 | A SEA GRAMMAR. |  |
Chapter II.
How to build a ship with the definitions of all
the principall names of every part of her
principall timbers, also how they are fixed
one to another, and the reasons of their use.
THE first and lowest timber in a ship is the keele, to which is
fastened all the rest; this is a great tree or more, hewen to the
proportion of her burden, laid by a right line in the bottome of the
a great timber wrought compassing, and all the butt-ends of the
planks forwards are fixed to it. The Sterne post is another great
timber, which is let into the keele at the other end somewhat sloping,
and from it doth rise the two fashion peeces, like a paire of great
hornes, to those are fastened all the plankes that reach to the after end
of the ship, but before you use any plankes, they lay the Rungs, called
floore timbers, or ground timbers, thwart the keele; thorow those you
cut your Limberholes to bring the water to the well for the pumpe,
the use of them is when the ship is built to draw in them a long haire
rope, by pulling it from sterne to stem, to scowre them, and keepe
them cleane from choaking.
Those ground timbers doe give the floore of the ship, being
straight, saving at the ends they begin to compasse, and there they
are called the Rungheads, and doth direct ∥ the Sweepe or Mould of
the Foot-hookes
and bearing of the ship, those are skarfed into the ground
timbers, which is one peece of wood let into another, or so much wood
cut away from the one as from the other, for when any of those
timbers are not long enough of themselves, they are skarfed in this
manner, to make two or three as one: those next the keele are called
the ground Foot-hookes, the other the upper Foot-hookes; but first
lay your keeleson over your floore timbers, which is another long
tree like the keele, and this lying within as the other without, must be
fast bound together with strong iron bolts thorow the timbers and
all, and on those are all the upper workes raised, when the Foot-hookes
are skarfed, as is said, and well bolted, when they are planked
up to the Orlop they make the ships Howle, and those timbers in
generall are called the ships ribs, because they represent the carkasse
of any thing hathribs. The sleepers run before and after on each side
the keeleson, on the floore well bolted to the Foot-hookes, which
being thus bound doe strengthen each other. The Spurkits are the
in Howle below the Sleepers, are broad boords, which they take up
to cleare the Spurkits, if any thing get betwixt the timbers.
The Garbord is the first planke next the keele on the outside, the
Garbord strake is the first seame
are the hookes, or ground timbers and foot-hookes placed on the
keele, and as they rise by little and little, so doth the run of the ship from the floore, which is that part of the ship under water which
comes narrower by degrees from the floore timbers along to the sterne
post, called the ships way aftward, for according to her run she will
steare well or ill, by reason of the quicknesse or slownesse of the water
comming to the rudder: now all those plankes under water, as they
rise and are joyned one end to another, the fore end is called the
Butt-end in all ships, ∥ but in great ships they are commonly most
carefully bolted, for if one of those ends should spring, or give way it
would be a great troublesome danger to stop such a leake, the other
parts of those plankes are made fast with good Treenailes and Trunnions
of well seasoned timber, thorowthe timbers or ribs, but those
plankes that are fastened into the ships stem are called whoodings.
The gathering of those workes upon the ships quarter under
water is called the Tucke, if it lie too low it makes her have a fat
quarter, and hinders the quicke passage of the water to the rudder;
if too high she must be laid out in that part, else she will want bearing
for her after workes.
sterne, betwixt the two fashion peeces, and doth lay out the breadth
of the ship at the buttockes, which is her breadth from the Tucke
upwards, and according there to her breadth or narrownesse, we say
she hatha narrow or broad buttocke, the fashion peeces, before spoke
of, are the two outmost timbers, on either side the sterne, excepting
the counters. The ships Rake is so much of her hull as hangs over
both ends of the keele, so much as is forward is said, she rakes so much
forward, and so in like manner aftward: by the hull is meant, the full
bulke or body of a ship without masts or any rigging from the stem
to the sterne: The Rake forward is neere halfe the length of the keele,
but the fore Rake is that which gives the ship good way, and makes
her keep a good wind, but if she have not a full Bow, it will make her
pitch her head much into the Sea; if but a small Rake forward, the
sea will meet her so fast upon the Bowes, she will make small way,
and if her sterne be upright as it were, she is called Bluffe, or Bluffe-headed.
A ships Billage is the breadth of the floore when she doth lie
aground, and Billage water is that which cannot come to the pumpe,
we say also she is bilged, when she strikes on a rocke, an anchors
flooke or any thing that breakes her plankes or timbers, to spring a
leake.
When you have berthed or brought her up to the planks, which
are those thicke timbers which goeth fore and aft on each side, whereon
doth lie the beames of the first Orlop, which is the first floore to
support the plankes doth cover the Howle, those are great crosse
timbers, that keepes the ship sides asunder, the maine beame is ever
next the maine mast, where is the ships greatest breadth, the rest
from this is called the first, second, third, fourth, etc. forward or aftward
beames. Great ships have a tier of beames under the Orlop
whereon lies no decke, and great posts and binders called Riders
from them to the keele in howle only to strengthen all. But the beames
of the Orlop is to be bound at each end with sufficient Knees, which
is a crooked peece of wood bowed like a knee, that bindes the beames
and foot-hookes, being bolted together, some stand right up and
downe, some a long the ship, and are used about all the deckes, some
sawed or hewed to that proportion, but them which grow naturally
to that fashion are the best.
Lay the Orlop with good planke according to her proportion,
so levell as may be is the best in a man of Warre, because all the Ports
may be of such equall height, so that every peece may serve any Port,
without making any beds or platformes to raise them, but first bring
up your worke as before to the second decke or Orlop, and by the
way you may cut your number of port holes according to the greatnesse
of your ship; by them fasten your Ringbolts for the tackles of
your Ordnances, you use Ringbolts also for bringing the plankes and
wailes
plankes together, Clinch bolts are clinched with a riveting hammer
for drawing out. But Rag bolts are so jaggered that they cannot be
drawne out. Fore locke bolts hathan eye at the end, whereinto a fore
locke of iron is driven to keepe it from starting backe. Fend bolts are
beat into the outside of a ship with the long head to save her sides
drive out a treenaile, or any such thing, besides divers others so
usefull that without ∥ them and long iron spikes and nailes, nothing
can be well done; yet I have knowne a ship built, hathsailed to and
againe over the maine Ocean, which had not so much as a naile of
iron in her but onely one bolt in her keele.
Now your risings are above the first Orlop as the Clamps are
under it, which is long thicke plankes like them, fore and aft on both
sides, under the ends of the Beames and timbers of the second Decke
or Orlop, or the third Decke or Orlop, or the third Decke which is
never called by the name of Orlop, and yet they are all but Decks;
also the halfe Decke and quarter Decke, whereon the beames, and
timbers beare are called risings. A Flush Decke is when from stem to
sterne, it lies upon a right line fore and aft which is the best for a man
of Warre, both for the men to helpe and succour one another, as for
the using of their armes, or remounting any dismounted peece, because
all the Ports on that Decke are on equall height, which cannot
be without beds
or lie compassing. To sinke a Decke is to lay it lower, to raise a Decke
to put it higher, but have a care you so cut your Port holes, one peece
lie not right over another for the better bringing them to your marke.
The halfe Decke is from the maine mast to the stearage, and the
quarter Decke from that to the Masters Cabin called the round
house, which is the utmost
workes are brought up together, as neere equally as may bee from
bend to bend, or waile to waile, which are the outmost timbers on
the ship sides, and are the chiefe strength of her sides, to which the
foot-hookes, beames, and knees, are bolted, and are called the first,
second, and third Bend; but the chaine waile is a broad timber set
out amongst them, a little above where the chaines and shrouds are
fastened together to spread the shrouds the wider the better to succour
the masts. Thus the sides and Deckes are wrought till you come
at the Gunwaile, which is the upmost waile goeth about the upmost
strake or seame of the upmost Decke about the ships waste, and
∥ the ships quarter is from the maine mast aftward.
Culvertailed is letting one timber into another in such sort that
they cannot slip out, as the Carling ends are fixed in the beames, and
Carlings are certaine timbers lieth along the ship from beame to
beame, on those the ledges doe rest whereunto the plankes of the
the ship from the sides of the Hatches way, betwixt the two masts,
and beares up the Decke on both sides, and on their ends lieth the
commings of the hatches, which are those timbers and plankes which
beares them up higher than the Deckes, to keepe the water from running
downe at the hatches; also they fit Loopholes in them for the
close fights, and they are likewise a great ease for men to stand upright
if the Deckes be low. The Hatches way is when they are open
where the goods are lowered that way right downe into the howle,
and the hatches are like trap doores in the middest of the Deckes,
before the maine mast, by certaine rings, to take up or lay downe at
your pleasure.
A scuttle-hatch is a little hatch doth cover a little square hole we
call the Scuttle, where but one man alone can goe downe into the
ship, there are
Decke to Decke, and there is also small Scuttles grated, to give light
to them betwixt Deckes, and for the smoke of Ordnances to passe
away by. The Ramshead is a great blocke wherein is three shivers
into which are passed the halyards, and at the end of it in a hole is
reved the ties, and this is onely belonging to the fore and maine
halyards; to this belong the fore Knight, and the maine Knight,
upon the second Decke fast bolted to the Beames. They are two short
thicke peeces of wood, commonly carved with the head of a man
upon them, in those are foure shivers a peece, three for the halyards
and one for the top rope to run in, and Knevels are small pieces of
wood nailed to the inside of the ship, to belay the sheats and tackes
unto.
The Capstaine is a great peece of wood stands upright ∥ upon
the Decke, abaft the maine mast, the foot standing in a step upon the
lower decke, and is in the nature of a windis,
the anchors, sailes, top masts, ordnances, or any thing it is framed in
divers squares, with holes thorowthem, thorowwhich you put your
Capstainebarres, for as many men as can stand at them to thrust it
about, and is called manning the Capstaine. The maine body of it is
called the Spindle. The Whelps are short peeces of wood made fast
to it, to keepe the Cable from comming too high in the turning about;
The Paul is a short piece of iron made fast to the Deck, resting upon
the whelps to keepe the Capstainefrom recoiling which is dangerous,
but in great ships they have two, the other standing in the same
manner betwixt the fore mast and the maine, to heave upon the
hold off by, when we way Anchor, to heave a head, or upon the violl,
which is when an Anchor is in stiffe ground wee cannot weigh it, or
the Sea goeth so high the maine Capstainecannot purchase in the
Cable, then we take a Hawser opening one end, and so puts into it
Nippers some seven or eight fadome distant from each other wherewith
wee binde the Hawser to the Cable, and so brings it to the Jeare
Capstaineto heave upon it, and this will purchase more than the
maine Capstainecan. The violl is fastened together at both ends with
an eye or two, with a wall knot and seased together. A windas is a
square peece of timber, like a Role before the fore Castle in small
ships, and forced about with handspikes for the same use as is the
Capstaine.
What are the parts of a pumpe you may see in every place, the
handle we call the brake; the pumpes can, is a great can we power
water into pumps to make it pumpe. The daile
the water doth runne over the Deckes; But in great ships they use
chained pumps which will goe with more ease, and deliver more
water. The Dutch men use a Burre pumpe by the ship side, wherein
is onely a long staffe with a Burre at the end, like a Gunners spunge,
to pumpe up the Billage water that by rea- ∥ son of the bredth of the
ships floore cannot come to the well: In pumping they use to take
spels, that is, fresh men to releeve them, and count how many strokes
they pumpe each watch, whereby they know if the ship be stanch, or
thite, or how her leakes increase. The Pumpe sucks, is when the
water being out, it drawes up nothing but froth and winde. They
have also a little Pumpe made of a Cane, a little peece of hollow wood
or Latten like an Elder gun, to pumpe the Beere or Water out of the
Caske, for at Sea wee use no Taps, and then stave the Caske to make
more roome, and packeth the Pipe-staves or boords up as close as
may be in other Caske till they use them.
The Skuppers are little holes close to all the Decks thorowthe
Ships sides, whereat the water doth runne out when you pumpe or
wash the Decks; the Skupper-leathers are nailed over those holes
upon the lower Decke to keepe out the Sea from comming in, yet give
they way for it to runne out: Skupper nailes are little short ones with
broad heads, made purposely to naile the Skupper-leathers, and the
cotes
set up in the Ships waist, betwixt the Gun-waile and the waist trees,
but they are most used in Boats, set up alongst their sides to keepe the
Sea from breaking in.
There are usually three Ladders in a Ship; the entering Ladder
is in the Waist, made formally of wood, and another out of the Gallery
made of Ropes to goe into the boat by in foule weather, and the
third at the Beak-head, made fast over the Boulspret to get upon it,
onely used in great Ships.
It were not amisse now to remember the Fore-castle, being as
usefull a place as the rest, this is the forepart of the Ship above the
Decks over the Bow; there is a broad Bow and a narrow Bow, so called
according to the broadnes or the thinnesse: the Bow is the broadest
part of the Ship before, compassing the Stem to the Loufe,
reacheth so farre ∥ as the Bulk-head of the Fore-castle extendeth.
Against the Bow is the first breach of the Sea, if the Bow be too broad,
she will seldome carry a Bone in her mouth or cut a feather, that is,
to make a fome before her: where a well bowed Ship so swiftly
presseth the water, as that it foameth, and in the darke night sparkleth
like fire. If the Bow bee too narrow, as before is said, she pitcheth her
head into the Sea, so that the meane is the best if her after way be
answerable. The Hauses are those great round holes before, under
the Beak-head, where commonly is used the Cables when you come
to an Anchor, the bold or high Hause is the best, for when they lie
low in any great sea, they will take in very much water, the which to
keepe out, they build a circle of planke either abaft or before the
maine Mast called the Manger: and a Hause-plug at Sea, now the
Fore-castle doth cover all those being built up like a halfe decke, to
which is fixed the Beake-head, and the Prow is the Decke abaft the
Fore-castle, whereon lyeth the Prow peeces.
The Beak-head is without the ship before the fore Castle, supported
by the maine knee, fastened into the stem, all painted and
carved as the sterne, and of great use, as well for the grace and countenance
of the ship, as a place for men to ease themselves in. To it is
fastened the coller of the maine stay, and the fore tacks there brought
aboord; also the standing for rigging and trimming the spretesaile
geare, under the midest of it is the Combe, which is a little peece of
wood with two holes in it to bring the fore tacks aboord. The Bits are
two great peeces of timber, and the Crospeece goeth thorowthem,
they are ordinarily placed abaft the Manger in the ships loofe, to
are fastened to the Riders, but the middle part in great ships are
bolted to two great beames crosse to the Bowes, and yet in extraordinary
stormes we are glad to make fast the Cable to the maine Mast
for strengthning of the Bits and safety of the Bowes, which have in
great stormes beene torne from the ships. The David is a short peece
of timber, at the end ∥ whereof in a notch they hang a blocke in a
strap called the Fish-block, by which they hale up the flook of the
Anchor to the Ships bow, it is put out betwixt the Cat and the Loufe,
and to be removed when you please. The Cat is also a short peece of
timber aloft right over the Hawse; in the end it hathtwo shivers in a
blocke, wherein is reeved a Rope, to which is fastned a great hooke
of Iron, to trice up the Anchor from the Hawse to the top of the fore-castle.
A Bulks head is like a seeling
or a wall of boords thwart theShip, as the Gunroome, the great Cabin, the bread roome, the
quarter Decke, or any other such division: but them which doth
make close the fore-castle, and the halfe Decke, the Mariners call the
Cubbridge heads, wherein are placed murtherers, and abaft Falcons,
Falconets, or Rabinits to cleare the Decks fore and aft so well
as upon the ships sides, to defend the ship and offend an enemy.
Sockets are the holes wherein the pintels of the murderers or fowlers
goe into. The hollow arching betwixt the lower part of the Gallery
and the Transome, is called the lower Counter; the upper Counter
is from the Gallery to the arch of the round house, and the Brackets
are little carved knees to support the Galleries.
The Stearage roome, is before the great Cabin, where he that
steareth the Ship doth alwaies stand, before him is a square box
nailed together with woodden pinnes, called a Bittacle, because iron
nailes would attract the Compasse; this is built so close, that the
Lampe or Candle only sheweth light to the stearage, and in it alwaies
stands the Compasse, which every one knowes is a round box, and in
the midst of the bottome a sharpe pin called a Center whereon the
Fly doth play, which is a round peece of pace-boord,
wyer under it touched with the Load-stone, in the midst of it is a little
brasse Cap that doth keepe it levell upon the Center. On the upper
part is painted 32. points of the Compasse covered with glasse to
keepe it from dust, breaking, or the wind; this Box doth hang in two
or three ∥ brasse circles, so fixed they give such way to the moving of
Compasse, and a Compasse for the variation, yet they are but as the
other, onely the darke Compasse haththe points blacke and white,
and the other onely touched for the true North and South. Upon the
Bittacle is also the Travas, which is a little round boord full of holes
upon lines like the Compasse, upon which by the removing of a little
sticke they keepe an account, how many glasses (which are but halfe
houres) they steare upon every point. The Whip-staffe is that peece
of wood like a strong staffe the Stearsman or Helmesman hath
alwaies in his hand, going thorowthe Rowle, and then made fast to
the Tiller with a Ring.
The Tiller is a strong peece of wood made fast to the Rudder,
which is a great timber somewhat like a Planke, made according to
the burthen of the ship, and hung at the sterne upon hookes and
hinges, they call Pintels and Gudgions, or Rudder-irons. The Tiller
playeth in the Gun-roome over the Ordnances by the Whip-staffe;
whereby the Rudder is so turned to and fro as the Helmesman
pleaseth, and the Cat holes are over the Ports, right with the Capstaine
as they can, to heave the Ship a sterne by a Cable or a Hauser
called a sterne-fast. On each side the Stearage roome are divers
Cabins, as also in the great Cabin, the quarter Decke, and the round
house, with many convenient seates or Lockers to put any thing in,
as in little Cupberts.
The Bread-roome is commonly under the Gun-roome, well
dried or plated.
may bee placed in divers places of the Ship, as sometimes in the
Hould, but that oft spoileth the victuall by reason of the heat, but
commonly in Merchantmen it is in the Fore-castle, especially being
contrived in Fornaces; besides in a chase their Sterne is that part of
the ship they most use in fight, but in a man of warre they fight most
with their Prow, and it is very troublesome to the use ∥ of his Ordnance,
and very dangerous lying over the Powder-roome, some doe
place it over the Hatches way, but that as the Stewards roome are
ever to be contrived according to the Ships imploiment, etc. Calking
is beating Okum into every seame or betwixt planke and planke, and
Okum is old Ropes torne in peeces like Towze Match, or Hurds of
Flax, which being close beat into every seame with a calking Iron
well payed over with hot pitch, doth make her more thight than it
is possible; by joyning Planke to Planke. Graving is onely under
water, a white mixture of Tallow, Sope and Brimstone; or Train-oile,
Rosin, and Brimstone boiled together, is the best to preserve her
calking and make her glib or slippery to passe the water; and when
it is decayed by weeds, or Barnacles, which is a kinde of fish like a
long red worme, will eat thorowall the Plankes if she be not sheathed,
which is as casing the Hull under water with Tar, and Haire, close
covered over with thin boords fast nailed to the Hull, which though
the Worme pierce, shee cannot endure the Tar. Breaming her, is but
washing or burning of all the filth with reeds or broome, either in a
dry dock or upon her Careene, which is, to make her so light as you
may bring her to lye on the one side so much as may be in the calmest
water you can, but take heed you overset her not; and this is the best
way to Breame Ships of great burthen, or those have but 4. sharpe
Flores for feare of brusing or oversetting. Parsling is most used upon
the Decks and halfe Decks; which is, to take a list of Canvas so long
as the seame is you would parsell, being first well calked, then powre
hot pitch upon it, and it will keepe out the water from passing the
seames. There remaines nothing now as I can remember to the building
the Hull of a Ship, nor the definition of her most proper tearmes,
but onely seeling the Cabins and such other parts as you please, and
to bind an end with all things fitting for the Sea, as you may reade
in the Covenants betwixt the Carpenter and the Owner, which are
thus.
If you would have a Ship built of 400. Tuns, she requires a
planke of 4. inches: if 300. Tuns, 3. inches: small Ships 2. inches, but
none lesse. For clamps, middle bands and sleepers, they be all of six
inch planke for binding within. The rest for the sparring up of the
workes of square three inch planke. Lay the beames of the Orlope, if
she be 400. Tuns at ten foot deepe in howle, and all the beames to be
bound with two knees at each end, and a standard knee at every
beames end upon the Orlope, all the Orlope to be laid with square
three inch planke, and all the plankes to be treenailed to the beames.
Six foot would be betweene the beames of the Deck and Orlope,
and ten ports on each side upon the lower Orlope, all the binding
betweene them should bee with three inch or two inch planke, and
with knees to bind them; laying that Decke with spruce Deale of
thirty foot long, the sap cut off, and two inches thicke, for it is better
than any other.
Then for the Captaines Cabben or great Cabben, the Stearage,
the halfe Decke, the Round house, the Fore-castle, and to binde an
end with the Capsterne and all things fitting for the Sea, the Smiths
worke, the carving, joyning, and painting excepted, are the principall
things I remember to be observed. For a Charter-party betwixt the
Merchant, the Master, and the Owner, you have Presidents
sorts in most Scriveners shops.
| A SEA GRAMMAR. | |