d if there be either young women or
aged men, use them nobly, which is ever the nature of a generous
disposition. To conclude, if you surprise him, or enter perforce, you
may stow the men, rifle, pillage, or sack, and cry a prise."

Down below in the gun-decks during an action, the batteries became so
full of the smoke of black powder that the men could hardly see what
they were doing. The darkness prevented them from seeing the very
dangerous recoiling of the guns, and many were killed by them. It was
impossible to judge how a gun carriage would recoil, for it never
recoiled twice in the same manner, and though the men at the side
tackles did their best to reduce the shock they could not prevent it
altogether. It was the custom to close the gun-ports after each
discharge, as the musketeers aboard the enemy could otherwise fire
through them as the men reloaded. The guns were not fired in a volley,
as no ship could have stood the tremendous shock occasioned by the
simultaneous discharge of all her guns. They were fired in succession,
beginning from the bows. In heavy weather the lower tiers of guns were
not cast loose, for the rolling made them difficult to control, and the
sea came washing through the ports and into the muzzles of the guns,
knocking down the men and drenching the powder. It sometimes happened
that the shot, and cartridge, were rolled clean out of the guns. In
sponging and ramming the men were bidden to keep the sponge or rammer on
that side of them opposite to the side exposed to the enemy so that if a
shot should strike it, it would not force it into the body of the
holder. A man was told off to bring cartridges and shot to each gun or
division of guns and he was strictly forbidden to supply any other gun
or guns during the action. The wounded were to be helped below by men
told off especially for the purpose. Once below, in the cockpit, they
were laid on a sail, and the doctor or his mates attended to them in
turn. In no case was a man attended out of his turn. This system seems
equitable, and the sailors were insistent that it should be observed;
but many poor fellows bled to death, from shattered arteries, etc.,
while waiting till the doctor should be ready. The chaplain attended in
the cockpit to comfort the dying, and administer the rites of the
Church. When a vessel was taken, her crew were stripped by those in want
of clothes. The prisoners were handcuffed, or chained together, and
placed in the