A preliminary glossary of shipbuilding terms (including masts and fittings) in the manuscript of Michael of Rhodes
Alan H. Hartley, 2008 (lightly revised 2021)
The headword is the term in the manuscript. It is followed by the “standard” Italian form, the definition(s) and comment(s), and the folio number.
afficar ficcare = fichar 169a
agudo aguto spike. ▪ F82v specifies the soft iron from the region of Pieve di Cadora on the Piava River north of Venice, or from Hungary. 202b
albeo albedo fir (wood of Abies alba); albedo (F76r) 202b
alboro albero mast. ▪ The mast of the Flanders galley is 14 paces tall (plus a 12-foot cholzexe) and 7 palmi in circumference. 142b, 153a, 170a
alboro de mezo "midship mast" (actually, aft of midships in both the nave latina and the chocha). ▪ The "midship" mast of Michael's cog, being the smaller of the two and well aft, we would call the mizzenmast. It is half the height of the foremast (173a). 162a, 165b, 181a
alboro de proda foremast. ▪ The "foremast" of Michael's cog, being the larger of the two and nearly amidships, we would call the mainmast. It is 99½ feet tall (170a) and about 80 feet above deck. 165b, 181a
alto alto high (adj.); top (n.) (longa d'alto 'long on deck') 148a
ampieza ampiezza breadth, width (cf. largo, longeza) 140a
ampio ampio wide 152a
anelo anello anchor-ring, to which the cable is made fast, and by which the anchor is suspended when not in use, by one of the chondugi; cf. aneli de anchore in F93r. ▪ Carpaccio's painting Arrivo dei pellegrini a Colonia, c1490, shows, at the bows of a nave quadra, the large rings of two anchors, intricately puddinged (wrapped with old rope to protect the cable from chafing). 144b
anpieza ampiezza = ampieza 141a
[arganel] arganello davit, esp. a fish-davit, a curved piece of wood projecting over either side of the galley's bow (seen most clearly in 145b); there were also davits at the stern. ▪ Each fish-davit contains a sheave over which runs the buoy-rope (grípia) which is used to haul the bower anchor into a horizontal position after it has been raised. Though no hawse-hole (ochio) is visible, it probably lies just under the davit. The anchor must have been raised till the ring came to the hawse-hole, then a strain taken on the buoy-rope over the davit, the ring-painter attached and led aft and the hawser unbent, and the fluke-end hauled up by the buoy-rope which was then replaced by the fluke-painter. Not named in MoR, but cf. ragi 2 per li arganeli da proda et ragi 6 per li arganeli da pope in F77r, and arganelli in Crescentio 34. (Term included here because of the davit's salience in Michael's illustrations.) • a diminutive form of argano (see Rigging Glossary). n/a
arpéxe arpése clamp (U-shaped iron staple). • a Greek loanword (1448, from Ven., De Mauro) 202b
asta (de puope) asta 'pole, shaft, boom' stern-post (used by MoR only of the nave quadra, where the asta de puope is a third the length of the keel; asta da proda in 168b is a mistake for asta de puope. But note that roda de proda and lhasta de proda are apparently equivalent in F88v.). ▪ the basic meaning of asta is that of a straight shaft of wood, and asta (like Italian dritto) came to be used to distinguish the straight stern-posts of the northern European tradition from the curved posts characteristic of the Mediterranean. Cf. inpostura, ruoda. 168b, 169a
avrir aprire be (so many feet) wide, have a breadth of (so many feet). • lit. 'open' (cf. apre in F38v) 148a
áxola, áxulla asse 'axle' pintle, one of the iron pins in the mounting of the stern-rudder which fit into the gudgeons (chanchare). ▪ In galleys, whose stern-posts are curved, there are only two pintles, the upper mounted on the leading edge of the rudder and the lower on the after edge of the stern-post. In the nave quadra, whose post is straight, there are nine, the upper eight being on the rudder. Cf. maschullo. • diminutive of Ven. asso (Boerio) 'axle'. 169a, 202b
bachaláro baccaláre outrigger-bracket (of oak) 202b
bancho banco rowing-bench (of fir). ▪ The galia sottil in Z42v has 29 benches. Cf. inbanchar. 150a, 202b
banda banda 1. side (of ship); cf. destro, senestro. 2. longitudinal planking (of fir) set vertically below the postiza, covering the heads of the choli. 115a; 137a, 202b
bandolína, bandulina a longitudinal stringer resting on the bachalari. • dimin. of (unattested?) bandola 149a, Z43r
barcha barca galley's boat (larger than the chopano) 143a, 153b
barcharézo barcarízzo 'gangway (port)' place where the ship's boat rests on deck, supported by chadene (beams) 202b
bastárda bastárda half-beam (short deck-beam) on either side of a hatchway. ▪ bastardo means generally 'differing in size or shape from the usual' 149a
batéllo, [pl.] batéy battéllo ship's boat, 28-36 pie long; larger than the gondola 165a, 169a
batipórta battipórto, -a 'hatchway' hatch-coaming?, or hatch-board? (of fir) 202b
battalli battaglia straight oak pieces for the bulwark (a defensive railing along the ship's sides)? 202b
baunéscho = bavonescho (timony 2 bauneschi) 154b
bavar cf. sbavare to diverge (by a specified measurement) from a reference-line (as a rowing-bench from a string-line stretched across the galley) 137a
bavonéscho see timon bavonescho 147a
bocha buca = bucha 135b
bolsón bolzone camber (upward convexity) of deck-beams 137b
bonprésso bomprésso bowsprit; see illus. on 182b. • a northern European loanword; this is perhaps the earliest example of the word in Italian. 170a
bucha buca the "mouth", or upward-facing opening of the hull as outlined by the madier di bucha. By extension, the breadth of a vessel at the height of the main deck (17½ feet in the Flanders galley). 135b
burdunále bordonále 'rafter' plank, of larch or fir, 40 pie long and about 1-2 pie wide (cf. de longeza de passa 8 del volzer de pede et palmo in F78r) 202b
buta, butta botta butt, a wine-barrel (approx. 3 English ft. in diameter and 3½ high), used also as a measure of a ship's capacity. ▪ Lane [p. 247] gives one 15c. value for the contents of the botta as approx. 140 gallons (530 liters). As a measure of deadweight (carrying capacity), Lane reckons [p. 249] the botta at approx. 1340 English pounds. 168b, 179b
chadéna caténa beam, specif. deck-beam ▪ in chadena 'up to the deck-beams'; also chadina. 153b, 202b
chadena da cholo one of the deck-beams with a cholo at each end; also chadina da cholo. 136b
chadene de barcharezo boat-beams, on which a ship's boat rests on deck (of oak) 202b
chadina da cholo = chadena da cholo 149a
chalafáo calafáto caulker. • a Greek loanword (1332, De Mauro) 202b
chalcágno calcágno heel (of stern-rudder) 147a
chalcar calcare to caulk 202b
chana canna a linear measure ▪ less than a pie; ~3 cm?; MB says ¼ of a dito sottile, or ~5 mm. 152a
chanchara rudder-gudgeon, one of the iron sockets in the mounting of the stern-rudder; the pintles (axole) fit into them. In galleys, whose posts are curved, there are only two gudgeons, the lower mounted on the leading edge of the rudder and the upper on the after edge of the stern-post. In the nave quadra, whose post is straight, there are nine, of which the upper eight are on the post. 169a, F89r
chanpo campo space between frame-timbers 160a
chargo carico 1. a weight-measure for spices equal to 400 libbre sottile (approx. 264 English pounds or 120 kg; Lane 249). 2. ship's cargo 1b; 180a
chastagnóla castagnóla cleat? (of fir, which seems unlikely for cleats) 202b
chavo capo 1. head, end. 2. end of a ship (bow or stern). See also Rigging Glossary. 146a, 150b, 178a; 139a, 139b
chavríola capréolo 'scroll' (archit.) figurehead (at the head of the stem) 137b
chaxélla del alboro casélla 'small box' mast-step (or mast-slot)? (of oak); cf. pedega, schaza 202b
chaxion cagione reason, cause 168b
chiave chiave fir plank of certain dimensions; cf. chiave usevele de larese de passa 7 in F84r, and le chiave del magjer de bocha in Z43r 202b
chocha cocca cog, square-rigged round ship = nave quadra. 170a
chodiera chorba codera curva tail-frame, either of the frames [or floors; see chorba], forward and aft, at the limits of the midbody of a ship, within which the frames could be designed according to the usual proportional processes (= cao di sesto in F50r). ▪ In the ends of the hull, beyond the chodiere chorbe, the frames were custom-designed by the shipwright (as Crescentio 18 says, hanno per Modello l'occhio del maestro). Cf. mezo legno. 148a
cholo collo 'neck' end of deck-beam rising to support the outrigger; cf. chadena del cholo 149a
choloméllo colonnéllo stanchion (of fir) 202b
cholónba colómba (and colónna?) keel (assembled from as many as four oak timbers 24 or 26 feet long scarfed end-to-end). • possibly from Latin columna 'column'. ▪ in/de cholonba '(of a vessel's length) in the keel', i.e., between the 2 choltri. Because the keel curves up slightly towards each end, only part of its length actually "treads the ground". 141b, 148b, 202b; 153b, 164b, 168b
choltro coltro 'coulter (of a plow)' a piece of oak compass-timber forming part—presumbably the lowest part—of the stem and the stern-post assemblies; cf. inpostura. • possibly so named from its similarity to a chisel-pointed coulter sticking down into the earth. ▪ The term appears in Michael only in the phrase poselexe del choltro, though it is used alone in the Fabrica: stortami per far chorbe et forchami et mezi legni et choltri in F80r, and Tanto vol esser grossa limpostura da pope e da proda per mezo li choltri intrambe in F6v. 150b, 152a, Z42v
cholzéxe calcése block-mast (JP93), a separate spar scarfed to the top of the mast and containing two sheaves in holes, on which the yard-tyes run. The cholzexe should be one fifth the length of the mast. (a1470, from LLat. from Greek) 142b, 170a, 180b
chon con with, including, counting 136b
chópano cópano galley's skiff, smaller than the barca 143a
chorba curva floor-timber, the central piece of each frame, overlying the keel. The Flanders and Romania galleys have 87-88, and the galia sotil (in Z56v) has 90. ▪ It is possible that the meaning of chorba is also extended to 'frame' (as in chodiera corba?), but that isn't clear in MoR. 152a, 160a, 168b, 202b
chorbe di mezo four or five frames amidships, considered as a group 135b
chorbe in sesto the frames (or floors—see chorba) between and including the chodiere chorbe, i.e., those that are designed (sia chorbe 42 in sesto); cf. chorbe in sexto in F1r, and sesto. Cf. also corvas de sexto [accusative case] in a document of Sicily of 1275, in JP93 p. 39. 135b
chorda corda (strengthening deck-stringer) stringer (of oak), mortised into the deck-beams (Crescentio 32) or mortised over the bachalari and supporting the stanchions of the rowing-benches, MB 149b, 159b, 202b
chovérta copérta deck 137a
choverta, in 1. (of hull length) measured along the main deck. 2. (of hull depth) measured up to the deck (about 8 feet in the Flanders galley, and in the cog 7½ feet to the lower deck and 14 feet total to the upper deck). 168b; 148a
chozullo cleat (of iron); cf. mod. Ven. cossollo in Jal s.v. 202b
creser crescere amount added (infinitive used as noun) 164b, 168b
crosía, crossía corsía 1. center gangway. 2. one of the side-pieces of the gangway (of larch)? (cf. sovra crussia). ▪ The gangway is covered with mortised hatch-boards laid crosswise. 113-2b, 137a, 149b
crussía corsía = crosia 202b
dedo, [pl.] deda dito a linear measure equal to one -sixteenth pie, or approx. 2 cm (0.8 English inch). • lit. 'finger' 135b
dedo grosso dito grosso inch (about 2.5 cm). • lit. 'thumb' 152a
dente dente 'tooth' point, narrow end? (of spironzello and parascena); also of stern-rudder. See also Rigging Glossary. 137b, 147a
destro destro starboard; cf. senestro 115a
diámitro diámetro diameter (also more generally perhaps 'distance, dimension'; cf. 147a, and il diametro della grossezza dell'Albero in Crescentio 26) (1304, De Mauro, from LLat from Greek) 162a, 196b
die deve? should 135b
ertar rise (v.), reach a certain height 164b
erta, erteza erta 'upward slope; high place' height, rise (n.) 164b
fano fanale lantern (at stern) (1348, from Byz. Gk, De Mauro) 115a
ferir ferire strike, reach, hit; ferir chon 'strike (a certain part of a ship's structure, in measurement)': fiero chon 'I strike'. 137b, 148a, Z42v
fero ferro anchor, a large, 4-hooked grapnel (see 145b and 156a, which show an anchor secured to the starboard bow). Cf. arganel, chondugi, mara, ranpaun. ▪ The five anchors of the Flanders galley in F62v weigh 800 lbs. each; the weight of 120 lbs. given in MoR 144b is too small. • lit. 'iron' 144b, 182a
ferraménta ferraménti hardware, ironwork 202b
fia, fiade fia(ta) times (in multiplication) 165b, 173b
Fiándria Fiándra Flanders (cf. Frandra in Z44r) 135b
fichar ficcare fasten, fix, insert, drive in (cf. afficar) 174b
fiero see ferir
fogon focone galley (cooking-hearth); also fugun. 113-1a
forma forma template (wooden); cf. sesto. 159a, 159b
frixetto sfrizetto waterway, a fir timber running along the edge of the deck, fitted over the ends of the deck-beams and inside the futtocks, serving to strengthen the connection between deck and sides and as a gutter to carry off deck-water 202b
fugun = fogon 113-1a
fundo fondo bottom (of a ship); cf. plan 168b
furar forare to drill 202b
fúrchamo fórcamo futtock, either arm of a frame, extending up from the floor-timber (chorba). • from forca 'fork' 149a, 202b
fusta, fusto fusto small galley, foist (cf. fusta of 10 or 15 benches in Z55v) 114b
fuxo fuso 'anchor-shank; oarloom' (obsol.) upper part of rudder-stock, homologous to an oarloom (cf. tanto de pala quanto de fuso in F78v); cf. schaton 181b
galia, gallia galera galley. ▪ the word is found in Byz. Greek c900 AD as galéa and in Venetian Latin in 1097 as galia. 135b, 202b
galia de Fiandria Flanders galley: le gallie de Fiandria over da Londra. ▪ the Flanders galley is 23 paces, 3½ feet long on deck. 135b, 146a
galia del sesto de Romania Romania galley. ▪ the Romania galley is 23 paces, 3 feet long on deck. 148a
galia sotil light galley 158b
gettar gettare extend(?) 137a, 149a
gola gola = timonera (only in the nave latina) • lit. 'throat'; cf. gula 164b, 165a
góndola góndola ship's boat, 24 pie long (smaller than the batello) • a Greek loanword 165a
groseza grossezza thickness 202b
grosso grosso thick 146a
gula gola mast-hole: se tu volesti manti..mesura dale gule inchina li ragli del cholzexe, e daralli 2 tanto. (Cf. manteli avete tanto quanto tu hai darboro dal fogon in su in F57v, where fogon also means 'mast-hole'.) ▪ The height of the mast from deck to top is commonly used as a unit of length for rigging. Cf. gola. 182a
inbanchar to fit rowing benches to a galley (cf. banchear in Crescentio p. 24); cf. bancho 150a, Z43r
inchina insino to, up to, as far as 137a
ingualezar cf. uguale, iguale equalize, set equal 173a
inpostura impostare 'erect the framework of a ship being built' stem or stern-post of a galley, assembled from several pieces of oak scarfed end to end; cf. asta, choltro, ruoda. • lit. 'that which is set in place'; cf. imposturo 'grosso palo di legno' in Boerio. 136a, 148a, 152a
lagola mistake for la gola 164b
lana lana wool (as a galley cargo) 146a
lanzar slanciare to rake (in naut. sense) 136a
lanzo slancio rake, the distance measured horizontally from either poselexe to the plumb-line dropped from a fixed point on the corresponding post; also slanzo. ▪ those points were apparently the intersection with the madier di bucha on the stem, and the top of the transom (triganto) at the head of the stern-post. 148a, Z42v
lárexi lárice larch (wood of Larix decidua). ▪ F84v-85r recommends larch from the mountain forests of Ampezzo and Auronzo north of Venice. 202b
largo largo wide; width (cf. ampieza, longeza) 162a
lata, latta lata deck-beam (of oak). ▪ The galia sottil has 59 beams (Z42v); the forwardmost is 6¼ feet from the stem, and the aftermost is 8 feet from the stern. 202b
latin latino lateen (see nave latina); Mediterranean (see timon) 154b
legnáme legnáme timber (collective, as material) 168b, 202b
legno legno (piece of) wood 202b
libra libbra pound (weight measure). ▪ The libra grosa, used in shipbuilding and rigging (and wool), was approx. equal to 1.05 English lbs, or 480 g. The libra sotil, used for luxury goods, was 0.63 libra grosa, approx. 0.66 Eng. lbs, or 300 g. (Lane 245) 202b
lievar levare rise (v.) 136a
longeza lunghezza length (cf. ampieza, largo) 202b
Londra Londra London (England) 146a
longo lungo long 169a
madier madiere 'floor-timber' plank (magéri 'floor-timber' in Boerio) 202b, Z43v
madier di bucha sheer-strake (of oak); cf. bucha; madier di bocca in D). ▪ In Z43r, the width of these planks is 1 palm and the upper edge is notched for the deck beams. 135b
maistra maestra framing-ribband 150b
man mano 'hand' a certain number of things, e.g., 15-18 butts (barrels) stowed aboard a ship; and sail-bonnets in F92r (arlenge et gratili per tre man de bonete) 179b
mara marra anchor-fluke, the triangular plate at the end of each arm of an anchor. 144b
marangón marangóne ship's carpenter 202b
máschullo máscolo, maschio pin; rudder-pintle (mascolo in Boerio); cf. axola 202b
-me -me collective suffix: corbame (in Boerio), legname, stortame
men meno minus, less 152a
meza quarta one-eighth 136a
mezana mezzana midships mast (un alboro de mezo...e vuol antena per la mezana) 142b
mezo mezzo 1. half. 2. midships 165b; 153a
mezo, per per mezzo at (specifying a point at which a measurement is taken) 136a
mezi legny perhaps futtocks in the ends of the hull (mezi legny sì a puope chomo a proda), beyond the chodiere chorbe. ▪ The floors of the ends are called chorbeti in F75v and forcazzi in Crescentio 18. • lit. 'half-timber' 202b
mezo terzo ⅙ (one sixth) 139b
miaro = mier 026a
mier, [pl.] miera migliaio 1,000 of something, especially 1,000 libre (grose), approx. 480 kg, or about half a short ton; cf. megliara in F76v 174a, 182a, 202b
mitáde metá half 164b
morélo, moréllo moréllo 1. measure, scantling, dimension. 2. measuring-stick (MB). ▪ The use of a word for both 'scantlings' and the stick used to measure them is logical. In a case like madieri de rover 280 del morello grosso zoè d’una quarta de pe, 'scantling' seems the more likely meaning; in Qu[e]sti sono li morelli de galia sotil, either meaning might obtain; so also with murelo. 160a, 202b
morssar mortise (v.) (morsar la dita galia dentro in F76r); cf. morso 'mortise' (n.) in Z43v. 202b
morto a fir timber, perhaps the heavy post, just abaft the stem, illustrated in 145b, 152b, 164a. ▪ Its rounded top, which resembles a man's head, contains sheaves that form the lower block of the orza-tackle. Pro: Morti are listed with cholomelli in 202b. Cf. English knight, a similar post for a halyard-tackle, and French mort 'mooring-post' and English deadman, a buried timber, anchor, etc., used for mooring. Con: a dead man isn't usually upright! Mauro believes morti are longitudinal members of some sort above or below the deck. Chadene morte occurs on F78r. But note that in some cases, there may be confusion with morto in the sense of the upper (or 'dead') works of a vessel. 202b
murelo = morello (in either sense) 140b
nave nave round ship; cf. navillio
nave latina lateen-rigged ship, 16 paces long on deck, with a foremast of 14 paces, 2 feet, and a midship mast of 13 paces, both lateen-rigged. 164b
nave quadra round ship, 19 paces long on deck, with bowsprit, square-rigged foremast, and lateen-rigged midship mast; = chocha. 168b
naviglo = navillio 182a
navillio naviglio ship (probably originally smaller than a nave) 165b
netto netto net, clear (adj.) 180a
nudo nodo knot (a small linear measure) 152a
[ochio] occhio hawse-hole, the hole on either side of the bow through which the anchor-cable runs. Though not recorded by Michael, it is the usual word for 'hawse-hole' in, e.g., Boerio, and in the Zibaldone da Canal (as ogllo), c1380. n/a
oro orlo edge 135b
pagnól pagliólo ceiling-planking of fir (lining compartments in the hold). Cf. paiuol in F76r; and seraia de soto. 202b
pala, palla pala blade (of rudder, of oar) 181b, Z56r
palmeta palmetta small open deck of a galley, fore and aft 136b, 149a, Z42v
palmo palmo span (meas., one seventh of a passo, or approx. 0.8 pie, 24 cm, or 9½ inches) 137a, 202b
panixello garboard-strake, the run of longitudinal planking adjacent to the keel (paneselo in Boerio) 138a
para- located near, adjacent to; similar to
paramexál, paramezzále premez(z)áno keelson?, or a stringer near the keel, on either side? (of oak) 161a, 202b
paraschéna parascenio (theatrical sense) bulwark or screen on either side of the stern (see the illustrations on 145b & 152b). • from Greek paraskené, orig. a wall on either side of a theater's stage 136b, Z42v
paraschúxula bilge-stringer (foot-waling, thick stuff, sleeper), internal timber (of oak) on top of the floor-futtock scarfs. • diminutive of parascosa, the stringer next to the scosa, in Crescentio p. 28; and cf. 13c Sicilian Latin asconsa in JP93) 135b, 202b
partir partire to divide, distribute 149a
passo, [pl.] passa passo pace, measure = 5 pie = 7 palmi (Z16r); approx. 1.75m. 128b, 148a, 169a
pédega piética 'saw-horse' mast-step; cf. piedega in Z56r, and chaxella del alboro, schaza. 165b, 174b
pégola pégola pitch (for coating the hull) 202b
pegolar impegolare (obsol.), impeciare to pay (apply pitch to the hull) 202b
penon best bower anchor (either of the largest anchors in the nave quadra, 1000 lbs. each)? 174b
per la via de per along; to the height of, in the direction of, specifying how a measurement is to be taken (MB) 136b
pertigetta pertichetta pole (of fir; part of the framework for the stern canopy?) 202b
pexar pesare to weigh 181b
pexo peso weight 144b
pian piano, piana = plan 164b
pianéda pianezza bottom (of a ship). • lit. 'flatness'; cf. pian, pianedia in F89r. 165b, 171a
pianer rower nearest the gangway (after thole-pin); cf. postizo, trezaruol 150a, Z43r
piato piatta, chiatta flat-boat, barge (for lightering ballast). • a Greek loanword 146a
pie pie(de) foot, measure = 16 dedi or one-fifth passa; approx. 0.34 m. or 1.1 English feet (Lane 245; Mariner's Mirror 29 205 says Lucar [1588] says that..the ‘Arsenal Foot’ of Venice equals ‘one foot, one and a fifth inches of the assise of England’) 135b
pie di bancho, pe del bancho pie del banco stanchion (of rowing-bench) 137a
pionbin piombino plumb-line; cf. piombino in F26r 157b
piróne piróne pin (of iron) 202b
pízullo pícciolo small 164b
plan piano floor (of hull), flat of bottom; cf. pian, pianeda, and fundo 164b
pope poppa stern; also puope 136a
porta porta, boccaporta hatchway. ▪ The forward starboard hatch in Z56v is 4½ paces from the bow, the next starboard hatch is 15 paces from the bow, and the portside hatch is 11½ paces from the bow. 136b, 149a
poselexe shipwright's reference-mark scribed on various timbers of a galley, e.g., the keel (p. di choltro) and frame (p. de la paraschuxula); and cf. poselese del magier di bocca in D 135b, Z55v
postíza postíccia oar-outrigger (of larch), on which the thole-pins are mounted. It is supported by the bachalari and the zovi 202b
postízo postíccio middle rower on a bench (middle thole-pin); cf. pianer, trezaruol 137a
proda proda bow; cf. pruoda, pruovo 149a
pruoda = proda
pruovo prua, prora = proda; cf. proba in Z46v, prova Z56r 149b
puntapié puntapiéde rowing-stretcher (foot-brace), of fir 202b
puope poppa = pope 112a, 169a, 202b
puzo pozzo pump-well or bilge 180a
quadra quadra square-rigged (see nave quadra) 168b
quadro, al quadro vertically (cf. schuara); cf. al qaro in Z28b. • lit. 'on the square, perpendicularly' 135b
quarta quarta one-quarter foot (= 4 dedi) 149a
quarto quarto quarter 175a
ranpaun rampóne, rampicone grapnel-anchor of 60-100 lbs. for a ship's boat (cf. the much heavier rampegoni in F77r); cf. fero 174b
raxión, raxón ragióne method, technique, rules, proportion 181b
redondo rotondo round or circular portion, as of a spar or a rudder-stock 175a
remézo riméssa spare, replacement (per remezo) 143b
remo remo oar 135b
Romania lands around the northeastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea 148a
róver róvere oak (wood of Quercus [rubra?]); also ruver 202b
ruóda (da proda) ruóta stem (used by Michael only of the nave quadra); cf. asta, inpostura. ▪ da ruoda in ruoda refers (in the nave quadra) to the distance between the heads of the stem and stern-post. This is one pace more than the length in choverta because of the presence of the teste. 168b, 172a
rúver róvere = rover 202b
savórna zavórra ballast (usually beach-shingle or sand) 146a
schalla scala gangway 112b
scalletta scaletta ladder, stairs (of fir) 202b
scandolér scandaláro, scandolár(o) steward's room, the aftermost compartment of hold (for provisions) 149b
schaton lower part of rudder-stock (cf. Ven. scatón 'spindle of a made mast' in Boerio, and Ital. scaton 'talon de la quilla y del timon' in O'Scanlan); cf. fuxo. • probably from the Greek word éschaton 'furthest (part)' 181b
schaza scazza, scassa mast-slot, an elongate opening in the deck, within the width of the crosia, to allow the raising and lowering of the mast. It has bastarde on each side. Cf. legni..driti di rovere..per far..la schaza del arboro in F81r. • perhaps orig. 'little box', from s- + chaza 'box' (cf. chaxella del alboro). The word means 'mast-step' in Italian, modern Venetian, French, Provençal, Greek, and Turkish, but in the nautical language of Abruzzo and Molise, scàuzzë means 'mast-hole (in the deck)' (Giammarco 73), and DMA cites Venetian scazza with both meanings 136b, 149a, Z42v
schermo scalmo thole-pin, mounted on the postiza, and serving as the fulcrum for an oar. • a Greek loanword 137a
schuara squadra (carpenter's) square; cf. quadro Z45r
scriváno scriváno purser/mate/clerk 149a
se si if 142a
se si third-person reflexive pronoun 146a
se = xe 136b, 137a
segador segatore sawyer (maistri segadoori) 202b
senestro sinistro port (side); cf. destro 115a
seráia de soto serráglio 'cage' etc. compartment (in the hold); bulkhead (of fir boards). Cf. tavole..per far paivoli et algune seraglie in F81r; and pagnol, serar. 202b
serar serrare 'shut' plank up (cover the hull with planks). Cf. seraia de soto 152a, 202b
sesto sesto 1. sixth (n.) ▪ also, 'drafting-compass' (not attested in MoR) 2. curve, bend, compass, sweep (n.) (lieva lo sesto dale chorbe). In these contexts, sesto might also mean 'design' 3. design (n.); cf. galie grosse se parti per sesto dela bocha in T1 ▪ also 'mold, wooden template', a meaning not clearly attested in MoR, but cf. segnale su el sesto in Z45r. Cf. forma 165b, 180b; 135b, 148a; 135b, 157b
sesto, in/di in sesto designed, laid out in an orderly arrangement(?); see chorbe in sesto; also cf. parttison in sesto in Z44v, and la corba di cao di sesto in F50r 135b
sie = xe 181b
slanzo slancio rake (of stem or stern-post, mast); cf. lanzar 165b, 169a
so suo its, his 164b
sogiér, soguiér sogliére 'coaming' coaming? (lo sogier da pope, dela porta de scandoler, xe a latte 11 e lo sogier di proda a latte 13 chon lo zuovo). Cf. sogia in T and mod. Italian soglia 'planksheer; sill, threshold' 149a, Z42v
sotíl sottiíle light, small 160a
soto, sotto sotto below; also sutto 136b
sovra sopra above (in sovra [of length] 'on deck') 153b, 158b
sovra crussia side-plank of the corsia (of fir). Cf. sopra corsie in Crescentio 31-2, and Fr. sur-coursie 202b
spironzello sperone small projection at the stern? (cf. spiron 'beak-head' in Z55v) • -zello dimin. suffix 137b
stante stante stanchion, a post supporting the overlying deck 180a
staza, stazia perhaps mast-step (se anpia la stazia pie 1½, and va la staza sula chorba che va in 22 a proda) • lit. 'stand, standing place'? 136b, 137a
stopa stoppa oakum 202b
stórtame stortame compass-timber, curved or crooked pieces, naturally grown or trained into shape; 8½-10 feet long and 4-5 feet in girth (F86r) 202b
suso suso on, on top of 149b
sutto sotto = sotto 168b
terzo terzo one-third, the third of the length of an elongate object [rudder, mast] at which a measurement is taken. 147a, 170a
teste teste heads, probably the three ram-like timbers seen in 145b, 152b, 156a, and 164a projecting forward of the stem (longa in choverta..pasa 15 e un passo più per le creser dele tteste) and apparently the same as spiron in Z55v. Cf. English head 'the work fitted in front of the stem'. 164b, 168b
timón timóne rudder 181b
timón bavonéscho sternpost-rudder. • lit. 'rudder of Bayonne'; also baunescho 147a
timón latin quarter-rudder (at each side of the stern). • lit. 'Latin', i.e., 'Mediterranean' 154b, Z46r
timonéra timoniéra 'pilot-house; rudder-hole' bracket for the quarter-rudder; also called gola. ▪ Its after edge is, depending on the galley design, 3½-4¾ feet forward of the after edge of the stern-post, measuring along the main wale; in the Romania galley, it is 1 pie, 2 deda across and 1½ pie thick. 136b, T
to tuo = tuo (your) 172a
trazuola, trazuolla treccia 'braided cord' string-line; cf. trizuola in D, trezióla (fishing long-line) in Boerio, trezola in F2v., ttrizola, ttrizuola in Z43r 137a
trepie height at 3 feet above the top of the keel at which the breadth of hull is measured (BB88); also tripie. • lit. 'three feet' 164b, 168b
trezaruól terzarólo, terzer(u)ólo outboardmost (third) rower (forward thole-pin); cf. pianer, postizo 137a
triganto dragante transom, a timber across the head of the stern-post of the Flanders and Romania galleys, about 3 feet above the wale. • a Greek loanword, orig. 'three-cornered' (1607, De Mauro; cf. Ven. triganto [16c.]) 136a, 148b
tripie = trepie 164b
tuo tuo your; also to 127b
tuo see tuor 168b
tuola távola plank, board 149b, 202b
tuor torre (obsolete variant of togliere) take, hold (tuo 'takes; take!' cf. se tuol 'is held' 146a); cf. tor in Boerio 127b, 168b, 178a
uxévelli usévole (obsol.) usual, customary (albeo uxevelli); cf. chiave de pezo de mesura usevele in F84v 202b
velo vela sail (gallia a velo 'galley under sail') 164a
vérzena = virzena 202b
via see per
vírzena, vírzina stringer, ceiling strake (of oak); also verzena 161a
volzer volgere to measure (so much) in girth 202b
xe is; also se, sie 141b
zenta cinta main wale. • lit. 'belt' (cf. perzenta in Rigging Glossary) 135b, Z42v
zima cima top, end 153a
zorlanda ghirlanda breast-hook?, a horizontal knee reinforcing the bow: sachi 11, un chon zorlanda. ▪ Cf. Venetian zirlanda, obsolete variant of girlanda 'garland' in Boerio. Italian ghirlanda 'garland' has also (e.g., 1715 in Venice in Jal s.v.) the nautical meanings of 'puddening', a wrapping of old rope around the anchor-ring to protect the cable from chafing, and a horizontal knee reinforcing the bow or stern. 146b
zovo, zuovo giogo yoke, crosswise timbers, forward and aft, supporting the ends of the outriggers 149a
Notes
The "standard Italian" terms are etymologically related to the Venetian ones but are not necessarily synonymous with them. Acute accent indicates stress.
Simple folio numbers are for examples from MoR, other citations as follows:
Alertz: "Naval Architecture" in Age of the Galley, 1995
BB88: Bellabarba Mariner's Mirror 74, 1988
Boerio: Dizionario del Dialetto Veneziano, 1856
Crescentio: Nautica Mediterranea, 1602
D: Drachio Visione, 1594 (archimedes.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/docuserver/images/archimedes/drachio/downloads/drachio.text.pdf)
DMA: Dizionario di Marina Medievale e Moderno, 1937
F: Fabrica de Galere (transcribed by L. Carbonell Relat, Ph.D. diss., 1992)
Giammarco: Lessico Marinaresco Abruzzese e molisano, 1963
Jal: Glossaire Nautique, 1848-50
JP90: Pryor Mariner's Mirror 76, 1990
JP93: Studies in Medieval & Renaissance History 14, 1993
Lane: Venetian Ships, 1934
MB: Bondioli "Written Recording..." (MoR paper, 2005)
O'Scanlan: Diccionario Marítimo Español, 1831
T: Theodoro de Nicolò Instructione c1550 (Lane Mariner's Mirror 20 [1934])
Z: Zorzi da Modon Note c1445 (transcribed by L. Carbonell Relat, Ph.D. diss., 1992)