An. 1575.
I pray you pleasure me in getting me perfect information of the matter
hereunder specified.
For the prouision and furniture for a shippe of 200 tunnes, to catch the
Whale fish in Russia, passing from England. How many men to furnish the
ship.
How many fishermen skilful to catch the Whale, & how many other officers
and Coopers.
How many boats, and what fashion, and how many men in each boate.
What wages of such skilful men and other officers, as we shall neede out of
Biskay.
How many harping irons, speares, cordes, axes, hatchets, kniues, and other
implements for the fishing, and what sort and greatnes of them.
How many kettles, the greatnesse and maner of them, and what mettall, and
whether they bee set on triuets or on furnaces for boiling of the traine
oyle, and others.
What quantitie of caske, and what sort of caske, and what number of hoopes
and twigges, and how much thereof to be staued for the traine.
What quantitie of victuals, and what kinde of victuals for the men in all
the ship for 4 moneths time.
For the common mariners and officers to gouerne the ship, we shall not need
any out of Biskaie, but onely men skilful in the catching of the Whale, and
ordering of the oile, and one Cooper skilful to set vp the staued caske.
