The Seventeenth Century 29 



baptiser d'autres gens, il exercera sur eux les mesmes Cérémonies qu'on va 

 exercer sur luy; sans qu'il luv vienne jamais dans la pensée de les exemprer 

 (sic). Apres avoir fait ce serment, l'homme qui doit estre baptisé, se levé, & 

 marchant vers l'avant du vaisseau entre les rangs des bailles & des gens de 

 l'Equippage qui l'attendent avec des seaux tout pleins, il essuyé ceét orage, 

 & reçoit ainsi le baptesme. 



( Georges Guillet de Saint-George. Les arts de l'homme d'epée. La Haye, 



1680. p. 323-324.) 



The first quotation is entered under 1678, the date of the first French edition, but is taken from 

 the Hague reprint of 1680 as I found no copy of 1678 at hand. Note that the English version 

 sticks to facts when describing the book the victim lays his hand on vifhen taking the oath of 

 allegiance, omitting any reference to the French phrase "pour représenter le Livre des Evangües;" 

 and in neither case does the oath have the passage binding the man to watch his step when dealing 

 with seamen's wives. 



LINE : Navigators usually call the Equator, or Equinoctial-Line, simply the 

 Line. And at Sea, they have a Ridiculous Ceremony; That vi'hen Sailors Cross 

 the Line, or Tropic, that have not bin there before, they must Pay certain 

 Forfeitures Demanded of them, or else be Duck'd, or Baptiz'd (as they call 

 it,) either from the Main- Yard- Arm, or otherwise: This Custom is inviolably 

 used by most Nations, who practise it indispensably in East India Voyages; 

 and each practises it differently: Nay, those of the same Nation puts it in 

 Execution in diflFerent manner. It is perform'd, by some, thus, (by way of 

 Baptism, as was said before; ) The Ship's Company Range themselves in two 

 Lanes, each with a bucket in his Hand, with Tubs of Sea- Water ready by 

 them: Then the Boatswains Mate, or some such Officer, comes to the Foot 

 of the Main-Mast, with Visage all bedawb'd, and his Body aU roU'd in Ropes, 

 some hanging down from his Shoulders; and after him, in Order, there fol- 

 lows five or six Sailors dress'd in a like manner: and holding in his Hand some 

 Book of Navigation; he that is to be Baptiz'd comes and Kneels before him, 

 and puts his Hand upon the Book, and is obliged to Swear solemnly, and 

 sincerely. That as often as there is Occasion for Baptizing or Ducking Others, 

 he will exercise upon them, the same Ceremony as they are about to exercise 

 upon him, without ever thinking to exempt them from it. After this, he arises, 

 and goes towards the Head of the Vessel, thorow the Lane of Tubs, and Sea- 

 men who Attend with Buckets full of Water, so that as he goes along, they 

 throwing it upon him, he receives his Baptism sufficiently. 



(The Gentleman's dictionary. London, 1705, part 3, p. Ddd-4.) 



1685 



Nos vivres & nôtre eau ne se sont point corrompus, nous n'avons même presque 

 pas eu à souffrir du mauvais tems & des calmes; à les chaleurs de la Zone 

 torride ne nous ont gueres paru plus grandes que celles qu'on sent en France 



