s assigned.

20. That the hold in every ship should be rummaged and made predy,[4]
especially by the ship's sides, and a carpenter with some man of trust
appointed to go fore and after in hold to seek for shot that may come
in under water; and that there should be provided in readiness plugs,
pieces of sheet lead, and pieces of elm board to stop all leaks that
might be found within board or without.

21. That in every ship where any soldiers were aboard the men should
be divided into two or three parts, whereof only one part should fight
at once and the rest should be in hold, to be drawn up upon occasion
to relieve and rescue the former.

22. That the men in every ship should be kept as close as reasonably
might be till the enemy's first volley of small shot should be past.

23. That the mariners in every ship should be divided and separated
into three or four parts or divisions, so as every one might know the
place where he was to perform his duty for the avoiding of confusion.

24. That the master or boatswain of every ship, by command of the
captain, should appoint a sufficient and select number of seamen to
stand by and attend the sails.

25. That more especially they should by like command appoint
sufficient helmsmen to steer the ship.

26. That the sailors and helmsmen should in no sort presume to depart
or stir from their charge.

27. That the mainyard, foreyard, and topsail sheets in every ship
should be slung, and the topsail yards if the wind were not too high;
hereby to avoid the shooting down of sails.

28. That there should be butts or hogsheads sawn into two parts filled
with salt water, set upon the upper and lower decks in several places
convenient in every ship, with buckets, gowns, and blankets to quench
and put out wild-fire or other fire if need be.

29. That if a fight began by day and continued till night, every ship
should be careful to observe the admiral of her squadron; that if the
admiral fell off and forbore the fight for the present every other
ship might do the like, repairing under her own squadron to amend
anything amiss, and be ready to charge again when the admiral should
begin.

30. That if any of the ships belonging to any squadron or division
happened to be absent or not ready in convenient time and place to
keep and make good the order herein prescribed, then every squadron
and division should maintain these directions as near as they could,
although the number of shi