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Shipbuilding: Galley of Flanders Intro (p. 135b)


Shipbuilding: Galley of Flanders Intro (p. 135b)


Michael's manuscript contains the first known treatise on shipbuilding, covering the construction and equipping of five different vessels. This is the first page, which provides various measurements for the galley of Flanders. Michael made numerous voyages to Flanders (now Belgium) in this kind of vessel. Since he was not a shipbuilder, the text is thought to be copied from an earlier document.

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+ Ihesus + Questo serà l'amaistramento da far una galia del sesto de Fiandria e de far tute le chose i prozede inchina serà aparechiada d'andar a vello o a remy, zoè de farla intera, achoredarla e armar- la, chomo te serà dechiarado qui de sotto per singollo. E primo, longe le galie de Fiandria d'alto passa 23, pie 3 1/2. Averà de pian la ditta pie 10. E llieva lo sesto dale corbe per mezo el posellexe dela paraschuxula 1/3 de pie. E avre, mezo pie in alto, pie 12 men 2/3 de pie. E avre, pie 1 in alto, pie 12 1/2. E avre, pie 2 in alto, pie 14 deda 2. E avre, pie 3 in alto, pie 15 deda 2. E avre, pie 4 in alto, pie 16 men deda 2. E avre, pie 5 in allto, pie 16 1/3. E avre, pie 6 in alto, pie 17 men 1/4. E avre, pie 7 in alto, pie 17 deda 2. E à de bucha questa nostra gallia pie 17 1/2. Alta in choverta pie 8 men deda 2. E à de bocha la chodiera chorba da proda, pie 8 men deda 2 in alto, pie 12 1/3. E sia chor- be 42 in sesto. E a proda chorba 42 e a puope e ande in mezo chorbe 4. E mesuran- do per mezo la chorba de mezo dil'oro di sul madier di bucha e al'oro di su dela zenta, die ‘ser pie 1 1/2, mesurando per la via di furchami. Erze la zenta al'inpostura da proda pie 9, mesurando al qua- dro. Erze lo madier di bucha al'inpostura da proda pie 10 1/2, mesurando al quadro. E lanza pie 10 1/2. //

+ Jesus + Here are the instructions for making a galley of pattern of Flanders and for doing all of the things and procedures until it is fit for going by oar or by sail, that is to make it complete, to equip it and arm it as will be explained to you below item by item. First of all, the length of the Flanders galley in height is 23 paces, 3 1/2 feet. It will have in floor 10 feet and the rise of the mould of midship frame to the bilge stringer is 1/3 of a foot. It will have at half a foot in height 12 minus 2/3 feet. And have at 1 foot high 12 1/2 feet. And have at 2 feet high 14 feet 2 fingers. And have at 3 feet high 15 feet 2 fingers. And have at 4 feet high 16 feet minus 2 fingers. And have at 5 feet high 16 1/3 feet. And have at 6 feet high 17 minus 1/4. And have at 7 feet high 17 feet 2 fingers. And the breadth of our galley will be 17 1/2 feet. Height of the deck 8 feet minus 2 fingers; and at the breadth of the last moulded frame of the bow, at 8 feet minus 2 fingers in height, 12 1/3 feet. And there will be 42 moulded frames. And it has at the bow 42 frames and at the stern and also 4 at the midships. And measur- ing at the front of the midship frames from the upper edge of the top strake and to the upper edge the wale should be 1 1/2 feet; measuring by way of the futtocks. Rise of the wale at the intersection of the bow is 9 feet, measuring square. Rise of the top strake rises at the intersection of the bow 10 1/2 feet, measuring square. It rakes 10 1/2 feet.