The sea-mans dictionary, or, An exposition and demonstration of all the parts and things belonging to a shippe together with an explanation of all the termes and phrases used in the practique of navigation / composed by Henry Manwaring ...

S (Book S)

SAiles.

To every Yard, in the ship, there belongs a saile, and they are called after the name of those yards, whereunto they belong:

All head-sailes (that is, those that doe belong to the fore-mast and bolt-sprit) doe keep the ship from the wind, and are used to flat the ship: All after-sailes, that is the mast and missen-sailes, doe keep her to the wind; and therefore few ships are so well conditioned, as to Steere-quarter-winds with one saile; but must have one after-saile, and an other head-saile (as it were to countermaund one an other) yet some ships will steere with their maine-top-saile only: at sea, they call a ship, a saile: as when they discry a ship, they say, A saile, A saile. The sailes are cut in proportion, as the Masts and yards are in length, and bredth, one to another (excepting the Missen and sprit-saile) The Mis∣sen-saile, is cut by the Leetch, twice as deepe as the Mast is long from the Deck to the Hownds, and the sprit-saile is ¼ as deep as the fore-sailes.

To Sarve.

To Sarve any Roape, is to lay synnet, spun-yarne, Roape-yarne: a peece of canvas, or any the like upon a Roape, and so rowle it fast about, to keep the Roaps from galling; as we sarve the shrowdes, at the head of the Mast, the Boate-roape, or any the like, which are in danger of fretting, against any part of the ships Masts or Yards.

A Scarse.

Is when the end of one timber, is let into the end of an other, very close and even, or as they terme it, wood and wood, that is, so much wood taken away of the one, as is of the other: In this man∣ner the stem is fastned to the keele, and that is called the scarffe of the keele: but yet when there is not a peece of timber long enough to make the keele, then they make it of more, which are scarffed one into the other, so when the stem or any other timber, (which ought to be entire and all one,) is too short, it is peeced in this manner, and that they call scarffing.

A Scuttle.

Is a square hole (so much as conveniently a man may goe downe at) cut through any Hatch or any part of the Deck to goe downe by, into any roome, most commonly they are in these places, one close before the Maine-mast, at the Maine-Hilliards before the Knight, in the fore-castell; in the hatch-way, for the Stewards roome; one in the Gun-roome, to goe downe into the sterne sheates; one in the Missen cabbin, to goe downe into the Captaines cabbin, if they be put from the fight aloft, and so in any place where they delight to goe through one Deck, downe into an other: also for vent for the Ord∣nance, there are small scuttles with grateings; they have all covers

fitted for them, least men in the night should fall into them: Also all the little windowes and holes which are cut-out aloft in the Captaines, or Masters cabbins, are called Scuttles.

To Sease, or Seasing,

Is to make fast (or as you would say) to bind fast any roapes together, with some small roape-yarne, marling or any line; Also the fastning of a block at the end of a pendant; Tac∣kle, fall, garnet, or the like, is called seising, it being bound to with some small line, or the like: So if any roape be too long (as the shrowdes are ever) and the end be bound up unto the same roape with any thing, we call it seasing. So that in generall, the word seasing, implies as much as binding any thing together, so as that they cannot slip out, as seasing the Tacks into the clew and the like: The boates seasing, is a roape made fast into a little chaine or a ring, in fore-ship of the boate, and is the roape which (in Harbours) they make fast the boate by, to the ships side.

A Seele.

There is no difference betwixt seeling and heeling, but that heeling is a steddy-lying downe of the ship-on a side, either when she is a-ground, at an Anchor, or under saile, and saileing, is a suddaine lying downe, or tumbling to one side or the other, when the sea doth forsake her, that is, when the wave of the sea is past from under, faster then she can drive away with it: then when the ship lies downe on a side, after it we say, she seeles; the Lee-seele, is when she rowles to Lee∣ward; there is no danger in this seele, though it be in a great storme, because the sea will presently come under, and right her: but then when she rowles back to wind-ward, the danger is, least she should come over too short and suddainly, and so the water breake right into her, and founder her, or carry away some of her upper works, as it hath falne out with many ships: So that seeling is but a suddaine heeling, forced by the motion, and feare of the sea or wind.

Send.

When a ship falls (whether under saile, or at Anchor) with her head, or with her sterne, deepe into the trough of the sea, we say she sends much, either a-sterne or a-head: The reason of sending with her head is, if she have a little bowe, not sufficient to beare her up, and a fat quarter to pitch her fore-ward: And so for her sending a-sterne, it is contrary, when she hath too lanck a quarter, and too full, or fatt a-bowe.

To Set a-Land Sun. or, Ship by the Compasse.

That is to observe

by Compasse, how the land beares upon any point of the Compasse, this they use most commonly to doe, when they are going off to sea from any land, to marke how it did beare off them, that thereby they may keepe the better accompt, and direct their course: Also they use to set the Sun by the Compasse, that is, to marke upon what point it is, to know thereby the hea••e of the day: So when two ships saile in sight (especially, when a man of War chases a ship) they will set her by the Compasse, that is, marke upon what point she beares, then if they stand both one way, as commonly they doe, if the chase strive to goe away, by his we know, whether we reach-forth upon her, that is, out-saile her, if we bring her forth, she out-sailes us, if we bring her aft, we out-saile her, if we alter not, then we goe both alike; as for example, the wind being at North, we stand both a-way West, and the chase beares North-west (that will be on any weather-bow) then if in saileing, I bring her to beare North-west, and I by North, I have brought her a point aft, and if I bring her North, I have brought her just with any mid-ship beame, and so I see I fetch upon her, and it is called bringing aft; because, whereas before, she bare upon my loofe, now she bares upon my quarter.

Setle a Deck.

When we have occasion to lay a Deck lower, it is termed, setling the Deck: As if her her Ordnance lie too high, and we would have them lie neerer the water: or that the Decks be close, and we desire rather to settle the lowermost, then to raise the uppermost.

Sewing, or, to Sew.

When the water is gone from the ship, so that she lies dry, we say the ship is sewed, or if it be but gone from any part (as her head) we say the ship is sewed a-head, if it be a place where the water doth ebb so much, that the ship may lie dry-round, we say she cannot few there.

Shackles.

Are a kind of rings (but not round) made somewhat long-wise, larger at one end then the other, in the middle of the ports, on the in-side, they are used to shut-fast the ports with a billet, which they use to bar-downe the ports with (and that is called the bar of the port) also the fashion, but small ones are made fast to the corners of the hatches, to lift the hatches up by them.

The Shanck.

The longest part of the Anchor, is called the shanck of the Anchor.

Shanck-painter.

Is a short chaine, fastned under the fore-mast-shrowdes,

with a bolt, to the ship-side, and at the other end hath a roape: upon the chaine doth rest the whole waighth of the after-part of the Anchor, when it lies by the ships-side, and the roape by which it is haled-up, is made fast about a timber-head, this is seldom, or not at all used at sea, but in a Harbour, or a Roade.

Shearing.

Is when the ship goes in and out under-saile, and heat the helme doth not sterne her steddy: Also where a tide-gate runs very swift, the ship will shere in and out, and so much in some places, that they are faine to have one stand at the helme, and to steere her upon the tide, for feare she should shere-home her Anchors (that is, draw them home) or if it be neere the shore, she may sheare a-ground.

Sheates.

The Sheates are bent to the clew of all sailes: In all sailes, that are lowe sailes, they serve to hale-aft, or round-aft the clew of the saile, but in top-sailes, they serve to hale-home (that is to hale close) the clew of the saile to the yard-armes, when they hale-aft the sheate of the fore-saile, it is to make her fall off from the wind, when the ship will not fall off from the wind, they flat-in the fore-sheate, that is, pull the saile flat in by the sheate, as neere into the ships side as may be; Ease the Sheate of the saile, that is, to veere-out, or let goe a little of it. Let fly the Sheate, that is, let it run-out as far as it will, and then the saile will hold no wind, but lie floating loose (and then if it be an ex∣traordinary stresse of wind) it will split the gale to peeces; but this we doe both with top-saile-sheates, and the other sheates, when we sus∣pect the wind will be so great that it will carry our masts by the boord, or over-set the ship: Also in great stiffe gales, we use to bind an other roape to the clew of the saile above the Sheate-block, to succour and ease the Sheate, least it should breake, and that roape we call a false Sheate, and this is only used to the maine, and fore-sailes: Those plancks under water, which come along the Run of the ship, and are closed to the Sterne-post, are called Sheates, and that part within-boord, abast, in the Run of the ship, is called the sterne-sheates.

Sheathing.

Is, as it were casing of a ship: It is done with thin boords, and haire, and tar-laid betwixt the ship-sides and chose boords: this is done only under water, or a very little above; the use whereof is to keep the wormes from eating through the plancks, as generally in all places to the South-ward, they doe; the thinner the boords the better, for then, the worme will be presently at the Tar (which he

cannot abide) and so hath no meanes, nor roome to work in and out of the planck, and so will eate away more when it is thick, then when it is thin.

Sheep-shancks.

When two masts, or yards, or if it be but poles, are set up an end a pretty distance off at the bottom, but seased a-crosse one an other aloft neere the top, we call them a paire of sheeres: To this seasing, is fastned a double block with a strap, they are placed at the bot∣tom upon the chaine wales of the Shrowdes, and there are lashed fast to the ship sides, to keep them steddy aloft: The use of them is either to set in a mast, or to take out a mast, or if they have no mast, this serves to hoyse in and out goods.

Sheere-hookes.

Are great hookes of Iron (about the bignesse of a small sickle, and more) they are set into the yard armes of the maine and fore-yards: The use whereof is, that if a ship under saile come to boord her that hath these hookes, she will cut her shrowdes, or teare her sailes downe with these hookes; some doe use them, but they are most unusefull and unnecessary things, and dangerous for the breaking of a yard, if the hooke should catch in the other ships mast.

Sheevers.

There are two sorts of Sheevers used, either of brasse or wood; the brasse sheevers are now little used but in the heeles of the top-masts: the wooden sheevers are either of one whole peece; and these they use for all small pullies, and small blocks: but in the Knights and winding-tackles-blocks, they use sheevers which are made of quar∣ters of wood let-in to each other; for these will hold when the whole Sheevers will split, and are called quarter-sheevers.

Shoares.

Are any peeces of timber, or any thing else, that is set to beare up an other from sinking or falling, as when a ship is in danger of overthrowing a-ground, we last fast masts or yards to their sides, they bearing on the ground, and these we call shoares, shoaring her up; Also some timbers, that are set to beare-up a Deck when it is weake, or over-charged with waight, are called shoares,

The Shore.

Is counted the land neere the sea, or the banck of the sea: The Lee-shore, is that whereon the wind blowes; Sea-men avoid these by all meanes, for they are dangerous if it over-blow: The wea∣ther shore is that from whence the wind comes.

Shot.

There are many kinds of Shot; that which flies farthest, and pierceth most, is round-shot, the next is crosse-bar, which is good for

roapes, sailes and masts: The other langrell; which will not flie so far, but is very good for the rigging, and the like, and for men; so is chaine-shot and case-shot, or barrell-shot, which is good to plye amongst men, which stand naked, plying of their small shot.

Shot of Cabell.

Two Cabels spliced together make a shot, and the use of them is great, in deep-waters, and great roades, for a ship doth ride much easier by one shot, then by three short cabels a-head, Vide Ride.

Showle.

Showle and shallow are all one: When they say there is very good showleing, it is meant that the water doth grow shallower, by degrees, and not suddenly: nor sometimes deep, and sometimes suddenly a-showle or banke: It is very safe and commodious going-in with a shore, where there is good showleing; for by that we have some certainty whereabouts we are, and how far distant from the land, if the showling be first knowne, and commonly, where there is good showling, the coast is not dangerous.

Shrowdes.

The Shrowdes are those Roapes which come from ei∣ther side of all the masts, the missen-maine-masts, and fore-mast-shrowdes, have at the lower end dead-men-eyes seased into them; and are set up taught by Lanniers, to the chaines, which have also dead-men-eyes in them: At the other end they are fastned over the head of the mast, the Pendants, fore-tackle and swifters being first put∣on under them: at this uppermost part they are sarved, for galling against the mast: The top-mast shrowdes, are in the same manner fa∣stned with dead-men-eyes and Lanniers to the puttockes, and the plates of Iron which belongs to them, and aloft over the head of the masts, the other ease the shrowdes, slack the shrowdes: that is when they are too stiffe set up: Set taught the shrowdes; set up the shrowdes; that is, make them stiffer: Some ships desire to have the shrowdes taught, some slack; The Lanniers are to set up the shrowdes, Vide Lanniers: The bolt-sprit hath no shrowdes.

The Sillinder.

The bore, or hollow concave of a Peece of Ord∣nance, is called the Sillinder.

Sinnet.

Is a line or a string made of roape yarne (commonly of 2, 6, or 9, which are devided in three parts, and platted one over an other, as they plat Horses maines) and so is beaten smooth and flat with a mallet; the use of it, is to sarve roapes.

The Skegg.

Is that little part of the Keele, which is cut slaunting, and is left a little without the sterne-post: The reason and use whereof, is only intended to be, that it should save the Rudder from beating-off, if the ship should chance to beate a-ground, but these Skegges are very unusefull and inconvenient: for first they are apt to snap-off, and so endanger the sterne-post next in a Harbour or River: Where ride ma∣ny ships, they are apt to catch an other ships cabels, betwixt that and the Rudder: And lastly, when the ship is under-saile, they hold much dead-water betwixt them and the Rudder, therefore it is better •…•…ve no skegg, but to hang the Rudder downe close to the sterne-post, with the bottom ever to the bottom of the Keele, only pared away a little sloaping towards the after-most side of it.

The Skiff.

Vide Boate;

Skuppers, or, Skupper-holes.

Are the holes close to all the Decks, through the ship-sides, whereat the water doth run forth of the ship, from the Decks, and many ships have them made of lead.

Skupper-leathers.

Are the round leathers, which are nailed over the skupper-holes, that belong to the lower-deck, which will keep-out the sea-water from comming in, and yet give leave to any water to run-out of the Deck; these are also over the skuppers of the marger.

Skupper-nailes.

Are little short nailes with broad-heads, made of purpose to naile on the skupper-leathers, with these also they naile on the coates of the Masts and Pumps.

A Slatch.

When any part of a cabell or roape (that is meant of the middle, not of the end) doth hang slack without the ship (as the cabell, when it is slack in the water, or the Lee-tack, sheates, braces or the like, doe hang in the water, or loose by the ships sides) then they say, hale up the slatch of the roape or cabell: Also when it hath been a sect of foule weather, and that there comes an interim, or small time of faire weather to serve their turnes, they call it a little slatch of fair wea∣ther, or the contrary.

Sleepers.

Are those timbers, which lie fore and aft the bottom of the ship, on either side the Keelson, just as the rung-heads doe goe; the lowermost of these, is bolted to the Rung-heads, and the uppermost to the futtocks; and so these between them doe strengthen and bind-fast the futtocks, and the Rungs which are let downe, one by an other, and have no other binding but the sleepers: These doe line-out (as it

were, and describe the narrowing of the ships floore.

Slings.

There are first slings, to sling-casks in (when we hoyse it in, or any the like) which are made of roape splised at either end into it selfe, making an eye at either end, so large as they, think fit, to receive into it the cask: and then the midle-part of the rope also, they sease to∣gether, and so make an other eye for to hitch in the hooke of the Tac∣kle or Garnet: An other sort are made long, with a small eye at either end, to put the one over the breetch of the Peece, the other to come over •…•…end of the crow of Iron, which is put into the mouth of the Peece, and so by these they hoyse it in: A third sort, is any roape or chaine, wherewith we bind fast the yards aloft to the crosse-trees, and the head of the mast, to the end, that if the ties should breake, the yard may not come downe: these are called slings, which are chiefly used when we come to fight for feare of cutting the ties.

To sling.

Is to make fast any cask, Ordnance, yard or the like, in a paire of slings.

A Smitting-line.

Is a small Roape, which is made fast to the Mis∣sen-yard-arme, below next the Deck; and when the Missen-saile is f•…•…∣thelled-up, this is made up alongst with it, to the upper end of the yard, the saile being made up with roape-yarnes, and so comes downe to the Poope: The use whereof is to loose the Missen-saile without striking downe the yard, for they pull the roape, and that breakes all the roape-yarnes, and so the saile comes down; this line is called a smitting line; so they smite the Missen, that is, pull that roape, that the saile may come downe.

A Snatch-block.

Is a great block, with a Sheever in it, and a notch cut through one of the cheekes of it, by which notch they reeve any roape into it, and this is for quicknesse, to reeve the roape in; for by this notch, one may reeve the middle part of a roape into the block, without passing it in by the end, which would be longer a doing; It is made fast commonly with a strap about the maine-mast, close to the upper Deck, and is chiefly used for the fall of the winding-tackle which is reeved in that block, and so brought to the Capstaine.

Sockets.

The holes into which the Pintels of the Murderers, fore∣lers, or the like doe goe, are called sockets: Also some call the Gud∣gins, wherein the Pintels of the Rudder doe hang, by the name of sockets.

A Sound.

Any great in-draught of the sea, betwixt two head-lands, where there is no passage through, may be called a sound (as Plymouth sownd, &c.) But when they name the sound, it is meant of that of the East countries, being the most famous and greatest sea, that is known by the name of a sound.

To Sound.

Is to try with a line, a pole, or any thing else, the depth of the water: Also when we would know what water is in the well of the Pump, we put down a small line with some weight to it; and that is called sounding the Pump: Vide, Deep-see-line: if you would know more of sownding, instead of biding one sound, they say, heave the lead.

Sounding-lead.

Is as the deep-sea-lead; only it is commonly but se∣ven pound waight, and about 12. inches long.

Sounding-line.

The differences betwixt the sounding line, and deep-see-line, are these: the sounding line is bigger then the deep-see-line: A sounding-line is commonly cut to twenty faddom, or little more, the other will be a hundred, or two hundred faddom, the one is used in showle, the other in deep-water; the deepe see-line, is first marked at twenty faddom, and so to thirty, forty, &c. but the sounding line is thus marked, at two faddom next to the lead, it is marked with a peece of black leather put into it, betwixt the strands, and at three faddom, the like at five, a peece of white woollen cloth, at seven faddom, a peece of red cloth, at ten, a peece of leather, at fifteen faddom, either a white cloth or a peece of leather, and so it is marked no farther; This may be used, when the ship is under-saile, but the deep-see-line cannot with any certainty.

Speekes.

Are, as it were, great long iron nailes, with sint heads, and are of divers lengths (as a foot or two long) some of them are ragged speekes, that they may not draw out againe: they are used in many places for fastning of timbers and plancks, in foule weather, they use to speeke up the Ordnance, that is, naile downe a quoyne and the like, to the Deck, close to the breech of the carriage to help to keep the Ordnance strong up to the ship-sides, least they should breake loose, when the ship rowles; and for their further ease, they use to take off the after tackles.

A Spell.

Is (as you would say) the doing any labour for a short time, and so ceasing for others to take their turnes; as when they pump

an hundred stroakes, or a glasse, they call it a spell: A fresh-spell, that is, others come to work, as rowing in the boate, when one sayes to an other, he will give him a spell, that is, rowe, or pump in his place, and this word is commonly used, only to pumping and rowing.

To Spell.

When a saile hath much wind in it, and that for any oc∣casion (either to take in, or for feare of wronging the Masts) we let the wind out of it, so that it may have no force in it: we say, spell the saile, which is done by letting-goe the sneates and bowlings, and braceing the weather-brace in the wind; then the saile will lie all loose in the wind: but this word is most commonly used to the Missen-saile, when they take in the missen, or speeke it up, they say, spell the Missen.

To spend.

When a mast or yard is broke, by fowle weather, or any the like occasion; they say, they have spent their masts, or yards: But if it come by fight, or so, they doe not use the word spent, but shot, by the boord, or carried away by the boord, with a shot, or with an other ships-masts or yards, that may be bigger and stronger.

A Spindle.

Is the smallest part of the Capstaine, which is betwixt the two Decks: To the spindle of the jeere-capstaine, are whelpes to heave the Violl.

To Splice.

Is to make fast the ends of roapes, one into the other, by opening the strands, at the end of both the roapes, and then with a fid, laying every strand orderly one into an other; also when we would make an eye, at the end of a roape, we take the end of the roape and undoe the strands, and so opening the strands, where we would have the splice, with a tide, we draw in the ends of the strands, and so wea∣ving of them orderly, make the splise, and so sease the ends downe with some synner, or the like: There are these sorts of splises; The round splise, that is the splising of the ends of two roapes, one into an other, as I have described; the count-splise, that is, when the ends of either roapes are splised into the other roapes, some distance from the end, and not one end in an other (as the first), then they will make a long slit (as it were betwixt them) which is the reason of the name.

Split.

When the wind hath blowne a saile to peeces, we say the saile is split; Also when sheevers breake, we say they split, if a shot come and breake a Carriage of a Peece, we say, it hath split the Carriage.

To Spoone.

Is to put a ship, right before the wind and the sea, with∣out any saile (and that is called spooneing afore.) This is done most com∣monly,

when in a great storme, a ship is so weake with age or labouring, that we dare not lay her under the sea: For though a ship when she spoones afore, doth rowle more, yet she straines not so much: but if she be a dangerous rowling ship, then per-force she must be laid under the sea, for else she will rowle her mast by the boord: And also it is dan∣gerous; for if a sea should overtake her, when she hath a desperate seele, it may chance to breake in and founder her; sometimes then to make her goe the steddier, they set the fore-saile, which is called spoo∣ning with the fore-saile: When they doe this, they are sure of sea roome enough.

To Spring.

When a mast is but crackt in any part (as at the Hownds, Partners, or else where) we say, it is sprung, as they spring their masts with bearing a-saile, &c. To spring ones Loofe, Vide Loofe.

The Spring, or, Spring-ride.

When after the dead-neapes, the tides begin to lift and grow higher, we say, it is spring neere upon three dayes before the full and change of the Moone, the spring begins, and the top, or highest of the spring, is three dayes after; then the water doth high most with the flood, and lowe most with the ebb; which is the rea∣son, that at these times, we launch, and grave all of our great ships, the tides also run much stronger and swifter, then in the neapes.

Sprit-saile,

Vide Saile.

Sprit-saile-top-saile.

Vide Saile.

Sprit-saile-top-mast.

Vide Top-mast.

Sprit-saile-yard.

Vide Yard.

Spunge.

The spunge of a Peece of Ordnance, is that which makes it cleane; they are commonly Sheep-skinnes put at the end of a staffe, which is made somewhat bigger there according to the bore of the Peece, so as the spung may goe in full and close, but not too straight: but we have it also fitted to the ends of a stiffe roape, so is the rammer also, to spunge, and lade within-boord: we ever spunge a Peece of Ordnance, before we put in Powder. In fight, when the Ordnance is plied fast, to keep it from heating, we wet the spunges: Urine is the best, but else with Vineger, water, or what we have.

Spun-yarne.

Is Roape-yarne, the end scraped thin, and so spun one to the end of an other, with a wrench, and make it as long as they list: This serves to sarve some roapes with, but most commonly it is made to make caburne of.

Spurketts.

Are the holes, or spaces betwixt the Futtocks, or be∣twixt the Rungs, by the ship-sides, fore and aft, above and below: To the spurketts below in hould (which are below the sleepers) there are boords fitted, which they take up, to cleere the spurkets if any ballast get in betwixt the timbers; but for those aloft, there is no use: only, it were good, they were in all ships, fitted-up with light wood, or old Juncks, to keep the ship-sides aloft, Musket-free.

Standing-parts of Running roapes.

The standing parts, are those parts of running roapes (or rather that end of a running roape) which is made fast to any part of the ship, to distinguish it from the other part, whereon we use to hale: (as the standing part of the sheate, is that part which is made fast, by a clinch into a ring of the ships-quar∣ter, and the like,) for when we say, hale the sheate, that is meant by the running-part, but if they say, over-hale the sheate, then they hale upon the standing part; the same is of all tackles, and running roapes.

Standing roapes.

Are counted all those roapes (as the shrowde stages, and back-stages) which are not used to be removed, or to run in any blocks; but are only set taught, and slacker as they have oc∣casion.

To Stay, or, bring a Ship a-stay.

When we tack the ship, before the ship can be ready to be tacked; she must come a-stages or a-back-stages, that is, when wind comes in at the bowe which was the lee-bowe before, and so drives all the sailes backward, against the shrowds and masts, so that the ship hath no way, but drives with the broad-side: the manner of doing it is, at one time, and together, to beare up the helme, let fly the sheate of the fore-saile, and let goe the fore-bowleing, and brase the weather brase of the fore-saile, the same to the top-saile, and top-gallant saile, only they keep fast their sheates: If the sprit-saile be out, then they let goe the sprit-saile sheate with the fore-sheate, and brase the weather brase; (the Tacks, Sheates, Brases, Bowlings of the maine-saile, maine-top-saile and missen standing fast as they did) to be taken a-stages: that is, when the wind comes contrary on the suddaine; (which happens most upon head-lands on calme weather) and so bring the ship a-stages: Sometimes by the negligence of him at the helme, sometimes if it be little wind, and a head-sea, on the weather-bowe: A ship may misse staying, that is to fall-back and fill againe: The best conditioned ships, are those which stay with least sailes, as with

two top-sailes, or fore-top-saile, or missen, but no ship will stay with lesse saile then those, and few with so little.

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.

The Sterne.

All the after-most part of the ship, is called the sterne (by a generall appellation) but most exactly considered, only the very outwardmost part abast is the sterne; for the quarter is counted to be from the steeridge to the transom and faskion-peece of the sterne.

Sterne-sheates.

Vide Sheates.

To Steere.

Is to governe the ship with the helme: He steeres best, that keeps the ship evennest from yawning in and out, and also that uses least motion in putting the helme too far over: There are three kind of directions to steere by, the one is, by the land, that is, to steere by any marke on the land, and so to keep the ship even by that, this is easie: The next is, by the Compasse (that is to keep the ship upon a point of the Compasse; this is harder, because the ships head will come

before the Compasse:) The third is to steere, as they are directed, and conded (and that is easiest of all;) If you would know the termes belon∣ging to Steering, Vide, Cond.

The Stieridge.

Is the place where they Steere, out of which they may see the leech of the sailes, to see if they be in the wind or not.

The Stem.

The Stem of the ship, is that great timber, which comes compassing from the keele (wherein it is skarffed) up before the fore∣castell, this it may be, is not all of one timber (as in great ships it can∣not) And this doth guide the rake of the ship, when two ships stand, Stem for Stem, they come right with their heads one against an other: To give a ship the Stem, that is to run right upon her with the Stem: to goe Stemming a-boord a ship; that is the same, as giving the ship the Stem.

A Stepp.

They call that peece of timber, which is made fast to the Keelson, wherein the maine-mast doth stand, a Stepp: Also those places, and timber, wherein the missen-mast, fore-mast, and the cap∣staine doe stand, are called Stepps.

To Steve, or Steving.

Wee say the bold-sprit, or beake-head Steves, when it stands too upright, and not straight foreward enough: Also the Merchants call the stowing of their Cottons (which they force in with skrewes so much that the Decks will rise 6, or 8, inches) Steve∣ing of Cottons.

Stewards-Roome.

Is that part of the Howlde, wherein the Victuals are Stowed.

Stoaked.

When the water cannot come to the well, then we say, the ship is Stoake: and that is, when the limber-holes, have some bal∣last, or any thing else got into them, so that the water cannot passe, we say the limbers are Stoaked: Also when any thing is gotten in or about the bottom of the Pump, so that it cannot draw water, we say the Pump is Stoaked (Corne, and the like, is very bad for this.)

Stopp.

When they come to an Anchor, and have let run-out as much as a sufficient quantitie of Cabell, so much as will make the ship ride, or that the ship be in a current, where it is best to stop her a little by degrees, then they say, Stopp the ship; and so hold-fast the Cabell, and then veere-out a little more and so stopp her fully, to let her ride: for stopping leakes, Vide leakes.

A Stopper.

Is a peece of a Roape, having a wale knot at one end

and a lannier splised to it: and the other end is made fast to some part, as the Stoppers for the cabels, to the bottom of the bitts, by the Deck; the Stoppers for the maine Halliards, to the Knight: The use of them, is chiefly for the cabels, to stopp the cabels when they come to an An∣chor, that it may goe-out by little and little, the manner is, but binding the wale-knot about the cabell, with the lanniers, and it will instantly catch-hold in it, so that it cannot slip-away, as the Nippers doe, which hold off the cabell, the terme is, laying-on the Stoppers; and casting off the Stoppers: Also we use them to the Halliards, when the yard is hoysed aloft, to stopp it till the Halliards be so layed: A ship rides by the Stoppers, when the cabell is not bitted, but only held fast by them; but this is not safe rideing in a stresse.

To Stowe.

Is to put any goods in Howld (in order, for else we say it is not stowed, but lyes in howld) also we call it stowing betweene the Decks of any goods or victuals be placed in order upon the Decks: but it is not used in this kind to small things, as to a Chest or the like, Also the placing and laying of the top-sailes in the top, is called Stow∣ing the top-sailes.

A Strake.

Is the terme for a seame betwixt two plancks (as the Gard-boord, a-Strake; or the ship heeles, a-Strake, that is one seame) some ships are built, with a standing strake, or two, that is, when there is the whole bredth of a planck or two, rising from the keele, before they come to the floare timbers; these ships are naught to lie with the ground, for wringing their keeles; but this doth make them keep an ex∣cellent wind, this built is most used amongst the Flemmings.

A Strap.

A roape which is spliced about any block, that the block thereby may be made fast, to any place where they have occasion to use it: by the eye which is made in the Strap, at the arsse of the block.

A Streame-Anchor.

Is a small Anchor, which we use to the streame-cabell.

Streame-Cabell.

Is a small cabell, which we ride withall in streames, as rivers, or in faire-weather, when we stop-a-tide, for ever we use the smallest ground-tackle that we have if it will serve, both for lightnesse to waigh, and to save the best from wetting.

A Stretch.

They use this word, not as it is commonly, to straine a roape, but thus, when they goe to hoyse a yard, or hale the sheate, they say, stretch fore-ward the Hilliards, or the sheates: that is, deliver along

that part (which they must hale by) into the mens hands, that they may be ready to hoyse or hale.

To strike.

Is to pull downe the sailes, when one ship Strikes to an other, it is a signe of respect, unlesse it be for occasion of staying for one: If a man of War come up, with a Merchant, or any other, if he strike, it is intended that he yeelds himselfe: Also when a ship beates upon the ground, they say she Strikes: So when we take downe the top∣masts, they say, Strike them downe: So when we lower any thing into the howld with the tackles or any other roape, we call it Striking-down into Howld.

Studding-sailes.

Vide Boome.

A Sturrop.

When a ship by any mischance, hath lost a peece of her keele, and that we cannot come well to mend it, but (as it were) patch a new peece unto it, they bind it with an Iron, which comes under the keele, and so upon either side the ship, where it is nailed very strong with speekes to strengthen it, this peece so put to the keele, we call a Sturrop.

Suck.

When all the water is pumped cut, and that the Pump doth draw-wind, we say, she sucks: Also when a ship doth draw downe the helme, and doth (as it were) suck the whip-staffe out of his hand at the helme: A ship gripes, when she doth thus; the reason may be ei∣ther too much fowlenesse, the standing of her masts too much aft, or she may be out of her trim.

Surge.

We call a wave a Surge; but it is used in this sense, when they heave at the cap-staine, and the cabell slips back againe, they say the ca∣bell surges; to prevent which; Vide Nippers.

Swifters.

Doe belong to the maine and fore-mast, and are to suc∣cour the shrowdes, and keep stiffe the mast, they have Pendants, which are made fast under the shrowdes, at the head of the mast with a double block, through which is reeved the swifter, which at the standing part hath a-single block with a hooke, which is hitched in a ring by the chaine-wale, and so the fall being haled doth help to strengthen the mast: And this fall, is belayed about the timber-heads of the lower railes aloft.

Swifting.

When we bring ships a-ground, or careene them, we use to swift the masts, to ease them, and strengthen them, which is done in this manner, they last fast all the Pendants of the swifters, and tackles

with a Roape, close to the Mast, as neere the blocks as they can: Then they carry fore-wards the Tackles, and so bowse them downe as hard, and Taught as they can: and this eases the Masts: so that all the waight of the Mast, doth not hang by the head, as otherwise it would, and also doth help to keep it from rising out of the steppes.