AN ACCIDENCE OR The Pathway to EXPERIENCE. Necessary for all Young Seamen, or those that are desirous to go to Sea, briefly showing the Phrases, Offices, and Words of Command, Belonging to the Building, Ridging, and Sailing, a Man of War; And how to manage a Fight at Sea. Together with the Charge and Duty of every Officer, and their Shares: Also the Names, Weight, Charge, Shot, and Powder, of all sorts of great Ordnance. With the use of the Petty Tally. Written by Captain JOHN SMITH sometimes Governor of Virginia, and Admiral of New ENGLAND. LONDON: Printed for Ionas Man, and Benjamin Fisher, and are to be sold at the sign of the Talbot, in Aldersgate street. 1627. ❧ TO ALL THE RIGHT HONOURABLE And most Generous Lords in England, and Others: Especially of his Majesty's Pri●y Council, and Council of War. RIGHT HONOURABLE: In regard of the Present occasion, for the Art of Navigation, and many young Gentlemen and Valiant spirits of all sorts, do desire to try their Fortunes at sea: I have been persuaded to Print this discourse, being a subject I never see writ before. Not as an instruction to Mariners nor Sailors, whom I entreat rather amend it, then condemn it, confessing it might be a task for a most excellent Seaman; But as an intraduction for such as wants experience, and are desirous to learn what belongs to a Seaman; for the advansing of that incomparable faculty, seeing you are in place, both of power and Authority; ay most humbly present it to Your Honour's Considerations: No more but sacring all my best abilities to the exquisite judgement of your renowned Virtues, I ever rest Your Lordships ever most humbly devoted, JOHN SMITH. TO THE READER; AND ALL GENEROUS AND Noble Adventures by Sea; And Wellwishers to NAVIGATION. ESPECIALLY THE MASTERS, Wardens, and Assistance of the TRINITY-HOUSE. Worthy Readers: HOW ever your perfections may censure my imperfections; I know not, my greatest error in this is but a desire to do good, which disease hath ever haunted m●e since my childhood, and all the miseries and ingratitudes I have endured, cannot yet divert me from that resolution: As both Europe, Asia, Africa, and America can partly witness, if all their extremities hath taught me any thing, I have not kept it for my own particular, I know well I am blamed for not concealing that, that time and occasion hath taught me to reveal, as at large you may read in the life of Sigismundus Bathor Prince of Transiluania, writ by his Secretary Francisco Fernezsa. New England's Trials With the General History of Virginia, New England, and the Summer Isles, that the most of those fair plantations did spring from the fruits of my adventers and discoveries is evident, although their returns as yet doth not answer the world's expectation, nor my desire; yet how they have proceeded every year since their first original, to this present, by the Maps therein, you may plainly see the Descriptions of the Countries by the Story, what they are, what good they might be to this Kingdom, how they have been used and abused, how the defects might be amended, the Plainters made happy, God and the King well pleased and served, and all the Honourable and worthy Adventurers contented! Whatsoever malice or ignorance can feign to the contrary, for this small Pamphlet, if I find you kindly and friendly accept it. I mean ●re long, more largely to explain the particulars: So I rest, To Christ and my Country a true Soldier, and faithful Servant, John Smith. An Accidence for Young Seamen: OR, Their Pathway to Experience. The Captain's charge. THE Captain's charge is to command all, and tell the Master to what Port he will go, or to what height, In a fight he is to give direction for the managing thereof, and the Master is to see to the cunning the Ship, and trimming the sails. The Master and his Mates. The Master and his Mate is to direct the course, command all the Sailors, for steering, trimming and sailing the Ship, his Mates are only his Seconds, allowed sometimes for the two Mid-ships men, that aught to take charge of the first prize. The Pilot. The Pilot when they make land, doth take the charge of the Ship till he bring her to Harbour. The Capemerchant and Purser. The Cape merchant and Purser hath the charge of all the Caragasoune or Merchandise, and the Purser doth keep an Account of all that is received and delivered, but a Man of War hath only a Purser. The Gunner with his Mate, and quarter Gunner. The Master Gunner hath the charge of the Ordinances, Shot, Powder, Match, Ladles, Sponges, Cartrages, Arms and Fireworks, and the rest every one to receive his charge from him according to directions, and to give an account of his store. The Carpenter and his Mate. The Carpenter and his Mate is to have the Nails, Clinches, rove and clinch-nailes, spikes, plates, rudder-irons, called pintels and gudgeons, pumpe-nailes, skupper-nailes and leather, saws, files, hatchets and such like, and ever ready for calking, breaming, stopping leaks, fishing or spliceing the Masts or Yards, as occasion requireth, and to give an account of his store. The Beteswaine and his Mate. The Boatswain is to have the charge of all the Cordage, tackling, sails, fids, and marling spikes, needles, twine, and saile-cloth, and rigging the ship, his Mate the command of the long boat, for the setting forth of Anchors, weighing and fetching home an Anchor, warping, towing, and moreing, and to give an account of his store. The Chirurgeon and his Mate. The Chirurgeon is exempted from all duty but to attend the sick, and cure the wounded, and good care Would be had, he have a certificate from the Barber-surgeons Hall of his sufficiency, and also that his Chest be well furnished both for Physic and Chirurgery, and so near as may be proper for that clime you go for, which neglect hath been the loss of many a man's life. The Marshal. The Marshal is to punish offenders, and to see justice executed according to directions, as ducking at Yards arm, hawling under the Keel, bound to the Capsterne, or main Mast with a basket of shot about his neck, setting in the bilbowes, and to pay the Cobty or the Morryoune. But the Boys, the Boatswain is to see every Monday at the chest to say their Compass, which done, they are to have a quarter can, and a biscuit of bread. The Corporal. The Corporal is to see the setting and relieving the watch, and see all the soldiers and sailors keep their Arms clean, neat and you're, and teach them their use. The Steward and his Mate. The Steward is to deliver out the victual, according to the Captain's directions, and mess them 4, 5, or 6, as there is occasion. The quarter Maisters. The quarter Maisters hath the charge of the hold for stowage, rommageing, and trimming the ship, and of their squadrons for their Watch, a Sayne, a Fisgigg, a Harping iron, Fishhooks, for Porgos, Bonetoes, or Dorados, etc. and railing lines for Mackerel. The Cowper and his Mate. The Cowper is to look to the cask, hoops and twigs, to stave or repair the buckets, Baricoes, Cans, steepe-tubs, runlets, hogsheads, pipes, butts, etc. for wine, beer, cider, beverage, fresh water, or any liquor. The Coxeswaine and his Mate. The Coxswaine is to have a choice to attend the Skiffe to go to and again as occasion commandeth. The Cook and his Mate. The Cook is to dress and deliver out the Victual, he hath his store of quarter cans, small cans, platters, spoons, lanterns, etc. and is to give his account of the remainder. Th' 〈◊〉. The Swabber is to wash and keep clean the ship and maps. The Liar. The Liar is to hold his place but for a week, and he that is first taken with a lie, every Monday is so proclaimed at the main Mast by a general cry, A liar, a liar, a liar, he is under the Swabber, and only to keep clean the beakhead and chains. The Sailors. The Sailors are the ancient men for hoisting the sails, getting the tacks aboard, hawling the Bowlines, and steering the ship. The Yonkers. The Younkers are the young men called Foremast men, to take in the Topsayles, or Top and yard, Furl, and Sling the main Sail, Bousing or Trysing, and take their turn at Helm. The Lieutenant. The Lieutenant is to associate the Captain, and in his absence to execute his place, he is to see the Marshal and Corporal do their duties, and assist them in instructing the Soldiers, and in a fight the Forecastle is his place, to make good, as the Captain doth the half deck, and the quarter Masters, and mid-ships men, but in the State's men of War he is allowed as necessary as a Lieutenant on shore. How to divide the Company. When you set sail and put to sea, the Captain is to call up the company, and the one half to go to the Starreboord, the other to the Larboard, as they are chosen, the Master choosing first one, than his mate another, and so forward till they be divided in two parts, than each man is to choose his Mate, Consort, or Comrado, then divide them into squadrons according to your numbers and burden of your ship: but care would be had, that there be not two Comorados upon one watch, because they may have the more room in their Cabons' to rest. To give a true Arithmetical and Geometrical proportion for the building of ships, were they all built after one mould, as also of their Yeards, Masts, Cables, Cordage and Sails, were all the stuff of like goodness, a methodical rule might be Projected, but it would be too curious for this Discourse, and as much too troublesome either for the Reader or Author, but the principal names of the timbers about the building of a ship, according to his understanding followeth, and how being framed they are fixed. The Principal names of the timbers about the building a ship. First lay the Keel, the Stem, and Starne, in a dry dock, or upon the stocks, and bind them with good knees, then lay all the Flore timbers, and cut your Limber holes above the keel, to bring the water to the well for the pump. Next your Navel timbers, and bind them all with six foot Scarf at the least, the garbel strake is the outside plank next the keel, be sure you have a good sufficient Kelson, and then plank your outside and inside up, with your Top timbers, but the lengthes, breadthes, depths, rakes and burdens are so variable and different, that nothing but experience can possibly teach it. Notes for a Covenant between the Carpenter and the Owner. A Ship of 400, Tons requires a plank of four inches, 300. Tons three inch, small Ships two inch, but none less. For clamps, middle bands and sleepers, they be all of 6. inch plank for binding within. The rest for the sparring up of the works of square 3. inch plank; Lay the beams of the Orlope, if the be 400. Tons at ten foot deep in howl, and all the beams to be bound with two knees at each end, and a stardard knee at every beams end upon the Orlope, all the Orlope to be laid with square three inch plank, and all the planks to be treenailed to the beams. Six foot would be between the beams of the Deck and Orlope, and ten ports on each side upon the lower Orlope, all the binding between them should be with three inch, or two inch plank, and the upper Deck should be laid with so many beams as are fitting with knees to bind them; laying that Deck with spruce deal of 30. foot long, the sap cut off, and two inches thick, for it is better than any other. Then for the Captains Cabin or great Cabin, the stearage, the half Deck, the round house, the Forecastle and to bind an end with a Capsterne and all things fitting for the Sea, the Smith's work, the carving, joining, and painting excepted, are the principal things I remember to be observed, for a Charter-party betwixt the Merchant, the Master and the Owner, you have Precedents of all sorts in most Scriveners shops. General sea terms belonging to ships. A dry Dock, the stocks, the keel, the esteem, the stern, the starne-post, the flower, the sleepers, rising timbers, garble strake, her rake, the fore reach, planks, bindings, knees, bolts, trunions, brasers, riders, the Orlope, the ports, the bend, the bow, the hawse, the hawses, the deck, the partners, a flush deck, fore and aft, the ram heads, the Knights, a half deck, a quarter deck, the bulk, the bulks head, the scuttle, the hatches, the hatches way, the holes in the comings, pitch, tar, rosin, okum, calking. In the stearage room, the whip, the bittakell, the travas board, the Compass, the Fly, the needle, the lantern, the socket. About the Gun-roome, the tiler, the rudder, the pintels, the gudgeons, the bread-roome, the ships run. The powder-roome, the Steward's room, the cook room, the great cabbon, the gallery, a cabin, a hanging cabin, a Hamacke, the lockers, the round-house, the counter, the wayst, the wayst-boords, the gunwayle, stations for the nettings, a chain through the stations, or breft-ropes. What belongs to the Pump. The Pump, the pumps well, the pumps broke, the pumps can, the pumps chain, the spindle, the box, the clap, the pump is choked, the pump sucks, the ship is stanche. What belongs to the fore castle. The forecastle, or prow, the beakhead, the bits, the fish-hooke, a loufe hook, and the blot at the David's end, the Cat, Cat's head and Cats holes, the ships draught. The Masts, Caps and Yeards. The bowl spret, the pillow, the sturrop, the spret sail, the spret sail yard, the spret sail top mast; the spret sail top sail yard, the foremast, the fore yard, the fore top, the fore top mast, the fore top sail yard, the fore top gallant mast, the fore top gallant sail yard, coats and wouldings for all masts and yards, Grummets and staples for all yards. The trussell trees or cross trees, the main mast, the step in the kelson, where it puts its heel, as doth also the fore mast, the main yard, the main top, the main top mast, the main top sail yard, the top gallant mast, the main top gallant sail yard, the truck, or flag staff. The mizzen, the mizzen yard, the mizzen top mast, the mizzen top sail yard, in great ships they have two misens', the latter is called the boneaventuer mizzen, than the poop, Lantern and flag staff: when a mast is borne by the board, they make a jury-mast, which is made with yards, rouftrees, or what they can, splised or fished together. The capsterne and other general phrases. The Capsterne, the paul, the whelps, the capsterne bars, a jeer capsterne is only in great ships to hoist their sails, the can hooks, slings and parbunkels, ports and ringbolts and hooks, the skuppers, the skupper holes, the chains, the steep tubs, an entering ladder or cleats, a boy, a can boy, a ship crank sided, Iron sick, spews her okum, a leak ship, the sheathing, furring, carrying, washing and breaming, launching, carving, guilding and painting a ship, ballast, kintlage, canting coins, standing coins, roof trees, a grating, netting or false deck for your close fights. The ropes names in a ship. The entering rope, the boat rope, the bucket rope, the boy rope, guest rope, the cat rope, the port ropes, the keel rope, the rudder rope, the top ropes, the bolt ropes, the breast ropes are now out of use, the water line is. Concerning the tackling and rigging a ship. The tackle are the fore stay, the main stay. The tackles, the mison stay, the collars, the main shrouds and chains, the main top shrouds, the fore shroud, the fore top shroud, the swifters, the mison shrouds, the mison top shrouds, and their ratlings, and the parels to all masts, the main hallyards, the main top sail hallyards, the top gallant sail halyards, the fore hallyards, the fore top sail hallyard, the mizzen hallyard, and the spret sail hallyeard, the horse, the main sheats, the main top sail sheats, the main braces, the main top sail braces, the main bowling and bridles, the main top sail bowlin, the bunt lines, the trusses, the lifts, the earring, the cat harpings; a jeer, leatch lines; the Robins, garnit, Clow garnits, ties, martlits, the most of all these are also belonging to the foremast, mizzen and bowlespret, and hath the same denomination after their masts, only the boulespret hath no bolins, and the mizzen sheats, are called the starne sheats, they have all of them pulleys, blocks, shivers and dead men's eyes, Lanyeards, caskets and crows feet. A snap block is seldom used but in heaving of goods and ordinances. There is also divers other small cordage, as head lines, the knauling gassits or furling lines, marlines, rop yearn, Caburne, Sinnet, paunches and such like. The Cables, hawsers or stream cables, are most used in the water by the Anchors, when they are too short, they shoot one into another when they are galled or break, they splice them, when that way unserviceable, they serve for junkes, fendors and braded plackets for breasts of defence, and then as the rest of the overworn tackling: for rope yarn, caburne, sinnit an okum, sheep's feet is a stay in settling a top mast, and a guy in staying the tackles when they are charged with goods. Terms for the Anchors. The Anchor hath a stock, a ring, a shank, a flouke, the greatest in every ship is called the sheet Anchor, the rest Anchors, a stream Anchor, grapplings or kedgers, bend your cables to your Anchors. The names of the sails. The main sail, the fore sail called sometimes the fore course, the main course or a pair of courses, each of them hath a bonnet and a drabler, the main top sail, the top gallant sail, and in a fair gaile your studding sails, than your mison, your mizzen top sail, your spret sail, and spret sail top sail, a drift sail, a crosiack, a netting sail, twyne, a monk seam, a round seam, a suit of sails, a shift of sails, top Armours, wayst clothes, pendants and colours. The terms for the harbour A channel, a bay, a road, a sound, an offen, a cove, a crike, a river, clear ground, very fast ground, or good anchoring, foul ground, osie ground, sandy ground, clay ground, a headland; a furland, a catch; a land mark. For the wind● A calm, a brese, a fresh gaile, a pleasant jail, a stiff jail, it overblowes, a gust, a storm, a spout, a loumegaile, an eddy wind, a flake of wind, a Turnado, a mouthsoune, a Herycano. Terms for the sea. A calm sea, becalmed, a rough sea, an overgrown sea, the rut of the sea, roaring of the sea, it flows, quarter flood, high water, or a still water, a full sea, a spring tide, ebb, a quarter ebb, half ebb, three quarters ebb, a low water, a dead low water, a nepe tide, a shoule, a ledge of rocks, a breach, a shallow water, deep water, soundings, fdome by the mark, 3 0 d. and a shaftment lest. 4 0 d. disimboage, a gulf, the froth of the sea. terms for steering. Starbord is the right hand, Larbord is the left, starboard the helm, right your helm a loufe, keep your loufe, come no near, keepefull, stidy, so you go well, port, war, no more; bear up the helm, go roumy, beyare at the helm, a fresh man at the helm. Terms of 〈◊〉 A sail, how stands she, to wind ward or leyward, set him by the Compass, he stands right a head; or on the weather bow, or lay bow, out with all your sails, a stydy man to the helm, sit close to keep her stydie. Give chase or fetch him up, he holds his own, no we gather on him, out goeth his flag and pendance or streams, also his Colours, his wast-clothes and top armings, he furles and slings his main sail, in goes his spret sail and mizzen, he makes ready his close fights fore and after; well, we shall reach him by and by. What is all ready? Yea, yea. Every man to his charge, Dowse your top sail, salute him for the sea; Hale him: whence your ship, of Spain, whence is yours, of England, are you Merchants or Men of War, We are of the Sea. He wayses us to leyward for the King of Spain, and keeps his loufe. Give him a chase piece, A broad side, and run a head, make ready to tack about, give him your stern pieces, be you're at helm, hale him with a noise of Trumpets. We are shot through and through, and between wind and water, try the pump. Master let us breathe and refresh a little, sling a man overboard to stop the leak, done, done, is all ready again, Yea, yea: bear up close with him, with all your great and small shot charge him; Board him on his wether quarter, lash fast your graplins and shear off, then run stemlins the mid ships. Board and board, or thwart the hawse; we are foul on each other: The ships on fire; Cut any thing to get clear, and smother the fire with wet clothes, We are clear, and the fire is out, God be thanked. The day is spent, let us consult. Surgeon look to the wounded, wind up the slain, with each a weight or bullet at his head and feet, give three pieces for their funerals. Swabber make clean the ship. Purser record their names; Watch be vigilant to keep your birth to windward: and that we lose him not in the night. Gunner's sponge your Ordinances; Soldiers scour your pieces; Carpenters about your leaks. Boteson and the rest, repair the sails and shrouds. Cook see you observe your directions against the morning watch. Boy, Holla Master, Holla, Is the kettleboyled, yea, yea, Boatswain, call up the men to Prayer and Breakfast. Boy fetch my cellar of Bottles, a health to you all fore and after, courage my hearts for a fresh charge: Master lay him a board loufe for loufe; Mid ships men see the tops and yards well maned with stones and brass balls, to enter them in the shrouds, and every squadron else at their best advantage, sound Drums and Trumpets, and St. George for England They hang out a flag of truce, stand in with him, hale him a main, a base or take in his flag, strike their sails and come aboard, with the Captain, Purser, and Gunner, with your Commission, Cocket, or bills of loading: out goes their Boat, they are launched from the Ship side, Entertain them with a general cry, God save the Captain, and all the Company, with the Trumpets sounding, examine them in particular, and then conclude your conditions with feasting, freedom, or punishment, as you find occasion; other ways if you surprise him or enter perforce, you may stow the men, rifle, pillage, or sack, and cry a prize. To call a Council in a Fleet: there is the Council of War, and the common Council, which hangs their flags out in the main shrouds, or the mizzen. Nor between two Navies they use often, especially in a Harbour or road, where they are at anchor, to fill old Barks with pitch, tar, train oil, linsed oil, brimstone, rosin, reeds, and dry wood and sutets combustible things, sometimes they link three or four together, towed together in the night, and put a drift as they find occasion. To pass a Fort, some will make both ship and sails all black, but if the Fort keep but a fire on the other side, and all their pieces point blank with the fire, if they discharge, what is betwixt them and the fire, the shot will hit, if the rule be truly observed. To conclude, there is as many stratagims, advantages, and inventions to be used, as you find occasions, and therefore experiences must be the best Tutor. Concerning sailing, or working of a Ship. Bend your passerado to the mayne-sayle, get the sails to the yards, about your gear on all hands, hoist your sails, half mast high, make ready to set sail, cross your yards, bring your Cable to the capsterne. Boatswain fetch an Anchor aboard, break ground, or way Anchor, heave a head, men into the tops, men upon the yards, come is the Anchor a pike, heave out your topsails, haule your sheets; What's the Anchor away, yea, yea; Let fall your fore sail, whose at the helm there, coil your cable in small slakes, haul the cat, a bitter, belay, loufe, fast your Anchor with your shank painter, stow the boat, Let sail your main sail, on with your bonnets and drabblers, steer study before the wind. The wind veares, get your starboard tacks aboard, haul off your lay sheats, overhawle the ley bowlin, ease your main brases, out with your spret-saile, flat the fore sheet, pike up the mizzen or brade it, The ship will not wayer, louvre the main top sail, veare a fathom of your sheet, a flown sheate, a fair wind and a boon voyage, the wind shrinks, get your tacks close aboard, make ready your loufe howks and ley fagnes, to take off your bonnits and drabblers, haul close your main bowline: It overcasts, we shall have wind, sattle your top sails, take in the spret sail, in with your topsails, lower your main sails, tallow under the barrels, in with your main sail, lower the fore sail, the sail is split, brade up close all your sails, lash sure the Ordinances, strike your top masts to the cap, make sure your sheep's feet, a storm, hull, lash sure the helm a ley, lie to try our drift, how capes the ship, cun the ship, spoune before the wind, she lusts, she lies under the Sea, try her with a crose-jacke, bowse it up with the out▪ looker, she will founder in the Sea, run on shore, split or billage on a Rock, a wrack, put out a goose-winge, or a hullocke of a sail, fair weather, set your fore sail. Out with all your sails, get your Larbord tacks aboard, haul off your Starboard sheats, go large, laske, beware yawning, the ships at stays, at backe-stayes, over set the ship, flat about, handle your Sails, or trim your sails, let rise your tacks, haul of your sheats. Rocke-weede, adrift, or floats,) one to the top to look out for Land, a ships wake, the water way, the weather bow, weather coil, lay the ship by the Ley, and heave the lead, try the dipsie line, bring the ship to rights, fetch the log-line to try what way she makes, turn up the minute glass, observe the height, Land, to make Land, how bears it, set it by the Compass, clear your leach-lines, bear in, bear off, or stand off, or shear off, bear up, outward bound, homeward bound, shorten your Sails, take in your Sails, come to an Anchor under the Ley of the weather shore, the Ley shore, nealed too, look to your stops, your Anchor comes home, the ships a drift, vere out more Cable, let fall your sheet Anchor, land-locked more the ship, a good Voyage, Arms; arm, a skiff, a frigate, a pinnace, a ship, a squadron, a fleet, when you ride amongst many ships, pike your yards. The terms of the boat. To the boat or skiff belongs oars, a mast, a sail, a stay, a halyard, sheats, a boat-hook, thoughts, thoules, rudder, irons, bails, a trar-pawling; or yawning, carlings, carling-knees for the David, the boates-wayles, a dridge, to row, a spell, hold-water, trim the boat vea, vea, vea, vea, vea, who s●●es Amen, one and all, for a dram of the bottle. The names of all forms of great Ordinance and pieces, and their appurtenances. A Basillisco, double Cannon, Cannon Pedrea, demi Cannon, Culverin, Sakar, Minion, Falcon, Falconet, Rabbenet, Murderers, slings, Chambers, Curriors, Hargabusacrock, Muskets, bastard Muskets, Coliners, Carbines, Crabuts, long Pistols, short Pistols, Charges, Cartrages, Match, Sponges, Ladles, Rammers, Rammers heads, tomkins, a worm, a boar, a barrel, taper bore, hunicomed, lintstockes, carrages, trukes, linch-pins, trunions, axell-trees, beds, coynings, the pieces in the prow, the chase pieces in the stern, the quarter pieces, the mid-ships, the upper tire, the middle tire, the lower tire, their fids and leads to keep dry the touch hole: Travers a piece, dispect a piece, compass Calipers, a gunner's quadrant, a hand spike, a crow of iron, to mount a piece, to dismount a piece, a dark Lantern, a budge barrel, a horn, a priming iron: wire, round-shot, crosse-barre-shot, chayne-shot, langrill shot, a case, case-shot, lead, melting ladles, moulds, bullet bags, Musket shot, Colyver shot, quartered shot, Pistol shot, poisoned bullets, brass balls, iron balls, granadoes, trunks of wild fire, pikes of wild fire, arrows of wild fire, pots of wild fire, or dragouns? To cloy a piece: To load a piece: To poison a piece, hooks for gunner or tackle. Concerning the shooting of great Ordinance. Concerning the particular theormes, or terms for great Ordnances, as the concave, trunk, cylinder, the soul or bore of a piece: To know whether she be equally bored, camber, taper, or belbored, the several names of her mettle, the thinness and thickness, her carnooze, or base ring at her britch, her shaft or chase, her trunnions, mousell-rings at her mouth, to dispart her, know her level point blank and best at random, her fortification, the differences of powder, be it serpentine or corned powder, if she be well mounted upon a level plot-form or no, beside there are so many uncertain accidents, both in the piece, shot, and powder, the ground, the air and differences in proportion, they can no certain artificial rules be proscribed. Those proportions following are near the matter, but for your better satisfaction, read Mr. Digs his Pantrymetria, Mr. Smith, or Mr. Burns Art of gunry, or Mr. Robert Nortons' expositions upon master Digs, any of these will show you the Theoric; but to be a good Gunner, you must learn it by practice. The Gunner's scale is made in brass at Tower Hill, with prospective glasses, and many other instruments by Mr. Bates. A Table of Proportions for the use of great Ordinance. The weight of the Pieces in pounds. The weight of the shot in pounds. The Circunfrence of the shot in inches. The height of the shot in inches. The length of the Ladle in inches. The breadth of the Ladle in inches. The weight of the powder in pounds. Scores of paces at point blank. A Cannon. 8000 63 24 1/4 7 3/4 23 15 46 26 Demy Cannon. 6000 32 18 ●/6 6 22 ●/● 11 1/2 24 30 A Culvering. 5500 18 15 ●/7 5 22 9 14 33 Demy Culverin. 4500 9 12 4/7 4 20 8 9 39 A Sacar. 3500 5 1/4 10 ●/24 3 1/4 16 ●/6 6 ●/2 5 ●/4 26 A Minion. 1500 4 9 3/7 3 15 6 4 25 A Falcon. 1100 2 1/4 7 6/7 2 1/2 12 1/2 5 2 1/4 14 A Falcones. 500 1 ●/4 6 1/7 2 10 4 1 ●/4 8 Note that seldom in any Ships they use any Ordinance greater than a demi Cannon. How they divide their shares in a Man ● of War. The Ship hath one third part; the Victuler the other third; the other third part is for the Company, and this is subdivided thus. Shares. The Captain hath 9 The Master hath 7. The Mates hath 5. The Gunners hath 5. The Carpenter hath 5. The Boatswain hath 4. The Marshal hath 4. The Corporal hath 3. The Chirurgeon hath 3. The quarter Masters hath 4. The Steward hath 3. The Cook hath 3. The Coxon hath 3. The Trumpeter hath 4. The Sailors, two or one and a half. The Boys a single share. The Lieutenant what the Captain will give him, or as they can agree. They use to appoint a certain reward extraordinary to him that first descries a Sail if they take her, and to him that first enters her. For to learn to observe the Altitude, Latitude, Longitude, Amplitude, the variation of the Compass, the Sun's Azimuth and Almicanter, to shift the Sun and Moon, and to know the tides, your rooms, prick your card, and say your Compass, get some of those books, but practice is the best. Mr. wright's errors of Navigation. Mr. Taps Seaman's Calendar. The Art of Navigation. The Sea Regiment. The Seaman's secrets. Wagganour. Mr. Gunters works. The Seaman's glass for the scale. The new attracter for variation. Mr. Wright for the use of the Globe. Mr. Hewes for the same. Good Sea Cards. Two pair of Compasses. An Astrolabe quadrant. A Cross staff. A back staff. An Astrolabe. An Nocturnal. If you have a Divine, his pay is most commonly both from the Adventurers and the Sailors, so also is the Chirurgeon. Advertisements for young Commanders, Captain●● and Officers. Young Gentlemen that desires command aught well to consider, the condition of his ship, victual, and Company; for if there be more learners than Sailors, how slightly soever many esteem Sailors, all the work to save Ship, goods, and lives, must lie upon them, especially in foul weather, the labour, hazard, wet and cold is so incredible I cannot express it. It is not then the number of them that here will say at home, what I cannot do, I can quickly learn, and what a great matter it is to sail a Ship, or go to Sea, surely those for a good time will do most trouble then good, I confess it is more necessary such should go, but not too many in one ship, for if the labour of sixty should lie upon thirty, as many times it doth; they are so overcharged with labour, bruises, and overstrayning themselves, for there is no dallying nor excuses, with storms, gusts, over grown seas, and Icy shores; they fall sick of one disease or other, and then if their Victuals be putrified, it endangers all. Men of all other professions in lightning, thunder, storms and tempests, with rain, and snow, may shelter themselves in dry houses, by good fires, and good cheer; but those are the chief times, that Seamen must stand to their tackelings, and attend with all diligence their greatest labour upon the Decks: Many supposeth any thing is good enough to serve men at sea, and yet nothing sufficient for them a shore, either for their healths, for their ease, or estates, or state. A Commander at sea should do well to think the contrary, and provide for himself and company in like manner; also seriously to consider what will be his charge, to furnish himself at sea, with bedding, linen, arms and apparel; how to keep his table aboard, his expenses on shore, and his petty tally, which is a competent proportion according to your number, of these particulars following. Fine wheat flower, close and well packed, Rise, Currands, Sugar, Prunes, Cinnamon, Ginger, Pepper, Cloves, Greeneginger, Oil, Butter, Old Cheese, or Holland, Wine vinegar, Canary Sack, Aqua vitae, the best Wines, the best Waters, the juice of Lemons for the Scurvy, white Biscuit, Oatmeal, Gammons of Ba●on, dried neat's tongues, Roasted Beef, packed up in vinegar. Legs of Mutton minced and stewed and close packed up with butter in earthen pots. To entertain strangers, Marmelet, Suckets, Almonds, Comfits, and such like. Some it may be will say, I would have men rather to feast then fight. But I say the want of those necessaries, occasions the loss of more men, then in any English fleet hath been slain in any fight since 88 for when a man is ill sick, or at the point of death, I would know whether a dish of buttered Rice, with a little Cinnamon and Sugar, a little minced meat, or roast beef, a few stewed Prunes, a race of green ginger, a flap-Iacke, a Can of fresh water brewed with a little Cinnamon, Ginger and Sugar, be not better than a little poor john, or salt fish, with oil and mustard, or biscuit, butter, cheese or oatmeal pottage on fish days, salt beef, pork and pease and six shillings beer, this is your ordinary ships allowance, and good for them are well, if well conditioned, which is not always, as seamen can too well witness: and after a storm, when poor men are all wet, and some not so much a cloth to shift him, shaking with cold, few of those but will tell you, a little Sack or Aquavitae, is much better to keep them in health, than a little small beer or cold water, although it be sweet, now that every one should provide those things for himself, few of them have either that providence or means. And there is neither Alehouse, Tavern, nor Inn to burn a faggot in, neither Grocer, Poulterie, Apothocary, nor Butcher's shop: and therefore the use of this petty tally is necessary, and thus to be employed as there is occasion, to entertain strangers as they are in quality, every Commander should show himself as like himself as he can, as well for the credit of the ship and his settors forth as himself, but in that herein every one may moderate themselves according to their own pleasures, therefore I leave it to their own discretions. And this brief Discourse, and myself, to their friendly construction and good opinion. JOHN SMITH Writ this with his own Hand. FINIS. Errata. PAg. 4. l. 19 for a biscuit read backet. p. 5. l. 18. for gang read a choice gang. p. 7. l. 4. for midships men, r. midships, p. 12: l. 7. for the blot, r. block, p. 15. l. 5. for clow, r. clew, p. 17. l. 12. for ●etch r. reach, ibid. l. 19 for mouthsoune, r. mounthsoune, p. 18 l. 3. for odd r. o— e, p. 26. l. 10. for nor r. Nor, ibid. l. 15. for sucets r. such, p. 28. l. 22. make them sure with your sheepsfeets, p. 30. l. 8. r. stoppers for stops. p. 31. l. 19 for dispect r. dispeart, p. 32. l. 10. for gunuer r. gunner's.