THIS Ship is Sheathed with Lead from the Keel up as high as any Wood-sheathing goes , where , upon a bare View , any one that is unprejudiced must be convinc'd of its Excellency and Goodness in Preferrence to that of Wood , without recourse to Experience , which has abundantly justified it in every particular , viz. better Preservation of the Plank , Seams , Ironwork , and benefit of Sailing , as well as certain Security from the Worm , upon 〈◇〉 30 Ships , against all the false and ridiculous Stories its Enemies have formerly raised against it , as Mr. Hale has often Proved , Published , and Challenged any one fairly to Answer that can ; but they wisely decline that , knowing it will not bear a Publick Test , but still go on with their positive Averments , and private Insinuations with their Friends , to raise new Stories as the old ones are baffled , as they have lately done , That it did rot and decay the Okam in the Seams , which was never heard of before , for that in truth it preserves it longer , as he has proved from Reason and Experience in the Antilopes Evidence , &c. which story being new invented , to make it necessary ( if Owners will Sheath with Lead ) to strip the Sheathing every Voyage , that the charge thereof may make them weary of it : Mr. Hale ( to put an end to these Tricks ) was advised to address himself at a General Court to the English East India Company , as great Patrones of our Trade , and Improvements , which he did by a Proposal of Lead-sheathing , as an Invention of great Use and Benefit to the Publick , as well as those that used it , desiring they would be pleased to take the same into their Consideration , and upon due Examination and Enquiry into the Merit and Goodness thereof , in preference to that of Wood hitherto used , and of the Truth and Validity of the Objections made against it ) if they should find the thing it self deserved it , that they would be pleased to give it their Countenance and Encouragement accordingly .

This Proposal they referred to the Consideration of their Court of Directors , 2 Feb. last , who having taken time enough fully to inform themselves , and to consider thereof ( not thinking it reasonable to impose the Lead-sheathing upon any one ) 21 Sept. last , were pleased to make an Order , That it be left indifferently to all Owners of Ships to be taken into their Service , to Sheath them with Lead or Board , as they think fit ; but that it he recommended to them to prefer Lead Sheathing , and that the Companies Husband [ having discovered great prejudice against it ] be enjoyned to be indifferent in the Matter , and to shew their Satisfaction therein , and full Approbation thereof , for the encouragement of others , the 18 of Octob . last , They ordered the May-Flower , which they had newly bought ( being the first Ship they had of their own , and which they designed to remain long a Coaster in the Indies ) to be Sheathed with Lead , and that the care be committed to Mr. Hale to have the Seams well Caulked ; the Rudder Irons Sound and well Wrought , and all the Iron work parcelled himself , which their Husband was not a ware of : So that it is to be hoped its Enemies will now think themselves obliged to acquiess at last , after a determination of the Point by such Judges , that must be satisfied upon a Full and Impartial enquiry into the Truth , and Merit of the Matter before them , and that the Shipwrights will undertake for the well Caulking of the Seames , and due parcelling of the Ironwork ( that they shall at least , last as long under a Lead , as under a Wood-sheathing ) for the future , that they may be trusted therewith as formerly , which otherwise they cannot be , if they shall have it in their Power to charge the ill effects of their own wilful or careless neglect of the well performing so necessary a Work for the Ships Health , upon the Leadsheathing as the cause thereof .

It is true indeed , that upon searching the May-Flower , to fit her out for their Service they found her Bottom eaten with the Worm , and so rotten that they were forced to lay her a side , and ordered their Husband to look out for another , who knowing she was to be Sheathed with Lead , delayed the time , and at last pretending he could find none in the River that was so fit for their Service , as a new Ship already Sheathed with Wood upon the Stocks , and her Voyage requiring dispatch , they bought this Ship . He props'd one Wood Sheathed-Ship to them before , but it seems they did not like her , and he was resolv'd they should have no other , wherein their Husband has shewn his Cuning to serve his Friends , what cause soever his Masters have to thank him for it .