Whelps

The following extracts from the Travels of *Sir William Brereton* may answer the inquiry respecting the ships called "Whelps":— "Waterford, 25 July, 1635. About six hour I went aboard one of the kings ships, called the ninth whelp, which is in the king's books 215 ton and tonnage in kings books. She carries sixteen pieces of ordinance, two brass rakers, six iron demiculverin drakes, four iron whole culverin drakes, and four iron demicannon drakes. They are called drakes. They are taper-bored in the camber, and are tempered with extraordinary metal to carry that shot; these are narrower where t…