To Cond, or Cun.
I think this word comes of conducere in Latine; so it imports as much as to leade or direct the ship which way she shall goe; it is commonly pronounced thus: Cun the ship, which implies as much as to direct him at helme how to steere. In long courses, when we are off at sea, there is not so much heed taken of it, for then they direct their course upon a point of the Compasse, and so let him at the helm look to the steere right on that point; but in chases and narrow channels (where the course lyes not directly upon a point of the com∣passe) there the Master, Mate, or some other standing-aloft, doth give direction to him at the helme; and this we call conding or cuning: Sometimes hee who commands the ship will be speaking to him at helme, at every little yawe, (which the sea-faring love not, as being a kind of disgrace to their Iteeridge) then in mockage they will say, sure the channell is narrow he conds so thick; whereby you may gather, that in narrow channels, it is necessary and usefull to cond thick. Note that according as the ships sailes are trimmed either before or by a wind, so they use severall termes in conding, and to use other, were improper and ridiculous amongst them: If the ship goe before a wind, or as they terme it, betwixt two sheates, then he who conds uses these termes to him at the helme, starr-boord, lar-boord, the helme a mid-ships. Note that when we say starr-board, the meaning is, that he must put the helme to the starr-board side, and then the ship will goe to larr-boord, for the ship doth ever goe contrary to the helme, if the ship goe by a wind, or quarter-winds, they say a loofe, or keep your loof; or fall not off, veere no more, keep her to: touch the wind; have a care of the lee-latch; all these do imply the same in manner, and are to bid him at the helme, to keep her neere the wind: East the helme; no neere; beare up; these words do appoint him to keep her from the wind, and make her goe more large or right before: Some speeches are common to both, as steddy, that is, keep the ship from going in and out, but just upon the point that you are to steere, and as you goe; and such like.