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 ...

Cooke-Roome.

The Cooke-Roome, is the place, where they dresse

their victuals, and this room is to be placed in divers parts of the ship, ac∣cording to the ships imployment, in Marchant-men (who must imploy all their hold for the stowing of their goods, and so stow their victuals be∣twixt their decks (it is best to have the Cook-room in the fore-Castle) e∣specially being contrived in the furvasses, for the saving of wood, in long journies: as also for that in fight, they bring their stern and not their Prowe to fight: and therefore it will be the lesse discommodity to them: besides, they doe not carry so much ordnance fore-ward on, and therefore the weight of the Cook-room, is not so offensive: but in a man of warre, it is most inconvenient to have it in the fore-ship or fore-castle: my reasons these. 1. It will (be it placed as well as can be) hinder the use of the ord∣nance. 2. It will lie over the powder. 3. Being a man of war pretends to fight most with his prowe; that part is likewise to receive shot, which if any chance to come amongst the bricks in the Cooke-roome they will spoyle more men then the shot: And besides, the Cook-roome it self for that voyage is spoyled, there being no meanes to repaire it at sea, and then they must needs use another; so that I thinke no man of discretion wil commend or use that for most sufficient, w^ch is most subject to be de∣stroyed, and cannot be repaired. 4. A man of war, ever carries much ord∣nance there, and therefore it is fit to avoid (as much as may be, any weight that may charge her fore-ship. 5. It is dangerous for firing the ship: for being made-up to the ship-sides, so that men cannot go round about it in long continuance, and much heating they may fire the ship unawares. 6. It takes away the grace and pleasure of the most important and pleasantest part of all the ship: for any one who comes a boord a man of warre, will principally look at her chase, being the place where the chiefe offensive force of the ship should lie. And to conclude, I do not know any com∣moditie it can give to a man of warre: wherefore in my opinion, the best placing the Cooke-roome, is in the hatch-way, upon the first Or∣lop (not in the howld, as the Kings ships doe, which must needs spoyl all the victuals with too much heating the howld, or at the least, force them to stowe it so neare the stern and sterne, that it must needs wrong and wring the ship much, and loose much stowage: and it being there placed, as it doth avoid all the former inconveniences, both of the hold and fore-castle, and yet shall be as serviceable, so hath it this benefit more: That it doth wonderfully well aire the ship betwixt the decks, which is a great health unto the company. But if I were to goe to Sea,

as a man of warre, I would have no Cook roome at all; but such an one as I would have contrived to be removed, and strooken downe in howld if I list, and yet it should waste no more wood then these doe, and dresse sufficient victuals for the companie, and roaste or bake some competent quantitie for the Commander; or any persons of qua∣litie.