27.  If you discover any ship or fleet by night, and they be [to] windward of you, the general or admirals, you shall presently bear up to give us knowledge if you can speak with her; if not, you may keep your luff and shoot off a piece of ordnance by which we shall know you give chase, to the end that the rest may follow accordingly.

28.  For a general rule let no man presume to shoot off any pieces of ordnance but in discovery of ships or fleet by night, or being in danger of the enemy, or of fire, or of sinking, that it may be unto us a most certain intelligence of some matter of importance.

29.  If any man shall steal any victuals by breaking into the hold or otherwise, he shall receive the punishment of a thief and murderer of his fellows.

30.  No man shall keep any feasting or drinking between meals, or drink any health upon the ship’s provisions; neither shall the steward deliver any candle to any private man or for any private use.

31.  In foul weather every man shall set his sail to keep company with the rest of the fleet, and not run too far ahead by day but that he may fall astern the admiral before night.

32.  In case the fleet or any part of us should be set upon, the sea-captain shall appoint sufficient company to assist the gunners, after which (if the fight require it) the cabins between the decks shall be taken down, [and] all beds and sacks employed for bulwarks.  The musketeers of every ship shall be divided under captains or other officers, some for the forecastle, some for the waist, and others for the poop, where they shall abide if they be not otherwise directed.

33.  An officer or two shall be appointed to take care that no loose powder be carried between [the decks] nor near any linstock or match in hand.  You shall saw divers hogsheads in two parts, and, filling them with water, set them aloft the decks.  You shall divide your carpenters, some in hold, if any shot come between wind and water, and the rest between the decks, with plates of lead, plugs and all things necessary laid by them.  You shall also lay by your tubs of water certain wet blankets, to cast upon and cloak any fire.

34.  The master and boatswain shall appoint a convenient number of sailors to every sail, and to every such company a master’s mate or a quartermaster, so as when every man knows his charge and his place, things may be done without noise or confusion; and no man [is] to speak but the officers.

35.  No man shall board any enemy’s ship, especially such as command the king’s ships, without special order from me.  The loss of one of our ships will be an encouragement to the enemy, and by that means our fleet may be engaged, it being a great dishonour to lose the least of our fleet.  If we be under the lee of an enemy, every squadron and ship shall labour to recover the wind (if the admiral endeavour it).  But if we find an enemy to leeward of us the whole fleet shall follow in their