Page:The principal navigations, voyages, traffiques and discoveries of the English nation 16.djvu/145

 kintals of bread, so many iarres of oyle, so many iarres of Botijas of vineger, so much flesh, so much fish, and such quantitie of euery kinde of victuall, as the burthen of the shippe requireth, wherein euery shippe according to her greatnesse is appointed by The ordinances of the house: Also so many gunners, so many mariners, so many gromettes, so many pages, and so many souldiers. Then all these aforesaide matters being vnder Register by the notarie and all things prepared for the voyage, the Iudge doeth command the masters to hoyse vp the yards acrosse vnto the howndes of the mastes; and many times, if they perceiue the shippe to be walty and ouerladen, as many couetous masters doe, then hee hangeth the boates in the fore and maine tackle, to see whether the sayd shippe will make any helde downewarde, in laying downe her side: if she doe helde, he commandeth barkes abourd, to discharge her of such lading, as is thought to be too much in her: and there can no ship depart before they cary the Register of the said Iudges, howe that shee goeth by their order:

and euery shippe carieth her owne Register, and in the Register the quantitie of al the goods that are laden in her, and if there be any more goods, they be forfayted in the Indies, both shippe and goods.

The masters are bound to keepe the course that the Admiral doeth leade, and euery shippe to follow her, and shee must goe alwayes in the Sea before all the rest of the fleete, and by night cary light, that all may knowe where she goeth. The viceadmirall must come behinde all, and so euery shippe in the fleete before here if any be ill of sayle, all are bounde to fit their sayles in such order, that they goe no fester than she doeth.

The Admiral and the viceadmiral goe neuer but halfe laden, but very well armed of men, and artillery, three times double and more than any of the other haue: because they may help to defend all the rest, if neede doe require: and the dead freight of these two shippes is alwayes borne vpon the whole goods that are laden in the fleete, as also at the least there be two hundred souldiers in euery of these two shippes besides the mariners, great gunners, gromettes, and other officers.

The voyages bee so appointed, that alwayes they goe and come in the best of Summer, and bee there all the winter in the ports to discharge their lading and recharge backe againe.