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
Sulphur in Meal two pound Rozen three pound Turpentine one pound Vert-degreace half a pound Bolearmonick 5 Ounces Bay Salt six Ounces Colofonia 3 Ounces Arsnick 2 Ounces Mix these very well together This Composition when fired will burn very furiously with a Blew and Greenish colour The Cases Bags or Balls which you fill with this Composition must when filled be Armed about with strong Twine or Cord and then covered over with this mixture melted in a Pot. Pitch 4 pound Lin-seed Oyl one pound Turpentine 5 Ounces Sulphur one pound Tar 5 Ounces Tallow one pound Your Fire-works thus prepared are fit for service at any time but when this outer Coating is cold bore two holes with an Iron Bodkin filling the same with fine Mealed Powder putting in a small stick at each hole which take out when you prime them for firing Fire-works made of the Composition and Arming as aforesaid may be ordered so as to be thrown out of mens hands shot out of a Musket or out of a Cross or Long Bow which may be of good use to fire Sails Thatched Houses Stacks of Corn or Hay c. To make a Composition that will burn and feed upon the water Take of Mastick half a pound White Frankincense Gum Sandrake Quick Lime Brimstone Camphire Gun powder of each one pound and a half Rozen one pound Salt-Peter four pounds and a half All these mixed together when fired will burn violently and feed upon the water To make a Composition that will burn under the Water Take of Brimstone one pound Gun-powder ten Ounces Salt-Peter one pound and a half Camphire beaten with Sulphur and Quick-silver Mix these well together with Oyl of Peter or Lin-seed Oyl boyled fill a Ball or other Case of Wood or Tin with this Composition Arm it as before and ballast it with Lead at the bottom make a small hole at the top and fire it well and throw it into the Water FINIS OF THE MEASURING OF Heights Depths and Distances I. How to take the Height of a Tree Tower Steeple or other upright Building by the Length of the Shadow thereof Fig. I. LEt BA be a Castle-Wall or the like and the Sun shining casts the Shadow thereof upon plain ground to C now having a Walking-staffe in my hand I set that upright at the end of the shadow of the Wall at C and I find that my Staffe casts its shadow to E where I make a Mark as also another at C then measuring my Staffe I find it to be 38 Inches long and measuring the length of the shadow thereof CE I find that to be 46 Inches Then Imeasure the length of the Shadow of the Castle Wall AC and I find that to be 30 foot which is 360 Inches Now for the height of the Castle Wall you must work by the Rule of Proportion thus Saying As CE the Length of the Shadow of my Staffe 46 Inches Is in proportion to the Length of Staffe CD 38 Inches So is AC the Length of the Shadow of the Wall 360 Inches To 435 30 â—8 Inches for the height of the Castle Wall which you may call 436 Inches For If you multiply 46 the Length of the Shadow of the Staffe by 360 the Length of the Shadow of the Wall the Product will be 16560 which being divided by 38 Inches the length of the Staffe the Quotient will be 435 10 18 Inches which reduced into Feet is 36 foot 3 Inches and 30 38 of an Inch which you may call 4 Inches and so high is the Castle Wall II. How to take the height of a Watch-Tower by the Shadow when you cannot come to the bottome of it to measure the length of the Shadow Fig. II. LEt AB be a Watch Tower whose height I would know by the Shadow thereof but there is a Moat about it as BC so that I cannot come to measure the Shadow thereof However I come near to the Moat side and there I find the Shadow of the top of the Tower to cast at C where I erect my Staffe CG and that casts its Shadow to H I measure the Length of my Staffe and I find it 4 foot or 48 Inches and the Length of the Shadow thereof CH I find to be 32 Inches these two I note down Then some time after when the Sun is lower I come again to the place and find the Shadow of the top of the Tower to cast at D where again I erect the same Staffe of 4 foot long and find that it casts its Shadow to E and that the length of the Shadow thereof DE is 4 foot 5 inches or 53 inches and somewhat better this I also set down and then I measure the distance between the two places where the Tower casts its Shadow at the First and Second time of my Observation namely the distance CE and find it to be 10 foot or 120 inches And now having all these numbers set down I come to find the Height of the Tower AB by help of the Rule of Proportion as followeth 1 As DE the length of the Shadow of the Staffe DF at the Second Observation 53 Inches Is to 48 Inches the length of the Staffe So is 10 foot or 120 Inches the Length of the Shadow between the two places of Observation C and D To 108 Inches or 9 foot Which number 9 foot or 108 Inches set down And say again by Proportion 2 As 48 Inches the Length of the Staffe GC Is to 10 foot or 120 Inches the distance between the two places of Observation C and D So is 108 Inches the Number before found To 270 Inches the Height of the Tower which reduced into Feet is 22 foot 6 Inches III. How to take the Altitude of any upright building or the like by a Bowle of Water Fig. III. TRavelleing a long the Road I see a May-pole as KL the height whereof I would gladly know but having no Geometrical Instrument I procure a Bowl of fair Water which I set down upon the ground at M. And then when the Water is still in the Bowl I go backward in a right line from the May-pole till I see the Shadow of the top of the May-pole in the middle of the Water which I do when I come at N and at N I make a Mark upon the Ground Then do I measure the distance from the foot of the May-pole at L to the Bowl of Water at M and find it to be 175 Inches Also I measure the distance from the Bowl of Water at M to the place of my standing at N and find that to be 72 Inches Then I measure the Height of my eye from the Ground ON and find that to be 60 Inches These things known I say by the Rule of Proportion If 72 Inches distance MN give 60 Inches Altitude NO What Altitude shall 175 Inches the distance LM give Answer 145 60 72 Inches For if you multiply 175 by 60 the Product will be 10500 which