4. That her ports be so laid as that she may carry out her guns all

weathers.

5. That she hull and try well.

6. That she stay well, when boarding, or turning on a wind is re

quired.

To make her strong consisteth in the care and truth of the workman; to make her swift is to give her a large run or way forward, and so afterward, done by art and just proportion, and that in laying out her bows before, and quarters behind, the shipwright be sure that she neither sink nor hang into the water, but lie clear and above it, wherein shipwrights do often fail, and then is the speed in sailing utterly spoiled.

That she be stout-sided; the same is provided by a long bearing floor, and by sharing off from above water to the lower edge of the ports, which done, then will she carry out her ordnance all weathers.

To make her to hull and try well, which is called a good sea ship, there are two things principally to be regarded, the one that she have a good draught of water, the other that she be not overcharged; and this is seldom done in the king's ships, and therefore we are forced to lie, or try in them with our main course and mizen, which with a deep keel and standing streak she would perform.

The extreme length of a ship makes her unapt to stay, especially if she be floaty, and want sharpness of way forward. And it is most true, that such over-long ships, are fitter for the narrow seas in summer, than for the ocean, or long voyages; and therefore, an hundred foot by the keel, and thirty-five foot broad, is a good proportion for a great ship.

It is to be noted, that all ships sharp before, not having a long floor, will fall rough into the sea from a billow, and take in water over head and ears; and the same quality have all narrow-quartered ships to sink after the tail. The high charging of ships, is that that brings many ill qualities, it makes them extreme leeward, makes them sink deep into the seas, makes them labour sore in foul weather, and oftimes overset. Safety is more to be respected than shows, or niceness for ease; in sea-journeys both cannot well. stand together, and therefore the most necessary is to be chosen.

Two decks and an half is enough, and no building at all above that, but a low master s cabin. Our masters and mariners will say, that the ships will bear more well enough; and true it is, if none but ordinary mariners served in them. But men of better sort, unused to such a life, cannot so well

endure

endure the rolling and tumbling from side to side, where the seas are never so little grown, which comes by high charging. Beside those high cabin works aloft, are very dangerous in fight, to tear men with their splinters.

Above all other things, have care that the great guns be four foot clear above water when all lading is in, or else these best pieces are idle at sea. For if the ports lie lower, and be open, it is dangerous; and by that default was a goodly ship, and many gallant gentlemen lost, in the days of Henry VIII. before the Isle of Wight, in a ship called by the name of MaryRose."

No. XIV.

Orders to be observed by the Commanders of the Fleet and Land Companies, under the Charge and Conduct of Sir WALTER RALEGH, Knight, bound for the South Parts of AMERICA, or elsewhere. Given at PLYMOUTH, in DEVON, May 3, 1617.

(See News of Sir WALTER RALEGI, 4to, 1618, p. 19, & Birch's Works of Ralegh, I. xcvii.)

"FIRST, because no action nor enterprise can prosper (be it by sea or land) without the favour and assistance of Almighty God, the Lord and strength of hosts and armies, you shall not fail to cause divine service to be read in your ship morning and evening, in the morning before dinner, and at night before supper; or at least (if there be interruption by foul weather) once the day, praising God every night with singing of a psalm at the setting of

the watch.

Secondly, you shall take especial care that God be not blasphemed in your ship, but that after admonition given, if the offenders do not refrain themselves, you shall cause them of the better sort to be fined out of their adventures, by which course, if no amendment be found, you shall acquaint me withal. For if it be threatened in the Scriptures, that the curse shall not depart from the house of the swearer, much less from the ship of the swearer.

Thirdly, no man shall refuse to obey his officer in all that he is commanded, for the benefit of the journey; no man (being in health) shall refuse to wait his turn as he shall be directed; the sailors by the master and boatswain, the landmen by their captain, lieutenant, and others.

You

You shall make in every ship two captains of the watch, who shall make choice of two soldiers every night to search between the decks, that no fire nor candle-light be carried about the ship after the watch set; nor that any candles be burning in any cabin without a lanthorn, and that neither but while they are to make themselves unready. For there is no danger so inevitable as the ship's firing, which may as well happen by taking. of tobacco between the decks, and therefore forbidden to all men but aloft the upper deck.

You shall cause the landmen to learn the names and places of the ropes, that they may assist the sailors in their labours upon the decks, though they cannot go up to the tops and yards..

You shall train and instruct your sailors (so many as shall be found fit) as you do your landmen, and register their names in the lists of your companies, making no difference of professions; but that all be esteemed: sailors and all soldiers. For your troops will be very weak when you come to land, without the asisstance of your sea-faring men..

You shall not give chase, or send aboard any ship, but by order from the general. And if you come near any ship in your course, if she be belonging to prince or state in league or amity with His Majesty, you shall not take anything from them by force, upon pain of punishment as a pirate; although in manifest extremnity or want, you may (agreeing for the price) relieve yourselves with things necesary, giving bond for the same, provided that it be not to the disfurnishing of any such ship, whereby the owner or merchants be endangered for the ship or goods.

You shall every night fall a-stern the general's ship, and follow his light, receiving instructions in the morning what course to hold; and if you shall at any time be separated by foul weather, you shall receive certain billetssealed up, the first to be opened on this side the North Cape, if there be cause; the second to be opened at the South Cape; the third, after you shall pass twenty-three degrees; and the fourth from the height of Cape de Verd.

If you discover any sail at sea, either to windward or to leeward of the admiral, or if any two or three of our fleet shall discover any such sail which the admiral cannot discern, if she be a great ship, and but one, you shall strike your main-top-sail, and hoist it again so often as you shall judge it to be an hundred tons of burthen; as if you judge her to be two hundred tons to strike and hoist twice, if three hundred, thrice, and so answerable to her greatness.

If

If you discern a small ship, you shall do the like with your fore-topsail; but if you discover many great ships, you shall not only strike your main-top-sail often, but put out your ensign in the main-top; and if such ships or fleet go large before the wind, you shall also (after your signs given) go large, and stand as any of the fleet doth; I mean no longer than that you may judge the admiral and the rest have seen your signs and your so standing. And if you went large at the time of the discovery, you shall hale oft your sheets for a little time, and then go large again, that the rest may know that you go large, to shew us that the ships or fleet discovered keep that course; so you shall do if the ships or fleet discovered have their tacks aboard, namely, if you had also your tacks aboard at the time of the discovery, you shall bear up for a little time, and after hale your sheet oft again, to shew us what course the ship or fleet holds.

If you discover any ship or fleet by night, if the ship or fleet be to windward of you, and you to windward of the admiral, you shall presently bear up to give us knowledge; but if you think you might speak with her, then you shall keep your loof and shoot-off a piece of ordnance to give us knowledge thereby.

For a general rule, let no man presume to shoot-off any piece of ordnance but in discovering a ship or fleet by night, or by being in danger of the enemy, or in danger of fire, or in danger of sinking, it may be unto us all a most certain intelligence of some matter of importance, and you shall make us know the difference by this; for if you give chase, and being near a ship, you shoot to make her strike, we shall see and know you shoot to that end (if it be by day,) if by night, we shall then know that you have seen a ship or fleet more than our own, and if you suspect we do not hear the first piece, then you may shoot a second, but not otherwise, and you must take almost a quarter of an hour between your two pieces. If you be in danger by a leak, (I mean in present danger) you shall shoot two pieces presently one after another; and if in danger of fire, three pieces presently one after another.

In foul weather every man shall fit his sails to keep company with the rest of the fleet, and not run so far a head by day, but that he may fall a-stern the admiral before night. In case we should be set upon by sea, the captain shall appoint sufficient company to assist the gunners, after which, if the fight require it, the cabins between the decks shall be taken down, and all beds and sacks employed for bulwarks; the musketteers of

every

every ship shall be divided under captains, or other officers; some for the fore-castle, others for the waste, the rest for the poop, where they shall abide, if they be not otherwise directed. The gunners shall not shoot any great ordnance at other distance than point-blank. An officer or two shall be appointed to take care that no loose powder be carried between the decks, or near any linstock or match in hand. You shall saw divers hogsheads in two parts, and filled with water, set them aloft the decks. You shall divide your carpenters, some in the hold, if any shot come between wind and water, and the rest between the decks, with plates of lead, plugs, and all things necessary laid by them. You shall also lay by your tubs of water certain wet blankets to cast upon and choke any fire. The master and boatswain shall appoint a certain number of sailors to every sail, and to every such company a master's-mate, boatswain's-mate, or quarter-master, so as when every man knows his charge and place, things may be done without noise or confusion, and no man to speak but the officers: as for example, if the master or his mate bid heave out the maintop-sail, the master's-mate, boatswain's-mate, or quarter-master which hath charge of that sail, shall with his company perform it without calling out to others; and so for the fore-sail, fore-top-sail, sprit-sail and the rest; the boatswain himself taking no particular charge of any sail, but overlooking all, and seeing every one do his duty.

No man shall board a ship of the enemy without order, because the loss of a ship to us is of more importance than of ten to the enemy; as also by one man's boarding all our fleet may be engaged, it being a great dishonour to lose the least of our fleet. Every ship being under the lee of the enemy, shall labour to recover the wind, if the admiral endeavour it, and we find an enemy to leeward of us, the whole fleet shall follow the admiral, vice-admiral, or other leading ships within musket-shot of the enemy, giving so much liberty to the leading ships after her broadside discovered, as she may stay and trim her sails, then is the second ship to give her side, and the third and fourth, which done they shall all take as the first ship, and giving the enemy the other side, shall keep him under a perpetual volley. Thus must you do to the windermost ship of the enemy, which you shall batter in pieces, or force her to bear up and intangle the rest, falling foul one of another to their great confusion.

up

If the admiral give chace and be headmost man, the next ship shall take his boat, if other order be not given; or if any other ship be appointed VOL. II. Appendix.

1

to