Waldemar

😊 I much liked the second, situational story...

Uwe, again much needed relief… Must confess, that I have surrendered the efforts to translate the original ships‘ names, which are always found in German in all extant documents anyway. Besides, as you have already noticed, it is too tricky. There is hardly any ortography in this script, and the word‘s meaning must be derived from the context as well. Let alone my transcription mistakes. „sheist“ – this is a seemingly correct transcription, but I have replaced it with „shiest“, just to avoid controversy you have remarked. „… in der Schlatedt Zwey gesprängen“ – I have taken it losely as „… in der Schlacht [in] zwei gesprungen“. I suppose, the word „gesprängen“ (meaning „burst“), should be even transcribed here as „gesprungen“ directly. „der Ahrnahe“ – this is perhaps the worst. I am thinking on it now… Cheers, Waldemar

😃 Druxey – the Eagle Eye, thank you so much...

Druxey, (un)fortunately, it is a longer document – some six pages long. In this way you have prompted me to show yet another fragment, asking for your help, although in this case I am pretty sure of my understanding/translation. But perhaps I am wrong, please check: (my) transcription: In diesem Jahr seindt auf den Schiffen 5 eiserne Stuck zersprängen allß auff der Arhnahe. 1 Eiserneß Stück scheist Kügel von 3½ tb 3 Eiserne Stuck sind auff den Schif Sanct Görgen gesprängen 1 Stuck schoß Kügel von 5 tb, 2 dito schosen Kugel von 6 tb 1 Eisern Stück ist auff den Schiff Mehr Weib gesprängen schost Kügel von 6 tb 1 Metallen Falconetel ist in der Schlatedt Zwey gesprängen 1 Kleineß Metallen Falconet ist in der Schlaht über bordt kommen. attempted translation: In this year (ie. 1628), 5 more iron guns were distributed to the ships comparing to the last year [, of these]: 1 iron 3½ pounder gun, 3 iron guns were allocated to the ship „Sankt Georg“, (namely) one 5-pounder gun and two 6-pounder guns, 1 iron gun was assigned to the ship „Meerweib“ – 6-pounder [also] 1 bronze falconet has blown up in two in the [last] battle 1 small bronze falconet has fallen overboard in the [last] battle It is important to make it right, so please do not hesitate to intervene… Cheers, Waldemar

Druxey and Uwe, I have elected to use your suggestions. Taking the term „zue besagen“ as „zu besorgen“ („to provide“), and considering the general, ie. historical context, here the final(?) translation: Der Weise Hundt bedarff 12 Stück von 4 oder 5 tb eisen. Auff diese Weise seindt die Schife mit Stücken von nethen zue besagen. The "Weisse Hund" needs twelve 4 or 5 pounder guns. In the same way (all other seized/arrested) Dutch ships are to be provided with guns. If you would not deny its compatibility with the original text, I would keep it this way. Cheers, Waldemar

Uwe, thank you very much again for your much helpful efforts. And yes, it may well be a German-Dutch linguistic mix, a sort of lingua franca of the southern Baltic harbour-cities (for instance – „van“ instead of „von“ in this document). This document relates to an earlier, most devastating conflict of the era – the Thirty Years' War (1618–1648), mostly a land warfare, but with some naval „accents“ too. Greetings, Waldemar

Hello Chapman! Many thanks for your input. You are perfectly right. Nevertheless, I would like to clarify why I have chosen otherwise. Please take a look at the other, more typical sample of this document (incidentally much more easier to interpret): (my) transcription: No 6. Daß Schüff Mehr Weüb 4 Metallen Stück süßen Kugel von 3 tb eisen 2 Metallen Stuck schißen Kugl von 2 tb 2 Metallen Barsen schißen Kugl von ½ tb 2 Eiserne Stuck schißen Kugel von 6 tb 2 Eiserne Stuck schißen Kugel von 5 tb 2 Eiserne Stuck schißen Kugel von 3 tb 4 Kleine Stein Stück mit Kammern Suma der Metallen undt eiseren Stück 18 Mangelen Stck 2 As can be seen, there are indeed both „kinds“ of guns listed here: bronze („Metallen“), (cast-)iron („Eiserne“), and perhaps even wrought-iron guns (4 small breechloaders, most probably swivel guns). Please also see the word „eisen“ (in red) at the end of the 2nd line, which must refer to the material of the roundshot („Kugel”). This way the gun type was clearly defined – long barreled true bored cannon capable of shooting roundshot, in contrast to other types of ordnance, most importantly langridge-shot guns („Schrot Stucke” in this document) – usually light, short and with conical bores. At least I imagine so… Cheers, Waldemar

Druxey, you have touched my sensitive spot: is it better to keep the original flavour of the script (by translating it literally as much as possible), or perhaps to make it more natural for the modern reader? Must confess, that I still can not resolve this issue, but am gradually leaning to your suggestion... Thank you, Waldemar

Hi Rodolfo, As this is one of my most favourite ship of the entire galaxy, I follow your building log with the utmost curiosity. Good work. Thanks!

I have re-read and re-transcribed the first part of the script. Could you please take a look again? Der Weise Hundt bedarff 12 Stück von 4 oder 5 tb eisen. Auff diese Weise seindt die Schife mit Stücken von nethen zue besagen [besäen?]. English translation: The "Weisse Hund" requires 12 guns of 4 or 5 pounds of iron [roundshot]. In this way the (arrested) Dutch ships with guns are to be sowed [ie. outfitted with more guns making them suitable for the naval service]. Does it make sense to you? Cheers, Waldemar

Must say that I am very glad with the outcome, otherwise impossible to achieve alone. Many thanks again for your help. ... and for your information (in case you would be curious) – this very ship, „Weisse Hund“, together with some others, was ultimately lost to the other side of the conflict four years later, in 1632, upon falling of the naval base at Wismar, until then held by the Imperial forces. Greetings, Waldemar

Uwe, your translation concerning galleys was truly a breakthrough. I have rearranged it a bit in order to get crystal clear meaning. I need you now to check if my understanding of your translation is correct or otherwise. And it is considered to arm the galleys with another 24 guns (besides the guns already on other ships), in order to repel numerous smaller (enemy) vessels, and also to seize useful goods (from the enemy). Cheers, Waldemar

Uwe – many, many thanks for your help. I could not even imagine that the task would be so hard. Perhaps some more historical context is in order: The Dutch (war)fleet was considered an ally, and it actually came later this year to successfully remove the seaborne blockade of the trading harbour city. On the other hand, a few individual Dutch and English trading ships were seized and confiscated, for the „illicit“ trade with the other side of the conflict. „Weisse Hund“ was one of these confiscated Dutch ships, and subsequently put into naval service (some of these arrested ships were later returned to its original owners, but in such cases the ships' guns were kept). The exact name of „Weisse Hund“ is happily known from other, official documents. Some of these arrested ships had few guns, some not at all. Some were (structurally) fit for naval service, some not. Now I am trying to combine Uwe and druxey suggestions with the above facts, and of course would be happy to get even more ideas from you.

Many thanks for your input, druxey, so much more as I’m close to getting a headache. Perhaps this interpretation could be better: „White Dog/White Hound“ requires 12 guns shooting 4 or 5 pounds of iron [shot]. On this „White Dog“, meaning one of the ships with guns from Netherlands. And the way to provide 24 lacking guns for the galleys, is removing larger cannons from the smallest ships and the old prizes. Please make any critical comments.

. Hello, I need you to check my translation of an ancient, ships related German text: My transcription: „Der Weise Hundt bedarff 12 Stück von 4 oder 5 tb eisen Auff diese Weise Hundt die Schife mit Stücken von nethen zue besagen undt ist zue ehr arhten daß man auf den galehen bey 24 Stücke nohmal bedarfe das man von den Schifen so kleinest samt der zue gebrauchen Beute weg großere Stuckerin zue stellen werden“. … and an attempted translation: [The ship] „White Dog” needs 12 [artillery] pieces of 4 or 5 pounds [of] iron [shot] for this „White Dog”. There are talks of an approaching armed fleet from the Netherlands, [and] that for the galleys it is still needed 24 [artillery] pieces, [and] that from the smallest ships and from the old prizes bigger [artillery] pieces will be taken off. Historical context: This is a fragment of a spy report from 1628, created for, and actually sent to the opposite side of the war-conflict. Please feel free to make any plausible corrections. Thank you in advance, Waldemar

. These are gratings (actually right half of them), turned 90 degrees around its symmetry axis.

Gratings turned around by 90 degrees?

Alex, thank you very much for the translations of these ancient, obscure terms. So (im-)patiently waiting for the rigging installation on your model. And nice, neat job of aligning the wales with the hull's strakes. How did you make your wales black?

Steven, I have re-read your finely researched log and it seems there is general consensus on the halyard issue. Only 'smaller' rigging details need clarification. For example – what are rize (rixe, strixe), mentioned in the 15th-century manuscript? There are two of them, each with a length of 5 times the yard circumference, and both of the ties' thickness. And they are somehow connected to the yard. Bellabarba interpretation is not quite convincing (see #67, left), and I feel they are slings, as this layout hopefully makes everything logic. But perhaps you have other ideas, which you may share here...

Alex: Beauty taking shape... Fine, neat job. Steven: Both pictorial and archaeological evidence is described in the mentioned book (although not specifically for the 15th century, but for earlier period), and even comparisons with more modern, non-European practices are made. There are some graphical samples below: Reconstruction of the multi-sheave block excavated from Port-Vendres 2 shipwreck (c. AD 42-48), based on the measurements given by Carre (1983: 41) Block RG1, probably the upper block from the foremast halyard system of the Serçe Limani shipwreck (11th Century, c. 1025) Period/Date: 5th–6th century AD; Medium: Mosaic; Origin: Kelenderis, Turkey Period/Date: Byzantine, 5th-6th century AD; Medium: Graffito; Origin: Corinth, Greece Period/Date: AD 600-630; Medium: Graffiti; Origin: Monastery (Kellia) 80 km SE of Alexandria Period/Date: AD 880–883; Medium: Manuscript; Origin: Byzantine Period/Date: 9th century; Medium: Manuscript; Origin: Chalki Island, Turkey Actually, this book is a thesis for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy found in the public-domain area. I think I would not violate any right by sending this work by e-mail, especially for non-commercial use. Your wish (and e-mail address) is only required. Richard Julian Whitewright, Maritime Technological Change in the Ancient Mediterranean. The invention of the lateen sail, 2008 Volume One – 16.1 MB Volume Two – 56.6 MB Or: https://www.academia.edu/562936/Maritime_Technological_Change_in_the_Ancient_World_The_invention_of_the_lateen_sail_Volume_One and: https://www.academia.edu/562943/Maritime_Technological_Change_in_the_Ancient_World_The_invention_of_the_lateen_sail_Volume_Two

Upon consulting still more works and sources (of which one of the most informative was the book Maritime Technological Change in the Ancient Mediterranean: The invention of the lateen sail by Richard Whitewright), my hopefully final, graphical interpretation of the unclear XV-century manuscript can be seen below. At last I am quite happy with this arrangement, and this is what I intend to apply to my Mataro model. Many thanks for help to you Alex and Steven. Of course still curious of your – perhaps different – solutions. As an aside, lifting the main yard on a large ship could take as long as one hour...

Fine, thank you Alex. Good you made your choices. And remember to show us your building progress.

An extension of the theme, suitable for larger ships. Its drawback – disagreement with medieval shipbuilding manual, which allows only twice the mast length above the deck for the ties. Alex, I can only hope it does not bother you. Waiting eagerly for your next entries...

Oh no, Steven... You have utterly ruined my perception of medieval clothing and behaviour... But more seriously – your conclusion concerning those ties may be regarded as proven by the medieval shipbuilding treatise itself. At least according to Bellabarba's interpretation: there are unquestionable lifts (mantichi), there are ties (manti, amante) and there is what is called rize, which he interprets as collars fixed permanently to the ties. This is shown in the diagram below: Having said that, I almost hesitate to advance yet another hypothesis (born while having your remark in mind), in which ties (manti/amanti) are used for both hoisting the yard and serving as lifts, as illustrated in the drawing as an alternative setup. This alternative layout has some advantages: – it is hopefully still coherent with somewhat unclear medieval manuscript description, – it is compatible with ALL extant iconography, in a sense that ties/jeers/halyards are never depicted on the pictures (thanks Steven for sharing this important observation), – it follows the Mataro model arrangement, or at least does not contradict it, – it provides some practical advantages: after fixing the yard by means of a sling, the ties could be easily operated as lifts even manually (besides other, optional lifts perhaps), thus freeing the windlass/capstan for some other activities, – last but not least, it is perhaps the simplest, yet hopefully functional arrangement one could imagine. And a drawback: obviously no mechanical advantage is provided by rope tackles (only by windlass/capstan levers), unless halyard is allowed after all. Again, feel free to make critical comments.

Agree 100%. Those ties and halyards are notoriously elusive on the period iconography, and your explanation for this phenomenon is the most convincing.