Stages, and Back-stages.
All the masts, top-masts, and flag-staves have stages, (excepting the sprit-saile-top-mast) the maine-stay is made fast by a Lannier, to a collar, which comes about the knee of the head: The maine top-mast stay is made fast into the head of the fore∣mast by a strap, and a dead-man-eye there: The maine top-gallant mast, is in like manner made fast to the head of the fore-top-mast: The fore-mast and masts belonging to it, are in the same manner stayed at the bolt-sprit, and sprit-saile-top-mast; and these stayes doe likewise help to stay the bolt-sprit; The missen stay comes to the maine-mast by the halfe deck, and the top-mast-stayes come to the shrowdes with crow-feet: The use of these stayes, are to keep the masts from falling aftward towards the Poope: There is much difference, in stay∣ing of masts in respect of a ships saileing or working: Generally the more aft the masts hang, the more a ship will keep in the wind, and the forwarder the lesse: The Flemmings stay their masts much aft, because else their ships being lofty ships would never keep a wind; but short and deepe ships rather cover upright masts: There are many dif∣ferences of conditions in ships for their saileing, according as they are stayed, for some will have the stay-taught, some slack: The back-stayes of all masts (which have them) which are only the maine-mast and fore∣mast, and the masts belonging to them, goe downe to either side of the ship, and are to keepe the mast from pitching for-ward-on over∣boord.