S I G 



the red do fo. he fpreads a red flag from the cap, on the 

 fore-topmaft-head, downward on the back-ftay ; if the 

 vice-admiral of the blue, he fpreads a blue flag, &c. and 

 fires a gun. If he would have the rear-admiral of the red 

 do fo, he hoifts a red flag at the flag-ftafF, at the mizen- 

 topmaft-head ; if the rear-admiral of the white, a white 

 flag ; if the rear-admiral of the blue, a blue flag, and under 

 it a pendant of the fame colour, with a gun. If he be to 

 leeward of the fleet, or any part of it, and he would have 

 them bear down into his wake or grain, he hoifts a blue flag 

 at the mizen-peck, and fires a gun. If he would be to lee- 

 ward of the enemy, and his fleet or any part of it be to leeward 

 of him, in order to bring thefe fhips into the line, he bears 

 down with a blue flag at the mizen-peek, under the union- 

 flag, (which is the fignal for battle,) and fires a gun ; and 

 then thofe fliips that are to leeward of him, mull endeavour 

 to get into his wake or grain, according to their ftation in 

 the line of battle. When the fleet is failing before the wind, 

 and he would have him, who commands in the fecond poft, 

 and the fliip of the llarboard quarter, to clap by the wind, 

 and come to the ilarboard tack, he hoills a red flag at the 

 mizen-topmaft-hcad ; but a blue one, if he would have (hips 

 of the larboard quarter come to the larboard tack, with a 

 gun. If the van are to tack firft, he fpreads the union-flag 

 at the flag-ftaff", on the fore-topmaft-head, and fires a gun, 

 if the red flag be not on board ; but if it be, then he lowers 

 the fore-topfails a little, and the union-flag is fpread from 

 the cap of the fore-topmaft downward ; and every flag-fliip 

 doth the fame. If the rear be to tack firft, he hoifts the 

 union-flag on the flag-ftafF, at the mizen-topmaft-head, and 

 fires a gun ; which all the flag-ftiips are to anfwer. If all 

 the flag-fliips are to come into his wake or grain, he hoifts 

 a red flag at iiis mizen-peek, and fires a gun ; and all the 

 flag-ftiips muft do the fame. If he would have him that 

 commands in the fecond poll of his fquadron to make more 

 fail, (though he himfelf ftiorten fail,) he hoifts a white flag 

 on the enfign-ftaff". But if he that commands in the third 

 poft be to (do fo, he hoifts a blue flag, and fires a gun, and 

 all the flag-ftiips muft make the fame fignal. Whenever he 

 hoifts a red flag on the flag-ftaff^ at the fore-topmaft-head, 

 and fires a gun, every fliip in the fleet muft ufe their utmoft 

 endeavour to engage the enemy, in the order prefcribcd 

 them. When he hoifts a white flag at his mizen-peek, and 

 fires a gun, then all the fmall frigates of his fquadron, that 

 are not of the line of battle, are to come under the ftern. 

 If the fleet be failing by a wind in the line of battle, and the 

 admiral would have them brace their head-fails to the maft, 

 he hoifts up a yellow flag, on the flag-ftafl^, at the mizen- 

 topmaft-head, and fires a gun ; which the flag-ftiips are to 

 anfwer ; and then the ftiips in the rear mull brace firft. 

 After this, if he would have them fall their head-fails, and 

 ttand on, he hoifts a yellow flag on the flag-ftafF of the fore- 

 topmaft-head, and fires a gun, which the flag-ftiips muft 

 anfwer; and then the ftiips in the van muft fall firft, and 

 ftand on. If, when this fignal is made, the red flag at the 

 fore-topmaft-head be abroad, he fpreads the yellow flag 

 under the red. If the fleets being near one another, the 

 admiral would have all the (hips to tack together, the fooner 

 to lie in a pofture to engage the enemy, he hoiils an union- 

 flag on the flag-itaves at the fore and mizen-topmaft-heads, 

 and fires a gun ; and all the flag-fl»ips are to do the fame. 

 The fleet being in a line of battle, if he would have the fliip 

 that leads the van hoift, lower, fet, or haul up any of her 

 fails, he fpreads a yellow flag, under that at his main-top. 

 maft-head, and fires a gun, which fignal the flag-ftiips are 

 to anfwer ; and the admiral will hoift, lower, fet, or haul 

 up the fail, which he would have the Ihip that leads the van 

 7 



S I G 



do ; which is to be anfwered by the flag-fhips of the fleet. 

 When the enemies run, and he would have the whole fleet 

 follow them, he makes all the fail he can after them himfelf, 

 takes down the fignal for the line of battle, and fires two 

 guns out of his fore-chafe, which the flag-ftiips anfwer ; and 

 then every ftiip is to endeavour to come up with and board 

 the enemy. When he would have the chafe given over, he 

 hoifts a white flag at the fore-topmalt-head, and fires a gun. 

 If he would have the red fquadron draw into a line of battle, 

 one abreaft of another, he puts abroad a flag, ftriped red 

 and white, on the flag-ftafF at the main-topmaft-head, with 

 a pendant under it, and fires a gun ; if the white or fecond 

 fquadron is to do fo, the flag is ilripcd red, white, and 

 blue ; if the blue or third fquadron is to do fo, the flag is a 

 Genoefe enfign and pendant ; but if they are to draw into a 

 line of battle, one a-head of another, the fame fignals are 

 made with a pendant. If they are to draw into the line of 

 battle one a-ftern of another, with a large wind, and he 

 would have the leaders go with the ftarboard tacks, aboard 

 by the wind, he hoifts a red and white flag at the mizen- 

 peek, and fires a gun ; but if they fhould go with the lar- 

 board tacks aboard, by the wind, he hoifts a Genoefe flag 

 at the fame place ; which fignals, like others, muft be an- 

 fwered by the flag-fhips. 



SIGNATORES, among the Romans, witnefles who 

 fealed wills and marriage contraiEls. 



SIGNATURE, Signatora, Signing, a fubfcriptton, 

 or pultijig of one's name at the bottom of an aft, or deed, 

 in one's own hand-writing. 



Anciently, when very few people could write, they dif- 

 penfed with the ufe of fignatures ; and contented themfelves 

 with the party's feal. See Deed. 



Signature of the Court of Rome, is a fupplication an- 

 fwered by the pope, by which he grants a favour, difpenfa- 

 tion, or collation to a benefice, by putting the fat at the 

 bottom of it, in his ewn hand ; or the conceffum rfl written 

 in his prefence. This fignature, at the bottom of the fup- 

 plication, gives name to the whole inftrument. 



The fignature contains the claufes, derogations, and dif- 

 penfations, with which the pope grants the favour, or the 

 benefice, with a commiffion for the execution of it, cither in 

 forma dignum, or in gracious form. 



A fignature of the pope's own hand, by which he anfwers. 

 Fiat ut petitur, is preferred to another anfwered by the pr&. 

 feft, in his prefence, in thefe words, Cmueffum uti petitur 

 in prafentia D. N. papie. Sometimes in fignatures, with the 

 felt, tlie pope adds, propria motu ; which claufe gives them 

 ftill farther force. 



There are three kinds of fignatures : one in forma gra- 

 tiofa, difpatched on an atteftation of the ordinary ; another 

 in forma dignum antiqua, difpatched for canonicates ; the 

 thud in forma dignum novifflma, which is a kind of fecond 

 fignature, or executorial letter, granted where, upon the 

 ordinary's failing to execute the firft, within thirty days, 

 the neareil other ordinary is enjoined to execute it. 



Signature, in Printing, denotes a mark at the bottom 

 of each fheet, to regulate the gathering and binding of the 

 book ; and to (hew the order and number of the fheets, in 

 collating, to fee if the book is perfeft. 



The fignatures confift of the capital letters of the alphabet. 

 If there be more fheets than letters in the alphabet, to the 

 capital letter they add a fmall one of the fame fort ; «. e. a 

 little a after a great A, &c. which they repeat as often as 

 is neceflary. 



Signature, Signatura, is alfo ufed, by fome naturalift«, 

 for the refemblance a vegetable or mineral bears to any 

 part of the human body j this is, by fome fantaftical 



people. 



