pieces if the Rope and Anchor hold some have used Sheer-hooks which are Hooks like Sickles fixed in the ends of the Yards-arms that if a Ship under sail come to board her those Sheers will cut her Shrowds and spoil her Tackling but they are so subject to break their own Yards and cut all the Ropes comes from the Top-sails they are out of request To conclude if a Ship be open presently to board her is the best way to take her But if you see your Chase strip himself into fighting Sails that is to put out his Colours in the Poop his Flag in the Main-top his Streamers or Pendants at the ends of his Yards-arms furl his Spret-sail pike his Misen and sling his Main yard provide your self to fight Now because I would not be tedious in describing a Fight at Sea I have troubled you with this short Preamble that you may the plainlier understand it CHAP. XIII How to Manage a Fight at Sea with the proper Terms in a Fight largely expressed and the ordering of a Navy at Sea FOR this Master-piece of this Work I confess I might do better to leave it to every particular mans conceit as it is or those of longer practice or more experience yet because I have seen many Books of the Art of War by Land and never any for the Sea seeing all men so silent in this most difficult service and there are so many young Captains 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 far now for this that follows what I have seen done and conceived by my small experience I refer me to their friendly constructions and well advised considerations A Sail how bears she or stands she to Windward or Lee-ward set him by the Compass he stands right a head or on the Weather-Bow or Lee Bow let flie your colours if you have a confort else not Out with all your Sails a steady man to the helm sit close to keep her steady give him chase or fetch him up he holds his own no we gather on him Captain out-goes his Flag and Pendants also his Waste Clothes and Top-armings which is a long red Cloth about three quarters of a yardbroad edged on each side with Calico or white Linnen Cloth that goeth round about the Ship on the out-sides of all her upper works fore and aft and before the Cubbridge heads also about the fore and main Tops as well for the countenance and grace of the Ship as to cover the men from being seen he furles and slings his Main-yard in goes his Spret-sall Thus they use to strip themselves into their short Sails or Fighting Sails which is only the Fore sail the Main and Fore top Sails 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 Master how stands the Chase Right on head I say Well we shall reach him by and by What 's all ready Yea yea every man to his Charge dowse your Top-sail to salute him for the Sea hale him with a noise of Trumpets Whence is your Ship Of Spain Whence is yours Of England Are you a Merchant or a Man of War We are of the Sea He waves us to Leeward with his drawn Sword calls amain for the King of Spain and springs his Loufe give him a Chase-piece with your Broad-side and run a good berth a head of him Done done We have the wind of him and he tacks about Tack you about also and keep your Loufe be yare at the helm edg in with him give him a volley of small shot also your Prow and Broad-side as before and keep your Loufe He pays us shot for shot Well we shall requite him What are you ready again Yea yea Try him once more as before Done done Keep your Loufe and load your Ordnance again Is all ready Yea yea edg in with him again begin with your Bow pieces proceed with your Broad-side and let her fall off with the wind to give her also your full Chase your Weather-Broadside and bring her round that the Stern may also discharge and your Tacks close aboard again Done done the wind veers the Sea goes too high to board her and we are shot through and through and between wind and water Try the Pump bear up the Helm Master let us breath and refresh a little and sling a man over-board to stop the Leaks that is to trufs him up about the middle in a piece of Canvas and a rope to keep him from sinking and his arms at liberty with a Malet in the one hand and 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 cheer Mates is all well All well all well all well Then make ready to bear up with him again and withal your great and small shot charge him and in the smoke board him thwart the Hawse on the Bow mid-Ships or rather than fail on his Quarter or make fast your Graplings if you can to his close Fights and shear off Captain we are fowl on each other and the Ship is on fire cut any thing to get clear and smother the fire with wet Clothes In such a case they will presently be such friends as to help one the other all they can to get clear lest they both should burn together and sink and if they be generous the fire quenched drink kindly one to another heave their Cans over-board and then begin again as before Well Master the day is spent the night draws on let us consult Chirurgion look to the wounded and wind up the slain with each a weight or Bullet at their Heads and Feet to make them sink and give them three Guns for their Funerals Swabber make clean the Ship Purser record their Names Watch be vigilant to keep your berth to wind-ward that we lose him not in the night Gunners spunge your Ordnance Souldiers scowre your Pieces Carpenters about your Leaks Boatswain and the rest repair the Sails and Shrowds and Cook you observe your directions against the Morning watch Boy Holla Master Holla is the Kettle boiled Yea yea Boatswain call up the men to Prayer and Break-fast 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 Pieces as we have Ports to bear upon him Master lay him aboard Loufe for Loufe Mid-ships men see the Tops and Yards well Manned with Stones Fire pots and Brass-bails to throw amongst them before we enter or if we be put off charge them with all your great and small
at the further end to keep the Yard steady and with a Boom Boom it out this we call a Goose wing Who is at Helm there Sirra you must be amongst the Points Well Master the Channel is broad enough yet you cannot steer betwixt a pair of sheats Those are words of mockery betwixt the Gunner and the Stearsman But to proceed Get your Larboard Tackes aboard hale off your Starboard sheats keep your course upon the Point you are directed Port he will lay her by the Lee the stays or back-stays that is when all the Sails flutter in the wind and are not kept full that is full of wind they fall upon the Mast and Shrowds so that the Ship goes a drift upon her broad side fill the Sails keep full full and by Make ready to Tack about is for every man to stand to handle the Sails and ropes they must hale Tack about is to bear up the Helm and that brings her to stay all her Sails lying flat against the Shrowds then as she turns we say she is payed then let rise your Lee tacks and hale off your Sheats and trim all your Sails as they were before which is cast off that Boling which was the weather-Boling and hale up taue the other So all your Sheats Braces and Tacks are trimmed by a wind as before To belay is to make fast the ropes in their proper places Round in is when the wind larges let rise the main-tack and fore-tack and hale aft the fore Sheat to the Cats-head and the main Sheat to the cubbridge head this is Rounding in or Rounding aft the Sail the Sheets being there they hale them down to keep them firm from flying up with a Pasarado which is any rope wherewith we hale down the Sheats blocks of the main or fore-Sail when they are haled aft the clew of the main Sail to the Cubbridge head of the main Mast and the clew of the fore-Sail to the Cat-head Do this when the Ships goes large Observe the height that is at twelve a clock to take the height of the Sun or in the night the North Star or in the forenoon and afternoon if you miss these by finding the Azimuth and Almicanter Dead-water is the Eddy water follows the stern of the Ship not passing away so quickly as that slides by her sides The Wake of a Ship is the smooth water a stern shewing the way she hath gone in the Sea by this we iudge what way she doth make for if the wake be right a stern we know she makes good her way forwards but if to Lee-ward a point or two we then think to the Lee-ward of her course but she is a nimble Ship that in turning or tacking-about will not fall to the Lee ward of her wake when she hath weathered it Disimbogue is to pass some narrow straight or currant into the main Ocean out of some great Gulf or Bay A Drift is any thing floating in the Sea that is of wood Rock-weed doth grow by the shore and is a sign of Land yet it is oft found far in the Sea Lay the Ship by the Lee to trie the Dipsea line which is a small line some hundred and fifty fathome long with a long plummet at the end made hollow wherein is put tallow that will bring up any gravel which is first marked at twenty fathome and after increased by tens to the end and those distinguished by so many small knots upon each little string that is fixed at the mark thorow the Strouds or midst of the line shewing it is so many times ten fathome deep where the Plummet doth rest from drawing the line out of your hand this is only used in deep waters when we think we approach the shore for in the Main Sea at 300. fathomes we find no bottom Bring the Ship to rights that is again under Sail as she was some use a Log-line and a minute glass to know what way she makes but that is so uncertain it is not worth the labour to try it One to the Top to look out for Land the man cries out Land to which is just so far as a Kenning or a man may discover descry or see the Land And to Lay a Land is to Sail from it just so far as you can see it A good Land fall is when we fall just with our reckoning if otherwise a Bad Land fall but however how it bears set it by the Compass and bend your Cables to the Anchors A Head-Land or a Poiut of Land doth lie further out at Sea than the rest A Land mark is any Mountain Rock Church Windmil or the like that the Pilot can know by comparing one by another how they bear by the Compass A Reach is the distance of two Points so far as you can see them in a right line as White-Hall and London-bridg or White-Hall and the end of Lambeth towards Chelsey Fetch the Sounding-line this is bigger than the Dipsie-line and is marked of two fathom next the lead with a piece of black leather at three fathom the like but slit at 5 fathom with a piece of white cloth at 7 fathom with a piece of red in a piece of white leather at 15 with a white cloth c. The sounding lead is six or seven pound weight and near a foot long he that doth heave this lead stands by the horse or in the chains and doth sing fathom by the mark 5. 0. and a shaftment less 4. 0. this is to find where the Ship may sail by the depth of the water Foul-water is when she comes into shallow water where she raises the sand or ose with her way yet not touch the ground but she cannot feel her helm so well as in deep water When a Ship sails with a large wind towards the land or a fair wind into a harbour we say she Bears in with the land or harbour And when she would not come neer the land but goeth more Room-way then her course we say she bears off but a Shipboard Bear off is used to every thing you would thrust from you Bear up is to bring the Ship to go large or before the wind To Hold off is when we heave the Cable at the Capstern if it be great and stiffe or slimy with ose it surges or slips back unless they keep it close to the whelps and then they either hold it fast with nippers or brings it to the Jears Capstern and this is called Holding off As you approach the shore shorten your Sails when you are in Harbour take in your Sails and come to an anchor wherein much judgement is required To know well the soundings if it be Nealed to that is deep water close aboard the shore shallow or if the Lee under the weather shore or the Lee shore be sandy clay osie or fowl
Sea I will not take upon me to discourse of as knowing the same to be the secrets of God unrevealed to man only I will set down a Philosophical speculation of divers mens opinions touching the depth of the Sea which I hope will not be thought much impertinent to the subject of this Book by the Judicious Reader Fabianus in Pliny and Cleomides conceived the depth of the Sea to be fifteen Furlongs that is a Mile and â…ž parts Plutarch compared it equal to the highest Mountains Scaliger and others conceited the Hills far surpassed the deepness of the Sea and that in few places it is more than a hundred paces in depth it may be he meant in some narrow Seas but in the main Ocean experience hath taught us it is much more than twice so much for I have sounded 300 fathom yet sound no ground Eratosthenes in Theon that great Mathematician writeth the highest Mountain perpendicular is but ten Furlongs that is one Mile and a quarter Also Dicaearcus affirmeth this to be the height of the Hill Pelius in Thessalia but Xenagoras in Plutarch observed the height of Olympius in the same region to be twenty paces more which is 1270. paces but surely all those mean only those Mountains in or about Greece where they lived and were best acquainted but how these may compare with the Alpes in Asia Atlas in Africa Caucasus in India the Andes in Peru and divers others hath not yet been examined But whatsoever the Hills may be above the Superficies of the Earth many hold opinion the Sea is much deeper who suppose that the Earth at the first framing was in the superficies regular and Spherical as the Holy Scripture directs us to believe because the water covered and compassed all the face of the Earth also that the face of the Earth was equal to that of the Sea Damascene noteth that the unevenness and irregularity which now is seen in the Earth's Superficies was caused by taking some parts out of the upper face of the Earth in sundry places to make it more hollow and lay them in other places to make it more convex or by raising up some part and depressing others to make room and receit for the Sea that mutation being wrought by the power of the word of the Lord Let the waters be gathered into one place that the dry land may appear As for Aquinas Dionysius Catharianus and some Divines that conceited there was no mutation but a violent accumulation of the waters or heaping them up on high is unreasonable because it is against nature that water being a flexible and a ponderous body so to consist and stay it solf and not fall to the lower parts about it where in nature there is nothing to hinder it or if it be restrained supernaturally by the hand and bridle of Almighty God lest it should overwhelm and drown all the Land it must follow that God even in the very institution of Nature imposed a perpetual violence upon Nature And this withal that at the Deluge there was no necessity to break up the Springs of the Deep and to open the Cataracts of Heaven and pour down water continually so many days and nights together seeing the only withdrawing of that hand or leting go of that bridle which restraineth the water would presently have overwhelmed all But both by Scriptures the experience of Navigators and reason in making estimation of the depth of the Sea reckon not only the height of the Hills above the common Superficies of the Earth but the height of all the dry Land above the Superficies of the Sea because the whole mass of Earth that now appeareth above the waters being taken as it were out of the places which the waters now possess must be equal to the place out of which it was taken so consequently it seemeth that the height or elevation of the one should answer the descending or depth of the other and therefore in estimating the depth of the Sea we consider not only the erection of the Hills above the ordinary land but the advantage of the dry land above the Sea which latter I mean the height of the ordinary main-land excluding the Hills which properly answer the extraordinary Deeps and Whirl-pools in the Sea The rest is held more in large Continents above the Sea than that of the Hills is above the land For that the plain face of the dry land is not level or equally distant from the Center but hath a great descent towards the Sea and a rising towards the midland parts although it appear not plainly to the eye yet to reason it is most manifest because we find that part of the Earth the Sea covereth descendeth lower and lower towards the Sea For the Sea which touching the upper face of it is known by nature to be level and evenly distant from the Center is observed to wax deeper and deeper the further one saileth from the shore towards the main Ocean even so in that part which is uncovered the streamings of Rivers on all sides from the Midland parts towards the Sea sliding from the higher to the lower declareth so much whose courses are some 1000. or 2000 miles in which declination Pliny in his derivation of water requireth one cubit of declining in 240 foot of proceeding But Columella Vitruvius Paladius and others in their conduction of waters require somewhat less namely that in the proceeding of 200 foot forward there should be allowed one foot of descending downward which yet in the course of 1000. miles as Danubius Volgha or Indus c. have so much or more which will make five miles of descent in perpendicular account and in the course of 2000. or more as Nilus Niger and the River of the Amazons have ten miles or more of the like descent These are not taken as rules of necessity as though water could not run without that advantage for that respect the conveyers of waters in these times content themselves with one Inch in 600. foot as Philander and Vitruvius observed but is rather under a rule of commodity for expedition and wholsomeness of water so conveyed lest resting too long in Pipes it should contract some unwholsome condition or else through the slackness of motion or long closeness or banishment from the air gather some aptness and disposition to putrifie Although I say such excess of advantage as in the Artificial conveyance of Waters the forenamed Authors require be not of necessity exacted in the natural derivation of them yet certain it is that the descent of Rivers being continually and their course long and in many places swift and in some places headlong and furious the differences of height or advantage cannot be great betwixt the springs of the Rivers and their outlets betwixt the first rising out of the Earth and their falling into the Sea unto which declivity of land seeing the deepness of the Sea in proportion answer
Ship always sails contrary to the Helm In keeping the Ship near the Wind these terms are used Loof Keep your Loof Fall not off Veer no more keep her to touch the Wind have a care of the Lee-latch To make her go more large they say Ease the Helm no near bear up To keep her upon the same Point they use Steddy or as you go and the like The Ship goes Lasking Quartering Veering or Large are terms of the same signification viz. that she neither goes by a Wind nor before the wind but betwixt both The Course is that Point of the Compass on which the Ship sails Also the Sails are called Courses Cut the Sail that is unfurl it and let it fall down A sail is well cut that is well fashioned D Dead-water the Eddy-water at the Stern of the Ship To Disembogue is to go out of the Mouth or Strait of a Gulph To dispart is to find out the Difference of Diameters of Metals betwixt the breech and mouth of a Piece of Ordnance The Deck is flush fore and aft that is is laid from stem to stern without any falls or risings E End for End a Term used when a Rope runs all out of the block so that it is unreeved as when a Cable or Hawser runs all out at the Hawse we say the Cable at the Hawse is run out End for End F A Fathom a Measure containing six Feet A Fack is one Circle of any Rope or Cable quoil'd up round To farthel or furl a Sail is to wrap it up close together and bind it with little strings called Caskets fast to the Yard To fish a Mast or Yard is to fasten a piece of Timber or Plank to the Mast or Yard to strengthen it which Plank is called a Fish To lower or strike the Flag is to pull it down upon the Cap. and in Fight is a token of yielding but otherwise of great respect To heave out the Flag is to wrap it about the Staff Free the Boat or Ship is to bale or pump the water out G The Ships Gage is so many Foot as she sinks in the Water or to speak now like a Sea-man so many Foot of Water as she draws Weather Gage is when one Ship has the Wind or is to weather of another A loom Gale a little Wind. One Ship gales away from another In fair weather when there is but little Wind that Ship which hath most Wind and sails fastest is said to gale away from the other To greave a Ship is to bring her to lye dry a ground to burn off her old filth The Ship gripes that is turns her Head to the Wind more than she should H To Hale is the same as to pull To over Hale is when a Rope is haled too stiff to hale it the contrary way thereby to make it more slack To hail a Ship is to call to her Company to know whither they are bound c. and is done after this manner Hâa the Ship or only Hôa To which they answer Hâe Also to salute another Ship with Trumpets or the like is called Hailing Fresh the Hawse a term used when that part of the Cable that lies in the Hawse is fretted or chafed and they would have more Cable veered out that another part of it may rest in the Hawse When two Cables that come through two several Hawses are twisted the untwisting them is called clearing the Hawse Thwart the Hawse and rides upon the Hawse are terms used when a Ship lies thwart or cross or with her Stern just before another Ships Hawse Note That the Hawses are the great Holes under the Head of the Ship through which the Cables run when she lies at Anchor The Ship heels that is inclines more to one side than the other as she heels to Starboard that is turns up her Larboard-side to lie down on the Starboard To Hitch is to catch hold The Hold of a Ship is that part betwixt the Keelson and the lower Deck where all Goods Stores and Victuals do lie Rummidge the Hold is used for removing or clearing the Goods and things in the Hole Stowing the Hold is when they take goods into the Hold. To Hoise is to hale or lift up as Hoise the water in Hoise up the Yards Hulling when a Ship is at Sea and takes in all her Sails she is said to Hull L The Ship Labours that is rowls and tumbles much Land fall is a term used when we expect to see Land as we had a good Land fall that is made Land or saw Land according to our Reckoning Land-locked is when the Land lies round about us so that no point is open to the Sea Land-to A Ship is said to lie Land-to when she is at so great a distance as only just to discern the Land To Lash is to bind as Lash the Fish on to the Mast that is bind it to the Mast. Launch is to put out as to Launch a Ship is to put her forth of the Dock into the water but it is sometimes likewise used in a Negative sense as when a Yard is hoisted high enough they usually call aloud Launch-hôe that is hoise no more To lay the Land is to lose sight of it The Lee shore is that shore against which the Wind blows Have a care of the Lee latch that is take heed the Ship go not too much to Lee-wards A Ship lies by the Lee that is has all her fails lying flat against the Masts and Shrouds M Mizon Sail hath several words peculiar to it as Set the Mizon that is fit the Mizon sail Change the Mizon that is bring the Yard to the other side of the Mast Speek the Mizon that is put the Yard right up and down by the Mast Spell the Mizon that is let go the Sheet and peek it up To moor a Ship is to lay out her Anchors in such a manner as is most convenient for her to ride by safely N Neap tides are the Tides when the Moon is in the second and last Quarter and they are neither so high nor so low nor so swift as the Spring-tides A Ship is beneaped a term used when the water does not slow high enough to bring a ship from off the ground or out of a Dock or over a Bar. O The Offing that is fromward the shore or out into the Sea as The Ship stands for the Offing that is sails from the shore into the Sea When a Ship keeps the middle of the Channel and comes not near the shore she is said to keep in the Offing Off-ward is contrary to the shore as the stern of a Ship lies to the Offward and her head to the shore-Ward that is her stern lies toward the Sea and her head to the shore Overset is turning over but if a Ship turn over on a side when she is trimming a ground it is called overthrown P To Parcel a seam is after the Seam is caulked to lay