, not the Captaine, who hath onely this 
privilege, to take away halfe a share, or a whole share at most, to give 
from one to another as he best pleaseth.

For to learne to observe the Altitude, Latitude, Longitude, Amplitude, the 
variation of the Compasse, the Suns Azimuth and Almicanter, to shift the 
Sunne and Moone, and know the tides, your Roomes, pricke your Card, say 
your Compasse, and get some of these bookes, but practice is the best.

Master Wrights errours of Navigation. 
Master Tapps Sea-mans Kalender. 
The Art of Navigation. 
The Sea Regiment. 
The Sea-mans secret. 
Waggoner. 
Master Gunters workes. 
The Sea-mans glasse for the Scale. 
The New Attracter for variation. 
Master Wright for use of the Globe. 
Master Hewes for the same.
Instruments fitting for a Sea-man.

Compasses so many paire and sorts as you will, an Astrolobe Quadrant, a 
Crosse staffe, a Backe staffe, an Astrolobe, a Nocturnall.

Advertisments for young Commanders, captaines, and other Officers.
Young Gentlemen that desires command at Sea, ought well to consider the 
condition of his ship, victuall, and company, for if there be more 
learners than sailers how slightly soever many esteeme sailers, all the 
worke to save, ship, goods, and lives must lie upon them, especially in

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fowle weather, then their labour, hazzard, wet, and cold, is so incredible 
I cannot expresse it. It is not then the number of them that here can say 
at home what I cannot doe I can quickly learne, and what a great matter is 
it to saile a ship, or goe to Sea; surely those for a good time will doe 
more trouble than good, I confesse it is most necessary such should goe, 
but not too many in one ship; for if the labour of threescore should lie 
upon thirty, (as many times it doth) they are so over-charged with labour, 
bruises, and overstraining themselves they fall sick of one disease or 
other, for there is no dallying nor excuses with stormes, gusts, 
overgrowne Seas, and lee-shores, and when their victuall is putrified it 
endangers all: Men of all other professions in lightning, thunder, 
stormes, and tempests with raine and snow may shelter themselves in dry 
houses by good fires, but those are the chiefe times Sea-men must stand to 
their tackling, and attend with all diligence their greatest labour upon 
the deckes. Many suppose any thing is good enough to serve men at sea, and 
yet nothing sufficient for them ashore, either for their healthes, for 
their ease, or estates, or state; A Commander at Sea should doe well to 
thinke the contrary, and provide for himselfe and company in like manner; 
also seriously to consider what will bee his charge to furnish himselfe at 
Sea with bedding, linnen, armes, and apparrell, how to keepe his table 
aboord, and his expences on shore, and provide his petty Tally, which is a 
competent proportion according to your number of these particulars 
following.

The petty Tally.

Fine wheat flower close and well packed, Rice, Currands, Sugar, Prunes, 
Cynamon, Ginger, Pepper, Cloves, greene Ginger, Oyle, Butter, Holland 
cheese, or old Cheese, Wine vineger, Canarie sacke, Aqua vitæ, the best 
Wines, the best waters, the juyce of Limons for the scurvy, white Bisket, 
Oatmeale, gammons of Bacon, dried Neats tongues, Beefe packed up in 
vineger, Legs of Mutton minced and stewed, and close packed up, with tried 
sewet or butter in earthen pots. To entertaine strangers Marmalad, 
Suckets, Almonds, Comfits and such like.

The use of the petty Tally.

Some it may be will say I would have men rather to feast than fight; But I 
say the want of those necessaries occasions the losse of more men than in 
any English fleet hath beene slaine since 88. For when a man is ill, or at 
the point of death, I would know whether a dish of buttered Rice with a 
little Cynamon, Ginger, and Sugar, a little minced meat, or rost Beefe, a 
few stewed Prunes, a race of greene Ginger, a Flap-jacke, a can of fresh 
Water brewed with a little Cinamon, Ginger, and Sugar bee not better than 
a little poore John, or salt fish with oile and mustard, or bisket, 
butter, cheese, or oatmeale pottage on fish dayes, or on flesh dayes salt 
Beefe, Porke, and Pease with six shillings beere, this is your ordinary 
ships allowance, and good for them are well if well conditioned, which is 
not alwayes as Sea-men can (too well) witnesse. And after a storme, when 
poore men are all wet, and some have not so much as a cloth to shift him, 
shaking with cold, few of those but wil tell you a little Sacke or Aqua 
vitæ is much better to keepe them in health, than a little small beere, or 
cold water although it be sweet. Now that every one should provide those 
things for himselfe, few of them have either that providence or meanes, 
and there is neither Ale-house, Taverne, nor Inne to burne a faggot in, 
neither Grocer, Poulterer, Apothecary, nor Butchers shop, and therefore 
the use of this petty Tally is necessary, and thus to be imploied as there 
is occasion. To entertaine strangers as they are in quality every 
Commander should shew himselfe as like himselfe as he can, as well for the 
credit of the ship, and his setters forth, as himselfe; but in that herein 
every one may moderate themselves according to their owne pleasures, 
therefore I leave it to their owne discretions, and this briefe discourse, 
and my selfe to their friendly construction, and good opinion.

FINIS.