Glossary
Here are explanations of some words to do with the Armada.

Astrolabe – an instrument used for navigation. It measured the height of the sun from the Equator.

Cable – a thick rope, usually attached to the ship’s anchor

Firepot – an earthenware pot filled with gunpowder, spirits and resin.
It was thrown, with lighted tapers tied around it, onto the deck of an enemy ship, where it would burst, scattering its burning contents.

Galleon – a wooden fighting ship used by both the English and Spanish in the Armada campaign

Galleass – a fighting ship that used both oars and sails to drive it through the water used by the Spanish in the Armada.
Galley - the ship’s kitchen

Linstock – a match holder used for lighting guns or cannon

Match – the fuse used to fire a gun

Sandglass – a timing device filled with sand and it took 30 minutes for the sand to fall from one end of the glass to the other.

Navigation – the art of finding a ship’s position and working out the direction and route for the ship to take to reach its destination

Powder room – the part of the ship where gunpowder was stored

Pump – a mechanism on a ship, which was used to take water out of the bottom or hold of a ship. It was worked by hand

Rammer – the tool used to push the powder charge into a gun

Rigging – ropes used on ships to support the masts and to control the sails

Mortar & pestle - a small bowl made from a hard material in which ingredients are pounded with a pestle (a club-shaped instrument for pounding ingredients)

Shot – balls of stone and metal, which were fired from guns

Tackle – blocks and ropes used together to lift heavy objects

Watch – a period of time, usually 4 hours when members of the crew were on duty, keeping a lookout for dangers or changes in the weather etc.